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c  ////.  j"/i  /o'  ''vy 


HARVARD 
COLLEGE 
LIBRARY 


CHRISTIAN  DIRECTORY: 


OB,  A  BODY  or 


PRACTICAL  DIVINITY, 


Alft> 


CASES    OF    CONSCIENCE. 


BY  THE 

REV.  RICHARD   BAXTER. 


IN  FIVB  VOLUMES. 
VOL.  IV. 


T!ie  priest's  tips  shonld  keep  knowledge,  and  they  should  seek  the  law  at  hb 
inoath ;  for  be  is  the  messenger  of  the  Lord  of  Hosts.  Bat  je  are  departed 
out  of  the  way  '•  ye  have  caused  many  to  stumble  at  the  law ;  ye  have  oor- 
rupted  the  covenant  of  Levi        '    ■.  Mal.  u,  7,  8. 

Every  scaiaa  which  is  instmcted  onto  the  kfaigdom  of  heaven,  » like  onto  • 
man  that  b  an  householder,  which  bringeth  forth  out  of  hb  treasure  things 
new  and  old.  Matt.  zHi.  5S. 


LONDON : 
PRINTED  FOR  RICHARD  EDWARDS ; 

AND    SOLD   BT  JAME8   DUNCAN^   PATEBN08TBB   BOW^  AND   BT 

ALL  OTBBB   BOOK8BLLEB8. 

1^ 


c  im.s-^.  ir  /Vy, 


ll»»^ 


/rfy.  j'^//--  /c. 


^ 


THE 


PRACTICAL  WORKS 


OF   THE 


REV.  RICHARD  BAXTER. 


VOLUME  V. 


COWTAININO 


THE  CHRISTIAN  DIBECTORY. 


CHRISTIAN  DIRECTORY : 


OB>   A    SUM   OF 


PRACTICAL    THEOLOGY, 


AMD 


CASES  OF  CONSCIENCE. 


DIRECTING  CHRISTIANS,  HOW  TO  USE  THEIR  KNOWLEDGE  ANIJ 
FAITH ;  HOW  TO  IBIPROVE  ALL  HELPS  AND  MEANS,  AND  TO 
PERFORM  ALL  DUTIES;  HOW  TO  OVERCOME  TEMPTATIONS. 
AND  TO  ESCAPE  OR  MORTIFY  EVERY  SIN. 


IN  FOUR  PARTS. 


I.  CHRISTIAN  ETHICS,  (OR  PRIVATE  DUTIES.) 

II.  CHRISTIAN  ECONOMICS,  (OR  FAMILY  DUTIES.) 

III.  CHRISTIAN   ECCLESIASTICS^  (OR  CHURCH  DUTIES.) 

IV.  CHRISTIAN  POLITICS,  (OR  DUTIES  TO  OUR  RULERS  AND  NEIOIIDOUKS.) 


PART  Ui. 

CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS,  (OR CHURCH  DUTIES.) 


CONTENTS 


OF 


THE     FIFTH     VOLUME. 


CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS. 


CHAPTER  I. 


PAGE 


Of  the  Worship  of  Crod  in  general.  The  Nature  and  Reasons 
of  it>  and  Directions  for  it.  How  to  know  right  Ends  in 
Worship,  &c 1 


CHAPTER  II. 


Directions  about  the  manner  of  Worship,  to  avoid  aU  corrup- 
tions, and  false,  unacceptable  Worshipping  of  God.  The 
disadvantages  of  ungodly  men  in  judging  of  Holy  Worship. 
How  for  the  Scriptures  are  the  Rule  or  Law  of  Worship 
and  Discipline,  and  how  fiEur  not  ?  Instances  of  things  un- 
determined in  Scripture.  What  Commands  of  Scripture 
are  not  universal  and  perpetual  ?    May  danger  excuse  from 

Duty,  and  when }     Rules  for  the  right  manner 18 

VOL.  V.  b 


vi  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  III. 

PAGE 

Directions  about  the  Christian  Covenant  with  Grod^  and  Bap- 
tism. The  Covenant,  what  ?  The  Parties,  Matter^  Terms, 
Forms,  necessary  Modes,  Fruits^  &c.  External  Baptism, 
what  ?  Complete  Baptism,  what  ?  Of  renewing  the  Co- 
venant          39 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Directions  about  the  Profession  of  our  Religion  to  others. 
The  greatness  of  the  Duty  of  open  ProfSession.  When  and 
how  it  must  be  made  ? 49 


CHAPTER  V. 

Directions  about  Vows  and  particular  Covenants  with  God. .        £^4 

Tii,  1 .  Directions  for  the  right  making  such  Vows  and  Co- 
venants. What  a  Vow  is?  The  aorta  of  Vowa.  The  use  and 
obligation.  Whether  any  things  be  indifferent ;  andsHch 
may  be  Vowed?  As  Marrying,  &c.  May  we  Vow  things,  in- 
different in  themselves^  though  not  in  their  circumstances  ? 
In  what  cases  we  may  not  Vow.  What  if  Rulers  conuuand 
it?  What  if  I  doubt  whether  the  matter  imposed  be  law- 
ful ?     Of  Vowing  with  a  doubting  conscience ibid. 

Tit.  2.  Directions  against  Peijury  and  Perfidiousness  -,  and 
for  keeping  Vows  and  Oaths.  The  heinousness  of  Peijury. 
Thirty^ix  Rules  about  the  obligation  of  a  Vow,  to  shew 
when  and  how  ftir  it  is  obligatory ;  usefiil  in  an  age  stig- 
matized with  open  Peijury.  (Mostly  out  of  Dr.  Sanderson.) 
What  is  the  Nullity  of  an  Oath  ?  Cases  in  which  Vows 
must  not  be  kept 69 

How  far  Rulers  may  Nullify  a  Vow  ?  Num.  xxx.  opened. 
Of  the  accidental  evil  of  a  Vow.  Of  Scandal.  Q.  Doth 
an  error  '  de  persona  *  caused  by  that  person  disoblige  me  ?      76 


CONTENTS.  TM 
CHAPTER  VI. 

Directions  to  the  People  concerning  their  internal  and  private 
Duty  to  their  Pastors^  and  their  profiting  by  the  Minitterial 

office  and  gifts 107 

The  Ministerial  Office  opened  in  fifteen  particulars 108 

The  Reasons  of  it Ill 

The  true  old  Episcopacy ibid. 

Special  Duties  to  your  own  Pastors  above  others 1 19 

Of  the  Calling,  Power,  and  Succession  of  Pastors 115 

The  best  to  be  preferred I  IB 

The  order  of  Ministerial  teachii^,  and  the  resolulioil  of  Mth  190 

How  fiar  Human  faith  conduceth  to  Divine 197 

OfTradition ISO 

What  use  to  make  of  your  Pastors 131 


CHAPTER  VII. 


Directions  for  the  discovery  of  Truth  among  contenders,  and 
how  to  escape  Heresy  and  Deceit.  Cautions  for  avoiding 
Deceit  in  Disputations 154 


CHAPTER  VIIL 


Directions  for  the  Union  and  Communion  of  Saints,  and  for 
avoiding  Unpeaceableness  and  Schism 151 

Wherein  our  Unity  consisteth 152 

What  Diversity  will  be  in  the  Churches.  What  Schism  is  ? 
What  Heresy  ?  What  Apostacy  ?  Who  are  Schismatics  ? 
The  degrees  and  progress  of  it.  What  Separation  is  a 
Duty? 15« 

Q.  Is  wty  ooe  fonn  of  Churek-govemment  of  Divine  appoint*^ 
ment?    May  man  make  new  Churclwifficera  ? 163 

The  benefits  of  Christian  concord ;  lo  themselves,  and  to  in- 
fideia  . I70 

The  mischiefs  of  Schism 175 


viii  CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

Whether  Papists  or  Protestants  are  Schismatics 175 

The  aggravations  of  Division 179 

Two  iiindrances  of  our  true  apprehension  of  the  evil  of  Schism  1 85 

Directions  against  it 186 

Of  imposing  defective  Liturgies 168 

The  testimonies  of  antiquity  against  the  bloody  and  cruel  way 

of  curing  Schism.    Their  character  of  Ithacian  Prelates. .  ^08 


CHAPTER  IX. 


Twenty  Directions  how  to  worship  God  in  the  Church-as- 
semblies     <215 


CHAPTER  X. 


Directions  about  our  Communion  with  holy  souls  departed, 
now  with  Christ *Z*:i3 


CHAPTER  XI. 


Directions  about  our  Communion  with  the  holy  angels <i35 


ECCLESIASTICAL    CASES    OF    CONSCIENCE. 


Q.  1.  How  to  know  which  is  the  true  Church  among  all  pre- 
tenders^ that  a  Christian's  conscience  may  be  quiet  in  his 
Relation  and  Communion ^4^ 

Q.  2.  Whether  we  must  esteem  the  Church  of  Rome  a  true 
Church  ?  and  in  what  sense  some  Protestant  divines  affirm 
it,  and  some  deny  it  ? 254 


CONTENTS.  ix 

Page 
Q.  3.  Whether  we  must  take  the  Romish  clei^  for  a  true 

ministry  ? ^  ......  .     256 

Q.  4.  Whether  it  be  necessary  to  believe  that  the  Pope  is  the 
Antichrist  > ^(52 

Q.  5.  Whether  we  must  hold  that  a  Papist  may  be  saved  ?    .    263 

Q.  6.  Whether  those  that  are  in  the  Church  of  Rome  are 
bound  to  separate  from  it  ?  And  whether  it  be  lawful  to  go 
to  their  mass  or  other  worship  ? 265 

Q.  7.  Whether  the  true  calling  of  the  Minister  by  Ordination 
or  Election  be  necessary  to  the  essence  of  the  church  ?  .  .     266 

Q.  S.  Whether  sincere  faith  and  godliness  be  necessary  to  the 
being  of  the  ministry  ?  And  whether  it  be  lawful  to  hear 
a  wicked  man,  or  take  the  sacrament  from  him,  or  take 
him  for  a  minister  ? 268 

Q.  9.  Whether  the  people  arc  bound  to  receive  or  consent 
to  an  ungodly,  intolerable,  heretical  pastor,  (yea  or  one  far 
less  fit  and  worthy  than  a  competitor)  if  the  magistrate 
command  it,  or  the  bishop  impose  him  ? 270 

Q.  10.  What  if  the  magistrate  command  the  people  to  receive  ^ 

one  pastor^  and  the  bishop  or  ordainers  another,  which  of 
them  must  be  obeyed  ? 275 

Q.  11.  Whether  an  uninterrupted  succession  either  of  right 
ordination  or  of  conveyance  by  jurisdiction,  be  necessary  to 
the  being  of  the  ministry,  or  of  a  true  church  ? 276 

Q.  1 2.  Whether  there  be  or  ever  was  such  a  thing  in  the  world 
as  one  Catholic  church,  constituted  by  any  head  besides  or 
under  Christ  ? 280 

Q.  13.  Whether  there  be  such  a  thing  as  a  visible  Catholic 
church,  and  what  it  is  ? 281 

Q.  14.  What  is  it  that  maketh  a  visible  member  of  the  univer- 
sal church,  and  whp  are  to  be  accounted  such  ?-......    282 

Q.  15.  Whether  besides  the  profession  of  Christianity,  either 

testimony  or  evidence  of  conversion  or  practical  j;pdliness  -         • 
be  necessary  to  prove  a  man  a  member  of  the  universal 
visible  church  ? ibid. 

Q.  16.  What  is  necessary  to  a  man's  reception  into  member- 
ship in  a  particular  church,  over  and  above  this  aforesaid 
title  ?     Whether  any  other  trials,  or  covenant,  or  what  ?  .  .    285 

Q.  17-  Wherein  doth  the  ministerial  office  essentially  consist  ?    287 

Q.  18.  Whether  the  peo[de*s  choice  or  consent  is  necessary 
to  the  office  of  a  minister  in  his  first  work,  as  he  is  to  con- 
vert infidels  and  baptize  them?     And  whether  this  be  a  >^ 
work  of  office,  and  what  call  is  necessary  to  it  ? 289 


V 


PAOB 

Q.  19.  Wherrin  oontiflteth  the  power  and  nature  of  ordina- 
tion ?  And  to  whom  doth  it  belong?  And  is  it  an  act  of 
juritdiotion  ?    And  is  imposition  of  hands  necessary  in  H  ?    292 

Q.  80.  Is  ordination  necessary  to  make  a  man  a  pastor  of  a 
particular  church  as  such  ?  And  is  he  to  be. made  a  gene- 
ral minister,  and  a  particular  church  elder  or  pastor  at  once, 
and  at  one  ordination  ? 295 

Q.  21.  May  a  man  be  oft,  or  twice  ordained  ? 296 

Q.  22.  How  many  ordainers  are  necessary  to  the  validity  of 
ordination  by  Christ^s  institution,  whether  one  or  more  ?    SOO 

Q.  23.  What  if  one  bishop  ordain  a  minister,  and  three,  or 
many,  or  all  the  rest  protest  against  it,  and  declare  him  no 
minister  or  degrade  him,  is  he  to  be  received  as  a  true  mi- 
nister or  not } S02 

Q.  24.  Hath  a  bishop  power  by  Divine  right  to  ordain,  de- 
grade or  govern,  excommunicate  or  absolve  in  another's 
diocese  or  church,  either  by  bis  consent  or  against  it }  And 
doth  a  minister  that  officiateth  in  another's  church,  act  as 
a  pastor,  and  their  pastor,  or  as  a  private  man  ?  And  doth 
his  ministerial  office  cease  when  a  man  removeth  fron^  his 
flock? 304 

Q.  25.  Whether  canons  be  laws,  and  pastors  have  a  legisla- 
tive power? 306 

Q.  26.  Whether  church-canons  or  pastors*  directive  deter- 
minations of  matters  pertinent  to  their  office,  do  bind  the 
conscience,  and  what  accidents  will  disoblige  the  people  $ 
you  may  gather  before  in  the  same  case  about  magistrates' 
laws  in  the  Political  Directions ;  as  also  by  an  impartial 
transferring  the  case  to  the  precepts  of  parents  and  school* 
masters  to  children,  without  respect  to  their  power  of  the 
rod,  (or  supposing  that  they  had  none  such)  ? 309 

Q.  27.  What  are  Christ's  appointed  means  of  the  unity  and 
concord  of  the  universal  church,  and  consequently  of  its 
preservation,  if  there  be  no  human  universal  head  and  go- 
vernor of  it  upon  earth  ?  And  if  Christ  hath  instituted 
none  such,  whether  prudence  and  the  law  of  nature  oblige 
not  the  church  to  set  up  and  maintain  an  universal  ecclesias- 
tical monarchy  or  aristocracy ;  seeing  that  which  is  every 
man's  work,  is  no  man's,  and  omitted  byall? ibid. 

Q.  28.  Who  is  the  judge  of  oontr^ersies  in  the  church  ?  1. 
About  the  exposition  of  the  Scriptures  and  doctrinal  points 
in  themselves.    2.  About  either  heresies  or  wicked  prac- 


CCHQTBNTS.  ti 

FAOJt 

tice8>  as  they  are  cheiged  on  the  persons  accused  of  them  : 
that  is,  1.  Antecedently  to  our  practice,  by  way  of  raguhi- 
tion.  S.  Or  consequently  by  judicial  sentence  (and  execu* 
tion)  on  offenders  ? 31 1 

Q.  ^9.  Whether  a  parentis  pbwer  oyer  his  children,  or  a  pas- 
tor's, or  many  pastors  or  bishops  over  the  same  children  as 
parts  of  their  flocks,  be  greater,  or  more  obUging  in  mat- 
ters of  religion  and  public  worship  ? 314 

Q.  SO.  May  an  office-teacher  or  pastor  be  at  once  in  the  stated 
relation  of  a  pastor,  and  a  disciple  to  some  other  pastor  }••     315 

Q.  31 .  Who  hath  the  power  of  making  church-canons  ?  .  .  .    316 

U.  32.  Doth  baptism  as  such  enter  the  baptized  into  the  uni- 
versal church  i  or  into  a  particular  church,  or  both  ?  And 
is  baptism  the  particular  church-covenant  as  such  ?  .  .  .  .    317 

Q.  33.  Whether  infants  should  be  baptized,  I  have  answered 
long  ago  in  a  Treatise  on  that  subject? 318 

Q.  What  infents  should  be  baptized  ?  And  who  have  right  to 
sacraments }  And  whether  hypocrites  are  unequivocally  at 
equivocally  Christians  and  church-members,  I  have  resolved 
in  my ''Disputation  of  Bight  to  Sacraments.**  .......    ibid. 

Q.  34.  Whether  tm  unbaptized  person  who  yet  tnaketh  a  pub- 
lic profession  of  Christianity  be  a  member  of  the  visible 
church  ?    And  so  of  the  infieints  of  believers  unbaptized  ?  ibid. 

Q.  35.  Is  it  certain  by  the  Word  of  God,  that  all  infants  bap- 
tized, and  dying  befora  actual  sin  are  undoubtedly  saved  ? 
Or  what  infants  may  we  say  so  of  > 319 

Q.  36.  What  is  meant  by  this  speech,  that  believers  and  their 
seed  are  in  the  covenant  of  God  /  which  giveth  them  right 
to  baptism?  ; 333 

Q.  37-  Are  believers*  children  certainly  in  covenant  before 
their  baptism ;  and  thereby  in  a  state  of  salvation  ^  or  not 
till  they  are  baptized  ? 334 

Q.  38.  Is  infants*  title  to  baptism  and  the  covenant  benefits 
given  them  by  God  in  his  promises  upon  any  proper  moral 
conditk>d,  or  only  upon  the  condition  of  their  natural  rela- 
tion; that  they  be  the  seed  of  the  futhful  ? .'.     336 

Q.  39.  What  is  the  true  meaning  of  sponsors,  ('  patrimi'),  or 
godfathers,  as  we  call  them  j  and  is  it  lawfhl  to  make  use 
of  them  ? 4 • •  •  •     338 

Q.  40.  On  whose  account  or  right  is  it  that  the  Infant  hath 
title  to  baptism  and  its  benefits  ?  Is  it  on  the  parent's,  an- 
cestor's, sponsor's,  the  church's,  the  minister's,  the  magis- 
trate's, or  his  own ?••••• 341 


xii  CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

Q.  41.  Are  they  really  baptized  who  are  baptized  according  to 
the  English  liturgy  and  canons^  where  the  parent  seemeth 
excluded^  and  those  to  consent  for  the  infant  who  have  no 
power  to  do  it? •• •...•...     344 

Q.  4^.  But  the  great  question  is.  How  the  Holy  Ghost  is 
given  to  infiuits  in  baptism,  and  whether  all  the  children  of 
true  Christians  have  inward  sanctifying  grace  ?  Or  whether 
they  can  be  said  to  be  justified  and  to  be  in  a  state  of  sal- 
vation, that  are  not  inherently  sanctified  i  And  whether 
any  fall  from  this  infant  state  of  salvation  ? 345 

Q.  43.  Is  the  right  of  the  baptized  (infisints  or  adult)  to  the 
sanctifjring  operations  of  the  Holy  Ghost  now  absolute  -,  or 
suspended  on  further  conditions  ?  And  are  the  parents* 
further  duty  for  their  children  such  conditions  of  their 
children's  reception  of  the  actual  assistances  of  the  Spirit? 
Or  are  children's  own  actions  such  conditions  ?  And  may 
apostate  parents  forfeit  the  covenant  benefits  to  their  bap- 
tized infants  or  not  ?   •  • • 354 

Q.  44.  Doth  baptism  always  oblige  us  at  the  presenti  cmd 
give  grace  at  the  present,  and  is  the  grace  which  is  not 
given  till  long  after,  given  by  baptism,  or  an  effect  of  bap- 
tism ?    ••••• • • 368 

Q.  45.  What  is  a  proper  violation  of  our  baptismal  covenant  ?     361 

Q.  46.  May  not  baptism  in  some  cases  be  repeiated;  and  when  ?     369 

Q.  47.  Is  baptism  by  laymen  or  women  lawful  in  cases  of  ne- 
cessity ',  or  are  they  nullities,  and  the  person  to  be  re-bap- 
tized ?    # 364 

Q.  48.  May  Anabaptists  that  have  no  other  error,  be  permit- 
ted in  church-communion  ? • • 365 

Q.  49.  May  one  offer  his  child  to  be  baptized,  with  the  sign 
of  the  cross,  or  the  use  of  chrisms,  the  white  garment, 
milk  and  honey,  or  exorcisms  as  among  the  Lutherans, 
who  taketh  these  to  be  unlawful  things  ?  •  •   ••••••••••     366 

Q.  50.  Whence  came  the  ancient  universal  custom  of  anoint- 
ing at  baptism,  and  putting  on  a  white  garment,  and 
tasting  milk  and  honey  3  and  whether  they  are  lawful  to  us  ?     367 

Q.  51.  Whether  it  be  necessary  that  they  that  are  baptized  in 
infancy,  do  solemnly  at  age  review  and  own  their  baptis- 
mal covenant  before  they  have  right  to  the  state  and  pri- 
vileges of  adult  members  -,  and  if  they  do  not,  whether 
they  are  to  be  numbered  with  Christians  or  apostates  ?•  •  •  •     369 


CONTENTS.  xiii 

PAGB 

Q.  52.  Whether  the  universal  church  consist  only  of  particu-  y/^ 

lar  churches  and  their  members  ? ••••• ..-.     370 

Q.  53.  Must  the  pastor  first  call  the  church  and  aggregate 
them  to  himself^  or  the  church  first  congregate  themselves 

and  then  choose  the  pastor ?  •••• • 371 

Q.  54.  Wherein  doth  a  particular  church  of  Christ  differ 

from  a  consociation  of  many  churches  >••••• ••••    ibid. 

Q.  55.  Whether  a  particular  church  may  consist  of  more  as- 
semblies than  one  \  or  must  needs  meet  aU  in  one  place  \    37S 
Q .  56.  Is  any  form  of  church-government  of  Divine  institution  ?     373 
Q.  57.  Whether  any  forms  of  churches  and  church-govern- 
ment or  any  new  church-officers  may  lawfully  be  invented 

and  made  by  man  ? •••••; •••••     380 

Q.  58.  Whether  any  part  of  the  proper  pastoral  or  episcopal 
power  may  be  given  or  deputed  to  a  layman,  or  to  one  of 
any  other  office  \  or  their  proper  work  may  be  performed 

by  such? 397 

Q.  59.  May  a  layman  preach  or  expound  the  Scriptures ;  or 
what  of  this  is  proper  to  the  pastor's  office  ?......•••.     399 

Q.  60.  What  is  the  true  sense  ef  the  distinction  of  pastoral 

power '  in  foro  interiore  et  exteriorc,'  rightly  used  \ 400 

Q.  61.  In  what  sense  is  it  true,  that  some  say  that  the  ma- 
gistrate only  hath  the  external  government  of  the  church, 

aod  the  pastor  the  internal  ? •  •     401 

Q.  68.  Is  the  trial,  judgment,  or  consent  of  the  laity  neces- 
sary to  the  admittance  of  a  member  into  the  universal  or 

particular  church  ? 40^ 

Q.  63.   What  power  have  the  people  in   church-censures 

and  excommunication  \ 404 

Q.  64.  AVhat  is  the  people's  remedy  in  case  of  the  pastor's  ^ 

mal-administration  ? 405 

Q.  65.  May  one  be  a  pastor  or  a  member  of  a  particular 
church  who  liveth  so  far  from  it,  as  to  be  incapable  of 

personal  communion  with  them  ? ibid. 

Q.  66.  If  a  man  be  iiguriously  suspended  or  excommunicated 

by  the  pastor  or  people,  which  way  shall  he  have  remedy  ?     406 
Q.  67.  Doth  presence  always  make  us  guilty  of  the  evils  or 
faults  of  the  pastor  in  God's  worship,  or  of  the  church  ? 

or  in  what  cases  are  we  guilty  ? ; 407 

Q.  ^,  Is  it  lawful  to  communicate  in  the  sacrament  with 
wicked  men  ? ibid. 


xiT  CONTMras. 

PAGE 

Q.  69.  Hare  all  the  aMnabere  of  the  church  ri^t  to  the 
Lord's  table,  aad  is  suspension  lawful  ?. . .  ^ » » . .  •  •     408 

Q.  70.  Is  there  any  such  thing  in  the  churdi,  as  a  rank>  or 
dassis,  or  species  of  diurch-members  at  age.  Who  are  not 
to  be  admitted  to  the  Lord's  table>  but  only  to  the  hear- 
ing of  the  Word,  and  prayer,  between  infiant  members,  and 
adult,  confirmed  ones  ? • » « • . .     410 

Q.  7 1 .  Whether  a  form  of  prayer  be  lawful? 414 

Q.  72.  Are  forms  of  prayer  or  preaching  in  the  church  lawful  >    415 

Q.  73.  Are  public  forms  of  man's  devising  or  composing 
lawful? 416 

Q.  74.  Is  it  lawful  to  impose  forms  on  the  congregation  or 
the  people  in  public  worship  ?   ••••••• w...««    ibid. 

Q.  75.  Is  it  lawful  to  use  forms  composed  by  man,  and  im- 
posed not  only  on  the  people,  but  on  the  pastors  of  the 
churches  ?....».•••...< 417 

Q.  76.  Doth  not  the  calling  of  a  minister  so  consist  in  the  ex- 
ercise of  his  own  ministeric^  gifts,  that  he  may  not  officiate 
without  them,  nor  make  use  of  other  men's  gifts  instead  of 
them  ? 418 

0.  Is  H  lawful  to  read  a  prayer  in  the  church  ? 421 

Q.  77.  Ib  it  lawful  to  pray  in  the  church  without  a  prescribed 
or  premeditated  form  of  words  ?  •  * « 422 

Q.  78.  Whether  are  set  forms  of  words,  or  free  praying  with- 
out them  the  better  way  $  and  what  are  the  commodities, 
and  incommodities  of  each  Way  ?• ibid. 

Q.  79.  Is  it  lawful  to  forbear  the  preaching  of  some  truths, 
upon  man's  prohibition,  that  I  may  have  liberty  to  preach 
the  rest  ?  yea,  and  to  promise  to  forbear  them,  or  to  do  it 
for  the  church's  peace  ? 4 428 

Q.  80.  May  or  must  a  minister  silenced,  or  forbid  to  preach 
the  Gospel,  go  on  still  to  preach  it  against  the  law  ?  . . . .      429 

Q.  81 .  May  we  lawfully  keep  the  Lord's  day  as  a  fetst  ?  .  ^ . .     432 

Q»  82.  How  should  the  Lord's  day  be  spent  in  the  main  ?  ibid. 

Q.  83.  May  the  people  bear  a  vocal  part  in  worship,  or  do 
any  more  than  say.  Amen  ? 433 

Q.  84.  Is  it  not  a  sin  for  our  clerks  to  make  themselves  the 
mouth  of  the  people,  who  are  not  ordained  ministers  of  Christ  ?     438 

Q.  85.  Are  repetitions  of  the  same  Words  in  churdi-prayers 
lawful? « 4 4 . .  i ibid. 

Q.  86.  Is  it  lawful  to  bow  at  the  name  of  Jesus  ? 439 


CONTENTS. 


XT 

PAGB 


Q.  87.  Is  it  lawftd  to  stand  up  at  the  Gospel  as  we  are  ap- 
pointied  ?   • • • .      440 

Q.  88.  Is  it  lawful  to  kned  when  the  Decalogue  is  read  ?  • .    ibid. 

Q.  89.  What  gestures  are  fittest  in  all  the  public  worship  ?. .     44 1 

Q.  90.  What  if  the  pastor  and  church  cannot  agree,  about 
singing  psalms^  or  what  version  or  translation  to  use^  or 
time  or  place  of  meetings  &c.  ? ..••»•• 442 

Q.  91.  What  if  the  pastor  excommunicate  a  man,  and  the 
people  will  not  forbear  his  communion,  as  thinking  him 
unjustly  excommunicated  ? ibid. 

Q.  92.  May  a  whole  church,  or  the  greater  part  be  excom-^ 
municated  ? 443 

Q.  93.  What  if  a  church  have  two  pastors,  and  one  ex- 
communicate a  man  and  the  other  absolve  him>  what 
shall  the  church  and  the  dissenter  do  ? • .     444 

Q.  94.  For  what  sins  may  a  man  be  denied  communion  or 
excommunicated ;  whether  for  impenitence  in  every  little 
sin  ',  or  for  great  sin  without  impenitence  ? ibid. 

Q.  95.  Must  the  pastor  examine  the  people  before  the  sacrament  ?     446 

Q.  96.  Is  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  supper  a  converting 
ordinance  } ibid. 

Q.  97-  Must  no  man  come  to  the  sacrament  that  is  uncertain 
or  doubtful  of  the  sincerity  of  his  ^th  and  repentance  ?  •  •     447 

Q.  98.  Is  it  laMrfiil  or  a  duty  to  join  oblations  to  the  sacra- 
ment, and  how  ?  •••• ••••• ...•     443 

Q.  99.  How  many  sacraments  are  there  appointed  by  Christ  ?     449 

Q.  100.  How  far  is  it  lawfiil,  needful,  or  unlawfid  for  a  man 
to  aiBict  himself  by  external  penances  for  sin  ?  •  •  •  • 452 

Q.  101.  Is  it  lawful  to  observe  stated  times  of  fasting  imposed 
by  others,  without  extraordinary  occasions  ;  and  particu- 
larly Lent  ?  •  •  • • •  • *     454 

Q.  109.  May  we  continue  in  a  church  where  some  one  ordi- 
nance of  Christ  is  wanting ;  as  discipline,  prayer,  preach- 
ing, or  sacraments,  though  we  have  all  the  rest  ? 457 

Q.  103.  Must  the  pastors  remove  from  one  church  to  another, 
whenever  the  magistrate  commandeth  us,  though  the 
bishops  contradict  it,  and  the  church  consent  not  to  dis- 
miss us }    And  so  of  other  cases  of  disagreement  •  •  ••••••     458 

Q.  104.  Is  a  pastor  obliged  to  his  flock  for  life ;  or  is  it  lawfol 
so  to  oblige  himself ;  and  may  he  remove  without  their 
consent  ?  And  so  also  of  a  church-member,  the  same 
questions  are  put  ••••• 4(;o 


XTi  CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

Q.  105.  When  many  men  pretend  at  once  to  be  the  true 
pastors  of  a  particular  churchy  against  each  other's  title, 
through  differences  between  the  magistrates,  the  ordainers, 
and  the  flocks,  what  should  the  people  do,  and  whom 
should  they  adhere  to  ? •••••• 462 

Q.  106.  To  whom  doth  it  belong  to  reform  a  corrupted 
church  'y  to  the  magistrates,  pastors,  or  people  ? ibid. 

Q.  107.  Who  is  to  call  synods  -,  princes,  pastors,  or  people  ?     463 

Q.  108.  To  whom  doth  it  belong  to  appoint  days  and  assem- 
blies for  public  humiliation  and  thanksgiving  ? 464 

Q.  109.  May  we  omit  church-assemblies  on  the  Lord*s  day, 
if  the  magistrates  forbid  them  ? 465 

Q.  1 10.  Must  we  obey  the  magistrate  if  he  only  forbid  us 
worshipping  God,  in  such  a  place,  or  country,  or  in  such 
numbers,  or  the  like  circumstances  ?.  • 466 

Q.  111.  Must  subjects  or  servants  forbear  weekly  lectures, 
reading,  or  such  helps,  above  the  Lord's  day's  worship,  if 
princes  or  masters  do  forbid  them ? i .. . .      467 

Q.  112.  Whether  religious  worship  may  be  given  to  a  crea- 
ture, and  what  ? 468 

Q.  113.  What  images,  and  what  use  of  images,  is  lawful  or 
unlawful  ? 472 

Q.  114.  Whether  stage-plays,  where  the  virtuous  and  vicious 
are  personated,  be  lawful  ? 452 

Q.  115.  Is  it  ever  unlawful  to  use  the  known  symbols  and 
badges  of  idolatry } 486 

Q.  116.  Is  it  unlawful  to  use  the  badge  or  symbol  of  any 
error  or  sect  in  the  worship  of  God  ? 487 

Q.  117.  Are  all  indifferent  things  made  unlawful  to  us,  which 
shall  be  abused  to  idolatrous  worship  ? 488 

Q.  118.  May  we  use  the  names  of  week  days  which  idolaters 
honoured  their  idols  with,  as  Sunday,  Monday,  Saturday, 
and  the  rest  ?     And  so  the  months  ? - 489 

Q.  119.  Is  it  lawful  to  pray  secretly  when  we  come  first  into 
church,  especially  when  the  church  is  otherwise  employed  ?     490 

Q.  120.  May  a  preacher  kneel  down  in  the  pulpit  and  use  his 
private  prayers  when  he  is  in'the  assembly } 491 

Q.  121.  May  a  minister  pray  publicly  in  his  own  name  singly, 
for  himself  or  others  j  or  only  in  the  church's  name  as 
their  mouth  to  God  ? ibid. 

Q.  122.  May  the  name  *  priests,'  '  sacrifice,'  and  '  altar'  be  law- 
fully now  used  instead  of '  Christ's  ministers,*  'worship,' 
and  the  *  holy  table  ?  * 493 


CONTENTS.  xvu 

PAGE 

Q.  123.  May  the  communion-table  be  turned  altarwise  and 
railed  in ;  and  is  it  lawful  to  come  up  to  the  rails  to  com- 
municate ? 495 

Q.  124.  Is  it  lawful  to  use  David's  psalms  in  our  assemblies  ?     496 

Q.  125.   May  psalms  be  used  as  prayers^  and  praises  and  « 

thanksgivings ;  or  only  as  instructive }   even  the  reading 
as  well  as  the  singing  of  them  ? • 497 

Q.  126.  Are  our  church-tunes  lawful  being  of  man*s  invention  ?   ibid;    K 

Q.   127.   Is  church-music  by  organs  or  such  instruments  ^^ 

lawful? 499 

Q.  128.  Is  the  Lord's  day  a  sabbath,  and  so  to  be  called  and 
kept,  and  that  of  Divine  institution;  and  is  the  seventh 
day  sabbath  abrogated  ?  &c. 501 

Q.  129.  Is  it  lawful  to  appoint  human  holy-days,  and  ob- 
serve them } ibid. 

Q.  130.  How  far  are  the  Holy  Scriptures  a  law  and  perfect  rule 
to  us? -^502 

Q.  131.  What  additions  or  human  inventions  in  or  about  re- 
ligion not  commanded  in  Scripture,  are  lawful  or  unlawful  ?     505 

Q.  132.  Is  it  unlawful  to  obey  in  all  those  cases,  where  it  is 
unlawful  to  impose  and  conmiand,  or  in  what  cases  ?  And 
how  far  pastors  must  be  believed  and  obeyed  ? 507 

Q.  133.  What  are  the  additions  or  inventions  of  men,  which 
are  not  forbidden  by  the  Word  of  God,  (whether  by  rulers 
or  by  private  men  invented)  ? SlOi 

Q.  134.  What  are  the  mischiefs  of  unlawful  additions  in  re- 
ligion ? 616 

Q.  135.  What  are  the  mischiefs  of  men's  error  on  the  other  ex- 
treme, who  pretend  that  Scripture  is  a  rule  where  it  is  not, 
and  deny  the  aforesaid  lawful  things,  on  pretence  that  Scrip- 
ture is  a  perfect  rule,  (say  some,  for  all  things)  ? 517 

Q.  136.  How  shall  we  know  what  parts  of  Scripture  precept 
or  example  were  intended  for  universal,  constant  obliga- 
tion, and  what  were  but  for  the  time  and  persons  that  they 
were  then  directed  to  ? 519 

Q.  137.  How  much  of  the  Scripture  is  necessary  to  salvation 
to  be  believed  and  understood  ? 522 

Q.  138.  How  may  we  know  the  fundamentals,  essentials,  or 
what  parts  are  necessary  to  salvation  ?  And  is  the  Papists* 
way  allowable  that  (some  of  them)  deny  that  distinction, 
and  make  the  difference  to  be  only  in  the  degrees  of  man*s 
opportunities  of  knowledge  ? 524 


XTOi  GONT»}TS. 

PAGE 

Q.  139.  What  if  Uw  vw  Md  autlKMrity  of  the  creed  ?  And  is 
it  of  the  apofllks'  framing  or  not  ?  And  is  it  the  Word  o€ 
God  ornot  > .  .  .     6«8 

Q.140.  What  is  the  use  of  catechisms  ? 5dO 

Q.  141.  Could  any  of  us  hove  known  by  the  Scriptures  alone 
the  essentials  of  religion  fivm  the  rest,  if  tradition  had  not 
given  them  to  us  in  the  creed  as  from  apostolical  collection }    ibid. 

Q.  149.  What  is  the  best  metiiod  of  a  tnie  catechism  or  sum 
of  theology? 531 

Q.  143.  What  is  the  use  of  various  church-confSessions  or  ar- 
ticles of  faith? ibid. 

Q.  144.  Hay  not  the  subscribing  of  the  whole  Scriptures 
serve  turn  for  all  the  aforesaid  ends  without  creeds, 
catedusms,  or  confessions  ?  • 539 

Q.  145.  May  a  man  be  saved  that  believeth  all  the  essentials 
of  rdigion  as  coming  to  him  by  verbal  tradition,  and  not  as 
contained  in  the  Holy  Scriptures,  which  perhaps  he  never 
knew  ? 533 

Q.  146.  Is  the  Scripture  fit  for  all  Christians  to  read,  being 
so  obscure  ? 534 

Q.  147.  How  £Bur  is  tradition  and  men*s  words  and  ministry 
to  be  used  or  trusted  in,  in  the  exercise  of  faith  ?  ••  ••  • 536 

Q.  148.  Uow  know  we  the  true  canon  of  Scripture  fkom 
Apocrypha? 537 

Q.  149.  Is  the  public  reading  of  the  Scripture  the  proper  woric 
of  the  minister )  or  may  a  laynaaa  ordinarily  do  it,  or 
another  officer  ? ibid. 

Q.  150,  Is  it  lawful  to  read  the  Apocrypha/ or  any  good  books 
besides  the  Scriptures  to  the  church  -,  as  himiilies  ?  &c.    .     538 

Q.  15I«  May  church-assembiies  be  held,  where  there  is  no 
minister  -,  or  what  public  worship  may  be  sa  performed  by 
laymen,  (as  ansong  infidels  or  papists  where  persecution  hath 
killed,  imprisoned,  or  expeUed  the  mioistry)  ?.•••• 539 

Q.  159.  is  it  lawful  ta  subscribe  or  profess  full  assent  and 
consent  to  any  religious  books  besides  the  Scriptures, 
seeijig  all  men  are  £illiUe  ?  540 

Q.  153.  May  we  lawfully  swear  obedience  in  all  things  lawful 
and  honest,  either  to  usurpers,  or  to  our  lawful  pastors  ?  .     541 

Q.  154.  Mustall  our  preaching  be  upon  some  text  of  Scripture?    544 

Q.  155.  Is  not  the  law  of  Moses  abrogated  -,  and  the  whole 
Old  Testament  out  of  date,  and  therefore  not  to  be  read 
publicly  and  preached ?  » ibid. 


CONTENTS.  xix 

PAGE 

Q.  156.  Miiil  we  believe  thai  Mofles*t  law  did  ever  bind 
other  nations^  or  Ikat  any  other  parts  of  the  Scripture  bound 
them  or  belonged  to  them  >  or  that  the  Jews  were  all  God's 
visible  church  on  earth >•>•••••••« ••• 546 

Q.  157.  Must  we  think  accordingly  of  the  Christian  churdbes 
now>  that  they  are  only  advanced  above  the  rest  of  the  w<irld 
as  the  Jews  were,  but  not  the  only  peopL^  that  are  saved  ?     548 

Q.  158.  Should  not  Christians  take  up  with  Scripture  wisdom 
only^  without  studying  philosqphy^  or  other  heathens*  hu** 
man  learning? ' 56? 

Q.  159.  If  we  think  that  Scripture  and  the  law  of  nature  are 
in  any  point  contradictory  to  each  other>  which  must  be 
the  standard  by  which  the  other  must  be  tried  ?  .     554 

Q.  160.  May  we  not  look  that  God  should  yet  give  us  more 
revelations  of  his  will,  than  there  are  already  made  in 
Scripture  ?  <•.     555 

Q.  161.  Is  not  a  third  rule  of  the  Holy  Ghosts  or  more  per- 
fbct  kingdom  of  love  to  be  expected,  as  different  fiiom  the 
reign  of  the  Creator  and  Redeemer? 556 

Q.  162.  May  we  not  look  for  miracles  hereafter  ? 558 

Q.  163.  Is  the  Scripture  to  be  tried  by  the  Spirit,  or  the 
Spirit  by  the  Scripture  ?  and  which  of  them  is  to  be  pre- 
ferred ? ibid. 

Q.  164.  How  is  a  pretended  prophet  or  revelation  to  be  tried  ?     560 

Q.  165.  May  one  be  saved  who  believeth  that  the  Scripture 
hath  any  mistake  or  errors,  and  believeth  it  not  all  ? 561 

Q.  166.  Who  be  they  that  give  too  little  to  the  Scriptures,  and 
who  too  much  ;  and  what  is  the  danger  of  each  extreme  ?   ibid. 

Q.  167.  How  far  do  good  men  now  preach  and  pray  by  the 
Spirit  ?  565 

Q.  168.  Are  not  our  own  reasons,  studies,  memory,  strivings, 
books,  forms,  methods,  and  ministry  needless  3  yea,  a 
hurtful  quenching  or  preventing  of  the  Spirit,  and  setting 
up  our  own  instead  of  the  Spirit's  operations  ? 567 

Q.  169.  How  doth  the  Holy  Ghost  set  bishops  over  the 
churches  ?.••* 568 

Q.  170.  Are  temples,  fonts,  utensils,  church-lands,  much 
more  the  ministry,  holy  -,  and  what  reverence  is  due  to 
them  as  holy? 569 

Q.  17 1 .  What  is  s€M:rilege,  and  what  not  ?  571 

Q.  17?.  Are  all  religious  private  meetings,  forbidden  by 
rulers,  unlawful  conventicles,  or  are  any  such  necessary  ?     572 


» 


CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

Q.  173.  What  particular  directions  for  order  of  studies  and 
books  should  be  observed  by  young  students  who  intend 
the  sacred  ministry  ? 575 

Q.  174.  What  books  should  a  poor  man  choose  that  for  want 

of  money  or  time  can  have  or  read  but  few.    There  are 

\/^        three  catalogues  set  down^  (but  somewhat  disorderly  as 

they  came  into  my  memory).  5S4 

1.  The  smallest  or  poorest  library  •••-     587 

2.  A  poor  library,  that  hath  considerable  additions  to  the 
former   588 

3.  Some  more  additions  to  them,  for  them  that  can  go 
higher,  with  some  additional  notes 596 


CHRISTIAN  DIRECTORY. 


PART    III. 


CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS : 


OR, 

DIRECTIONS  TO  PASTORS  AND  PEOPLE  ABOUT  SACRED  DOCTRINE, 
WORSHIP,   AND   DISCIPLINE,  AND  THEIR  MUTUAL    DUTIES. 
WITH  THE  SOLUTION  OF  A  MULTITUDE  OF  CHURCH  CON- 
TROVERSIES, AND  CASES  OF  CONSCIENCE. 


Reader, 

That  this  Part  and  the  next  are  imperfect,  and  so  much 
only  is  written  as  I  might,  and  not  as  I  would,  I  need  not 
excuse  to  thee,  if  thou  know  me,  and  where,  and  when  I 
live.  But  some  of  that  which  is  wanting,  if  thou  desire, 
thou  mayst  find,  1.  In  my  "Universal  Concord."  2.  In 
my  "  Christian  Concord."  3.  In  our  "  Agreement  for  Cate- 
chising," and  my  *'  ReformedJPagtor."  4.  In  the  "  Re- 
formed Liturgy,"  offered  to  the  commissioned  bishops  at 
fthe  Savoy.    Farewell. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Of  the  Worship  of  God  in  general. 

•  That  God  is  to  be  worshipped  solemnly  by  man,  is  con- 
fessed by  all  that  acknowledge  that  there  is  a  God "".  But 
about  the  matter  and  manner  of  his  worship,  there  are  no 

k  »  Qui  toto*  diet  precabantiiry  et  immolabaDt,  ut  fui  liberi  nbi  supentitet  esient, 

'  VOL.  V.  B 


2  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  Iff. 

small  dissensions  and  contentions  in  the  world.  I  am  not 
now  attempting  a  reconciliation  of  these  contenders;  the 
sickness  of  men's  minds  and  wills  doth  make  that  impossi- 
ble to  any  but  God,  which  else  were  not  only  possible,  but 
easy,  the  terms  of  reconciliation  being  in  themselves  so 
plain  and  obvious  as  they  are.  But  it  is  Directions  to  those 
that  are  willing  to  worship  God  aright,  which  I  am  now  to 
give. 

Direct,  i.  '  Understand  what  it  is  to  worship  God  aright, 
lest  you  offer  him  vanity  and  sin  for  worship.  The  wor- 
shipping of  God  is  the  direct  acknowledging  of  his  Being 
and  perfections  to  his  honour.'  Indirectly  or  consequen- 
tially he  is  acknowledged  in  every  obediential  act  by  those 
that  truly  obey  and  serve  him :  and  this  is  indirectly  and 
participatively  to  worship  him :  and  therefore  all  things  are 
holy  to  the  holy,  because  they  are  holy  in  the  use  of  all,  and 
Holiness  to  the  Lord  is,  as  it  were,  written  upon  all  that 
they  possess  or  do  (as  they  are  holy) :  but  this  is  not  the 
worship  which  we  are  here  to  speak  of;  but  that  which  is 
primarily  and  directly  done  to  glorify  him  by  the  acknow- 
ledgment of  his  excellencies.  Thus  Go4  is  worshipped 
either  inwardly  by  the  soul  alone,  or  also  outwardly  by  the 
body  expressing  the  worship  of  the  soul.  For  that  which 
is  done  by  the  body  alone,  without  the  concurrence  of  the 
heart,  is  not  true  worship,  but  an  hypocritical  image  or 
shew  of  it,  equivocally  called  worship  **.  The  inward  wor- 
ship of  the  heart  alone,  I  have  spoken  of  in  the  former  Part. 
The  outward  or  expressive  worship,  is  simple  or  mixed  :  sim- 
ple when  we  only  intend  God's  worship  immediately  in  the 
Itction ;  and  this  is  found  chiefly  in  praises  and  thanksgiv- 
ing which  therefore  are  the  most  pure  and  simple  sort  of 
expressive  worship.     Mixed   worship  is  that  in  which  we 

soperetitiosi  sunt  appellati :  qaod  DOinen  postea  latius  patuit.     Qui  autem  omnia 
quae  ad  cultuni  Deorum  pertinerent,  diligenter  retractarent,  et  tanquam  relegerent, 
santdicti  religiosi,  ex  relegendo,  ut  elegantes  ex  eligendo,  a  diligendo  diligentes,  ex 
intelligendo  intelligentes.    Ita  facfom  est  in  siperatitioso  el  religioso  ;  alterum  vitii 
nomen, alteram  laudis.    Cic.  Nat.  D.  ii.  72.  i 

^  If  they  that  serve  their  God  with  mere  words,  and  ceremony^  and  mimjcal  ^ 
actioDs,  were  so  serred  themselves,  they  might  be  silenced  with  Aristippus's  defence 
of  hit  gallantry  and  sumptuous  fare.  Si  vituperandum,  nit,  hoceiset,  in  celebritatibos 
deoram  profecto  non  fieret.    Laert«  in  Afistip.    So  Plalo  aUo^if«d  dninkenneii  only 
in  the  feiiits  of  Bacchos. 


CHAP.  I.]         CHRISTIAN    ECCLRSlASTICd.  ^ 

join  some  other  intention^  for  our  own  benefit  in  the  action ; 
as  in  prayer  where  we  worship  God  by  seeking  to  him  for 
mercy ;  and  in  reverent  hearing  or  reading  his  Word,  where 
we  worship  him  by  a  holy  attendance  upon  his  instructions 
and  commands ;  and  in  his  sacraments  where  we  worship 
him  by  receiving  and  acknowledging  his  benefits  to  our 
souls ;  and  in  oblations  where  we  have  respect  also  to  the 
use  of  the  thing  pfiered ;  and  in  holy  vows  and  oaths,  in 
which  we  acknowledge  him  our  Lord  and  Judge.  All  these 
are  acts  of  divine  worship,  though  mixed  with  other  uses. 

It  is  not  only  worshipping  God,  when  our  acknowledg- 
ments (by  word  or  deed)  are  directed  immediately  to  him* 
self;  but  also  when  we  direct  our  speech  to  others,  if  his 
praises  be  the  subject  of  them,  and  they  are  intended  di- 
rectly to  his  honour :  such  are  many  of  David's  psalms  of 
praise.  Bat  where  God's  honour  is  not  the  thing  directly 
intended,  it  is  no  direct  worshipping  of  God,  though  all  the 
same  words  be  spoken  as  by  others. 

Direct,  ii.  '  Understand  the  true  ends  and  reasons  of  our 
worshipping  God  ;  lest  you  be  deceived  by  the  impious  who 
take  it  to  be  all  in  vain.'  When  they  have  imagined  some' 
false  reasons  to  themselves,  they  judge  it  vain  to  worship 
God,  because  those  reasons  of  it  are  vain.  And  he  that  un- 
derstandeth  not  the  true  reasons  why  he  should  worship 
God,  will  not  truly  worship  him,  but  be  profane  in  neglect-* 
ing  it,  or  hypocritical  in  dissembling,  and  heartless  in  per-* 
forming  it.    The  reasons  then  are  such  as  these.     '^ 

1.  The  first  ariseth  from  the  use  of  all  the  world,  and 
the  nature  of  the  rational  creature  in  special.  The  whole 
world  is  made  and  upheld  to  be  expressive  and  partici- 
pative of  the  image  and  benefits  of  God.  God  is  most 
perfect  and  blessed  in  himself,  and  needeth  not  the  worid 
to  add  to  his  felicity.  But  he  made  it  to  please  his  blessed 
will,  as  a  communicative  good,  by  communication  and  ap- 
pearance :  that  he  might  have  creatures  to  know  him,  and  to 
be  happy  in  his  light ;  and  those  creatures  might  have  a  fit 
representation  or  revelation  of  him  that  they  might  know 
him.  And  man  is  specially  endowed  with  reason  and  ut- 
terance, that  he  might  know  his  Creator  appearing  in  his 
works,  and  might  communicate  this  knowledge,  and  express 
that  glory  of  his  Maker  with  his  tongUe,  which  the  inferior 


4  CHRISTIAN  DIRECTORY.  [pART  III. 

creatures  express  to  him  in  their  being  S  So  that  if  God 
were  not  to  be  worshipped,  the  end  of  man's  faculties^  and 
of  all  the  creation  must  be  much  frustrated.  Man's  rea- 
son is  given  him  that  he  may  know  his  Maker ;  his  will^  and 
affections^  and  executive  powers  are  given  him^  that  he  may 
freely  love  him  and  obey  him ;  and  his  tongue  is  given  him 
principally  to  acknowledge  him  and  praise  him :  whom 
should  God's  work  be  serviceable  to,  but  to  him  that  made 
it?  ' 

2.  As  it  is  the  natural  use,  so  it  is  the  highest  honour  of 
the  creature  to  worship  and  honour  his  Creator :  is  there  a 
nobler  or  more  excellent  object  for  our  thoughts,  affections, 
or  expressions  ?  And  nature,  which  desireth  its  own  per- 
fection, forbiddeth  us  to  choose  a  sordid,  vile,  dishonour- 
able work,  and  to  neglect  the  highest  and  most  honourable. 

3.  The  right  worshipping  of  God  doth  powerfully  tend 
to  make  us  in  our  measure  like  him,  and  so  to  sanctify  and 
raise  the  soul,  and  to  heal  it  of  its  sinful  distempers  and  im- 
perfections. What  can  make  us  good  so  effectually  as  our 
knowledge,  and  love,  and  communion  with  him  that  is  the 
chiefest  good  ?  Nay,  what  is  goodness  itself  in  the  crea- 
ture if  this  be  not.  As  nearness  to  the  sun  giveth  light  and 
heat,  so  nearness  to  God,  is  the  way  to  make  us  wise  and 
good ;  for  the  contemplation  of  his  perfections  is  the  means 
to  make  us  like  him.  The  worshippers  of  God  do  not  exer- 
cise their  bare  understandings  upon  him  in  barren  specula- 
tions ;  but  they  exercise  all  their  affections  towards  him, 
and  all  the  faculties  of  their  souls,  in  the  most  practical  and 
serious  manner,  and  therefore  are  most  likely  to  have  the 
liveliest  impressions  of  God  upon  their  hearts ;  and  hence 
it  is  that  the  true  worshippers  of  God  are  really  the  wisest 
and  the  best  of  men,  when  many  that  at  a  distance  are  em- 
ployed in  mere  speculations  about  his  works  and  him,  re- 
main almost  as  vain  and  wicked  as  before,  and  professing 
themselves  wise,  are  (practically)  fools  ^. 

4.  The  right  worshipping  of  God,  by  bringing  the  heart 
into  a  cleansed,  holy,  and  obedient  frame,  doth  prepare  it  to 
command  the  body,  and  make  us  upright  and  regular  in  all 
tke  actions  of  our  lives ;  for  the  fruit  will  be  like  the  tree ; 

c  Read  Mr.  Herbert's  Poem  called  "ProTidence." 


CHAP.  I.]  CHRISTIAN  fiCCLESlASTICtf.  6 

and  as  men  are,  so  will  they  do.  He  that  honoureth  not  hii^ 
God,  is  not  like  well  to  honour  his  parents  or  his  king  :  he 
that  is  not  moved  to  it  by  his  regard  to  God,  is  never  like 
to  be  universally  and  constantly  just  and  faithful  unto  men. 
Experience  telleth  us  that  it  is  the  truest  worshippers  of 
God  that  are  truest  and  most  conscionable  in  their  dealings 
with  their  neighbours :  this  windeth  up  the  spring,  and  order- 
eth  and  strengtheneth  all  the  causes  of  a  good  conversation^ 

5.  The  right  worshipping  of  God  is  the  highest  and 
most  rational  delight  of  man.  Though  to  a  sick,  corrupted 
soul  it  be  unpleasant,  as  food  to  a  sick  stomach,  yet  to  a 
wise  and  holy  sonl  there  is  nothing  so  solidly  and  durably 
contentful.  As  it  is  God's  damning  sentence  on  the  wicked, 
to  say,  **  Depart  from  me  * ;"  so  holy  souls  would  lose  their 
joys,  and  take  themselves  to  be  undone,  if  God  shojutd  bid 
them, "  Depart  from  me ;  worship  me,  and  love  me,  and 
praise  me  no  more/'  They  would  be  weary  of^the  world, 
were  it  not  for  God  in  the  world ;  and  weary  of  their  lives, 
if  God  were  not  their  life. 

6.  The  right  worshipping  of  Ood  prepareth  us  for  hea- 
ven, where  we  are  to  behold  him,  and  love,  and  worship  him 
for  ever.  God  bringeth  not  unprepared  souls  to  heaven : 
this  life  is  the  time  that  is  purposely  given  us  for  our  prepa- 
ration ;  as  the  apprenticeship  is  the  time  to  learn  your 
trades.  Heaven  is  a  place  of  action  and  fruition,  of  perfect 
knowledge,  love,  and  praise :  and  the  souls  that  will  enjoy 
and  praise  God  there,  must  be  ^disposed  to  it  here ;  and 
therefore  they  must  be  much  employed  in  his  worship. 

7.  And  as  it  is  in  all  these  respects  necessary  as  a  means, 
so  God  hath  made  it  necessary  by  his  command.  He  hath 
made  it  our  duty  to  worship  him  constantly  ;  and  he  know- 
eth  the  reason  of  his  own  commands.  *'  It  is  written.  Thou 
shalt  worship  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  him  only  shalt  thou 
serve'.  If  God  should  command  us  notliing,  how  is  he  our 
Governor  and  our  God  ?  and  if  he  command  us  any  thing, 
what  should  he  command  us  more  fitly  than  to  worship  him? 
and  he  that  will  not  obey  him  in  this,  is  not  like  to  obey 
him  well  in  any  thing ;  for  there  is  nothing  that  be  can  with 
less  shew  of  reason  except  against;  seeing  all  the  reason  in 

«  Matt.  xzv.  41.    vii.  f 3.  '  Mmlt.  ir.  10. 


6  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  11 1* 

the  world  muBt  confess,  that  worship  is  most  due  to  God 
from  his  own  creatures. 

These  reasons  for  the  worship  of  God  being  undeniable, 
^ei  objections  of  the  infidels  and  ungodly  are  unreasonable : 
^H,  Object.  1.  '  That  our  worship  doth  no  good  to  God ;  for 
be  hath  no  need  of  it/  Arisw.  It  pleaseth  and  honoureth 
him,  as  the  making  of  the  world,  and  the  happiness  of  man 
doth  :  doth  it  follow  that  there  must  be  no  worlds  nor  any 
man  happy,  because  God  hath  no  need  of  it,  or  no  addition 
of  felicity  by  it  ?  It  is  sufficient  that  it  is  necessary  and 
good  for  us,  and  pleasing  unto  God. 

Object,  II.  '  Proud  men  are  most  unlike  to  God;  and  it 
is  the  proud  that  love  to  be  honoured  and  praised.'  Answ, 
Pride  is  the  affecting  of  an  undue  honour,  or  the  undue  af- 
fecting of  that  honour  which  is  due.  Therefore  it  is  that 
this  affectation  of  honour  in  the  creature  is  a  sin,  because 
all  honour  is  due  to  God,  and  none  to  the  creature  but  de- 
rivatively and  subserviently.  For  a  subject  to  affect  any  of 
the  honour  of  his  king,  is  disloyalty ;  and  to  affect  any  of 
the  honour  of  his  fellow-subjects  is  injustice  :  but  God  re- 
quired! nothing  but  what  is  absolutely  his  due ;  and  he 
hath  commanded  us  even  towards  men,  to  give  "  fear  and 
honour  to  whom  they  are  due«." 

Direct,  ii  i.  '  Labour  for  the  truest  knowledge  of  the  God 
whom  you  worship.'  Let  it  not  be  said  of  you,  as  Christ 
said  to  the  Samaritan  woman,  "  Ye  worship  ye  know  not 
what  ^ : "  nor  as  it  is  said  of  the  Athenians,  whose  altar  was 
inscribed,  ''To  the  unknown  God^"  You  must  know  whom 
you  worship ;  or  else  you  cannot  worship  him  with  the 
heart,  nor  worship  him  sincerely  and  acceptably,  though 
you  were  at  never  so  great  labour  and  cost :  God  hath  no 

Pleasure  in  the  sacrifice  of  fools  ^"  Though  no  man  know 
imperfectly,  you  must  know  him  truly.  And  though  God 
taketh  not  every  man  for  a  blasphemer,  and  denier  of  his  at- 
tributes, whom  contentious,  peevish  wranglers  call  so,  be- 
cause they  consequentially  cross  some  espoused  opinions 
of  theirs;  yet  real  misunderstanding  of  God's  nature  and 
attributes  is  dangerous,  and  tendeth  to  corrupt  his  worship 
by  the  corrupting  of  the  worshippers.  For  such  as  you 
take  God  to  be,  such  worship  you  will  offer  him  ;  for  your 

«  Rom.  xUi.  r.         ^  John  iv.  22.        *  Acts  xvii.  *0,        *  Ecclcs.  v.  1.  4. 


CHAP.  I.]  CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  7 

worship  is  bat  the  honourable  acknowledgment  (0  his  per- 
fections ;  and  mistakingly  to  praise  him  for  supposed  im- 
perfections, is  to  dishonour  him  and  dispraise  him.  If  to 
know  God  be  your  eternal  life,  it  must  needs  be  the  life  of 
all  your  worship*  Take  heed  therefore  of  ignorance  and 
enror  about  Qod» 

Direct,  iv,  *  Understand  the  office  of  Jesus  Christ  as  our 
great  high  priest,  by  whose  mediation  alone  we  must  have 
access  to  God.'  Whether  there  should  have  been  any 
priesthood  for  sacrifice  or  intercession  if  there  had  been  no 
sin,  the  Scripture  telleth  us  not  expressly ;  but  we  have 
great  reason  to  conjecture  there  would  have  been  none,  be- 
cause there  would  not  have  been  any  reasons  for  the  exer- 
cise of  such  an  office.  But  since  the  fall,  not  only  the  Scrip- 
tures, but  the  practice  of  the  whole  world  doth  tell  us  that 
the  sinful  people  are  unmeet  immediately  thus  to  come  to 
God,  but  that  they  must  come  by  the  mediation  of  the 
priest,  as  a  sacrificer  and  intercessor.  So  that  either  na- 
ture teacheth  sinners  the  necessity  of  some  mediator,  or  the 
tradition  of  the  church  hath  dispersed  the  knowledge  4>f  it 
through  the  world :  and  certainly  no  other  priest  but  Christ 
can  procure  the  acceptance  of  a  sinful  people  upon  his  own 
account ;  nor  be  an  effectual  mediator  for  them  to  God,  un- 
less in  subserviency  to  an  effectual  mediator  who  can  pro- 
cure us  access  and  acceptance  for  his  own  sake.  For  all 
other  priests  are  sinners  as  well  as  the  people,  and  have  as 
much  need  of  a  mediator  for  themselves.  1.  See  therefore 
that  you  never  appear  before  God,  but  as  sinners,  that. have 
offended  him,  and  have  deserved  to  be  cast  out  of  his  fa- 
Tour  for  ever,  and  such  as  are  in  absolute  necessity  of  a  me- 
diator to  procure  their  access  and  acceptance  with  God : 
come  not  to  God  without  the  sense  of  sin  and  misery.  2, 
See  also  that  you  come  a«those  that  have  a  mediator  in  the 
presence  of  God ;  even  Jesus  our  high  priest  who  appeareth 
before  God  continually  to  make  intercession  for  us :  come 
therefore  with  holy  boldness,  and  confidence,  and  joy, 
having  so  sure  and  powerful  a  friend  with  God,  the  beloved 
of  the  Father,  whom  he  heareth  always. 

Direct,  v.  '  Look  carefully  to  the  state  of  thy  soul,  that 
thou  bring  not  an  unholy  heart  to  worship  the  Most  Q^ly 
God.'     Come  not  in  the  love  6f  sin,  nor  in  the  hatred  of  ho- 


8  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART   III« 

liness ;,  §Bft  otherwise  thou  hatest  God,  and  art  hated  of  him^ 
as  bringing  that  before  him  which  be  cannot  but  hate.  And 
it  is  easy  to  judge  how  unfit  they  are  to  worship  God,  that 
hate  him ;  and  how  unlike  they  are  to  be  accepted  by  him 
whom  he  hateth.  "  My  voice  shalt  thou  hear  in  the  morn- 
ing, O  Lord ;  in  the  morning  will  I  direct  my  prayer  unto 
thee,  and  will  look  up.  For  thou  art  not  a  God  that  hath 
pleasure  in  wickedness,  neither  shall  evil  dwell  with  thee. 
The  foolish  shall  not  stand  in  thy  sight ;  thou  hatest  all  the 
workers  of  iniquity.  Thou  shalt  destroy  them  that  speak 
leasing:  the  Lord  will  abhor  the  bloody  and  deceitful  man. 
But  as  for  me,  I  will  come  into  thy  house  in  the  multitude 
of  thy  mercies ;  and  in  thy  fear  will  I  worship,  toward  thy 
holy  temple  ^"  "  If  I  regard  iniquity  in  my  heart,  the  Lord 
will  not  hear  me  "*."  "  Who  shall  abide  in  God's  taberna- 
cle, but  he  that  walketh  uprightly  and  worketh  righteous- 
ness "  ?"  God  will  be  sanctified  in  them  that  come  nigh  him ; 
and  are  unsanctified  persons  fit  for  this?  and  can  the  un- 
holy offer  him  holy  worship  ?  "  The  carnal  mind  is  enmity 
against  God ;"  is  it  fit  then  to  serve  and  honour  him  ^  ? 
"  Let  him  that  nameth  the  name  of  Christ  depart  from  ini- 
quity P."  It  is  a  purified,  peculiar,  holy  people  that  Christ 
hath  redeemed  to  be  the  worshippers  of  God,  and  as  priests 
to  "  offer  him  acceptable  sacrifice  *»."  If  you  will  "  receive 
the  kingdom  that  cannot  be  moved,  you  must  have  grace 
in  your  hearty  to  serve  God  acceptably  with  reverence  and 
godly  fear:  for  our  God  is  a  consuming  fire'."  I  know  an 
ungodly  person,  as  soon  as  he  hiath  any  repenting  thoughts, 
must  express  them  in  confession  and  prayer  to  God.  But 
as  no  prayers  of  an  ungodly  man  are  profitable  to  him,  but 
those  which  are  acts  of  his  penitent  return  towards  God  ; 
so  no  worship  of  God  hath  a  promise  of  Divine  acceptance, 
but  that  which  is  performed  by  tuch  as  sincerely  return  to 
God  :  (and  such  are  not  ungodly).  "  The  sacrifice  of  the 
wicked  is  abomination  to  the  Lord,  but  the  prayer  of  the 
upright  is  his  delight'."  I  know  the  wicked  must*'  seek 
the  Lord  while  he  may  be  found,  and  call  upon  him  while  he 

i  Psal.  V.  3—7.  »  Psal.  Ixvi.  18.  «>  Psal.  xv.  1,  J. 

•  Ram.  vUi.  7,  8.     Sec  2  Cor.  n'l,  15—18.  p  «  Tim.  ii.  19. 
«q  Tit.  U.  14.     I  Pel.  ii.  5,  9.  '  Heb.  xiL  tS,^. 

*  Prov.  XT,  8. 


chap;  I.]        CHRISTIAN   ECCLESIASTICS.  9 

is  near  '^  but  it  must  be  in  ''  forsaking  his  way  and  thoughts 
and  turning  to  the  Lord^"  Simon  Magus  must  first  ''re- 
pent of  his  wickedness/'  and  then  pray  that  the  thoughts 
of  his  heart  may  be  foi^ven  him".  O  come  not  in  thy  un- 
holy, carnal  state  to  worship  God,  unless  it  be  as  a  penitent 
returner  to  him,  to  lament  first  thy  sin  and  misery,  that 
thou  mayst  be  sanctified,  and  reconciled,  and  fit  to  wor- 
ship him. 

Direct,  vi.  '  Yet  take  it  not  as  sufficient  that  thou  art  in 
a  state  of  sanctification,  but  also  particularly  sanctify  thy- 
self to  every  particular  address  to  God  in  holy  worship.' 
Even  the  child  of  a  king  will  not  go  rudely  in  dirt  and  fil- 
thiness  into  his  father's  presence.  Who  would  not  search 
his  heart  and  life,  and  cleanse  his  soul  from  his  particular 
pollution,  by  renewed  repentance  and  purposes  of  reforma- 
tion, before  he  venture  to  speak  to  God  ?  Particular  sins 
have  made  sad  breaches  between  God  and  his  children,  and 
made  foul  work  in  souls  that  the  blood  of  Christ  had  cleansed. 
Search  therefore  with  fear,  lest  there  should  be  any  reviving 
sin,  or  any  hidden  root  of  bitterness,  or  any  transgression 
which  thou  winkest  at,  or  wilfully  cherishest  in  thyself; 
that,  if  there  be  such,  thou  mayst  bewail  and  hate  it,  and 
not  come  to  God  as  if  he  had  laid  by  his  hatred  of  sin. 

Direct,  vii.  'Whenever  thou  comest  to  worship  God, 
labour  to  awaken  thy  soul  to  a  reverent  apprehension  of  the 
presence,  and  greatness,  and  holiness  of  his  majesty,  and 
to  a  serious  apprehension  of  the  greatness  and  excellency 
of  the  holy  work  which  thou  takest  in  hand.'  Remember 
with  whom  thou  hast  to  do '.  To  speak  to  God,  is  another 
kind  of  work  than  to  speak  to  the  greatest  prince  on  earth, 
yea,  or  the  greatest  angel  in  heaven.  Be  holy,  for  the  Lord 
your  God  is  holy.  Te  sanctify  the  name  of  God,  and  come 
in  holiness  before  him,  is  to  apprehend  him  as  infinitely  ad- 
vanced above  the  whole  creation,  and  to  come  with  hearts 
that  are  separated  from  common  things  to  him,  and  elevated 
above  a  common  firame.  A  common  frame  of  heart  in  wor- 
ship (such  as  we  have  about  our  common  business)  is  mere 
profaneness.  If  it  be  common  it  is  unclean.  Look  to  your 
feet  when  you  go  to  the  house  of  God  y.  Put  oif  the  shoes 
of  earthly,  common,  unhallowed  affections,  whenever  you 

<  In.  Iv.  6,  7.         °  Ads  viii.  ti.  ^  Heb.  ir.  13.         '  Ecd.  ▼.  1. 


10  CHRISTIAN  DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

tread  on  holy  ground,  that  is,  when  you  are  about  holy  work, 
and  when  you  draw  near  the  Holy  God.  In  reverent  ado- 
ration say  as  Jacob,  "  How  dreadful  is  this  place !  this  is 
none  other  but  the  house  of  Ood,  and  this  is  the  gate  of 
heaven  ■." 

Direct,  viii.  Mn  the  worship  of  God,  remember  your 
communion  with  the  holy  angels,  and  with  all  the  hosts  of 
heaven.'  You  are  the  servants  of  the  same  God,  and  though 
you  are  yet  far  below  them,  you  are  doing  that  which  tend- 
eth  towards  their  dignity ;  for  you  must  be  equal  with  them. 
Your  work  is  partly  of  the  same  kind  with  theirs :  it  is  the 
same  holy  Majesty  that  you  admire  and  praise,  though  you 
see  him  yet  but  as  in  a  glass.  And  the  angels  are  some  of 
them  present  with  you,  and  see  you  though  you  see  not 
them :  you  are  commanded  to  respect  them  in  your  behaviour 
in  God's  worship.  If  the  eye  of  faith  were  so  far  opened, 
as  that  in  all  your  worshipping  of  God,  you  saw  the  blessed 
companies  of  angels,  though  not  in  the  same  place  and 
manner  with  you,  yet  in  the  same  worship  and  in  commu- 
nion with  you,  admiring,  magnifying,  extolling,  and  prais- 
ing the  Most  Glorious  God,  and  the  glorified  Redeemer, 
with  flaming,  fervent,  holy  minds,  it  would  sure  do  much 
to  elevate  your  souls,  and  raise  you  up  to  some  imitation 
and  resemblance  of  them  *.  You  find  that  in  God's  public 
worship,  it  is  a  great  help  to  the  soul,  in  holy  cheerfulness 
and  fervour,  to  join  with  a  full  assembly  of  holy,  fervent, 
cheerful  worshippers :  and  that  it  is  very  difficult  to  the 
best,  to  keep  up  life  and  fervent  cheerfulness  in  so  small,  or 
'ignorant,  or  profane  a  company,  as  where  there  is  none  to 
concur  with  us.  O  then,  what  a  raising  help  would  it  be, 
to  praise  God  as  within  the  sight  and  hearing  of  the  hea^ 
venly  praises  of  the  angelical  choir !  You  see  how  apt  ifken 
are  to  be  conformed  to  the  company  that  they  are  in.  They 
that  are  among  dancers,  or  gamesters,  or  tipplers,  or  filthy 
talkers,  or  scomers,  or  railers,  are  apt  to  do  as  the  company 
doth,  or  at  least  to  be  the  more  disposed  to  it.  And  they 
that  are  among  saints,  in  holy  worship  or  discourse,  are  apt 
to  imitate  them  much  more  than  they  would  do  in  other 

<  Gen  xxviii.  17.     Sec  Isa.  vi.  1, 3,  5. 

\  See  Mr.  Ambrose's  book  of  Commoniou  with  Angels ;  and  Zanchy  on  the 
sanir  sabjccl:  and  Mr.  La^vrcnce's  and  Dr.  Hamiaoiid's  Annotat.onl  Cor.  si. 


CHAP.  1.]         CHHISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  *11 

company.  And  what  likelier  way  is  there^  to  make  you 
like  angels  in  the  worshipping  of  God,  than  to  do  it  as  in 
the  conmiunion  of  the  angels  ?  and  by  faith  to  see  and  hear 
them  in  the  concert?  The  angels  disdain  no.t  to  study  our 
studies,  and  to  learn  ^'  by  the  church  the  manifold  wisdom 
of  God ''/'  They  are  not  so  far  from  us,  Hor  so  strange  to 
us  and  our  affairs,  as  that  we  should  imagine  ourselves  to  be 
out  of  their  communion.  Though  we  may  not  worship 
them  ^,  we  must  worship  ba  with  them. 

Direct.  IX,  '  Take  special  care  to  the  matter  of  your 
worship,  that  it  be  such  as  is  agreeable  to  the  will  of  God, 
to  the  holiness  of  his  nature,  and  the  directions  of  his  Word; 
and  such  as  hath  a  promise  of  his  acceptance.'  Offer  him 
not  the  sacrifice  of  fools,  who  know  not  that  they  do  evil, 
and  are  adding  to  their  sins,  while  they  think  they  are  pleas- 
ing him.  Bring  no  false  fire  unto  his  altars  :  let  your  zeal 
of  God  be  according  to  knowledge.  For  no  zeal  will  make 
a  corrupt,  unlawful  kind  of  worship,  to  be  acceptable  unto 
God**. 

Direct,  x.  *  See  that  you  perform  every  part  of  worship 
to  the  proper  end  to  which  it  is  appointed :  both  as  to  the 
ultimate,  remote,  and  nearest  end.'  The  end  i^  essential  to 
these  relative  duties.  If  you  intend  not  the  right  end,  you 
make  another  thing  of  it :  as  the  preaching  of  a  sermon  to 
edify  the  church,  or  putting  up  a  prayer  to  procure  God's 
blessings,  is  not  the  same  thing  as  a  stageplayer's  profane 
repeating  the  same  words  in  scorn  of  godliness,  or  an  hypo- 
crite's using  them  for  commodity  or  applause.  The  ultimate 
end  of  all  worship  and  all  moral  actions  is  the  same,  even 
the  pleasing  and  glorifying  God*.  Besides  which  every 
part  of  worship  hath  its  proper,  nearest  end.  These  must 
not  only  be  distinctly  known,  but  actually  intended.  It  is 
God  in  Christ  that  a  holy  worshipper  thirsteth  after  and 
aeeketh  for  in  every  part  of  worship,  either  to  know  more 
of  God,  and  of  his  will,  and  blessings ;  or  to  have  8ome 
more  communion  with  him,  or  some  further  grace  commu- 

^  Eph.  iU.  10.     1  Pet.  i.  it.  «  Col.  iL  18. 

*  Adulteriam  cat,  irapiuin  eat,  sacrilegium  est,  quodcunqiie  humauo  furure  iii- 
atkttitur,  at  dispositio  Divina  vbletur.  Cypriau.  Eccles.  v.  1,  2.  Lev.  x.  1 — 3. 
RuiB.  z.  S,  3. 

•  1  Cor.  X.  31.     2  Tim.  U.  4. 


12  CHRISTIAN   DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

nicated  from  him,  to  receive  his  pardoning,  or  cleansing^ 
or  quickening,  or  confirming,  or  comforting,  or  exalting 
grace ;  to  be  honoured  or  delighted  in  his  holy  service,  or 
to  make  known  his  grace  and  glory  for  the  good  of  others^ 
and  the  honour  of  his  name.  Here  it  is  that  God  proclaim- 
eth  his  name  as  Exod.  xxxiv.  6.  The  ordinances  of  God's 
worship  are  like  the  tree  in  which  Zaccheus  climbed  up 
(being  of  himself  too  low)  to  have  a  sight  of  Christ.  Here 
we  come  to  learn  the  will  of  God  for  our  salvation ;  and 
must  enter  the  assembly  with  such  resolutions  as  Cornelius 
and  his  company  met.  Acts  x.  33.  **  We  are  all  here  met 
to  hear  all  things  commanded  thee  of  God  :"  and  as  Acts 
ii.  37.  and  Acts  xvi.  30.  to  learn  what  we  must  do  to  be 
saved.  Hither  we  come  for  that  holy  light,  which  may 
shew  us  our  sin,  and  shew  us  the  grace  which  we  have  re- 
ceived, and  shew  us  the  unspeakable  love  of  God,  till  we  are 
humbled  for  sin,  and  lifted  up  by  faith  in  Christ,  and 
can  with  Thomas,  as  it  were,  put  our  fingers  into  his  wounds, 
and  say  in  assurance,  '^  My  Lord  and  my  God :"  and  as  Psal. 
xlviii.  14.  "  This  God  is  our  God  for  ever  and  ever :  he  will 
be  our  guide  even  unto  death."  Here  we  do  as  it  were  with 
Mary  sit  at  the  feet  of  Jesus,  to  hear  his  Word  ^  that  fire 
from  heaven  may  come  down  upon  our  hearts,  and  we  may 
say,  **  Did  not  our  hearts  bum  within  us  while  he  spake  to  us, 
and  while  he  opened  to  us  the  Scriptures  ^  ?"  Here  we  cry 
to  him  as  the  blind  man,  "  Lord  that  I  may  receive  my 
sight."  We  cry  here  to  the  watchmen,  "  Saw  ye  him  whom 
my  soul  loveth**.*'  Here  we  are  in  his  "  banqueting  house," 
under  the  "  banner  of  his  love  *."  We  have  here  the  sealing 
and  quickenings  of  his  Spirit,  the  mortification  of  our  sin, 
the  increase  of  grace,  and  a  prospect  into  life  eternal,  and  a 
foresight  of  the  endless  happiness  there.  See  then  that  you 
come  to  the  worship  of  God  with  these  intentions  and  ex- 
pectations ;  that  if  God  or  conscience  call  to  you  (as  God 
did  sometime  to  Elias)  *'  what  dost  thou*  here  ?"  you  may 
truly  answer,  I  came  to  seek  the  Lord  my  God,  and  to  learn 
his  will  that  I  might  do  it.  And  that  your  sweet  delights 
may  make  you  say,  "  Blessed  are  they  that  dwell  in  thy 
house,  they  will  be  still  praising  thee*".''     If  thou  come  to 

f  Luke  X.  39.  ^  Luke  xxi v.  33.  ^  Cant.  iii.  3. 

»  Cant.  ii.  4.  "  Psal.  Ixxxlv.  4. 


CHAP.  I.]        CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  13 

the  worship  of  God  in  mere  custom,  or  to  make  thy  carnal 
heart  believe  that  God  will  forgive  thee  because  thou  so  far 
servest  him,  or  to  quiet  thy  conscience  with  the  doing  of 
a  formal  task  of  duty,  or  to  be  seen  of  men,  or  that  thou  mayst 
not  be  thought  ungodly,  if  these  be  thy  ends^  thou  wilt 
speed  accordingly.     A  holy  soul  cannot  live  upon  the  air  of 
man's  applause,  nor  upon  the  shell  of  ordinances,  without 
God  who  is  the  kernel  and  the  life  of  all :  it  is  the  love  of 
God  that  brings  them  thither,  and  it  is  love  that  they  are 
exercising  there,  and  the  end  of  love,  even  the  nearer  ap- 
proach of  the  soul  to  God,  whidi  they  desire  and  intend:  . 
Be  sure  then  that  these  be  the  true  and  real  intentions  of 
thy  heart. 

Quest,  '  But  how  shall  I  know  whether  indeed  it  be  God 
himself  that  I  am  seeking,  and  that  I  perform  his  worship 
to  the  appointed  ends  V 

Amiw.  In  so  great  a  business  it  is  a  shame  to  be  unac- 
quainted with  your  own  intentions.     If  you  take  heed  what 
you  do,  and  look  after  your  hearts,  you  may  know  what  you 
come  for,  and  what  is  your  business  there.     But  more  par- 
ticularly you  may  discern  it  by  these  marks:    1.  He  that 
bath  right  ends,  and  seeketh  God,  will  labour  to  suit  all  his 
duties  to  those  ends,  and  will  like  that  best  which  is  best 
suited  to  them :  he  will  strive  so  to  preach,  and  hear,  and 
pray,  not  as  tends  most  to  preferment  or  applause,  but  as 
tendeth  most  to  please  and  honour  God,  and  to  attain  his 
grace  :  and  he  will  love  that  sermon  or  that  prayer  best,  that 
is  best  fitted  to  bring  up  his  soul  to  God,  and  not  that  which 
tickleth  a  carnal  ear.     Mark  what  you  fit  the  means  to,  and 
you  may  perceive  what  is  your  end.     2.  If  it  be  God  him- 
self that  you  seek  after  in  his  worship,  you  will  not  be  sa- 
tisfied without  God :  it  is  not  the  doing  of  the  task  that  will 
satisfy  you,  nor  yet  the  greatest  praise  of  men,  no  not  of 
the  most  godly  men ;  but  so  far  as  you  have  attained  your 
end,  in  the  cleansing,  or  quickening,  or  strengthening  of 
the  soul,  or  getting  somewhat  nearer  God,  or  pleasing  or 
honouring  him,  so  far  only  you  will  be  contented.    3.  If 
God  be  your  end,  you  will  be  faithful  in  the  use  of  that 
more  private  and  spiritual  worship,  where  God  is  to  be  found, 
though  no  human  applause  be  there  to  be  attained.    4.  And 
yoa  will  love  still  the  same  substantial,  necessary  truth  and 


14  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PARTIII.' 

duty,  which  is  to  your  souls  as  bread  and  drink  is  to  your 
bodies ;  when  those  that  have  carnal  ends  will  be  looking 
after  variety  and  change^  and  will  be  weary  of  the  necessary 
bread  of  life.  By  observing  these  things  you  may  discern 
what  are  your  ends  in  worship. 

And  here  I  must  not  let  go  this  necessary  Direction^  till 
I  have  driven  on  the  reader  wth  some  more  importunity  to 
the  serious  practice  of  it.     It  is  lamentable  to  see,  how  many 
turn  the  worship  of  God  into  vile  hypocrisy,  and  dead  for^ 
mality  ;  and  offer  God  a  carrion  for  a  sacrifice,  and  yet  their 
consciences  are  so  far  from  checking  them  for  this  heinous 
sin,  that  they  are  much  pleased  and  quieted  by  it,  as  if  they 
had  deserved  well  of  God,  and  proved  themselves  very  godly 
people,  and  by  this  sin  had  made  him  amends  for  the  com- 
mon sins  of  their  lives.     Is  it  God  himself,  and  his  sancti- 
fying grace  that  those  men  seek  after  in  his  worship,  who 
hate  his  grace  and  scorn  sanctification,  and  can  leave  God 
to  be  enjoyed  by  others,  if  they  may  but  enjoy  their  fleshly 
pleasures,  and  riches,  and  honours  in  the  world  ?    Even  the 
hfLters  of  God  and  holiness  are  so  blinded,  as  to  persuade 
themselves  that  in  his  worship  they  are  truly  seeking  that 
God  and  holiness  which  they  hate.     And  O  what  a  deal  of 
pains  is  many  a  formsd  hypocrite  at  to  little  purpose ;  in  spend- 
ing many  hours  in  outside,  heartless,  lifeless  worship,  while 
they  never  thirsted  after  God,  nor  aft^er  a  holy  conformity 
to  him,  communion  with  him,  or  fruition  of  him,  in  all  their 
lives  !     O  ^what  a  deal  of  labour  do  these  Pharisees  lose  in 
bodily  exercise  which  profiteth  nothing,  for  want  of  a  right 
end  in  all  that  they  do  I   because  it  is  not  God  that  they 
seek :  when  **  godliness  is  profitable  to  all  things  ^"    And 
what  is  godliness  but  the  soul's  devotedness  to  God,  and 
seeking  after  him?    We  have  much  ado  to  bring  some  men 
firom  their  diversions  to  God's  outward  worship  :  but  O  how 
much  harder  is  it  to  bring  the  soul  to  seek  God  unfeignedly 
in  that  worship  where  the  body  is  present !    When  David 
in  the  wilderness  was  driven  from  the  sanctuary,  he  crieth 
out  in  the  bitterness  of  his  soul,  "  As  the  hart  panteth  after 
the  water  brooks,  so  panteth  my  soul  after  thee  O  God :  my 
soul  thirsteth  for  God,  for  the  living  God :   when  shall  I 
come  and  appear  before  God  :  my  tears  have  been  my  meat 

«  lTim.iv.  a 


CHAP.  I.]         CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  1$ 

day  and  night,  while  they  continually  say  unto  me,  where  is 
thy  God  V    You  see  here  that  it  was  God  himself  that  Da- 
vid thirsted  after  in  his  worship.    Alas !  what  is  all  the  out- 
ward pomp  of  worship,  if  God  be  not  the  end  and  life  of  all? 
Without  him  how  vain  a  thing  would  the  words  of  pmyer^ 
and  preaching,  and  the  administration  of  the  sacraments 
be  ?     It  is  not  the  dead  letter,  but  the  quickening  spirit  that 
maketh  the  dead  in  sin  to  live ;  that  convinceth  or  comfort- 
eth  the  soul;   or  maketh  the  worshipper  holy  or  happy. 
Nay  it  is  some  ^gravation  of  your  misery,  to  be  destitute 
of  true  communion  with  God,  while  you  seem  to  worship 
him ;  and  to  be  far  from  him  in  the  heart,  while  you  draw 
so  near  him  with  the  lips :  to  boast  of  the  temple  of  the 
Lord,  and  be  forsaken  by  the  Lord  of  the  temple !    That 
Capernaum  shall  be  cast  down  to  hell,  that  is  but  thus  lift 
up  to  heaven ;  and  it  will  be  easier  for  Sodom  in  the  day  of 
judgment,  than  for  such  as  had  the  public  ordinances  with- 
out Ood.    David  left  the  ark  with  Absalom  at  Jerusalem ; 
but  God  was  not  with  Absalom  but  with  David.     No  mar- 
vel if  such  hypocrites  grudge  at  all  that  is  costly  in  God's 
service ;  even  the  necessary  maintenance  of  the  ministers  : 
for  if  they  have  only  the  shell  of  ordinances  without  Grod,  it 
will  scarce  requite  them  for  their  cost.     No  marvel  if  they 
think  all  their  pains  too  much,  when  they  take  up  with  the 
chaff  which  is  scarcely  worth  their  pains.    No  wonder  if 
they  find  small  pleasure  in  God's  service:  for  what  plesr 
sure  is  there  in  the  husks  or  chaff,  or  in  a  deaf  nut?     No 
wonder  if  they  grow  no  better,  no  holier  or  stronger  by  it: 
for  what  strength  will  chaff  and  shadows  breed?    No  mar^ 
vel  a  they  are  quickly  weary,  and  if  a  little  of  such  religion 
seem  enough,  when  the  li£a,  and  spirits,  and  strength,  and 
sweetness  is  neglected.     O  sinners,  remember,  that  Grod  de*- 
siretk  not  yours  but  you,  and  all  your  wealth  and  service  is 
as  nothing  to  him,  if  he  have  not  yourselves,  (when  yet  you 
are  so  little  worth  the  having).    Nay,  how  earnestly  doth  he 
sue  to  have  you !     How  dearly  hath  he  bought  you  !  he  may 
challenge  you  as  his, own.     Answer  this  kindness  of  God 
aright :  lei  no  ordinance  nor  any  conmion  mercy  satisfy  you, 
if  you  have  not  God  himself.     And  to  encourage  you  let*" 
me  further  tell  you. 

If  it  be  Qod  himself  that  thou  seekest  in  his  worship 


16  CHRISTIAN  DIRECTORY.  [PART.  III. 

(siDcerely)  thou  shall  find  him :  because  thou  hast  choste 
the  better  part»  it  shall  not  be  taken  from  thee.     Because 
thou  hungerest  and  thirstest  after  him  thou  shalt  be  satisfied. 
What  joyful  news  is  this  to  the  thirsty  soul!     2.  Thou  art 
most  welcome  to  God  with  these  high  desireff:  this  holy 
ambition  and  aspiring  of  love  is  only  acceptable  to  him.     If 
all  ordinances  be  nothing  to  thee  without  Ood»  he  will  see 
that  thou  understandest  the  true  use  of  ordinances,  and  put 
down  thy  name  among  his  lovers,  whom  he  cannot  despise. 
H«  loveth  not  to  see  men  debase  their  souls,  to  feed  on 
husks  and  chaff  with  hypocrites,  any  more  than  to  feed  on 
filth  and  dirt,  with  sensualists  and  worldlings.     As  he  ac- 
cepted Solomon's   prayer  because  he  asked  not  for  little 
things,  but  for  great,  so  he  is  very  much  pleased  with  the 
soul,  that  is  unsatisfied  with  all  the  world,  and  can  be  con- 
tent with  nothing  lower  or  worse  than  God  himself.   -3.  Nay 
because  thou  seekest  God  himself,  thou  shalt  have  all  things 
with  him  that  are  worth  the  having™.     When  hypocrites 
have  but  the  carcase  and  shadow,  it  is  thou  that  shalt  have 
the  substantial  food  and  joy.     As  they  that  were  with  Paul 
when  he  was  converted,  did  hear  the  voice  but  saw  no  man''; 
so  others  shall  hear  the  sound  of  the  Word,  and  the  name 
of  God  ;  but  it  is  thou  that  shalt  see  him  by  faith  that  is  in- 
visible, and  feel  the  power  and  efficacy  of  all.     Thou  shalt 
hear  God  speak  to  thee,  when  he  that  sitteth  in  the  same 
seat  with  thee,  shall  hear  no  more  than  the  voice  of  man. 
It  is  he  that  seeketh' after  God  in  his  ordinances,  that  is  re- 
ligious in  good  sadness,  and  is  employed  in  a  work,  that  is 
worthy  of  an  immortal,  rational  soul.    The  delights  of  ordi- 
nances as  they  are  performed  by  man,  will  savour  of  his  im- 
perfections, and  taste  of  the  instrument,  and  have  a  bitter- 
ness often  mixed  with  the  sweet;  when  the  delight  that 
Cometh  from  God  himself  will  be  more  pure.     Ordinances 
are  uncertain :  you  may  have  them  to-day,  and  lose  them 
to-morrow  !  when  God  is  everlasting,  and  everlastingly  to 
be  enjoyed.     O  therefore  take  not  up  short  of  God,  in  any 
of  his  worship,  but  before  you  set  upon  it,  call  up  your  souls 
to  mind  1 -ic  end,  and  tell  them  what  you  are  going  to  do, 
that  you  miss  not  of  the  end  for  want  of  seeking  it.    The 
devil  wiH  give  hypocritical  worldlings  leave  to  play  them 

n  MutUvL  SS.    Rom.  viii.  28.  ■  AcU  ii.  7. 


CHAP,  t.]        CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIAStlCS.  l7 

witb  the  most  excellent  ordinances,  if  he  can  but  keep  God 
out  of  sight,  even  as  you  will  let  your  children  play  them 
with  a  box  of  gold,  as  long  as  it  is  shut,  and  they  see  not 
what  is  within. 

Direct,  xi.  'Be  laborious  with  your  hearts  in  all  God's 
worship  to  keep  them  employed  on  their  duty;  and  be 
watchful  over  them,  lest  they  slug  or  wander.'  Remember 
that  it  is  heart^work  that  you  are  principally  about.  And 
therefore  see  that  your  hearts  be  all  the  while  at  work.  Take 
yourselves  as  idle  when  your  hearts  are  idle.  And  if  you 
take  not  pains  with  them,  how  little  pains  will  they  take  in 
duty !  If  you  watch  them  not,  how  quickly  will  they  lie 
down,  and  forget  what  they  are  doing,  and  fall  asleep  when 
you  aire  in  treaty  with  God!  How  easily  will  they  turn 
aside,  and  be  thinking  of  impertinent  vanities?  Watch 
therefore  unto  prayer  and  every  duty  °. 

Direct,  xii.  '  Look  up  to  heaven  as  that  which  all  your 
duties  tend  to,  that  from  thence  you  may  fetch  your  encou- 
raging motives.'  Do  all  as  a  means  to  life  eternal :  separate 
no  duty  from  its  reward  and  end.  As  the  traveller  remem- 
bereth  whither  he  is  going  all  the  way,  and  a  desired  end 
doth  make  the  foulest  steps  seem  tolerable ;  so  think  ir 
every  prayer  you  put  up,  and  in  every  duty,  that  it  is  all  for 
heaven. 

Direct,  xiii.  '  Depend  upon  the  Spirit  of  God  for  help.' 
You  cannot  seek  God  spiritually  and  acceptably  without 
him.  Think  not  that  you  are  sufficient  to  worship  God 
aright  without  his  help.  Where  this  is  despised  or  neglect- 
ed, you  see  what  lamentable  work  is  made  by  blind,  cor- 
rupted nature  in  God's  service.  Sensual  wretches  that  have 
not  the  Spirit,  are  fitter  for  any  thing  than  to  worship  God?. 
"  If  he  that  hath  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ  be  none  of  hisS" 
then  he  that  pretends  to  worship  God  without  the  Spirit  of 
Christ,  can  ill  think  to  be  heard  for  the  sake  of  Christ. 

Direct,  xiv.  '  Look  also  to  your  tongues  and  the  de- 
portment of  your  bodies,  that  the  whole  man  may  worship 
'  God  in  holiness  as  he  requireth.'     Pretend  not  your  good 
meanings,  nor  the  spirituality  of  your  worship,  to  excuse 
you  from  worshipping  also  with  your  bodies.     Your  heafts 

•  1  Pet.  IT.  r.    S  Hid.  iv.  b,  p  Jade  19.  4  Rom.  tiU.  9, 

VOL.    V.  C 


18  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  111. 

must  be  first  looked  to ;  but  your  words  and  bodies  must 
next  be  looked  to :  and  if  you  regard  not  these^  it  is  hardly 
'credible  that  you  regard  your  hearts.  1.  Your  words  and 
gestures  are  the  due  expression  of  your  hearts  :  and  the  heart 
will  desire  to  express  itself  as  it  is.  Many  would  express 
their  hearts  to  be  better  than  they  are  ;  and  therefore  good 
expressions  are  oft  to  be  suspected.  But  few  would  ex- 
press their  hearts  as  worse  than  they  are;  and  therefore  bad 
appearances  do  seldom  lie.  2.  Your  wordt»  and  actions  are 
needful  to  the  due  honouring  of  God.  As  evil  words  and 
actions  do  dishonour  him,  and  the  unseemly,  disorderly  per- 
formance of  his  service,  is  very  injurious  to  such  holy  things ; 
so  your  meet  and  comely  words  and  gestures  are  the  exter- 
nal beauty  of  the  worship  which  you  perform :  and  God 
should  be  served  with  the  best.  3.  Your  words  and  ges- 
tures reflect  much  on  your  own  hearts.  As  acts  tend  to  the 
increase  of  the  habits  ;  so  the  external  expressions  tend  to 
increase  the  internal  aiFections^  whether  they  be  good  or 
evil.  4.  Your  words  and  gestures  must  be  regarded  for  the 
good  of  others,  who  see  not  your  hearts,  but  by  these  ex- 
pressions. And  where  many  have  communion  in  worship- 
ping God,  such  acts  of  communion  are  of  great  regard. 


CHAPTER  II. 


Difections  about  the  Manner  of  Worship,  to  avoid  all  Corrup- 
tions, and  false,  unacceptable  Worshipping  of  God. 

The  lamentable  contentions  that  have  arisen  about  the 
manner  of  God's  worship,  and  the  cruelty,  and  blood,  and 
divisions,  and  uncharitable  revilings  which  have  thence  fol- 
lowed, and  also  the  necessary  regard  that  every  Christian 
must  have  to  worship  God  according  to  his  will,  do  make  it 
needful  that  I  give  you  some  Directions  in  this  case. 

Direct,  i.  '  Be  sure  that  you. seriously  and  faithfully  prac- 
tise that  inward  worship  of  God,  in  which  the  life  of  religion 
doth  consist :  as  to  love  him  above  all,  to  fear  him,  believe 
him,  trust  him,  delight  in  him,  be  zealous  for  him ;  and  that 


CHAP.  II.]       CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  19 

your  hearts  be  sanctified  unto  God,  and  set  upon  heaven 
and  holiness:'  for  this  will' be  an  unspeakable  help  to  set 
you  right  in  most  controversies  about  the  worshipping  of 
God  *.  Nothing  hath  so  much  filled  the  church  with  con- 
tentions, and  divisions,  and  cruelties  about  God's  worship, 
as  the  agitating  of  these  controversies  by  unholy,  unexpe- 
rienced persons :  when  men  that  hate  a  holy  life,  and  holy 
persons,  and  the  holiness  of  God  himself,  must  be  they  that 
dispute  what  manner  of  worship  must  be  offered  to  God  by 
themselves  and  others ;  and  when  the  controversies  about 
God's  service  are  fallen  into  the  hands  of  those  that  hate  all 
serious  serving  of  him,  you  may  easily  know  what  work 
they  will  make  of  it.  As  if  sick  men  were  to  determine  or 
dispute  what  meat  and  drink  themselves  and  all  other  men 
must  live  upon,  and  none  must  eat  but  by  their  prescripts, 
most  healthful  men  would  think  it  hard  to  live  in  such  a 
country.  As  men  are  within,  so  will  they  incline  to  worship 
God  without.  Outward  worship  is  but  the  expression  of  in- 
ward worship :  he  that  hath  afheart  replenfshed  with  the  love 
and  fear  of  God,  will  be  apt  to  express  it  by  such  manner  of 
worship,  as  doth  most  lively  and  seriously  express  the  love 
and  fear  of  God.  If  the  heart  be  a  stranger  or  an  enemy  to 
God,  no  marvel  if  such  worship  him  accordingly.  O  could 
we  but  help  all  contenders  about  worship  to  the  inward  light, 
and  life,  and  love,  and  experience  of  holy,  serious  Chris- 
tians, they  would  find  enough  in  themselves,  and  their  ex- 
periences, to  decide  abundance  of  controversies  of  this  kind  : 
(though  still  there  will  be  some,  that  require  also  other  helps 
to  decide  them).  It  is  very  observable  in  all  times  of  the 
church,  how  in  controversies  about  God's  worship,  the  ge- 
nerality of  the  godly,  serious  people,  and  the  generality  of 
the  ungodly  and  ludicrous  worshippers,  are  ordinarily  of 
differing  judgments  !  and  what  a  stroke  the  temper  of  the 
soul  hath  in  the  determination  of  such  cases ! 

Direct,  ii.  'Be  serious  and  diligent  also  in  all  those 
parts  of  the  outward  worship  of  God  that  all  sober  Chris- 
tians are  agreed  in.'  For  if  you  be  negligent  and  false  in  so 
much  as  you  confess,  your  judgment  about  the  controverted 
part  is  not  much  to  be  regarded.     God  is  not  so  likely  to 

*  Read  on  this  subject  a  small  book  which  I  have  written,  called  "  Catholic 
Unitj." 


20  OUJRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [pART  111^ 

direct  profane  ones  and  false-hearted  hypocrites^  and  bles^ 
them  with  a  sound  judgment  in  holy  things,  (where  their 
lives  shew  that  their  practical  judgments  are  corrupt,)  as  the 
sincere  that  obey  him  in  that  which  he  revealeth  to  them. 
We  are  all  agreed  that  God's  Word  must  be  your  daily  me- 
ditation and  delight^ ;  and  that  you  should  "  speak  of  it  lying 
down  and  rising  up,  at  home  and  abroad*";"  and  that  we 
must  be  constant,  fervent,  and  importunate  in  prayer,  both 
in  public  and  private  '^.  Do  you  perform  this  much  faith- 
fully or  not  ?  If  you  do,  you  may  the  more  confidently  ex- 
pect that  God  should  further  reveal  his  will  to  you,  and  re- 
solve your  doubts,  and  guide  you  in  the  way  that  is  pleasing 
to  him.  But  if  you  omit  the  duty  that  all  are  agreed  on, 
and  be  unfaithful  and  negligent  in  what  you  know,  how  un- 
meet are  you  to  dispute  about  the  controverted  circum- 
stances of  duty !  To  what  purpose  is  it,  that  you  meddle  in 
such  controversies?  Do  you  do  it  wilfully  to  condemn  your- 
selves before  God,  and  shame  yourselves  before  men,  by 
declaring  the  hypocrisy  whioh  aggravateth  your  ungodli- 
ness? What  a  loathsome  and  pitiful  thing  is  it,  to  hear  a 
man  bitterly  reproach  those  who  difier  from  him  in  some 
circumstances  of  worship,  when  he  himself  never  seriously 
worshippeth  God  at  all !  When  he  meditateth  not  on  the 
Word  of  God,  and  instead  of  delighting  in  it,  maketh  light 
of  it,  as  if  it  little  concerned  him ;'  and  is  acquainted  with 
no  other  prayer  than  a  little  customary  lip  service !  Is  such 
an  ungodly  neglecter  of  all  the  serious  worship  of  God,  a 
fit  person  to  fill  the  world  with  quarrels  about  the  manner  of 
his  worship  ? 

Direct,  ui.  '  Difier  not  in  God's  worship  from  the  com- 
mon sense  of  the  most  faithful,  godly  Christians,  without 
great  suspicion  of  your  own  understandings,  and  a  most  di- 
ligent trial  of  the  case.'  For  if  in  such  practical  cases  the 
common  sense  of  the  faithful  be  against  you,  it  is  to  be  sus- 
.pected  that  the  teaching  of  God's  Spirit  is  against  you :  for 
the  Spirit  of  God  doth  principally  teach  his  servants  in  the 
matters  of  worship  and  obedience. 

There  are  several  errors  that  I  am  here  warning  you  to 
avoid :  1.  The  error  of  them  that  rather  incline  to  the  judg- 

»»  P$al.  I.  2.  «  Dent.  ti.  6—8. 

■*  1  Theis.  ▼.  17.    Lake  xruu  1.    James  v.  16. 


CHAP.  II.]       CtlklSTIAN   ECCLESIASTICS.  21 

ment  of  the  ungodly  multitude,  who  never  knew  what  it  was 
to  worship  God  in  spirit  and  truth.     Consider  the  great  dis- 
advantages  of  these  men  to  judge  aright  in  such  a  case.     (1.) 
They  must  judge  then  without  that  teaching  of  the  Spirit, 
by  which  things  spiritual  are  to  be  discerned  *.     He  that  is 
bhnd  in  sin  must  judge  of  the  mysteries  of  godliness.     (2.) 
They  must  judge  quite  contrary  to  their  natures  and  inclina- 
tions, or  against  the  diseased  habits  of  their  wills.     And  if 
you  call  a  drunkard  to  judge  of  the  evil  of  drunkenness,  or 
a  whoremonger  to  judge  of  the  evil  of  fornication,  or  a  covet- 
ous, or  a  proud,  or  a  passionate  man  to  judge  of  their 
several  sins,  how  partial  will  they  be?     And  so  will  an 
ungodly  man  be    in  judging  of  the  duties    of  godliness. 
You  set  him  to  judge  of  that  which  he  hateth.    (3.)  You 
eet  him  to  judge  of  that  which  he  is  unacquainted  with.     It 
is  like  he  nev^er  throughly  studied  it :  but  it  is  certain  he 
never  seriously  tried  it,  nor  hath  the  experience  of  those, 
that  have  long  made  it  a  great  part  of  the  business  of  their 
lives.     And  would  you  not  sooner  take  a  man's  judgment 
in  physic,  that  hath  made  it  the  study  and  practice  of  his 
life,  than  a  sick  man's  that  speaketh  against  that  which  he 
never  studied  or  practised,  merely  because  his  own  stomach 
is  against'it?     Or  will  you  not  sooner  take  the  judgment 
of  an  ancient  pilot  about  navigation,  than  of  one  that  never 
was  at  sea?     The  difference  is  as  great  in  this  present  case. 

2.  And  I  speak  this  also  to  warn  you  of  another  error, 
that  you  prefer  not  the  judgment  of  a  sect  or  party,  or  some 
few  godly  people,  against  the  common  sense  of  the  general- 
ity of  the  faithful :  for  the  Spirit  of  God  is  more  likely  to 
havtt  forsaken  a  small  part  of  godly  people,  than  the  gene- 
rality, in  such  particular  opinions,  which  even  good  men 
may  be  forsaken  in :  or  if  it  be  in  greater  things,  it  is  more 
unreasonable  and  more  uncharitable  for  me  to.  suspect  that 
most  that  seem  godly  are  hypocrites  and  forsaken  of  God, 
than  that  a  party,  or  some  few  are  so. 

Direct,  iv.  *  Yet  do  not  absolutely  give  up  yourselves  to 
the  judgment  of  any  in  the  worshipping  of  God,  but  only 
use  die  advice  of  men  in  a  due  subordination  to  the  will  of 
God,  and  the  teaching  of  Jesus  Christ.'  Otherwise  you  will 
net  man  in  the  place  of  God,  and  will  reject  Christ  in  his 

«  1  Cor.  ii.  IS,  16 


22  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  111. 

prophetical  office,  as  much  as  using  co-ordinate  mediators, 
is  a  rejecting  him  in  his  priestly  office.  None  must  be  cal- 
led master,  but  in  subordination  to  Christ,  because  he  is  our 
master  ^ 

Direct,  v.  '  Condemn  not  all  that  in  others,  which  you 
dare  not  do  yourselves ;  and  practise  not  all  that  yourselves, 
which  you  dare  not  condemn  in  others  */  For  you  are  more 
capable  of  judging  in  your  own  cases,  and  bound  to  do  it 
with  more  exactness  and  diligent  inquiry,  than  in  the  case 
of  others.  Oft-times  a  rational  doubt  may  necessitate  you 
to  suspend  your  practice,  as  your  belief  or  judgment  is  sus- 
pended ;  when  yet  it  will  not  allow  you  to  condemn  another 
whose  judgment  and  practice  hath  no  such  suspension.  On- 
ly you  may  doubt  whether  he  be  in  the  right,  as  you  doubt 
as  to  yourself.  And  yet  you  may  not  therefore  venture  to 
do  all  that  you  dare  not  condemn  in  him ;  for  then  you  must 
wilfully  commit  all  the  sins  in  the  world,  which  your  weak- 
ness shall  make  a  doubt  or  controversy  of. 

Direct,  vi.  *  Offer  God  no  worship  that  is  clearly  contrary 
to  his  nature  and  perfections,  but  such  as  is  suited  to  him  as 
be  is  revealed  to  you  in  his  Word.'  Thus  Christ  teacheth 
us,  to  worship  God  as  he  is :  and  thus  God  often  calleth  for 
holy  worship,  because  he  is  holy.  1.  "God  is  a  Spirit: 
therefore  they  that  worship  him,  must  worship  him  in  spirit 
and  in  truth  :  (which  Christ  opposeth  to  mere  external  cere- 
mony or  shadows  ;)  for  the  Father  seeketh  such  to  worship 
him  ^"  2.  God  is  incomprehensible,  and  infinitely  distant 
from  us  :  therefore  worship  him  with  admiration,  and  make 
not  either  visible  or  mental  images  of  him,  nor  debase  him 
by  undue  resemblance  of  him  to  any  of  his  creatures  \  3. 
God  is  omnipresent,  and  therefore  you  may  every  where  lift 
up  holy  hands  to  him  .  And  you  must  always  worship  him 
as  in  his  sight.  4.  God  is  onmiscient,  and  knoweth  your 
hearts,  and  therefore  let  your  hearts  be  employed  and  watch- 
ed in  his  worship.  5.  God  is  most  wise,  and  therefore  not 
to  be   worshipped  ludicrously  with  toys,  as  children  are 

f  Matt,  xxiii.  8— lO.  »  See  Rom.  xiv.  xv,     1  Cor,  viii.  13. 

h  Johniv.  JS.24. 

*  The  second  coimiiaiidiiicot.  Cicero  de  Nat.  Deor.  lib.  i.  saith,  that  Possidooi- 
tis  believed  tliat  Epicunis  thought  there  was  no  God,  but  put  u  scorn  upon  him  b>' 
describing  him  like  a  man,  idle,  careless,  &c.  winch  he  would  not  have  douc  il*  Itm 
had  thought  there  was  a  God. 


CHAP.  II.]         CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  23 

pleased  with  to  quiet  them,  but  with  wise  and  ratioMl  wor- 
ship.    6.  God  is  most  great,  and  therefore  to  be  worship- 
ped with  the  greatest  reverence  and  seriousness ;  and  not 
presumptuously,     with    a    careless    mind,  or    wandering 
thoughts,  or  rude  expressions.     7.  God  is  most  good  and 
gracious,  and  therefore  not  to  be  worsjbipped  with  back- 
wardness, unwillingness,  and  weariness,  but  with  great  de- 
light.    3.  God  is  most  merciful  in  Christ,  and  therefore  not 
to  be  worshipped  despairingly,  but  in  joyful  hope.    9.  God 
is  true  and  faithful,  and  therefore  to  be  worshipped  believ- 
ingly  and  confidently,  and  not  in  distrust  and  unbelief.     10. 
God  is  most  holy,  and  therefore  to  be  worshipped  by  holy 
persons,  in  a  holy  manner,  and  not  by  unholy  hearts  or  lips, 
nor  in  a  common  manner,  as  if  we  had  to  do  but  with  a  man. 
11.  He  is  the  Maker  of  your  souls  and  bodies,  and  there- 
fore to  be  worshipped  both  with  soul  and  body.     12.  He  is 
your  Redeemer  and  Saviour,  and  therefore  to  be  worshipped 
by  you  as  sinners  in  the  humble  sense  of  your  sin  and  misery, 
and  as  redeemed  ones  in  the  thankful  sense  of  his  mercy, 
and  all  in  order  to  your  further  cleansing,  healing,  and  re- 
covery.    13.  He  is  your  Regenerator  and  Sanctifier,    and 
therefore  to  be  worshipped  not  in  the  confidence  of  your  na- 
tural sufficiency,  but  by  the  light,  and  love,  and  life  of  the 
Holy  Ghost.     14.  He  is  your  absolute  Lord,  and  the  owner 
of  you  and  all  you  |have,  and  therefore  to  be  worshipped 
with  the  absolute  resignation  of  yourself  and  all,  and  ho- 
noured with  your  substance,  and  not  hypocritically,  with 
exceptions  and  reserves.     15.  He  is  your  sovereign  King, 
and  therefore  to  be  worshipped  according  to  his  laws,  witif 
an  obedient  kind  of  worship,  and  not  after  the  traditions  of 
men,  nor  the  will  or  wisdom  of  the  flesh.     16.  He  is  your 
heavenly  Father,  and  therefore  all  these  holy  dispositions, 
should   be  summed  up  into  the  strongest  love,  and  you 
should  run  to  him  with  the  greatest  readiness,  and  rest  in 
him  with  the  greatest  joy,  and  thirst  after  the  full  fruition 
of  him  with  the  greatest  of  your  desires,  and  press  towards 
him  for  himself  with  the  most  fervent  and  importunate  suits. 
All  these  the  very  being  and  perfections  of  God  will  teach 
you  in  his  worship  :  and  therefore  if  any  controverted  wor- 
ship be  certainly  contrary  to  any  of  these,  it  is  certainly 
unwarranted  and  unacceptable  unto  God. 

Direct,  vii.  *  Pretend  not  to  worshijp  God  by  that  which 


24  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY^  [PART    III. 

is  detdtbLctiYe,  or  contrary  to  the  ends  of  worship.'  For  the 
aptitude  of  it  as  a  means  to  its  proper  end,  is  essential  to  itr 
Now  the  ends  of  worship  are,  1.  The  honouring  of  God.  2. 
The  edifying  of  ourselves  in  holiness,  and  delighting  our 
souls  in  the  contemplation  and  praises  of  his  perfectiona. 
3.  The  communicating  this  knowledge,  holiness,  and  de- 
light to  others,  and  the  increase  of  his  actual  kingdom  in 
the  world.  (1.)  Avoid  then  all  that  pretended  worship 
which  dishonoureth  God,  (not  in  the  opinion  of  carnal  men, 
that  judge  of  him  by  their  own  misguided  imaginations,  but 
according  to  the  discovery  of  himself  to  us  in  his  works  and 
Word.)  Many  travellers  that  have  conversed  with  the  more 
sober  heathen  and  Mahometan  nations,  tell  us,  that  it  is  not 
the  least  hindrance  of  their  conversion,  and  cause  of  their 
contempt  of  Christianity,  to  see  the  Christians  that  live 
about  them,  to  worship  God  so  ignorantly,  irrationally,  and 
childishly  as  many  of  them  do''.  (2.)  Affect  most  that  isan- 
ner  of  worship  (csBteris  paribus)  which  tendeth  most  to  your 
own  right  information,  and  holy  resolutions  and  affectioner^ 
and  to  bring  up  your  souls  into  nearer  communion  and  de-* 
light  in  God :  and  not  that  which  tendeth  to  deceive,  or 
flatter,  or  divert  you  from  him,  nor  to  be  in  your  ears  as 
sounding  brass,  or  a  tinkling  cymbal,  or  as  one  that  is  play- 
ing you  a  lesson  of  music ;  and  tendeth  not  to  make  yoa 
better.  (3.)  Affect  not  that  manner  of  worship  which  is  an 
enemy  to  knowledge,  and  tendeth  to  keep  up  ignorance  in 
the  world :  such  as  is  a  great  part  of  the  Popish  worship, 
especially  their  reading  the  Scriptures  to  the  people  in  an 
unknown  tongue,  and  celebrating  their  public  prayers,  and 
praises,  and  sacraments  in  an  unknown  tongue,  and  their 
seldom  preaching,  and  then  teaching  the  people  to  take  up 
with  a  multitude  of  toyish  ceremonies,  instead  of  knowledge,, 
and  rational  worship.  Certainly  that  which  is  an  enemy  to 
knowledge,  io  an  enemy  to  all  holiness  and  true  obedience 
and  to  the  ends  of  worship,  and  therefore  is  no  acceptable 
worshipping  of  God.     (4.)  Affect  not  that  pretended  wor- 

k  But  with  the  barbarous  it  is  otherwbe,  saith  Aco&ta  the  Jesuit,  p.  249.  lib.  i. 
Proderit  quani  pluriraum  ritus  et  signa  et  oranera  externum  coltum  diiigeiiter  curare. 
His  quip|)e  et  delectaotur  et  dctinentur  iiuniines  auimaies  (N.  B.)  donee  paulatim 
abdeatur  meiuoria  et  gustus  prseteritorum^  So  Gr.  Nvssen,  saith  in  vita  Gr.  Neocceik 
that  they  turned  tlie  Pagan's  festivals  into  festivals  for  the  martyrs,  to  please  thenx 
the  better.     Which  Beda  and  many  others  rekte  of  the  practice  of  those  times. 


CHAP.  II.]        CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  25 

ship  which  is  of  itself  destrnctire  of  true  holiness  :  such  as 
is  the  preaching  of  false  doctrine,  not  according  to  godli- 
ness,  and  the  opposition  and  reproaching  of  a  holy  life  and 
worship,  in  the  misapplication  of  true  doctrine  ;  and  then 
teaching  poor  souls  to  satisfy  themselves  with  their  mass, 
and  mass  ceremonies,  and  an  image  of  worship,  instead  of 
serious  holiness,  which  is  opposed ;  "  He  that  saith  to  the 
wicked.  Thou  art  righteous,  him  shall  the  people  curse,  na- 
tions shall  abhor  him  ^"  And  if  this  be  done  as  a  worship 
of  God,  you  may  hence  judge  how  acceptable  it  will  be: 
"  Woe  unto  them  that  call  evil  good,  and  good  evil ;  that 
put  darkness  for  light,  and  light  for  darkness  ;  that  put  bit- 
ter for  sweet,  and  sweet  for  bitter"/'  To  make  people  be- 
lieve that  holiness  is  but  hypocrisy,  or  a  needless  thing,  or 
that  the  image  of  holiness  is  holiness  itself,  or  that  there  is 
no  great  difference  between  the  godly  and  ungodly,  doth  all 
tend  to  men's  perdition,  and  to  damn  men  by  deceiving 
them,  and  to  root  out  holiness  from  the  earth  °.  *'  If  thou 
take  forth  the  precious  from  the  vile,  thou  shalt  be  as  my 
mouth  "."  (6.)  Affect  not  a  dead  and  heartless  way  of  wor- 
ship, which  tendeth  not  to  convince  and  waken  the  ungod- 
ly, nor  to  make  men  serious  as  those  that  have  to  do  with 
God. 

Direct,  viii.  *  Let  the  manner  of  your  worshipping  God, 
be  suited  to  the  matter  that  you  have  in  hand/  Remember 
that  you  are  speaking  to  or  of  the  eternal  God ;  that  you 
are  employed  about  the  everlasting  salvation  of  your  own 
or  others'  souls ;  that  all  is  high  and  holy  that  you  have  to 
do :  see  then  that  the  manner  be  answerable  hereunto. 

Direct,  ix. '  Offer  God  nothing  as  a  part  of  worship  which 
is  a  lie ;  much  less  so  gross  a  lie  as  to  be  disproved  by  the 
common  senses  and  reason  of  all  the  world.'  God  needeth 
not  our  lie  unto  his  glory :  what  worship  then  do  Papists 
offer  him  in  their  mass,  who  take  it  for  an  article  of  their 
£Buth,  that  there  is  no  bread  or  wine  left  after  the  consecra- 
tion, it  being  all  transubstantiate  into  the  very  body  and 
blood  of  Christ?  And  when  the  certainty  of  all  men's 
senses  is  renounced,  then  all  the  certainty  of  faith,  and  all 

»  Prov.  XXIV.  S4.  »  Im.  v.  fo. 

•  See  Eaek.  ixii.  se6.     xlir.  X3.    Jer.  xv.  19.         »  MoJ.  iii.  18.     Psal.  Lxv. 


26  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART    III. 

religion  is  renounced ;  for  all  presuppose  the  certainty  of 
sense. 

Direct,  x.  '  Worship  not  God  in  a  manner  that  is  con- 
trary to  the  true  nature,  and  order,  and  operations  of  a  ra« 
tional  soul/  I  mean  not  to  the  corrupted  nature  of  man^ 
but  to  nature  as  rational  in  itself  considered.  As  1.  Let  not 
your  mere  will  and  inclination  OTerrule  your  understand- 
ings ;  and  say  not  as  blind  lovers  do,  I  love  this,  but  I  know 
not  why ;  or  as  children  that  eat  unwholesome  meat,  be- 
cause they  love  it  p.  2.  Let  not  passion  overtop  your  rea- 
son :  worship  God  with  such  a  zeal  as  is  according  to  know- 
ledge. 3.  Let  not  your  tongues  lead  your  hearts,  much 
less  overgo  them:  words  may  indeed  reflect  upon  the 
heart,  and  warm  it  more  \  but  that  is  but  the  secondary  use  : 
the  first  is  to  be  the  expressions  of  the  heart :  you  must  not 
speak  without  or  against  your  hearts  (that  is,  falsely)  that 
by  so  speaking  you  may  better  your  hearts  (and  moke  the 
w^rds  true,  that  at  first  were  not  true)  :  unless  it  be  when 
your  words  are  but  reading  recitations  or  narratives,  and  not 
spoken  of  yourselves.  The  heart  was  made  to  lead  the 
tongue,  and  the  tongue  to  express  it,  and  not  to  lead  it. 
Therefore  speak  not  to  God  either  the  words  of  a  parrot, 
which  you  do  not  understand,  or  the  words  of  a  liar  or  hy- 
pocrite, which  express  not  the  meaning,  or  desires,  or  feel- 
ing of  your  hearts :  bdt  first  understand  and  feel  what  you 
should  speak,  and  then  speak  that  which  you  understand 

and  feel. 

Quest.  '  How  then  can  a  prayer  be  lawful  that  is  read  or 
heard  from  a  book  ?  * 

Answ.  There  is  in  reading  the  eye,  and  in  hearing  the  ear 
that  is  first  to  affect  the  heart,  and  then  the  tongue  is  to 
perform  its  office.  And  though  it  be  sudden,  yet  the  pas* 
sage  to  the  heart  is  first,  and  the  passage  from  the  heart  is 
last :  and  the  soul  is  quick,  and  can  quickly  thus  both  re- 
ceive, and  be  affected  and  express  itself.  And  the  c€LHe  is 
the  same  in  this,  whether  it  be  from  a  book,  or  from  the 
words  of  another  without  book :  for  the  soul  must  do  the 
same,  as  quickly,  in  joining  with  another  that  speaketh  be<- 
fore  us,  without  a  book  as  with  it. 

Direct,  xi.  'Understand  well  how  far  Christ  hath  given 

P  Read  Plutaruli  orSuperstitioii. 


CHAP.  II.]        CHRISTIAN   ECCLESIASTICS.  27 

a  law  and  a  rule  for  worship  to  his  church  in  the  holy  Scrip- 
tures, and  so  far  see  that  you  take  it  as  a  perfect  rule,  and 
swerve  not  from  it  by  adding  or  diminishing.'     This  is  a 
matter  of  great  importance  by  reason  of  the  danger  of  er- 
ring on  either  side.     1.  If  you  think  that  the  Scripture  con- 
taineth  not  any  law  or  rule  of  worship  at  all,  or  not  so  much 
as  indeed  it  doth,  you  will  deny  a  principal  part  of  the  of- 
fice of  Christ,  as  the  king  and  teacher  of  the  church,  and 
will  accuse  his  laws  of  insufficiency,  and  be  tempted  to  wor- 
ship him  with  a  human  kind  of  worship,  and  to  think  your-* 
selves  at  liberty  to  worship  him  according  to  your  own 
imaginations,  or  change   his    worship   according  to    the 
fashion  of  the  age  or  the  country  where  you  are.     And  on 
the  other  side,  if  you  think  that  the  Scripture  is  a  law  and 
rule  of  worship,  more  particular  than  Christ  intended  it» 
you  will  involve  yourselves  and  others  in  endless  scruples 
and  controversies,  and  find  fault  with  that  which  is  lawful 
and  a  duty,  because  you  find  it  not  particularly  in  the 
Scriptures :  and  therefore  it  is  exceeding  needful  to  under- 
stand how  far  it  is  intended  to  be  herein  our  law  and  rule^ 
and  how  far  not:  to  handle  this  fully  would  be  a  digression^ 
but  I  shall  briefly  answer  it. 

I .  No  doubt  but  Christ  is  the  only  universal  head  and 
law-giver  to  his  church ;  and  that  legislation  is  the  first  and 
principal  part  of  government ;  and  therefore  if  he  had  made 
no  laws  for  his  church,  he  were  not  the  full  governor  of  it. 
And  therefore  he  that  arrogateth  this  power  to  himself  to  be 
law-giver  to  the  church  universal  (as  such)  doth  usurp  the 
kingly  office  of  Christ,  and  committeth  treason  against  his 
government ;  (unless  he  can  prove  that  Christ  hath  delega- 
ted to  him  this  chief  part  of  his  government,  which  none 
can  do;)  there  being  no  universal  law-giver  to  the  church 
but  Christ  (whether  pope  or  council),  no  law  that  is  made 
by  any  mere  man  can  be  universally  obligatory.    There- 
fore seeing  the  making  of  all  universal  laws  doth  belong  on- 
ly to  Christ,  we  may  be  sure  that  he  hath  perfectly  done  it ; 
and  hath  left  nothing  out  of  his  laws  that  was  fit  to  be  there, 
nor  nothing  at  liberty  that  was  fit  to  be  determined  and 
commanded.     Therefore  whatsoever  is  of  equal  use  or  con- 
sideration to  the  universal  church,  as  it  is  to  any  one  part 
of  it»  and  to  all  times  as  it  is  to  any  time  of  the  church. 


28  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [pART    IIf« 

should  not  be  made  a  law  by  man  to  any  part  of  the  church, 
if  Christ  have  not  made  it  a  law  to  the  whole :  because  else 
they  accuse  him  of  being  defective  in  his  laws,  and  because 
all  his  subjects  are  equally  dependant  on  him  as  their  King 
aiid  Judgew  And  no  man  must  step  into  his  throne  pretend- 
ing to  amend  his  work  which  he  hath  done  amiss,  or  to 
make  up  any  wants,  which  the  chief  law-giver  should  have 
made  up. 

2.  These  laws  of  Christ  for  the  government  of  his  chturch, 
are  fully  contained  in  the  Holy  Scriptures :  for  so  much  as 
is  in  nature,  is  there  also  more  plainly  expressed  than  na- 
ture hath  expressed  it.  All  is  not  Christ's  law  that  is  any 
way  expressed  in  Scripture ;  but  all  Christ's  laws  are  ex- 
pressed in  the  Scriptures  :  not  written  by  himself,  but  by 
his  Spirit  in  his  apostles,  whom  he  appointed  and  sent  to 
teach  all  nations  to  observe  whatever  he  commanded  them : 
who  being  thus  commissioned  and  enabled  fully  by  the  Spi- 
rit to  perform  it,  are  to  be  supposed  to  have  perfectly  execu- 
ted their  commission  ;  and  to  have  taught  whatsoever  Christ 
commanded  them,  and  no  more  as  from  Christ :  and  there- 
fore as  they  taught  that  present  age  by  voice,  who  could 
hear  them,  so  they  taught  all  ages  after  to  the  end  of  the 
world  by  writing,  because  their  voice  was  not  by  them  to  be 
heard. 

3.  So  far  then  as  the  Scripture  is  a  law  and  rule,  it  is  a 
perfect  rule  :  but  how  far  it  is  a  law  or  rule,  its  own  contents 
and  expressions  must  determine.  As  (1.)  It  is  certain  that 
all  the  internal  worship  of  God  (by  love,  fear,  trust,  desire, 
&c.)  is  perfectly  conmianded  in  the  Scriptures.  (2.)  The 
doctrine  of  Christ  which  his  ministers  must  read  and  preach 
is  perfectly  contained  in  the  Scriptures.  (3.)  The  grand 
and  constantly  necessary  points  of  order  in  preaching,  are 
there  also  expressed :  as  Uiat  the  opening  of  men's  eyes, 
and  the  converting  of  them  from  the  power  of  satan  to  Ood 
be  first  endeavoured,  and  then  their  confirmation  and  fur- 
ther edification,  See.  (4.)  Also  that  we  humble  ourselves 
before  God  in  the  confession  of  our  sins.  (5.)  And  that  we 
pray  to  God  in  the  name  of  Christ  for  mercy  for  ourselves 
and  others.  (6.)  That  we  give  God  thanks  for  his  mercjes 
to  the  church,  ourselves  and  others.  (7.)  That  we  praise 
Ood  in  his  excellencies  manifested  in  his  Word  and  works 


CHAP.  II.]  CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  29 

of  creation  and  providence.     (8.)  That  we  do  this  by  ring- 
ing psalms  with  holy  joyfulness  of  heart.    (9.)  The  matter 
and  order  of  the  ordinary  prayers  and  praises  of  Christians 
is  expressed  in  the  Scripture,  (as  which  parts  are  to  have 
precedency  in  our  estimation  and  desire,  and  ordinarily  in 
our   expressions.)    (10.)    Christ  himself  hath   determined 
that  by  baptizing  them  into  the  name  of  the  Father,  the  Son, 
and  the  Holy  Ghost,  men  be  solemnly  entered  into  his  co- 
venant, and  church,  and  state  of  Christianity.     (11.)  And 
he  hath  himself  appointed  that  his  churches  hold  commu- 
nion with  him  and  among  themselves,  in  the  eucharistical 
administration  of  the  sacrament  of  his  body  and  blood,  re- 
presented in  the  breaking,  delivering,  receiving  and  eating 
the  consecrated  bread,  and  in  the  pouring  out,  delivering, 
receiving  and  drinking  the  consecrated  wine.    (12.)  And  as 
for  the  mutable,  subservient  circumstances  and  external  ex- 
pressions, and  actions,  and  orders,  which  were  not  fit  to  be, 
in  particular,  the  matter  of  an  universal  law,  but  are  fit  in 
one  place,  or  at  one  time,  and  not  another,  for  these  he  hath 
left  both  in  nature  and  Scripture  such  general  laws,  by  which 
upon  emergent  occasions  they  may  be  determined  ;  and  by 
particular  providences  he  fitteth  things,  and  persons,  and 
times,  and  places,  so  as  that  we  may  discern  their  agreeable- 
ness  to  the  descriptions  in  his  general  laws:  as  that  all 
things  be  done  decently,  in  order  and  to  edification,  and  in 
charity^  unity,  and  peace.     And  he  hath  forbidden  general- 
ly doing  any  thing  indecently,  disorderly,  to  the  hurt  or  de- 
struction of  our  brethren,  even  the  weak,  or  to  the  division 
of  the  church.     (13.)  And  many  things  he  hath  particularly 
forbidden  in  worship  :  as  making  to  ourselves  any  graven 
image,  8ic.  and  worshipping  angels,  8cc. 

And  as  to  the  order  and  goyemment  of  the  church  (for  I 
am  willing  to  dispatch  all  here  together)  this  much  is  plain- 
ly determined  in  Scriptute  :  1.  That  there  be  oflScers  or  mi- 
nisters yinder  Christ  to  be  the  stated  teachers  of  his  people, 
and  to  baptize,  and  administer  the  sacrament  of  his  body 
and  blood,  and  be  the  mo'uth  and  guide  of  the  people  in  pub- 
lic prayers,  thanksgiving  and  praises,  and  to  bind  the  im- 
penitent and  loose  the  penitent,  and  to  be  the  directors  of 
the  flocks  according  to  the  law  of  God,  to  life  eternal ;  and 
their  office  is  described  and  determined  by  Christ.    2.  It  is 


do  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTOKY.  [PART  til. 

required  that  Christians  do  ordinarily  assemble  together  for 
Ood's  public  worship ;  and  be  guided  therein  by  these  their 
pastors.  3.  It  is  required  that  besides  the  unfixed  minis- 
ters, who  employ  themselves  in  converting  infidels,  and  in 
an  itinerant  service  of  the  churches,  there  be  also  stated,  fix- 
ed ministers,  having  a  special  charge  of  each  particular 
church ;  and  that  they  may  know  their  own  flocks,  and 
teach  them  publicly  and  from  house  to  house,  and  the  peo- 
ple may  know  their  own  pastors  that  are  over  them  in  the 
Lord,  and  honour  them  and  obey  them  in  all  that  they  teach 
them  from  the  Word  of  God  for  their  salvation.  4.  The 
ministers  that  baptize  are  to  judge  of  the  capacity  and  fit^ 
ness  of  those  whom  they  baptize  ;  whether  the  adults  that 
are  admitted  upon  their  personal  profession  and  covenant- 
ing, or  infants  that  are  admitted  upon  their  parents'  profes- 
sion and  entering  them  into  covenant.  5.  The  pastors  that 
administer  the  Lord's  supper  to  their  particular  flocks,  are 
to  discern  or  judge  of  the  fitness  of  those  persons  whom 
they  receive  newly  into  their  charge,  or  whom  they  admit 
to  communion  in  that  sacrament  as  members  of  their  flock. 
6.  Every  such  pastor  is  also  personally  to  watch  over  all 
the  members  of  his  flock  as  far  as  he  is  able ;  lest  false 
teachers  seduce  them,  or  satan  get  advantage  of  them,  or 
any  corruption  or  root  of  bitterness  spring  up  among  them 
and  defile  them.  7.  It  is  the  duty  of  the  several  members 
of  the  flock,  if  a  brother  trespass  against  them,  to  tell  him 
his  faults  between  them  and  him :  and  if  he  hear  not,  to 
take  two  or  three,  and  if  he  hear  not  them,  to  tell  the  church. 
8.  It  is  the  pastor's  duty  to  admonish  the  unruly,  and  call 
them  to  repentance,  and  pray  for  their  conversion.  9.  And 
it  is  the  pastor's  duty  to  declare  the  obstinately  impenitent 
incapable  of  communion  with  the  church,  and  to  charge 
him  to  forbear  it,  and  the  church  to  avoid  him.  10.  It  is 
the  people's  duty  to  avoid  such  accordingly,  and  have  no 
familiarity  with  them  that  they  may  be  ashamed ;  and 
with  such,  no,  not  to  eat.  11.  It  is  the  pastor's  duty  to  ab- 
solve the  penitent,  declaring  the  remission  of  their  sin,  and 
re-admitting  to  the  communion  of  the  saints.  12.  It  is  the 
people's  duty  to  re-admit  the  absolved  to  their  communion 
with  joy,  and  to  take  them  as  brethren  in  the  Lord.  13.. 
Though  every  pastor  hath  a  general  power  to  exercise  his 


CHAP.  II.]  CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  31 

office  in  any  part  of  the  church,  where  he  shall  be  truly  cal- 
led to  it ;  yet  every  pastor  hath  a  special  obligation  (and 
consequently  a  special  power)  to  do  it  over  the  flock,  of 
which  he  hath  received  the  special  charge  and  oversight. 
14.  The  Lord's  day  is  separated  by  Qod's  appointment  for 
the  churches*  ordinary  holy  communion  in  God's  worship 
under  the  conduct  of  these  their  guides.  15.  And  it  is  re- 
quisite that  the  several  particular  churches  do  maintain  as 
much  agreement  among  themselves,  as  their  capacity  will 
allow  them ;  and  keep  due  synods  and  correspondences  to 
that  end.  Thus  much  of  God's  worship,  and  church  order 
and  government  at  least  is  of  divine  institution,  and  deter- 
mined by  Scripture,  and  not  left  to  the  will  or  liberty  of 
man.  Thus  far  the  form  of  government  (at  least)  is  of  di- 
vine right. 

But  on  the  contrary,  1*  About  doctrine  and  worship; 
the  Scripture  is  no  law  in  any  of  these  following  cases,  but 
hath  left  them  undetermined.  (1.)  There  are  many  natural 
truths,  which  the  Scripture  meddleth  not  with  :  as  physics, 
metaphysics,  logic,  &c.  (2.)  Scripture  telle th  not  a  minis- 
ter what  particular  text  or  subject  he  shall  preach  on  this 
day  or  that  (3.)  Nor  what  method  Kis  text  or  subject  shall 
be  opened  and  handled  in.  (4.)  Nor  what  day  of  the  week 
besides  the  Lord's  day  he  shall  preach,  nor  what  hour  on  the 
Lord's  day  he  shall  begin.  (5.)  Nor  in  what  particular 
place  the  church  shall  meet.  (6.)  Nor  what  particular  sins 
we  shall  most  confess:  nor  what  personal  mercies  we  shall 
at  this  present  time,  first  ask :  nor  for  what  we  shall  now 
most  copiously  give  thanks  :  for  special  occasions  must  de- 
termine-all these.  (7.)  Nor  what  particular  chapter  we 
shall  now  read :  nor  what  particular  psalm  we  shall  now 
sing.  (8.)  Nor  what  particular  translation  of  the  Scripture 
or  version  of  the  psalms  we  shall  now  use.  Nor  into  what 
sections  to  distribute  the  Scripture,  as  we  do  by  chapters 
and  verses.  Nor  whether  the  Bible  shall  be  printed  or 
written,  or  in  what  characters,  or  how  bound.  (9.)  Nor 
just  by  what  sign  I  shall  express  my  consent  to  the  truths 
or  duties  which  I  am  called  to  express  consent  to  (besides 
the  sacraments  and  ordinary  words).  (10.)  Nor  whether  I 
shall  use  written  notes  to  help  my  memory  in  preaching,  or 
preach  without.     (11.)  Nor  whether  I  shall  use  a  writing  or 


32  CHRISTIAN     DIRECTORY.  [PART  IlT. 

book  in  prayer  or  pray  without.  (12.)  Nor  whether  I  shall 
use  the  same  words  in  preaching  and  prayer,  or  various  new 
expressions.  (13.)  Nor  what  utensils  in  holy  administra- 
tions I  shall  use ;  as  a  temple  or  an  ordinary  hou^e»  a  pul- 
pit, a  font,  a  table,  cups,  cushions,  and  many  such,  which 
belong  to  the  several  parts  of  worship.  (14.)  Nor  in  what 
particular  gesture  we  shall  preach,  or  read,  or  hear.  (15.) 
Nor  what  particulai*  garments  ministers  or  people  shall 
wear  in  time  of  worship.  (16.)  Nor  what  natural  or  artifi- 
cial helps  to  our  natural  faculties  we  shall  use :  as  medica- 
ments for  the  voice,  tunes,  musical  instruments,  spectacles, 
hour-glasses :  these  and  such  like  are  undetermined  in 
Scripture  and  are  left  to  be  determined  by  human  prudence , 
not  as  men  please  ;  but  as  means  in  order  to  the  proper  end, 
according  to  the  general  laws  of  Christ  "•.  For  Scripture  is 
a  general  law  for  all  such  circumstances,  but  not  a  particu- 
lar law. 

So  also  for  order  and  government.  Scripture  hath  not 
particularly  determined,  1.  What  individual  persons  shall 
be  the  pastors  of  the  church.  2.  Or  of  just  how  many  per- 
sons the  congregation  shall  consist.  3.  Or  how  the  pastors 
shall  divide  their  work  where  there  are  many.  4.  Nor  how 
many  every  church  shall  have.  5.  Nor  what  particular  peo- 
ple shall  be  a  pastor's  special  charge.  6.  Nor  what  indi- 
vidual persons  he  shall  baptize,  receive  to  communion,  ad- 
monish, or  absolve,  7.  Nor  in  what  words  most  of  these 
ehvil  be  expressed.  8.  Nor  what  number  of  pastors  shall 
meet  in  synods,  for  the  communion  and  agreement  of  seve- 
ral churches,  nor  how  oil,  nor  at  what  time  or  place,  nor 
what  particular  order  shall  be  among  them  in  their  consul- 
tations ;  with  many  such  like. 

When  you  thus  understand  how  far  Scripture  is  a  law  to 
you  in  the  worship  of  God,  it  will  be  the  greatest  Direction 
to  you,  to  keep  you  both  from  disobeying  God  and  your  su- 
periors :  that  you  may  neither  pretend  obedience  to  man 
for  your  disobedience  to  God,  nor  pretend  obedience  to  God 
against  your  due  obedience  to  your  governors,  as  those  will 
do  that  think  Scripture  is  a  more  particular  rule  than  ever 

4  Of  which  I  hare  spoke  more  fully  m  my  Disput.  ▼.  of  Cliurch  Goremmeiit. 
p.  400.  &c. 


CHAP.  II.]         CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  33 

Ohiist  intended  it :  and  it  will  prevent  abundance  of  anne- 
cessary  scraples,  contentions,  and  divisions. 

Dired.  xii.  '  Observe  well  in  Scripture  the  difference 
between  Christ's  universal  laws,  (which  bind  alibis  subjects 
in  all  times  and  places,)  and  those  that  are  but  local,  perso- 
nal or  alterable  laws :  lest  you  think  that  you  are  bound  to 
all  that  ever  God  bound  any  others  to.'  The  universal  laws 
and  unalterable  are  those  which  result  from  the  foundation 
of  the  universal  and  unalterable  nature  of  persons  and  things, 
and  those  which  God  hath  supematurally  revealed  as  suit- 
able constantly  to  all.  The  particular,  local  or  temporary 
laws  are  those,  which  either  resulted  from  a  particular  or  al- 
terable nature  of  persons  and  things  as  mutually  related  (as 
the  law  of  nature  bound  Adam's  sons  to  marry  their  sisters, 
which  bindeth  others  against  it)  or  those  which  God  super- 
naturally  enacted  only  for  some  particular  people  or  person, 
or  for  the  time.  If  you  should  mistake  all  the  Jewish  laws 
for  universal  laws  (as  to  persons  or  duration)  into  how  many 
errors  would  it  lead  you  ?  So  sdso  if  you  mistake  every  per- 
sonal mandate  sent  by  a  prophet  ot  apostle  to  a  particular 
man,  as  obliging  all,  you  would  make  a  snare  of  it*  Every 
man  is  not  to  abstain  from  vineyards  and  wine  as  the  Recha- 
bites  were ;  nor  every  man  to  go  forth  to  preach  in  the  garb 
as  Christ  sent  the  twelve,  and  seventy  disciples ;  nor  every 
man  to  administer  or  receive  the  Lord's  supper  in  an  upper 
room  of  a  house,  in  the  evening,  with  eleven  or  twelve  only, 
&c.  nor  every  one  to  carry  Paul's  cloak  and  parchments, 
nor  go  up  and  down  on  the  messages  which  some  were  sent 
on.  And  here  (in  precepts  about  worship)  you  must  know 
what  is  the  thing  primarily  intended  in  the  command,  and 
what  it  is  that  is  but. a  subservient  means :  for  many  laws 
are  universal  and  immutable  as  to  the  matter  primarily  in- 
tended, which  are  but  local  and  temporary  as  to  the  matter 
subservient  and  secondarily  intended.  As  the  command  of 
sahiting  one  another  with  a  holy  kiss,  and  using  love-feasts 
in  their  sacred  coihmunion  primarily  intended  the  exercising 
and  expressing  holy  love  by  such  convenient  signs  as  were 
then  in  use,  and  suitable  to  those  times;  but  that  it  be 
done  by  those  particular  signs,  was  subservient,  and  a  local 
alterable  law;  as  appeareth^  1.  In  that  it  is  actually  laid 
down  by  God's  allowance.    2.  In  that  in  other  places  and 

VOL.  V.  P 


34  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART    III* 

times  the  same  signs  hare  not  the  same  signification,  and 
aptitude  to  that  use  at  all,  and  therefore  would  be  no  such 
expression  of  love  ;  or  else  have  also  some  ill  signification. 
So  it  was  the  first  way  of  baptizing  to  dip  them  over-head  ; 
which  was  fit  in  that  hot  country,  which  in  colder  countries 
it  would  not  be,  as  being  destructive  to  health,  and  more 
against  modesty  ;  therefore  it  is  plain  that  it  was  but  a  local, 
alterable  law.     The  same  is  to  be  said  of  not  eating  things 
strangled,  and  blood,  which  was  occasioned  by  the  offence 
of  the  Jews  ;  and  other  the  like.    This  iis  the  casein  almost 
all  precepts  about  the  external  worshipping  gestures:  the 
thing  that  God  commanded  universally  is  a  humble,  reve- 
rent adoration  of  him  by  the  mind  and  body.     Now  the  ado- 
ration of  the  mind  is  still  the  same  ;  but  the  bodily  expres- 
sion altereth  according  to  the  custom  of  countries :  in  most 
countries  kneeling  or  prostration  are  the  expressions  of 
greatest  veneration  and  submission :  in  some  few  countries 
it  is  more  signified  by  sitting  with  the  face  covered  with 
their  hands:  in  some  it  is  signified  best  by  standing:  kneel- 
ing is  ordinarily  most  fit^  because  it  is  the  most  common 
sign  of  humble  reverence ;  but  where  it  is  not  so,  it  is  not 
fit.    The  same  we  must  say  of  other  gestures,  and  of  habits : 
the  women  among  the  Corinthians  were  not  to  go  uncover- 
ed because  of  the  angels ' ;  and  yet  in  some  places  where 
long  hair  or  covering  may  have  a  contrary  signification,  the 
case  may  be  contrary.    The  very  fourth  commandment  how- 
ever it  was  a  perpetual  law  as  to  the  proportion  of  time,  yet 
was  alterable  as  to  the  seventh  day.    Those  which  I  call 
universal  laws,  some  call  moral ;  but  that  is  no  term  of  dis- 
tinction, but  signifieth  the  common  nature  of  all  laws,  which 
are  for  the  governing  of  our  manners.     Some  call  tliem  nar 
tural  laws,  and  the  other  positive :  but  the  truth  is,  there 
are  some  laws  of  nature  which  are  universal,  and  some  that 
are  particular,  as  they  are  the  result  of  universal  or  particu- 
lar nature :  and  there  are  some  laws  of  nature  that  are  per- 
petual, which  are  the  result  of  an  unaltered  foundation :  and 
there  are  some  that  are  temporary,  when  it  is  some  tempora- 
ry, alterable  thing  in  nature  from  whence  the  duty  doth  re- 
sult :  so  there  are  some  positive  laws  that  are  universal  or 

'  1  Cor.  xi.  10. 


CHAP.  II.]         CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICST.  36 

unalterable,  (during  this  world)  and  some  that  are  local, 
particular  or  temporary  only. 

Direct,  xiii.  '  Remember  that  whatever  duty  you  seem 
obliged  to  perform,  the  obligation  still  supposeth  that  it  is 
not  naturally  impossible  to  you,  and  therefore  you  are 
bound  to  do  it  as  well  as  you  can  :  and  when  other  men's 
force,  or  your  natural  disability  hindereth  you  from  doing  it 
as  you  would,  you  are  not  therefore  disobliged  from  doing 
it  at  all :  but  the  total  omission  is  worse  than  the  defective 
performance  of  it,  as  the  defective  performance  is  worse  than 
doing  it  more  perfectly  *.  And  in  such  a  case  the  defects 
which  are  utterly  involuntary  are  none  of  yours  imputative- 
ly  at  all,  but  his  that  hindereth  you  (unless  as  some  other 
sin  might  cause  that>.  As  if'  I  were  in  a  country  where  I 
could  have  liberty  to  read  and  pray,  but  not  to  preach,  or  to 
preach  only  once  a  month  and  no  more ;  it  is  my  duty  to  do 
so  much  as  I  can  do,  as  being  much  better  than  nothing, 
and  not  to  forbear  all,  because  I  cannot  do  all. 

Object.  *  But  you  must  forbear  no  part  of  your  duty  ?  ' 
Amw.  True  :  but  nothing  is  my  duty  which  is  naturally  im^ 
passible  for  me  to  do.  Either  I  can  do  it,  or  I  cannot :  if  I 
can,  I  must  (supposing  it  a  duty  in  all  other  respects),  but 
if  I  cannot,  I  am  not  bound  to  it. 

Object.  *  But  it  is  not  suffering  that  must  deter  you,  for 
that  is  a  carnal  reason :  and  your  suffering  may  do  more 
good  than  your  preaching.'  Answ.  Suffering  is  considera- 
ble either  as  a  pain  to  the  flesh,  or  as  an  irresistible  hin- 
drance of  the  work  of  the  Gospel :  as  it  is  merely  a  pain  ta 
the  flesh,  I  ought  not  to  be  deterred  by  it  from  the  work 
of  God  ;  but  as  it  forcibly  hindereth  me  from  that  work,(^aff 
by  imprisonment,  death,  cutting  out  the  tongue,  &c.)  I  may 
lawfully  foresee  it,  and  by  lawful  means  avoid  it,  when  it  is 
sincerely  for  the  work  of  Christ,  and  not  for  the  saving  of 
the  flesh.  If  Paul  foresaw  that  the  preaching  of  one  more 
sermon  at  Damascus  was  like  to  hinder  his  preaching  any 
more,  because  the  Jews  watched  the  gates  day  and  night  to 
kill  him,  it  was  Paul's  duty  to  be  let  down  by  the  wall  in  a 
basket,  and  to  escape,  and  preach  elsewhere  ^  And  when 
the  Chria(ians   could  not  safely  meet  publicly,  they  met  in 

•  Sec  Mr.  Truman's  book  of  Nataral  and  Moral  Inipotency. 
«  Actiix.S5. 


96  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

secret  "*.  Whether  Paul's  sufiering  at  Damascus  for  preach- 
ing one  more  sermon,  or  his  preaching  more  elsewhere,  was 
to  be  chosen,  the  interest  of  Christ  and  the  Gospel  must 
direct  him  to  resolve :  that  which  is  best  for  the  church,  is 
to  be  chosen. 

Direct,  xiv.  '  Remember  that  no  material  duty  is  for- 
mally a  duty  at  aU  times  :  that  which  is  a  duty  in  its  sea- 
son, is  no  duty  out  of  season/    Affirmative  precepts  bind 
not  to  aU  times,  (except  only  to  habits,  or  the  secret  inten- 
tion of  our  ultimate  end,  so  far  as  is  sufficient  to  animate 
and  actuate  the  means,  while  we  are  waking  and  have  the 
use  of  reason).     Praying  and  preaching,  that  are  very  great 
duties,  may  be  so  unseasonably  performed,  as  to  be  sins : 
if  forbearing  a  prayer,  or  sermon,  or  sacrament  one  day  or 
month,  be  rationally  like  to  procure  your  help  or  liberty  to 
do  it  afterward,  when  that  once  or  few  times  doing  it  were 
like  to  hinder  you  from  doing  it  any  more,  it  would  be  your 
duty  then  to  forbear  i\  for  that  time  (unless  in  some  extra- 
ordina^  case)  :  for  even  for  the  life  of  an  ox  or  an  ass,  and 
for  mercy  to  men's  bodies^  the  rest  and  holy  work  of  a  sab« 
bath  might  be  interrupted;   much  more  for  the  souls  of 
many.     Again  I  warn  you,  as  you  must  not  pretend  the  in- 
terest of  the  end  against  a  peremptory,  absolute  command 
of  Ood,  so  must  you  not  easily  conclude  a  command  to  be 
absolute  and  peremptory  to  that  which  certainly  contradicts 
the  end ;  nor  easily  take  that  for  a  duty,  which  certainly  is 
no  means  to  that  good  which  is  the  end  of  duty,  or  wluch 
is  against  it.    Though  yet  no  seeming  aptitude  as  a  means, 
must  make  that  seem  a  duty,  which  the  prohibition  of  God 
hath  made  a  sin. 

Direct,  xv.  '  It  is  ever  unseasonable  to  perform  a  lesser 
duty  of  worship,  when*a  greater  should  be  done ;  therefore 
it  much  concemeth  you  to  be  able  to  discern,  when  two  du- 
ties are  inconsistent,  which  is  then  the  greater  and  to  be 
preferred :'  in  which  the  interest  of  the  end  must  much  di- 
rect you ;  that  being  usually  the  greatest  which  hath  the 
greatest  tendency  to  the  greatest  good. 

Direct,  xvi.  '  Pretend  not  one  part  of  God's  worship 
against  another,  when  all,  in  their  place  and  order,  may  be 
done.'     Set  not  preaching  and  praying  against  each  other ; 

"  John  xix.  S9.    Acts  xii.  12.  &c. 


CHAP.  II.]  CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  37 

nor  public  and  private  worship  against  each  other ;  nor  in- 
ternal worship  against  external ;  but  do  all. 

Direct,  xvii.  '  Let  not  an  inordinate  respect  to  man,  or 
common  custom  be  too  strong  a  bias  to  pervert  your  judg- 
ments from  the  rule  of  worship ;  nor  yet  any  groundless 
prejudice  make  yon  distaste  that  which  is  not  to  be  dis- 
liked.'   The  error  on  these  two  extremes  doth  fill  the  world 
with  corruption  and  contentions  about  the  worship  of  God. 
Among  the  Papists,  and  Russians,  and  other  ignorant  sorts 
of  Christians,  abundance  of  corruptions  are  continued  in 
God's  worship  by  the  mere  power  of  custom,  tradition^  and 
education  :  and  all  seemeth  right  to  which  they  have  been 
long  used  :  and  hence  the  churches  in  South,  East,  and 
West  continue  so  long  overspread  with  ignorance,  and  re- 
fuse refom^ation  '.     And  on  the  other  side  mere  prejudice 
makes  some  so  much  distaste  a  prescribed  form  of  prayer, 
or  the  way  of  worship  which  they  have  not  been  used  to, 
and  which  they  have  heard  some  good  men  speak  against, 
whose  judgments  they  most  highly  esteemed,  that  they  have 
not  room  for  sober,  impartial  reason  to  deliberate,  try,  and 
judge.     Factions  have  engaged  most  Christians  in  the  world 
into  several  parties,  whereby  satan  hath  got  this  great  ad- 
rantage,  that  instead  of  worshipping  God  in  love  and  con- 
cord, they  lay  out  their  zeal  in  an  envious,  bitter,  censorious, 
uncharitable  reproaching  the  manner  of  each  other's  worship. 
Afld  because  the  interest  of  their  parties  requireth  this,  they 
think  the  interest  of  the  church  and  cause  of  God  requireth 
it ;  and  that  they  do  God  service  when  they  make  the  re- 
ligion of  other  men  seem  odious :    when  as  among  most 
Christians  in  the  world,  the  errors  of  their  modes  of  worship 
are  not  so  great  as  the  adverse  parties  represent  them  (ex- 
cept only  the  two  great  crimes  of  the  popish  worship :  1. 
That  it  is  not  understood,  and  so  is  soulless.    2.  They  wor- 
ship bread  as  God  himself,  which  I  am  not  so  able  as  will- 
ing to  excuse  from  being  idolatry).     Judge  not  in  such  cases 
by  passion,  partiality,  and  prejudice  ^. 

*  BfajiM  fidei  impediineatnin  ex  inveterati  oonsnetudine  pioficMcitur :  obi^oe 
onmietodo  magoM  vires  babet ;  ted  in  barbaris  louge  maxinias :  quippe  ubi  ntioiii* 
eU  aiiiimugi,  ibi  oonsaetudo  radices  profundissiinas  agit.  Jn  omni  oatura  morio  eo 
(Sotnmior  ac  frebementior,  quo  magis  est  ad  nnum  determioata.  Jos.  Acosia  de 
Ind.  lib.  it  p.  t49. 

'  S«e  Bishop  Jer.  Taylor's  late  book  against  Popery. 


38  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  Hi. 

Direct,  xviii.  *  Yet  judge  in  all  such  controversies  with 
that  reverence  and  charity  which  is  due  to  the  universal  and 
the  primitive  church.'  If  you  find  any  thing  in  God's  wor- 
ship which  the  primitive  or  universal  church  agreed  in,  you 
inay  be  sure  that  it  is  nothing  but  what  is  consistent  with 
acceptable  worship  ;  for  God  never  rejected  the  worship  of 
the  primitive  or  universal  church*  And  it  is  not  so  much 
as  to  be  judged  erroneous  without  great  deliberation  and 
very  good  proof.  We  must  be  much  more  suspicious  of  our 
own  understandings. 

Direct,  xix.  *  In  circumstances  and  modes  of  worship 
not  forbidden  in  the  word  of  God,  affect  not  singularity, 
and  do  not  easily  differ  from  the  practice  of  the  church  in 
which  you  hold  communion,  nor  from  the  commands  or  di- 
rections of  your  lawful  governors.'  It  is  true,  if  we  are  for- 
bidden with  Daniel  to  pray,  or  with  the  apostles  to  jspeak 
any  more  in  the  name  of  Christ,  or  are  commanded  as  the 
three  witnesses,  Dan.  iii.,  to  worship  images,  we  must  rather 
obey  God  than  man ;  and  so  in  case  of  any  si<n  that  is  com- 
manded us  :  but  in  case  of  mere  different  modes,  and  circum- 
stances, and  order  of  worship,  see  that  you  give  authority 
and  the  consent  of  the  church  where  you  are  their  due. 

Direct,  xx.  *  Look  more  to  your  own  hearts  than  to  the 
abilities  of  the  ministers,  or  the  ceremonies  or  manner  of  the 
churches'  worship  in  such  lesser  things.'  It  is  heart-work 
and  heaVen-work  that  the  sincere  believer  comes  about ;  and 
it  is  the  corruption  of  his  heart,  that  is  his  heaviest  burden, 
which  he  groaneth  under  with  the  most  passionate  com- 
plaints :  a  hungry  soul,  inflamed  with  love  to  God  and  man, 
and  tenderly  sensible  of  the  excellency  of  common  truths 
and  duties,  would  make  up  many  defects  in  the  manner  of 
public  administration,  and  would  get  nearer  God  in  a  de- 
fective, imperfect  mode  of  worship,  than  others  can  do  with 
the  greatest  helps ;  when  hypocrites  find  so  little  work  with 
their  hearts  and  heaven,  that  they  are  taken  up  about  words, 
and  forms,  and  ceremonies,  and  external  things,  applauding 
their  own  way,  and  condemning  other  men's,  and  serving 
satan  under  pretence  of  worshipping  God. 


CHAP  III.]         CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  39 


CHAPTER  III. 

Directions  cAout  the   Christian  Covenant  with  'God,  and 

Baptism. 

Though  the  first  Part  of  this  book  is  little  more  than  an 
explication  of  the  Christian  covenant  with  God,  yet  being 
here  to  speak  of  baptism  as  a  part  of  God's  worship,  it  is 
needful  that  I  briefly  speak  also  of  the  covenant  itself. 

Direct,  i.  '  It  is  a  matter  of  great  importance  that  you 
well  understand  the  nature  of  the  Christian  covenant,  what 
it  is/  I  shall  therefore  here  briefly  open  the  nature  of  it, 
and  then  speak  of  the  reasons  of  it :  and  then  of  the  so- 
lemnizing it  by  baptism,  and  next  of  our  renewing  it,  and 
lastly  of  our  keeping  it. 

The  Christian  covenant  is  a  contract  between  God  and 
man,  through  the  mediation  of  Jesus  Christ,  for  the  return 
and  reconciliation  of  sinners  unto  God,  and  their  justifica- 
tion, adoption,  sanctification,  and  glorification  by  him,  to 
his  glory. 

Here  we  must  first  consider,  who  are  the  parties  in  the 
covenant.  2.  What  is  the  matter  of  the  covenant  on  God's 
part.  3.  What  is  the  matter  on  man's  part.  4.  What  are 
the  terms  of  it  propounded  on  God's  part.  6.  Where  and 
how  he  doth  express  it.  6.  What  are  the  necessary  quali- 
fications on  man's  part.  7.  And  what  are  the  ends  and  be- 
nefits of  it. 

I.  The  parties  are  God  and  man  :  God  the  Father,  Son, 
and  Holy  Ghost  on  the  one  part,  and  repenting,  believing 
sinners  on  the  other  part.  Man  is  the  party  that  needeth 
it;  but  God  is  the  party  that  first  ofiereth  it:  here  note,  1. 
That  God's  part  of  the  covenant  is  made  universally  and 
conditionally  with  all  mankind,  (as  to  the  tenor  enacted,) 
and  so  is  in  being  before  we  were  bom.  2.  That  it  is  not 
the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost  considered  simply  as  per- 
sons in  the  Godhead  ;  but  as  related  to  man  for  the  ends  of 
the  covenant.  3.  That  it  is  only  sinners  that  this  covenant 
is  made  with,  because  the  use  of  it  is  for  the  restoration  of 
those  that  broke  a  former  covenant  in  Adam.  It  is  a  cove- 
nant of  reconciliation,  and  therefore  supposeth  an  enmity 


40  CHRII^TIAN  DIRECTORY.  [PART   III. 

antecedent.  4.  When  I  say  that  it  is  repenting  and  believ- 
ing sinners  that  are  the  party » I  mean,  (1.)  That  taking  the 
covenant  in  its  first  act,  it  is  repentance  and  faith  themselves 
that  are  that  act,  and  are  our  very  covenanting.  (2.)  But 
taking  the  covenant  in  its  external  expression,  so  it  is  arepent- 
ing,  believing  sinner  that  must  take  it,  it  being  but  the  expres- 
sion of  his  repentance  and  faith,  by  an  explicit  contract 
with  Qod.  5.  Note,  that  though  God's  covenant  be  by 
one  universal  act,  (of  which  more  anon,)  yet  man's  is  to  be 
made  by  the  several  acts  of  the  individual  persons  eac^  one 
for  himself,  and  not  by  the  acts  of  societies  only. 

II.  The  matter  of  the  covenant  on  Ood's  part  is  in  ge- 
neral, that  He  will  be  our  Qod :  more  particularly,  that 
God  the  Father  will  be  our  Reconciled  God  and  Father  in 
Jesus  Christ ;  that  God  the  Son  will  be  our  Saviour ;  and 
God  the  Holy  Ghost  will  be  our  Sanctifier.  And  the  rela- 
tiqp  of  a  God  to  us  essentially  containeth  these  three  parts  : 

1.  That  as  on  the  title  of  Creation  and  Redemption  he  is 
our  Owner,  so  he  doth  take  us  as  bis  own  peculiar  people. 

2.  That  as  he  hath  title  to  be  our  absolute  King  or  Gover- 
nor, so  he  doth  take  us  as  his  subjects.  3.  That  he  will  be 
our  grand  Benefactor  and  felicity,  or  our  most  loving  Fa- 
ther (which  compriseth  all  the  rest).  And  as  he  will  be 
thus  related  to  us,  so  he  will  do  for  us  all  that  these  rela- 
tions do  import.  As,  1.  He  will  do  all  that  belongeth  to  a 
Creator  for  his  creature,  in  our  preservation  and  supplies. 
2.  He  will  save  us  from  our  sins,  and  from  hia  wrath  and 
hell*  3.  And  he  will  sanctify  us  to  a  perfect  conformity  to 
our  Head.  Also,  1.  He  will  use  us  and  defend  us  as  his. 
own  peculiar  ones.  2.  He  will  govern  us  by  a  law  of  grace 
and  righteousness.  3.  He  will  make  us  fully  happy  in  his 
love  for  ever. 

III.  The  matter  on  man's  part  of  the  covenant  is,  1.  In 
respect  of  the  '  Terminus  k  quo,'  that  we  will  forsake  the 
flesh,  the  world,  and  the  devil  as  they  are  adverse  to  our  re- 
lations and  duties  to  God.  2.  In  regard  of  the  ^  Terminus 
ad  quem,'  that  we  will  take  the  Lord  for  our  God :  and 
more  particularly,  1 .  That  we  do  take  God  the  Father  for 
our  Reconciled  Father  in  Jesus  Christ,  and  do  give  up  our- 
selves to  him,  as  creatures  to  their  Maker.  2.  That  we  do 
take  Jesus  Christ  for  our  Redeemer,  Saviour,  and  Mediator, 


CHAP.  III.]       CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  41 

as  our  Hi^  Priest,  and  Prophet,  and  King,  and  do  give  up 
ourselves  to  hinoi  as  his  redeemed  ones  to  be  reconciled  to 
Ood,  and  saved  by  him.  3.  That  we  do  take  the  Ho]y 
Ghost  for  our  Regenerator  and  Sanctifier,  and  do  give  up 
ourselves  to  be  perfectly  renewed  and  sanctified  by  him,  and 
by  his  operations  carried  on  to  Ood  in  his  holy  service. 
Also,  1.  That  we  do  take  God  for  our  absolute  Lord  or 
Owner,  and  do  give  up  ourselves  to  him  as  his  own.  2. 
That  we  take  him  for  our  universal,  sovereign  Governor, 
and  do  give  up  ourselves  unto  him  as  his  subjects.  3.  That 
we  do  take  him  for  our  most  bountiful  Benefactor,  and  lov- 
ing Father,  and  felicity,  and  do  give  up  ourselves  to  him  as 
his  children,  to  seek  him,  and  please  him,  and  perfectly  to 
love  him,  delight  in  him,  and  enjoy  him  for  ever  in  heaven 
as  our  ultimate  end.  And  in  consenting  to  these  relations, 
we  covenant  to  do  the  duties  of  them  in  sincerity^ 

IV.  The  terms  or  conditions  which  God  requireth  of 
man  in  his  covenant  are,  consent,  and  fidelity  or  perfor- 
mance :  he  first  consenteth  conditionally,  if  we  will  con- 
sent :  and  he  consenteth  to  be  actually  our  God,  when  we 
consent  to  be  his  people  :  so  that  as  bare  consent,  without 
any  performance  doth  found  the  relation  between  husband 
and  wife,  master  and  servant,  prince  and  people ;  but  "the 
sincere  performance  of  the  duties  of  the  relation  which  we 
consent  to,  are  needful  afterward  to  continue  the  relation, 
and  attain,  the  benefits  and  ends ;  so  is  it  also  between  God 
and  man.  We  are  his  children  in  covenant  as  soon  as  we 
consent ;  but  we  shall  not  be  glorified  but  on  condition  of 
sincere  performance  and  obedience. 

V.  God's  covenant  with  man  is  nothing  else  but  the 
ttniversal  promise  in  the  Gospel ;  and  (to  the  solemniza- 
tion,) the  declaration,  and  application,  and  solemn  investi- 
ture or  delivery  by  his  authorized  ministers.  1.  The  Gospel 
as  it  relateth  die  matters  of  fact  in  and  about  the  work  of 
our  redemption,  is  a  sacred  history.  2.  As  it  containeth 
the  terms  on  which  God  will  be  served,  and  commandeth  us 
to  obey  them  for  our  salvation,  it  is  called  the  law  of  Christ 
or  grace.  3.  As  it  containeth  the  promise  of  life  and  salva 
tion  conditionally  offered,  it  is  called  God's  promise,  and 
covenant,  (viz.  on  his  part,  as  it  is  proposed  only).  4 
When  hy  our  consent  the   condition   is  so  far*  perform 


42  CHRISTIAN  DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

ed,  or  the  covenant  accepted,  then  Qod's  conditional,  uni- 
versal promise  or  covenant,  becometh  actual  and  particu- 
lar as  to  the  eiFect ;  and  so  the  covenant  becometh  mutual 
between  Ood  and  man :  as  if  a  king  made  an  act  or  law  of 
pardon  and  oblivion  to  a  nation  of  rebels,  saying, '  Whoever 
cometh  in  by  such  a  day,  and  confesseth  bis  fault,  and  sueth 
out  his  pardon,  and  promiseth  fidelity  for  the  future  shall 
be  pardoned/  This  act  is  a  law  in  one  respect,  and  it  is  an 
universal,  conditional  pardon  of  all  those  rebels ;  or  a  pro- 
mise of  pardon ;  and  an  ofier  of  pardon  to  all  that  it  is  re- 
vealed to :  but  it  is  an  actual  pardon  to  those  that  come  in» 
and  conferreth  on  them  the  benefits  of  the  act  as  if  they 
were  named  in  it,  and  is  their  very  title  to  their  pardon,  of 
which  their  consent  is  the  condition ;  and  the  condition 
being  performed,  the  pardon  or  collation  of  the  benefit  be- 
cometh particular  and  actual,  without  any  new  act ;  it  being 
the  sense  of  the  law  itself,  or  conditional  grant,  that  so  it 
should  do.  So  as  to  the  reality  of  the  internal  covenant-in- 
terest and  benefits,  justification  and  adoption,  it  is  ours  by 
virtue  of  this  universal  conditional  covenant,  when  we  per- 
form the  condition.  But  as  to  our  title  '  in  foro  EcclesisB/ 
and  the  due  solemnization  and  investiture,  it  is  made  ours 
when  Ood's  minister  applieth  it  to  us  in  baptism  by  his 
commission.  As  the  rebel  that  was  fundamentally  pardoned 
by  the  act  of  oblivion,  must  yet  have  his  personal  pardon 
delivered  him  by  the  Lord  Chancellor  under  the  Qreat  Seal. 
In  this  sense  ministers  are  the  instruments  of  God,  not  only 
in  declaring  us  to  be  pardoned,  but  in  delivering  to  us  the 
pardon  of  our  sins,  and  solemnly  investing  us  therein :  as 
an  attorney  delivereth  possession  to  one  that  before  had  his 
fundamental  title.  Thus  God  entereth  into  covenant  with 
man. 

VI.  The  qualifications  of  absolute  necessity  to  the  va- 
lidity of  our  covenant  with  God  '  in  foro  interiori*  are  these, 
1.  That  we  understand  what  yre  do  as  to  all  the  essentials 
of  the  covenant:  for  'ignorantis  non  est  consensus.''  2. 
That  it  be  our  own  act,  performed  by  our  natural,  or  legal 
selves,  that  is,  some  one  that  hath  power  so  far  to  dispose 
of  us  (as  parents  have  of  their  children).  3.  That  it  be 
deliberate,  sober,  and  rational,  done  by  one  that  is  '  compos 
mentis^'  in  his  wits,  and  not  in  drunkenness,  madness,  or 


CHAP.  III.]      CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  43 

incogitancy  *.  4.  That  it  be  seriously  done  with  a  real  in- 
tention of  doing  the  thing,  and  not  histrionically,  ludi- 
crously, or  in  jest.  5.  That  it  be  done  entirely  as  to  all  es- 
sential parts  ;  for  if  we  leave  out  any  essential  part  of  the 
covenant,  it  is  no  sufficient  consent :  (as  to  consent  that 
Christ  shall  be  our  Justifier,  but  not  the  Holy  Ghost  our 
Sanctifier).  6.  That  it  be  a  present  consent  to  be  presently 
in  covenant  with  God  :  for  to  consent  that  you  will  be  his 
servants  to  morrow  or  hereafter,  but  not  yet,  is  but  to  pur- 
pose to  be  in  covenant  with  him  hereafter,  and  is  no  present 
covenanting  with  him.  7.  Lastly,  it  must  be  a  resolved  and 
absolute  consent  without  any  open  or  secret  exceptions  or 
reserves. 

VII.  The  fruits  of  the  covenant  which  God  reapeth 
(though  he  need  nothing)  is  the  pleasing  of  his  good  and 
gracious  will,  in  the  exercise  of  his  love  and  mercy,  and  the 
praise  and  glory  of  his  grace,  in  his  people's  love  and  hap- 
piness for  ever.  The  fruits  or  benefits  which  accrue  to  man 
are  unspeakable,  and  would  require  a  volume  competently 
to  open  thopi :  especially  that  God  is  our  God,  and  Christ 
our  Saviour,  Head,  Intercessor,  and  Teacher,  and  the  Holy 
Ghost  is  our  Sanctifier ;  and  that  God  will  regard  us  as  his 
own,  and  will  protect  us,  preserve  us,  and  provide  for  us,  and 
will  govern  us,  and  be  our  God  and  joy  for  ever :  'that  he 
will  pardon  us,  justify,  and  adopt  us,  and  glorify  us  with  his 
Son  in  heaven. 

Direct/ii.  '  When  you  thus  understand  well  the  nature 
of  the  covenant,  labour  to  understand  the  special  reasons  of 
it.'  The  reasons  of  the  matter  of  the  covenant  you  may  see 
in  the  fruits  and  benefits  now  mentioned.  But  I  now  speak 
of  the  reason  of  it  as  a  covenant  '  in  genere,'  and  such 
a  covenant  *  in  specie/  1.  In  general,  God  will  have 
man  to  receive  life  or  death  as  an  accepter  and  keeper, 

*  Qois  veoo  Don  doleat  baptismo  plerosque  adoltos  initio  fMSsini  et  nostro  tem^ 
pore  oon  raro  ante  perfandi  quam  Chrisiianam  catechesin  vel  mcdiocriter  tciieant, 
oeqa«  an  flagitioaa  et  soperstitiosae  vits  poenitentia  tangantur,  neque  vero  id  ipsum 
qocxi  acdpiont,  an  velint  accipere,  satis  coustet.  Acosta  lib.  vi.  c.  2.  p.  520.  Nisi 
petaot  et  instent,  Cbristiao«  vita  pit>res8ione  donandi  non  sunt.  Idem  p.  5<1 .  And 
■sain.  While  igDoraut  or  wicked  men  do  hasten  anjr  how,  bjr  right  or  wrong,  by  guile 
or  force,  to  make  the  barbarous  people  Christians,  they  do  nothing  else  but  make  the 
Goff>el  a  acorn,  and  certainly  destroy  the  deserters  of  a  rashly  undertaken  faiih. 
Id.  ibid.  p.  Sift. 


44  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

or  a  refuser  or  breaker  of  his  covenant,  because  he  will  do 
it  not  only  as  a  Benefactor,  or  absolute  Lord,  but  also  as  a 
Governor,  and  will  make  his  covenant  to  be  also  his  law, 
and  his  promise  and  benefits  to  promote  obedience.  And 
because  he  will  deal  with  man  as  with  a  free  agent,  and  not 
as  with  a  brute  that  hath  no  choosing  and  refusing  pow^r 
conducted  by  reason :  man's  life  and  death  shall  be  in  his 
own  hands,  and  still  depend  upon  his  own  will ;  though  God 
will  secure  his  own  dominion,  interest,  and  ends,  and  put 
nothing  out  of  his  own  power  by  putting  it  into  man's ;  nor 
have  ever  the  less  his  own  will,  by  leaving  man  to  his  own 
will.  God  will  at  last  as  a  righteous  Judge,  determine  all 
the  world  to  their  final  joy  or  punishment,  according  to 
their  own  choice  while  they  were  in  the  flesh,  and  accord- 
ing to  what  they  have  done  in  the  body  whether  it  be  good 
or  evil  ^    Therefore  he  will  deal  with  us  on  covenant  terms. 

2.  And  he  hath  chosen  to  rule  and  judge  men  according 
to  a  covenant  of  grace,  by  a  Redeemer,  and  not  according 
to  a  rigorous  law  of  works,  that  his  goodness  and  mercy 
may  be  the  more  fully  manifested  to  the  sons  o£  men ;  and 
that  it  may  be  easier  for  men  to  love  him,  when  they  have 
80  wonderful  demonstrations  of  his  love :  and  so  that  their 
service  here,  and  their  work  and  happiness  hereafter,  may 
consist  of  love,  to  the  glory  of  his  goodness,  and  the  plea- 
sure of  his  love  for  ever. 

Direct,  iiu  '  Next  understand  rightly  the  nature,  use, 
and  end  of  baptism.'  Baptism  is  to  the  mutual  covenant 
between  God  and  man,  what  the  solemnization  of  marriage 
is  to  them  that  do  before  consent ;  or  what  the  listing  a 
soldier  by  giving  him  colours,  and  writing  his  name,  is  to 
one  that  consented  before  to  be  a  soldier  ^.  In  my  ''  Uni- 
versal Concord,"  pp.  29, 30.,  I  have  thus  described  it :  '  Bap- 
tism is  a  holy  sacrament  instituted  by  Christ,  in  which  a 
person  professing  the  Christian  faith  (or  the  infant  of  such) 
is  baptized  in  water  into  the  name  of  the  Father,  the  Son, 
and  Holy  Ghost,  in  signification  and  solemnization  of  the 
holy  covenant,  in  which  as  a  penitent  believer  (or  the  seed 
'  of  such)  he  giveth  up  himself  (or  is  by  the  parent  given  up) 
to  God  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  forsaking  the 
devil,  the  world,  and  the   flesh,  and  is  solemnly  entered 

^  Matt.  XXV.  c  Sec  the  *'  Reformed  Liturgy,"  p.  68. 


CHAP.  111.}      CHRISTIAN   ECCLESIASTICS;  4fi 

a  visible  member  of  Christ  and  his  church,  a  pardoned,  re- 
generate child  of  God,  and  an  heir  of  heaven.' 

As  the  word  '  baptism'  is  taken  for  mere  administration 
or  external  ordinance,  so  the  internal  covenanting  or  faith 
and  repentance  of  the  (adult)  person  to  be  baptized,  is  no 
essential  part  of  it,  nor  requisite  to  the  being  of  it ;  but 
only  the  profession  of  such  a  faith  and  repentance,  and  the 
external  entering  of  the  covenant.     But  as  '  baptism'  is  ta- 
ken for  the  ordinance  as. performed  in  all  its  essential  parts, 
according  to  the  true  intent  of  Christ  in  his  institution ; 
(that  is,  in  the  first  and  proper  meaning  of  the  word ;)  so 
the  internal  covenanting  of  a  penitent,  sincere  believer  is 
necessary  to  the  being  of  it.     And  indeed  the  word  '  bap- 
tism,' is  taken  but  equivocally  or  analogically  at  most,  when 
it  is  taken  for  the  mere  external  administration  and  action : 
for  God  doth  not  institute  worship-ordinances  for  bodily 
motion  only ;  when  he  speaketh  to  man  and  requireth  wor- 
ship of  man,  he  speaketh  to  him  as  to  a  man,  and  requiretb 
human  actions  from  him,  even  the  work  of  the  soul,  and  not 
the  words  of  a  parrot,  or  the  motion  of  a  puppet.     There- 
fore the  word  '  baptism,'  in  the  first  and  proper  signification, 
doth  take  in  the  inward  actions  of  the  heart,  as  well  as  the 
outward  profession  and  actions.     And  in  this  proper  sense 
'  Baptism  is  the  mutual  covenant  between  God  the  Father, 
Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  and  a  penitent,  believing  sinner,  so- 
lemnized by  the  washing  of  water,  in  which  as  a  sacrament 
of  his  own  appointment,  God  doth  engage  himself  to  be  the 
God  and  reconciled  Father,  the  Saviour  and  Sanctifier  of 
the  believer,  and  taketh  him  for  his  reconciled  child  in 
Christ,  and  delivereth  to  him,  by  solemn  investiture,  the 
pardon  of  all  his  sins,  and  title  to  the  mercies  of  this  life 
and  of  that  which  is  to  come.'    What  I  say  in  this  descrip- 
tion of  a  penitent  believer,  is  also  to  be  understood  of  the 
children  of  such,  that  are  dedicated  by  them  in  baptism  to 
God,  who  thereupon  have  their  portion  in  the  same  cove- 
nant of  grace. 

The  word  '  baptism'  is  taken  in  the  first  sense,  when  Si- 
mon Magus  is  said  to  be  baptized^  ;  and  when  we  speak  of 
it  only  in  the  ecclesiastic  sense,  as  it  is  true  baptism  *  in  foro 
ecclesiae.'     But  it  is  taken  in  the  latter  sense,  when  it  is 

*  AcfSTiii. 


4(1  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

spoken  of  as  the  complete  ordinance  of  God,  in  the  sense  of 
the  institution,  and  as  respecting  the  proper  ends  of  baptism, 
as  pardon  of  sin  and  life  eternal,  and  *  in  foro  coeli/ 

In  this  full  and  proper  sense  it  is  taken  by  Christ  when 
he  saith,  **  He  that  believeth and  is  baptized  shall  be  saved*; 
that  is,  he  that  believeth,  and  is  by  baptism  entered  into  the 
covenant  of  God.  And  in  this  sense  the  ancients  took  it, 
when  they  affirmed  that  all  that  were  baptized  were  regene- 
rated, pardoned,  and  made  the  children  of  God.  And  in 
this  sense  it  is  most  true,  that  he  that  is  baptized  (that  is, 
18  a  sincere  covenanter,)  shall  be  saved  if  he  die  in  that  con- 
dition that  he  is  then  in  ^  All  that  the  minister  warrantably 
baptizeth  are  sacramentally  regenerate,  and  are  *  in  foro  ec- 
clesiee'  members  of  Christ,  and  children  of  God,  and  heirs 
of  heaven :  but  it  is  only  those  that  are  sincerely  delivered 
up  in  covenant  to  God  in  Christ,  that  are  spiritually  and 
really  regenerate,  and  are  such  as  shall  be  owned  for  mem- 
bers of  Christ  and  children  of  God  '  in  foro  coeli/  There- 
fore it  is  not  unfit  that  the  minister  call  the  baptized,  rege- 
nerate and  pardone'd  members  of  Christ,  and  children  of 
God,  and  heirs  of  heaven,  supposing  that  *  in  foro  ecclesisB^ 
they  were  the  due  subjects  of  baptism.  But  if  the  persons 
be  such  as  ought  not  to  be  baptized,  the  sin  then  is  not  in 
calling  baptized  persons  regenerate,  but  in  baptizing  those 
that  ought  not  to  have  been  baptized,  and  to  whom  the  seal 
of  the  covenant  was  not  due. 

None  ought  to  be  baptized  but  those  that  either  per- 
sonally deliver  up  themselves  in  covenant  to  God  the  Fa- 
ther, Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  professing  a  true  repentance, 
and  faitU,  and  consent  to  the  covenant ;  or  else  are  thus  de- 
livered up,  and  dedicated,  and  entered  into  covenant  in  their 
infancy,  by  those  that  being  Christians  themselves  have  so 
much  interest  in  them  and  power  of  them,  that  their  act 
may  he  esteemed  as  the  infant's  act,  and  legally  imputed  ta 
them  as  if  themselves  had  done  it.  If  any  others  are  unduly 
baptized,  they  have  thereby  no  title  to  the  pardon  of  sin  or 
life  eternal,  nor  are  they  taken  by  God  to  be  in  covenant,  as 
having  no  way  consented  to  it. 

«  Mark  xvi.  16. 

f  Read  the  Propositions  of  the  Synod  in  New  England,  and  the  Defence  of 
them  against  Mr.  Davenport^  about  the  subject  of  Baptism. 


CHAP.  III.]  CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  47 

Direct,  iv.  '  When  you  enter  a  child  into  the  Christian 
covenant  with  God,  address  yourselves  to  it  as  to  one  of 
the  greatest  works  in  the  world:  as  those  that  know  the 
greatness  of  the  benefit,  of  the  duty,  and  of  the  danger.' 
The  beijiefit  to  them  that  are  sincere  in  the  covenant,  is  no 
less  than  to  have  the  pardon  of  all  our  sins,  and  to  have 
God  himself  to  be  our  God  and  Father,  and  Christ  our  Sa- 
viour, and  the  Holy  Ghost  our  Sanctifier,  and  to  have  title 
to  the  blessings  of  this  life  and  of  that  to  come.  And  for 
the  duty,  how  great  a  work  is  it  for  a  sinner  to  enter  into  so 
solemn  a  covenant  with  the  God  of  heaven,  for  reconcilia- 
tion and  newness  of  life,  and  for  salvation  ?  And  therefore 
if  any  should  abuse  God  by  hypocrisy,  and  take  on  them  to 
consent  to  the  terms  of  the  covenant,  (for  themselves,  or 
their  children,)  when  indeed  they  do  not,  the  danger  of  such 
profaneness  and  abuse  of  God  must  needs  be  great.  Do  it 
therefore  with  that  due  prepamtion,  reverence,  and  serious- 
ness, as  beseemeth  those  that  are  transacting  a  business  of 
such  unspeakable  importance  with  God  Almighty. 

Direct,  v.  '  Having  been  entered  in  your  infancy  into 
the  covenant  of  God  by  your  parents,  you  must,  at  years  of 
discretion,  review  the  covenant  which  by  them  you  made, 
and  renew  it  personally  yourselves ;  and  this  with  as  great 
seriousness,  and  resolution,  as  if  you  were  now  first  to  enter 
and  subscribe  it,  and  as  if  your  everlasting  life  or  death, 
were  to  depend  on  the  sincerity  of  your  consent,  and  per- 
formance.' For  your  infant  baptismal  covenanting  will 
save  none  of  you  tliat  live  to  years  of  discretion,  and  do  not 
as  heartily  own  it  in  their  own  pei:sons,  as  if  they  had  been 
now  to  be  baptized.  But  this  I  pass  by,  having  said  so 
much  of  it  in  my  *'  Book  of  Confirmation." 

Direct,  vi.  '  Your  covenant  thus,  1.  Made;  2.  Solem- 
nized by  baptism ;  3.  And  owned  at  age  ;  must,  4.  Be  fre- 
quently renewed  through  the  whole  course  of  your  lives.' 
As,  (1.)  Your  first  consent  must  be  habitually  continued  all 
your  days ;  for  if  that  ceaseth,  your  grace  and  title  to  the 
benefits  of  God's  covenant  ceaseth.  (2.)  This  covenant  is 
virtually  renewed  in  every  act  of  worship  to  God :  for  you 
speak  to  him  as  your  God  in  covenant,  and  offer  yourselves 
to  him  as  his  covenanted  people.  (3.)  This  covenant  should 
be  actually  renewed  frequently  in  prayer  and  meditation. 


48  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART    III. 

and  other  such  acts  of  communion  with  God.  (4.)  Efipe- 
cially  when  after  a  fall  we  beg  the  pardon  of  our  sind,  and 
the  mercies  of  the  covenant,  and  on  days  of  humiliation  and 
thanksgiving,  and  in  great  distresses,  or  exhilarating  mer- 
cies. (5.)  And  the  Lord's  supper  is  an  ordinance  instituted 
to  this  very  end.  It  is  no  small  part  of  our  Christian  dili- 
gence and  watchfulness,  to  keep  up  and  renew  our  cove- 
nant-consent. 

Direct,  vii.  '  And  as  careful  must  you  be  to  keep  or  per- 
form your  covenant,  as  to  enter  it,  and  renew  it :  which  is 
done,  1.  By  continuing  our  consent;  2.  By  sincere  obe- 
dience; 3.  And  by  perseverance/  We  do  not  (nor  dare 
not)  promise  to  obey  perfectly,  nor  promise  to  be  as  obe- 
dient as  the  higher  and  better  sort  of  Christians,  though  we 
desire  both :  but  to  obey  sincerely  we  must  needs  promise, 
because  we  must  needs  perform  it. 

Obedience  is  sincere,  1.  When  the  radical  consent  or 
subjection  of  the  heart  to  God  in  Christ  is  habitually  and 
heartily  continued.  2.  When  God's  interest  in  us  is  most 
predominant,  and  his  authority  and  law  can  do  more  with 
ue,  than  any  fleshly  lust  or  wordly  interest,  or  than  the  au- 
thority, word,  or  persuasions  of  any  man  whosoever.  3. 
When  we  unfeignedly  desire  to  be  perfect,  and  habitually 
and  ordinarily  have  a  predominant  love  to  all  that  is  good, 
and  a  hatred  to  that  which  is  evil ;  and  had  rather  do  our 
duty  than  be  excused  from  it,  and  rather  be  saved  from  our 
sin  than  keep  it. 

Direct,  wii.  '  While  you  sincerely  consent  unto  the  co- 
venant, live  by  faith  upon  the  promised  benefits  of  it,  be- 
lieving that  God  will  make  good  on  his  part  all  that  he  hath 
promised.  Take  it  for  your  title  to  pardon,  sonship,  and 
eternal  life.  O  think  what  a  mercy  it  is  to  have  God 
in  covenant  with  you  to  be  your  God,  your  Father,  Sa- 
viour, and  Sanctifier  and  felicity  !  And  in  this  continually 
rejoice. 


CHAP.  IV.]      CHRiaTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  49 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Directions  about  the  Profession  of  our  Religion  to  others. 

Direct,  i.  '  Understand  first  how  great  a  duty  the  pro- 
fession of  true  religion  is,  that  you  may  not  think  as  some 
foolish  people,  that  every  man  should  conceal  his  religion, 
or  keep  it  to  hunself  ^'  Observe  therefore  these  reasons 
following  which  require  it. 

1.  Our  tongues  and  bodies  are  made  to  exercise  and 
shew  forth  that  acknowledgment  and  adoration  of  God  which 
is  in  our  hearts.  And  as  he  denieth  God  with  the  heart 
who  doth  not  believe  in  him  and  worship  him  in  his  heart , 
so  he  denieth  God  imputatively  with  his  tongue  and  life, 
who  doth  not  profess  and  honour  him  with  his  tongue  and 
life ;  and  so  he  is  a  practical  atheist.  "  I  have  sworn  by 
myself,  the  word  is  gone  out  of  my  mouth  in  righteousness, 
and  shall  not  return.  That  unto  me  every  knee  shall  bow, 
every  tongue  shall  swear.     Surely  shall  one  say.  In  the  Lord 

have  I  righteousness  and  strength In  the  Lord  shall  all 

the  seed  of  Israel  be  justified,  and  shall  glory  **."  "  Where- 
fore God  also  hath  highly  exalted  him,  and  given  him  a 
name  above  every  name,  that  at  the  name  of  Jesus  every 

knee  should  bow and  that  every  tongue  should  confess 

that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Lord,  to  the  glory  of  God  the  Fa- 
ther *.'*  **  One  shall  say,  I  am  the  Lord's :  and  another 
shall  call  him  by  the  name  of  Jacob  :  and  another  shall  sub* 
scribe  with  his  hand  unto  the  Lord,  and  surname  himself  by 
the  name  of  Israel  ^." 

2.  The  public  assemblies,  and  worship  of  God,  are  pur- 
posely appointed  by  him,  that  in  them  we  might  make  open 
profession  of  our  religion.  He  that  denieth  profession,  de- 
nieth the  public  faith  and  worship  of  the  church,  and  de- 

*  Nemo  jam  in&miam  incutiat ;  nemo  alind  existimet :  qoin  nee  fas  est  utli  de 
Mia  religkme  mentiri.  Ex  eo  eoiro  quod  aliud  a  le  coli  dicit  qnam  colit,  et  culturam 
et  bonorem  in  alterum  traosferendo,  jam  non  colit  quod  negavit :  dicunus,  et  palaro 
didmm  et  vobis  torquentibas  lacerati  et  croenti  trocUenunar,  Deum  colimus  per  Cbrii- 
tuiD :  TertttL  Apolog.  c.  11. 

^  laa.  xIt.  t3— 15.  <  Phil  u.  9—11.  <*  Isa.  xliv.  5. 

VOL.    v.  E 


60  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART    III. 

nieth  baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper,  which  are  sacraments 
appointed  for  the  solemn  profession  of  our  faith. 

3.  Our  profession  is  needful  to  our  glorifying  God. 
Men  see  not  our  hearts,  nor  know  whether  we  believe  in 
God  or  not,  nor  what  we  believe  of  him,  till  they  hear  or  see 
it  in  our  profession  and  actions.  Paul's  life  and  death  was 
a  profession  of  Christ,  that  in  his  "  boldness  Christ  might 
be  magnified  in  his  body  •."  "  Ye  are  the  light  of  the  world ! 
a  city  that  is  set  upon  a  hill  cannot  be  hid.  Neither  do 
men  light  a  candle  to  put  it  under  a  bushel,  but  on  a  can- 
dlestick, and  it  giveth  light  to  all  that  are  in  the  house. 
Let  your  light  so  shine  before  men,  that  they  may  see  your 
good  works,  and  glorify  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven'.'* 

4.  Our  profession  is  the  means  of  saving  others :  that 
which  is  secret,  is  no  means  to  profit  them.  They  must  see 
our  good  works  that  they  may  glorify  God  «. 

5.  God  hath  required  our  open  and  bold  profession  of 
him,  with  the  strictest  commands,  and  upon  the  greatest 
penalties.  ''  Sanctify  the  Lord  God  in  your  hearts,  and  be 
ready  always  to  give  an  answer  to  every  man  that  asketh 
you  a  reason  of  the  hope  that  is  in  you  with  meekness  and 
fear^."  '*  If  thou  shalt  confess  with  thy  mouth  the  Lord 
Jesus,  and  shalt  believe  in  thy  heart  that  God  hath  raised 
him  from  the  dead,  thou  shalt  be  saved :  for  with  the  heart 
man  believcth  unto  righteousness,  and  with  the  mouth  con- 
fession is  made  unto  salvation'."  ''Whosoever  shall  be 
ashamed  of  me  and  my  words^  in  this  adulterous  and  sinful 
generation,  of  him  also  shall  the  Son  of  man  be  ashamed, 
when  he  cometh  in  the  glory  of  his  Father  with  the  holy 
angels  *^." 

Direct,  ii.  Next,  '  Understand  whatit  is  in  religion  that 
you  must  principally  profess.'  It  is  not  every  lesser  truth, 
much  less  every  opinion  of  your  own,  in  which  you  are  con- 
fident that  you  are  wiser  than  your  brethren.  This  is  the 
meaning  of  Rom.  xiv.  22.  "  Hast  thou  faith  ?  have  it  to  thy- 
self before  God."  By  **  faith"  here  is  not  meant  the  sub- 
stance of  the  Christian  belief,  or  any  one  necessary  article 
of  it.  But  a  belief  of  the  indifferency  of  such  things  as 
Paul  spake  of,  in  meats  and  drinks.     If  thou  know  these 

•  Phil.  i.  JO.  '  Matt.  t.  14—16.  »  PhU.i.  lt'14. 

k  1  Pet.  ▼.  5.  *  Rom.  tz.  9, 10.  ^  Mark  ▼in.  38. 


CHAP.  IV.]         CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  &1 

things  to  be  lawful  when  thy  weak  brother  doth  not,  and  so 
thou  be  wiser  than  he,  thank  Ood  for  thy  knowledge,  and 
use  it  to  thy  own  salvation  ;  but  do  not  proudly  and  uncha- 
ritably contend  for  it,  and  use  it  uncharitably  to  the  danger 
of  another's  soul,  much  less  to  the  wrong  of  the  church  and 
Gk>spel,  and  the  hindrance  of  greater  truths.  ''Of  these* 
things  put  them  in  remembrance,^'  (that  is,  of  the  saints' 
hope  in  God's  faithfulness,)  "charging  them  before  the 
Lord  that  they  strive  not  about  words  to  no  profit,  but  the 
subverting  of  the  hearers*."  Yet  "for  the  faith  we  must 
earnestly  contend."  '*  But  foolish  and  unlearned  questions 
avoid,  knowing  that  they  do  gender  strife.  And  the  ser- 
vant of  the  Lord  must  not  strive,  but  be  gentle  to  all  men*"." 

But  that  which  is  the  chiefest  matter  of  our  profession 
is.  The  being  and  perfections  of  Ood  himself;  his  love  to 
man,  and  power  over  him,  and  man's  subjection  and  obliga- 
tions unto  God ;  the  person,  and  office,  and  works,  and  bene- 
fits of  our  Redeemer,  with  all  the  duty  that  we  owe  to  him 
in  perfect  holiness,  and  all  the  hopes  that  we  have  in  him : 
the  happiness  of  the  saints,  the  odiousness  of  sin,  and  the 
misery  of  the  wicked.  These,  and  such  as  these  are  things 
that  we  are  called  to  profess :  yet  so  as  not  to  deny  or  re- 
nounce the  smallest  truth. 

Direct,  lu.  '  Understand  also  the  manner  how  we  must 
make  profession  of  religion.'  1.  There  is  a  professing  by 
words,  and  a  professing  by  actions.  2.  There  is  a  solemn 
profession  by  God's  public  ordinances,  and  an  occasional  or 
more  private  profession  by  conference,  or  by  our  conversa- 
tions.    And  all  these  ways  must  religion  be  professed. 

Dirtd.  IV.  '  Understand  also  the  season  of  each  sort  of 
profession,  that  you  omit  not  the  season,  nor  do  it  unsea- 
sonably.' 1.  Profession  by  baptism.  Lord's  supper,  and 
church  assemblies,  must  be  done  in  their  season,  which  the 
church  guides  are  the  conductors  of.  2.  Profession  by  an 
imiocent,  blameless,  obedient  life  is  never  out  of  season. 
3.  Profession  by  private  conference,  and  by  occasional  acts 
of  piety,  must  be  when  opportunity  inviteth  us,  and  they  are 
likely  to  attain  their  ends.  4.  The  whole  frame  of  a  belie- 
ver's life  should  be  so  holy,  and  heavenly,  and  mortified,  and 
above  the  world,  as  may  amount  to  a  serious  profession  that 

>  t  Tim.  ii.  14.  "  Jnde  «,  S.     f  Tim.  li.  M,  f  4. 


62  CHRISTIAN    DIKECTORY.  [PART  111. 

he  liveth  in  confident  hope  of  the  life  to  come,  ^d  may 
shew  the  world  the  difference  between  a  worldling  and  an 
heir  of  heaven;  between  corrupted  nature  and  true  grace. 
The  professors  of  godliness  must  be  a  peculiar  people,  zea- 
lous of  good  works,  and  adorned  with  Uiem. 

Direct,  v.  /  Take  special  care  that  your  profession  be  sin- 
cere, and  that  you  be  yourselves  as  good  as  you  profess  to 
be.  Otherwise,  1.  Your  profession  will  condemn  your- 
selves. 2.  And  it  will  dishonour  the  truth  which  you  de- 
ceitfully profess.  There  can  scarce  a  greater  injury  befal  a 
good  cause,  than  to  have  a  bad  and  shameful  patron  to  de- 
fend it.  "  And  thinkcst  thou  this,  O  man,  that  judgest 
them  which  do  such  things,  and  dost  the  same,  that  thou 
shalt  escape  the  judgment  of  God.  Thou  that  makest  thy 
boast  of  tlie  law,  through  breaking  of  the  law  dishonourest 
thou  God  ?  For  the  name  of  God  is  blasphemed  among 
the  Gentiles  through  you  "*.'* 

Direct,  vi.  '  Let  not  your  profession  be  so  much  of  your 
own  sincerity,  as  of  God  and  his  excellencies:  boast  not  of 
yourselves,  but  of  God  and  Christ,  and  the  promise,  and  the 
hope  of  true  believers ;  and  do  it  to  God's  praise,  and  not 
for  your  own.'  Be  sure  that  in  all  your  profession  of  reli- 
gion, you  be  seeking  honour  to  God,  and  not  unto  your- 
selves. And  then  in  this  manner  he  that  doubteth  of  his 
o%vn  sincerity,  yet  may  and  must  make  profession  of  Christ 
and  true  religion :  when  you  cannot  proclaim  the  upright- 
ness of  your  own  hearts,  you  may  boldly  proclaim  the  ex- 
cellencies of  religion,  and  the  happiness  of  saints. 

Direct,  vii.  '  Live  upon  God  alone,  and  trust  his  all-suf- 
ficiency, and  abhor  that  pusillanimity  and  baseness  of  spi- 
rit which  maketh  men  afraid  or  ashamed  openly  to  own  the 
truth/  Remember  the  example  of  your  Lord,  who  before 
Pontius  Pilate,  "  witnessed  a  good  confession®/'  who  came 
"  for  this  end  into  the  world,  to  bear  witness  to  the  truth  p." 
Fear  not  the  face  of  man,  whose  breath  is  in  his  nostrils^ 
and  is  perishing  even  while  he  is  threatening^.     If  you  be- 

»  Rom.  ii.  3. 13—25.  «  1  Tiro.  vi.  13.  P  John  xviii.  37. 

4  The  Arians  under  Vulens,  and  the  Vandals  still  silenced  the  orthodox  praacbera 
and  forbad  their  meetings,  and  3-et  the  people  adhered  to  their  pastors  and  kept  the 
meetings,  while  they  could.  Septus  prohibitum  est  ut  sacerdotes  cstri  conTentus  ml- 
luinecelebrarentyuecsua  scditione  aniroas  subvertcreut  Christianas.  Precept.  Hon- 
ser.  in  Victore  Uticent.  p.  414. 


CHAP.  IV.]         CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  53 

iieve  not  that  heaven  will  satisfy  for  all  that  by  scorns  or 
t^ruelties  thou  snfferest  from  sinners,  thou  hast  not  indeed 
the  hope  of  a  believer.  And  no  wonder  if  thou  profess  not 
that  which  thou  believest  not:  but  if  thou  believe  that  God 
is  God,  and  Christ  is  Christ,  and  heaven  is  heaven,  and  the 
Gospel  is  true,  thou  hast  enough  in  thy  belief  to  secure  thee 
against  all  the  scorns  and  cruelties  of  man,  and  to  tell  thee 
that  Christ  will  bear  thy  charges,  in  all  that  thou  sufferest 
for  his  sake.  O  what  abimdance  are  secretly  convinced  of 
the  truth,  and  their  consciences  bear  witness  to  the  wisdom 
of  the  saints,  and  a  holy  life ;  and  yet  they  dare  not  openly 
own  and  stand  to  the  truth  which  they  are  convinced  of  for 
fear  of  being  mocked  by  the  tongues  of  the  profane,  or  for 
fear  of  losing  their  places  and  preferments !  O  wretch,  dost 
thou  not  tremble  when  thou  art  ashamed  of  Christ,  to  think  of 
the  day  when  he  will  be  ashamed  of  thee  ?  Then  when  he  comes 
in  glory  none  will  be  ashamed  of  him !  Then  where  is  the  tongue 
that  mocked  him  and  his  servants  ?  Who  then  will  deride 
his  holy  ways  ?  Then  that  will  be  the  greatest  glory,  which 
thou  art  now  ashamed  of.  Canst  thou  believe  that  day, 
and  yet  hide  thy  profession,  through  cowardly  fear  or  shame 
of  man?  Is  man  so  great,  and  is  Christ  no  greater  in  thine 
eyes  than  so  ?  If  he  be  not  more  regardable  than  man,  be- 
lieve not  in  him  :  if  he  be,  regard  him  more ;  and  let  not  a 
worm  be  preferred  before  thy  Saviour. 

Direct,  viii.  '  If  any  doubt  arise,  whether  thou  shouldst 
now  make  profession  of  the  truth,  (as  in  the  presence  of 
scomers,  or  when  required  by  magistrates  or  others,  &c.) 
let  not  the  advice  or  interest  of  the  flesh  have  any  hand  at 
all  in  the  resolving  of  the  case ;  but  let  it  be  wholly  deter- 
mined as  the  interest  of  Christ  requireth.'  Spare  thyself 
when  the  interest  of  Christ  requireth  it ;  not  for  thyself, 
but  for  him.  But  when  his  interest  is  most  promoted  by 
thy  suffering,  rejoice  that  thou  art  any  way  capable  of  serv- 
ing him. 

Dirtct.  IX.  *  Though  sometimes  a  particular  profession 
of  the  fitith  may  be  unseasonable,  yet  you  must  never  make 
any  profession  of  the  contrary,  either  by  words  or  actions.*^ 
Tmdi  may  be  sometimes  silenced,  but  a  lie  may  never  be 
profeiised  or  approved. 


54  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

Direct,  x.  '  If  any  that  profess  Christianity  reproach  you 
for  the  profession  of  holiness  and  diligence,  convince  them 
that  they  hypocritically  profess  the  same,  and  that  holiness 
is  essential  to  Christianity  :'  open  their  baptismal  covenant 
to  them,  and  the  Lord's  prayer  in  which  they  daily  pray  that 
God's  will  may  be  done  on  earth  even  as  it  is  in  hescven, 
which  is  more  strictly  than  the  best  of  us  can  reach.  The 
diflference  between  them  and  you  is  but  this,  whether  we 
should  be  Christians  hypocritically  in  jest,  or  in  good  ear- 
nest. 


CHAPTER  V. 

Directions  ttbimt  Vows  atid  Particular  Covenants  with  God. 

Tit.  1.  Directions  for  the  Bight  Making  such  Vows  and  Cove- 

nants. 

Direct,  i.  'Understand  the  nature  of  a  tow,  and  the  use 
to  which  it  is  appointed.' 

A  vow  is  a  promise  made  to  God.  1.  It  is  not  a  bare 
assertion  or  negation.  2.  It  is  not  a  mere  pollicitation,  or 
expression  of  the  purpose  or  resolution  of  the  mind  :  for  he 
that  saith  or  meaneth  no  mose  than,  '  I  am  purposed  or  re- 
solved to  do  this,'  may  upon  sufficient  reason  do  the  contra- 
ry :  for  he  may  change  his  mind  and  resolution,  without  any 
untruth  or  injury  to  any.  3.  It  is  not  a  mere  devoting  of  a 
thing  to  God  for  the  present  by  actual  resignation^  For 
the  present  actual  delivery  of  a  thing  to  sacred  uses  is  no 
promise  for  the  future  :  though  we  usually  join  them  both 
together,  yet  '  devovere*  may  be  separated  from  *  vovere.' 
4.  It  must  be  therefore  a  promise,  which  is,  a  voluntary 
obliging  one's  self  to  another  '  de  future*  for  some  good.  6. 
It  is  therefore  implied  that  it  be  the  act  of  a  rational  crea- 
ture, and  of  one  that  in  that  act  hath  some  competent  use  of 
reason,  and  not  of  a  fool,  or  idiot,  or  madman,  or  a  child 
that  hath  not  reason  for  such  an  act,  no  nor  of  a  brain-sick, 
or  melancholy  person,  who  (though  he  be '  ceetera  sanus'  )  is 
either  delirant  in  that  business,  or  is  irresistibly  borne  down 
and  necessitated  by  his  disease  to  vow  against  the  sober. 


CHAP,  v.]       CHRISTIAN   £CCLfiSIA8TI08«  66 

deliberate  conclusion  of  bis  reason  at  other  times,  baying  at 
tbe  time  of  vowing,  reason  enougb  to  strive  against  tbe  act, 
but  not  self-government  enough  to  restrain  a  passionate, 
melancholy  vow.  6.  Whereas  some  casuists  make  delibera- 
tion necessary,  it  must  be  understood  that  to  the  being  of  a 
vow  so  much  deliberation  is  requisite  as  may  make  it  a  ra- 
tional human  act,  it  must  be  an  act  of  reason  :  but  for  any 
further  deliberation,  it  is  necessary  only  to  the  well-beings 
and  not  to  the  being  of  a  vow,  and  without  it  it  is  a  rash  vow, 
but  not  no  vow*.  7.  When  we  say,  it  must  be  a  voluntary 
act,  the  meaning  is  not  that  it  must  be  totally  and  absolutely 
voluntary,  without  any  fear  or  threatening  to  induce  us  to 
it ;  but  only  that  it  be  really  voluntary,  that  is,  an  act  of 
choice,  by  a  free  agent,  that  considering  all  things  doth 
choose  so  to  do.  He  that  hath  a  sword  set  to  his  breast, 
and  doth  swear  or  vow  to  save  his  life,  doth  do  it  voluntarily, 
as  choosing  rather  to  do  it  than  to  die.  Man  having  free- 
will, may  choose  rather  to  die,  than  vow  if  he  think  best : 
his  will  may  be  moved  by  fear,  but  cannot  be  forced  by  any 
one,  or  any  means  whatsoever.  8.  When  I  say  that  a  vow 
is  a  promise,  I  imply  that  the  matter  of  it  is  necessarily 
some  real  or  supposed  good  ;  to  be  good,  or  to  do  good,  or 
not  to  do  evil.  Evil  may  be  the  matter  of  an  oath,  but  it 
is  not  properly  a  vow,  if  the  matter  be  not  supposed  good. 
9.  It  is  a  promise  made  to  Qod,  that  we  are  now  speaking 
of;  whether  the  name  of  a  vow  belong  to  a  promise  made 
only  to  man,  is  a  question  '  de  nomine'  which  we  need  not 
stop  at. 

A  vow  is  either  a  simple  promise  to  God,  or  a  promise 
bound  with  an  oath  or  imprecation.  Some  would  appro- 
priate the  name  of  a  vow  to  this  last  sort  only,  (when  men 
swear  they  will  do  this  or  that,)  which  indeed  is  the  most 
formidable  sort  of  vowing;  but  the  true  nature  of  avow  is 
found  also  in  a  simple  self-obliging  promise. 

The  true  reason  and  use  of  vows  is  but  for  the  more  cer- 
tain and  effectual  performance  of  our  duties :  not  to  make 
new  laws,  and  duties,  and  religions  for  us,  but  to  drive  on 

*  Virit  gimvibot  vebementer  dit{>Iicere  animadvert],  qnod  ab  iodis  tectfaaoniain 
jvRJWHido  esigitiir,  cam  ooostet  eos  facUUroe  pejerare,  otpote  qui  neqoe  juramentl 
▼ioi  fcntiant  neqoe  veritatis  ttodio  tang^tur,  aed  testimoniom  eo  modo  dicaot,  qoo 
credoiit  i«dicl  gratlMlmam  fore,  aat  i  priroo  sob  ftctionii  lioroine  edocti  sant.  Hot 
igH«  }wnn  tempellera  et  ipib  eihkwam  propter  perjuria,  &e.    Aootta  p.  945. 


56  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PAtlT  llf  • 

the  backward,  lingering  soul  to  do  its  duty,  and  to  break 
over  difficulties  and  delays:  that  by  strengthening  onr 
bonds,  and  setting  the  danger  before  our  eyes,  we  may  be 
excited  to  escape  it. 

It  is  a  great  question,  whether  our  own  vows  can  add  any 
new  obligation  to  that  which  before  lay  upon  us  from  the 
command  of  God.  Amesius  saith  (Cas.  Consc.  lib.  iv.  c.  16.) 
*  Non  additur  proprie  in  istis  nova  obligatio,  neque  augetur 
in  se  prior  :  sed  magis  agnoscitur  et  recipitur  k  nobis  :  pcus- 
sive  in  istis  eeque  fuimus  antea  obligati :  sed  activa  recog- 
nitione  arctics  nobis  applicatur  k  nobismetipsis.'  Others 
commonly  speak  of  an  additional  obligation :  and  indeed 
there  is  a  double  obligation  added  by  a  vow,  to  that  which 
God  before  had  laid  on  us,  to  the  matter  of  that  vow.  Pre- 
mising this  distinction  between  '  Obligatio  imponentis,'  a 
governing  obligation,  (which  is  the  effect  of  governing 
right  or  authority,)  and  'Obligatio  consentientis,'  a  self- 
obliging  by  voluntary  consent,  (which  is  the  effect  of  that 
dominion  which  a  rational  free  agent  hath  over  his  own  ac- 
tions,) I  say,  1.  He  that  voweth  doth  oblige  himself,  who 
before  was  obliged  by  God  only ;  and  that  a  man  hath  a 
power  to  oblige  himself,  is  discerned  by  the  light  of  nature, 
and  is  the  ground  of  the  law  of  nations,  and  of  human  con- 
verse :  and  though  this  is  no  divine  obligation,  yet  is  not 
therefore  none  at  all.  2.  But  moreover  he  that  voweth 
doth  induce  upon  himself  a  new  divine  obligation,  by 
making  himself  the  subject  of  it.  For  example;  God  hath 
said,  "  Honour  the  Lord  with  thy  substance :  *'  this  com- 
mand obligeth  me  to  obey  it  whether  I  vow  it  or  not.  The 
same  God  hath  said,  "  Pay  thy  vows  to  the  Most  High  •» :  *' 
and,  "  When  thou  vowest  a  vow  to  God,  defer  not  to  pay 
it  *=."  This  layeth  no  obligation  on  me  till  I  vow :  but 
when  I  have  vowed  it  doth :  so  that  now  I  am  under  a 
double  divine  obligation  (one  to  the  matter  of  the  duty,  and 
another  to  keep  my  vow),  and  under  a  self-obligation  of  my 
own  vow :  whence  also  a  greater  penalty  will  be  due  if  I  now 
offend,  than  else  would  have  been. 

Hence  you  may  see  what  to  think  of  the  common  deter- 
mination of  casuists  concerning  vows  materially  sinful, 
when  they  say,  a  man  is  not  obliged  to  keep  them.     It  is 

»►  Psal.  1. 14.         .  e  Eccles.  t.  4. 


CUAP.V  .y      CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  57 

• 

only  thus  ftur  true,  that  God  obligeth  him  not  to  do  that  par- 
ticular thing  which  hevoweth,  for  God  had  before  forbidden 
it,  and  he  changeth  not  his  laws,  upon  man's  rash  vowings  : 
but  yet  there  is  a  self-obligation  which  he  laid  upon  himself 
to  do  it :  and  this  self-obligation  to  a  sinful  act,  was  itself  a 
sin,  and  to  be  repented  of,  and  not  performed :  but  it  bring- 
eth  the  person  under  a  (fouble  obligation  to  penalty,  as  a 
perjured  person,  even  God's  obligation  who  bindeth  the  per- 
jured to  penalty,  and  the  obligation  of  his  own  consent  to 
the  punishment,  if  there  was  any  oath  or  imprecation  in  the 
▼ow.  If  it  were  true  that  such  a  person  had  brought  him- 
self under  no  obligation  at  all,  then  he  could  not  be  proper- 
ly called  perjured,  nor  punished  as  perjured:  but  he  that 
Bweareth  and  voweth  to  do  evil,  (as  the  Jews  to  kill  Paul) 
though  he  ought  not  to  do  the  thing,  (because  God  forbid- 
deth  it)  yet  he  is  a-  perjured  person  for  breaking  his  vow, 
and  deserveth  the  penalty,  not  only  of  a  rash  vbwer,  but  of 
one  peijured.  Thus  error  may  make  a  man  sinful  and  miser- 
able, though  it  cannot  warrant  him  to  sin. 

Direct,  u.  *  Try  well  the  matter  of  your  vows,  and  ven- 
ture not  on  them  till  you  are  sure  that  they  are  not  things 
forbidden  : '  things  sinful  or  doubtful  are  not  fit  matter  for 
a  vow :  in  asserting,  subscribing  and  witnessing,  you  should 
take  care,  that  you  know  assuredly  that  the  matter  be  true, 
and  venture  not  upon  that  which  may  prove  false :  much 
more  should  you  take  care  that  you  venture  not  doubtingly 
in  vows  and  oaths.  They  are  matters  to  be  handled  with 
dread  and  tenderness,  and  not  to  be  played  with,  and  rashly 
entered  on,  as  if  it  were  but  the  speaking  of  a  common  word  : 
**  Be  not  rash  with  thy  mouth,  and  let  not  thy  heart  be  hasty 
to  utter  any  thing  before  God  **."  It  is  a  grievous  snare  that 
men  are  oft  brought  into  by  ignorant  and  rash  vows  * :  as 
the  case  of  Jephtha,  and  Herod,  and  many  another  tell  us 
for  our  warning :  an  error  in  such  cases  is  much  more  safely 
and  cheaply  discerned  before,  than  afterwards.  To  have  a 
rash  vow,  or  perjury  to  repent  of,  is  to  set  a  bone  in  joint, 
or  pull  a  thorn  out  of  your  very  eye,  and  who  would  choose 

*  Eodcs.T.  9' 

*  Vid.  Sftndenon  de  Juraro.  Prelect,  vii.  Sect.  14.  Juramentum  oblatom  re- 
ladMrtc  vel  dubitante  oomcieotia  noii  est  soscipiendum;  1.  Quia  quod  non  est  ex 
ide  peocatam  est.  t.  Quiajurandum  est  io  judicio:  quod  certeis  non  facit  qui  con- 
tra comcientiw  sibb  judieittm  fadt,  &c.  ad  fmem. 


5Cf  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  t^^K*^  ^'I- 

such  pain  and  smart  ?  ''  Suffer  not  thy  mouth  to  cause  thy 
flesh  to  sin ;  neither  say  thou  before  the  angel  that  it  was 
an  error  :  wherefore  should  God  be  angry  at  thy  voice,  and 
destroy  the  work  of  thy  hands  ^'^  ''  It  is  a  snare  to  the  man 
who  devoureth  that  which  is  holy,  and  after  vows  to  make 
inquiry  s/'  Be  careful  and  deliberate  to  prevent  such 
snares. 

Direct,  iii.  '  Vow  not  in  a  passion : '  stay  till  the  storm 
be  over  :  whether  it  be  anger  or  desire,  or  whatever  the  pas- 
sion be,  delay  and  deliberate  before  you  vow  :  for  when  pas* 
sion  is  up,  the  judgment  is  upon  great  disadvantage.  In 
your  passion  you  are  apt  to  be  most  peremptory  and  confi- 
dent when  you  are  most  deceived  :  if  it  be  your  duty  to  vow, 
it  will  be  your  duty  to-morrow  when  you  are  calm.  If  you 
say,  that  duty  must  not  be  delayed,  and  that  you  must  do 
it  while  the  Spirit  moveth  you :  I  answer.  Was  it  not  as 
much  a  duty  before  your  passion  was  kindled  as'now  ?  It 
is  no  sinful  delaying  of  so  great  a  duty,  to  stay  till  you 
have  well  proved  whether  it  be  of  God.  If  it  be  the.  Spirit 
of  Christ  that  moveth  you  to  it,  he  will  be  willing  that  you 
deliberate  and  try  it  by  that  Word  which  the  same  Spirit 
hath  indited  to  be  your  rule.  God's  Spirit  worketh  princi- 
pally upon  the  judgment  and  the  will,  by  settled  convic- 
tions, which  will  endure  a  rational  trial :  it  is  more  likely  to 
be  your  own  spirit  which  worketh  principally  on  the  pas- 
sion, and  will  not  endure  the  trial,  nor  come  into  the  light  **• 

Direct,  iv.  '  Make  not  a  vow  of  things  indifferent  and 
unnecessary :'  if  they  be  not  good,  in  a  true,  comparing, 
practical  judgment,  which  considereth  all  accidents  and  cir^ 
cumstances,  they  are  no  fit  matter  for  a  vow.  Some  say, 
things  indifferent  are  the  fittest  matter  both  for  vows  and 
hiiman  laws ;  but  either  they  speak  improperly  or  untruly, 
and  therefore  dangerously  at  the  best.  If  an  idle  word  be  a 
sin,  then  an  idle  action  is  not  a  thing  to  be  vowed,  because 
it  is  not  a  thing  to  be  done,  being  as  truly  a  sin  as  an  idle 
word :  and  that  which  is  wholly  indifferent  is  idle  ;  for  if  it 
be  good  for  any  thing,  it  is  not  wholly  indifferent :  and  be- 
cause it  is  antecedently  useless,  it  is  consequently  sinful  to 
be  done. 

Object.  I.  '  But  those  that  say  things  indifferent  may  be 

'Ecclei.v.6.  vPnnr.zz.25.  b  John  iii.  18»  19.    Imu  viii.  fO.* 


CHAP,  v.]         CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  69 

vowed,  mean  not,  things  useless  or  unprofitable  to  any  good 
end  ;  but  only  those  things  that  are  good  and  useful,  but 
not  commanded  :  such  as  are  the  matter  of  God'«  counsels^ 
and  tend  to  man's  perfection,  as  to  vow  chastity,  poverty, 
and  absolute  obedience.' 

Anws.  There  are  no  such  things  as  are  morally  good,  and 
not  commanded  :  this  is  the  fiction  of  men  that  have  a  mind 
to  accuse  God's  lawn  and  government  of  impeifection,  and 
think  sinful  man  can  do  better  than  he  is  commanded,  when 
none  but  Christ  ever  did  so  well  K 

Quest.  1.  What  is  moral  goodness  in  any  creature  and 
subject,  but  a  conformity  to  his  ruler's  will  expressed  in  his 
law  ?  And  if  this  conformity  be  its  very  form  and  being,  it 
cannot  be  that  any  thing  should  be  morally  good  that  is  not 
commanded. 

Quest.  II.  Doth  not  the  law  of  God  command  us  to  love 
him  with  all  our  heart,  and  soul,  and  strength,  and  accord- 
ingly to  serve  him?  And  is  it  possible  to  give  him  more 
than  all ;  or  can  God  come  after  and  counsel  us  to  give  him 
more  than  is  possible  ? 

Qiiesl.  III.  Doth  not  the  law  of  nature  oblige  us  to  serve 
God  to  the  utmost  of  our  power  ?  He  that  denieth  it,  is  be- 
come unnatural,  and  must  deny  God  to  be  God,  or  deny 
himself  to  be  his  rational  creature :  for  nothing  is  more 
clear  in  nature,  than  that  the  creature  who  is  nothing,  and 
hath  nothing  but  firom  God,  and  is  absolutely  his  own,  doth 
owe  him  all  that  he  is  able  to  do. 

Quest.  IV.  Doth  not  Christ  determine  the  case  to  his  dis- 
ciples, Luke  xvii.  10.? 

A  middle  between  good  and  evil  in  morality  is  a  contra- 
diction :  there  is  no  such  thing;  for  good  and  evil  are  the 
whole  of  morality :  without  these  species  there  is  no  mo- 
rality. 

Object.  II.  '  It  seems  then  you  hold  that  there  is  nothing 
indifferent,  which  is  a  paradox/ 

Answ.  No  such  matter  :  there  are  thousands  and  millions 
of  things  that  are  indifferent ;  but  they  are  things  natural 
only,  and  not  things  moral.    They  are  indifferent  as  to  mo- 

*  Seethe  foarteeoUi  Article  of  the  church  of  Eugland,  against  volantarj  works. 
over  and  Above  God's  ooDmandnientSf  at  impious. 


80  ( HRISTIAN    DIRCOTORY.  [PART  III. 

ral  good  and  evil,  because  tbey  are  neither :  but  they  are  not 
*  indifierentia  moralia  : '  the  indifierency  is  a  negation  of  any 
morality  in  them  'in  genere/  as  well  as  of  both  the  species 
of  morality  ^.  Whatsoever  participateth  not  of  virtue  or 
vice,  and  is  not  eligible  or  refusable  by  a  moral  agent  as 
such,  hath  no  morality  in  it.  There  may  be  two  words  so  ' 
equal  as  it  may  be  indifferent  which  you  speak ;  and  two 
eggs  so  equal,  as  that  it  may  be  indifferent  which  you  eat : 
but  that  is  no  more  than  to  say,  the  choosing  of  one  before 
the  other,  is  not  *  actus  moralis :  *  there  is  no  matter  of  mo- 
rality in  the  choice. 

Object.  III.  *  But  if  there  may  be  things  natural  that  are 
indifferent,  why  not  things  moral  ? ' 

Amw,  As  goodness  is  convertible  with  entity,  there  is 
ho  natural  being  but  is  good  :  as  goodness  signifieth  com- 
modity, there  is  nothing  but  is  profitable  or  hurtful,  and  that 
is  good  to  one  that  is  hurtful  to  another :  but  if  it  were  not 
so,  yet  such  goodness  or  badness  is  but  accidental  to  natu- 
ral being ;  but  moral  goodness  and  badness  is  the  whole 
essence  of  morality. 

Object.  IV,  '  But  doth  not  the  apostle  «ay,  "  He  that 
marrieth  doth  well,  and  he  that  marrieth  not  doth  better?'' 
Therefore  all  is  not  sin,  which  is  not  best.' 

Answ.  The  question  put  to  the  apostle  to  decide,  was 
about  marrying  or  not  marrying,  as  it  belonged  to  all  Chris- 
tians in  general,  and  not  as  it  belonged  to  this  or  that  indi- 
vidual person  by  some  special  reason  differently  from  others. 
And  so  in  respect  to  the  church  in  general,  the  apostle  de- 
termineth  that  there  is  no  law  binding  them  to  marry,  or 
not  to  marry :  for  a  law  that  is  made  for  many  must  be  suited 
to  what  is  common  to  those  many.  Now  marriage  being 
good  for  one  and  not  for  another,  is  not  made  the  matter 
of  a  common  law,  nor  is  it  fit  to  be  so,  and  so  far  is  left  in- 
different: but  because  that  to  most  it  was  rather  a  hin- 
drance to  good  in  those  times  of  the  church,  than  a  help, 
therefore  for  the  present  necessity,  the  apostle  calleth  mar- 

k  Stoid  indifferentia  disdngaunl :  1.  £a  qus  neqae  ad  foeKcitatetn  noque  adin- 
foelidtatem  oooferunt,  utsunt  divitise,  sanitas,  vires,  gloria,  &c.  Nam  etsine  his  cou- 
tingit  foelicem  esse ;  cum  earum  usus  vel  rectus  foelicitatis,  vel  pravus  infoBlicitatis 
auUior  sit.  if.  Quae  nequc  appetitum  neque  occasionem  movent,  ut  pares  ve(  Impa* 
res  habere  capillos,  &c.    See  Diog.  Laert.  lib.  vii,  sect.  104.  p.  499. 


CHAP,  v.]  CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  61 

rying  **  doing  well/'  because  it  was  not  against  any  univer- 
sal law,  and  it  was  a  state  that  was  suitable  to  some  ;  but 
he  calls  not  marrying  '*  doing  better/'  because  it  was  then 
more  ordinarily  suited  to  the  ends  of  Christianity.  Now 
God  maketh  not  a  distinct  law  for  every  individual  person 
in  the  church ;  but  one  universal  law  for  all :  and  this  being 
a  thing  variable  according  to  the  various  cases  of  individual 
persons,  wcus  unfit  to  be- particularly  determined  by  an  uni- 
versal law.  But  if  the  question  had  been  only  of  any  one 
individual  person,  then  the  decision  would  have  been  thus  : 
though  marrying  is  a  thing  not  directly  commanded  or  for- 
bidden, yet  to  some  it  is  helpful  as  to  moral  ends,  to  some 
it  is  hurtful,  and  to  some  it  is  so  equal  or  indifferent,  that  it 
is  neither  discemibly  helpful  nor  hurtful ;  now  by  the  ge- 
neral laws  or  rules  of  Scripture  to  them  that  '  consideratis 
considerandis'  it  is  discemibly  helpful;  it  is  not  indifferent, 
but  a  duty  ;  to  them  that  it  is  discemibly  hurtful,  it  is  not 
indifferent,  but  a  sin ;  to  them  that  it  is  neither  discemibly 
helpful  or  hurtful  as  to  moral  ends,  it  is  indifferent,  as  being 
neither  duty  nor  sin  ;  for  it  is  not  a  thing  of  moral  choice 
or  nature  at  all.  But  the  light  of  nature  telleth  us  that 
Ood  hath  not  left  it  indifferent  to  men  to  hinder  themselves 
or  to  help  themselves  as  to  moral  ends ;  else  why  pray  we, 
*'  Lead  us  not  into  temptation  V  And  marriage  is  so  great 
a  help  to  some,  and  so  great  a  hurt  to  others,  that  no  man 
can  say  that  it  is  morally  indifferent  to  all  men  in  the  world : 
and  therefore  that  being  none  of  the  apostle's  meaning,  it 
folio weth  that  his  meaning  is  as  aforesaid. 

Object,  v.  '  But  there  are  many  things  indifferent  in 
themselves,  though  not  as  clothed  with  all  their  accidents 
and  circumstances  :  and  these  actions  being  good  in  their 
accidents,  may  be  the  matter  of  a  vow.' 

Answ.  True,  but  those  actions  are  commanded  duties, 
and  not  things  indifferent  as  so  circumstantiated.  It  is  very 
few  actions  in  the  world  that  are  made  simply  duties  or^sins, 
in  their  simple  nature  without  their  circumstances  and  ac- 
cidents :  the  commonest  matter  of  all  God's  laws,  is  actions 
or  dispositions  which  are  good  or  evil  in  their  circumstan- 
ces and  accidents.  Therefore  I  conclude,  things  wholly  in- 
different are  not  to  be  vowed. 

Direct ^  V.  '  It  is  not  every  duty  that  is  the  matter  of  a 


6*2  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

lawful  vow.'  Else  you  might  have  as  many  vows  as  duties : 
every  good  thought,  and  word«  and  deed  might  have  a  vow. 
And  then  every  sin  which  you  commit  would  be  accompa- 
nied and  aggravated  with  the  guilt  of  perjury.  And  no 
wise  man  will  run  his  soul  into  such  a  snare.  Objects  *  But 
do  we  not  in  baptism  vow  obedience  to  Ood  ?  And  doth 
not  obedience  contain  every  particular  duty?'  Answ.  We 
vow  sincere  obedience,  but  not  perfect  obedience.  We  do 
not  vow  that  we  will  never  sin,  nor  neglect  a  duty  (nor 
ought  we  to  do  so).  So  that  as  sincere  obedience  respect- 
eth  every  known  duty  as  that  which  we  shall  practise  in 
the  bent  of  our  lives,  but  not  in  perfect  constancy  or  degree, 
so  far  our  vow  in  baptism  hath  respect  to  all  known  duties, 
but  no  further. 

Direct,  vi.  'To  make  a  vow  lawful,  besides  the  good- 
ness of  the  thing  which  we  vow,  there  must  be  a  rational, 
discernible  probability  that  the  act  of  vowing  it  will  do 
more  good  than  hurt :  and  this  to  a  wise,  foreseeing  judg- 
ment.' For  this  vowing  is  not  an  ordinary  worship  to  be 
offered  to  God  (except  the  baptismal  vow  renewed  in  the 
Lord's  supper  and  at  other  seasons)  ;  but  it  is  left  as  an  ex- 
traordinary means,  for  certain  ends  which  cannot  by  ordi- 
nary means  be  attained  :  and  therefore  we  must  discern  the 
season,  by  discerning  the  necessity  or  usefulness  of  it. 
Swearing  is  a  part  of  the  service  of  God,  but  not  of  his  daily 
worship,  nor  frequently  and  rashly  to  be  used,  by  any  that 
would  not  be  held  guilty  of  taking  the  name  of  God  in  vain : 
and  so  it  is  in  the  case  of  vowing.  Therefore  he  that  will 
make  a  lawful  vow,  must  see  beforehand  what  is  the  proba- 
ble benefit  of  it,  and  what  is  the  probable  hurt  or  danger : 
and  without  this  foresight  it  must  be  rash,  and  cannot  be 
lawful.  And  therefore  no  one  can  make  a  lawful  vow,  but 
wise,  foreseeing  persons,  and  those  that  advise  with  such, 
and  are  guided  by  them,  if  they  be  not  such  themselves : 
unless  in  a  case  where  God  hath  prescribed  by  his  own  de- 
termining commands  (as  in  the  covenant  of  Christianity). 
Therefore  to  one  man  the  same  vow  may  be  a  sin,  that  to 
another  may  be  a  duty  ;  because  one  may  have  more  reason 
for  it,  or  necessity  of  it,  and  less  danger  by  it  than  another. 
One  man  may  foresee  that  vowing  (in  case  where  there  is 
no  necessity)  may  ensnare  him  either  in  perplexing  doubts. 


CHAP.  ▼•]  CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  63 

or  terrora,  which  will  make  all  his  life  after  more  irregular 
or  uncomfortable.  Another  man  may  discern  that  he  is 
liable  to  no  such  danger  ^ 

Direct,  vii.  *  No  man  should  pretend  danger  or  scruple 
against  his  renewing  the  vow  of  Christianity,  or  any  one  es- 
sential part  of  it ;  viz.  To  take  God  the  Father,  Son,  and 
Holy  Ghost  for  my  God,  and  Saviour,  and  Sanctifier,  my 
Owner,  Governor,  and  Father;  renouncing  the  devil,  the 
world,  and  the  flesh.'  Because  there  is  an  absolute  neces- 
inty  '  prsecepti  et  medii,'  of  performing  this,  and  he  that  doth 
it  not  shall  certainly  be  damned ;  and  therefore  no  worse 
matter  can  stand  up  against  it :  he  that  denieth  it,  giveth 
up  himself  despairingly  to  damnation.  Yet  I  have  heard 
many  say,  I  dare  not  promise  to  turn  to  God,  and  live  a 
holy  life,  lest  I  break  this  promise,  and  be  worse  than  before. 
But  dost  thou  not  know,  that  it  must  be  both  made  and 
kept,  if  thou  wilt  be  saved?  Wilt  thou  choose  to  be 
damned,  for  fear  of  worse  ?  There  is  but  one  remedy  for 
thy  soul,  and  all  the  hope  of  thy  salvation- lieth  upon  that 
alone.  And  wilt  thou  refuse  that  one,  for  fear  lest  thou 
cast  it  up  and  die  ?  when  thou  shalt  certainly  die  unless 
thou  both  take  it,  and  keep  it,  and  digest  it. 

Direct,  viii.  '  About  particular  sins  and  duties,  delibe* 
rate  resolutions  are  the  ordinary  means  of  governing  our 
lives  ;  and  vows  must  not  be  used  where  these  will  do  the 
work  without  them.'  For  extraordinary  means  must  not  be 
used,  when  ordinary  will  serve  the  turn.  Nor  must  you 
needlessly  draw  a  double  guilt  upon  yourselves  in  case  of 
sinning.  And  in  mutable  or  doubtful  cases,  a  resolution 
may  be  changed,  when  a  vow  cannot.  Try  therefore  what 
deliberate  resolutions  will  do,  with  the  help  of  other  ordinary 
means,  before  you  go  any  further. 

Direct,  ix.  '  When  ordinary  resolutions  and  other  helps 
will  not  serve  the  turn,  to  engage  the  will  to  the  forbearance 

>  Platmrch.  Qaest.  Roman.  44w  Why  may  not  prietta  swear  P  Resp.  Is  it  be* 
caoM  an  oath  pat  to  free-bom  men,  is  as  it  were  the  rack  and  torture  offered  them  P 
Fir  certain  it  b  that  the  sool  as  well  as  the  body  of  the  priest,  ought  to  continue  free, 
•Dd  noC  be  forced  by  any  torture.  Or  that  we  must  not  distrust  them  in  small  mat- 
ters, who  are  to  be  beliered  in  great  and  divine  things?  Or  because  the  peril  of 
perjaij  would  reach  in  common  to  the  whole  G>mmonwealtb,  if  a  wirked,  and  un- 
godly, and  forsworn  perMD  should  have  the  charge  and  superintendency  of  the 
pnyeia,  vowi,  and  noificci  made  in  behalf  of  the  city  ?    T^  866. 


64  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

of  a  known  sin,  or  the  performance  of  a  known. duty,  but 
temptations  are  so  strong  as  to  bear  down  all,  then  it  is 
seasonable  to  bind  ourselves  by  a  solemn  vow,  so  it  be  cau- 
telouslyand  deliberately  done,  and  no  greater  danger  like  to 
follow.'  In  such  a  case  of  necessity,  1.  You  muist  delibe- 
rate on  the  benefits  and  need.  2.  You  must  foresee  all  the 
assaults  that  you  are  like  to  have  to  tempt  you  to  perjury, 
that  they  come  not  unexpected.  3.  You  must  join  the  use 
of  all  other  means  for  the  keeping  of  your  vows. 

Direct,  x.  *  Make  not  a  law  and  religion  to  yourselves 
by  your  voluntary  vows,  which  God  never  made  you  by  his 
authority  :  nor  bind  yourselves  for  futurity  to  all  that  is  a 
duty  at  present,  where  it  is  possible  that  the  change  of 
things  may  change  your  duty.'  God  is  our  King  and  Go- 
vernor, and  not  we  ourselves  :  it  is  not  we,  but  he  that  must 
give  laws  to  us.  We  have  work  enough  to  do  of  his  ap- 
pointing :  we  need  not  make  more  to  ourselves,  as  if  he  had 
not  given  us  enough.  Vows  are  not  to  make  us  new  duties 
or  religions,  but  to  further  us  in  the  obedience  of  that  which 
our  Lord  hath  imposed  on  us.  It  is  a  self-condemning  sin 
of  foolish  will-worshippers,  to  be  busy  in  laying  more  bur- 
dens on  themselves,  when  they  know,  they  cannot  do  so 
much  as  God  requireth  of  them.  Yea,  some  of  them  mur 
mur  at  God's  laws  as  too  strict,  and  at  the  observers  of  them 
as  too  precise,  (though  they  come  far  short  of  what  is  their 
duty) ;  and  yet  will  be  cutting  out  more  work  for  them- 
selves. 

And  it  is  not  enough  that  what  you  vow  be  your  duty 
at  the  present,  but  you  must  bind  yourselves  to  it  by  vows 
no  longer  than  it  shall  remain  your  duty.  It  may  be  your 
duty  at  the  present  to  live  a  single  life  ;  but  if  you  will  vow 
therefore  that  you  will  never  marry,  you  may  bind  your- 
selves to  that  which  may  prove  your  sin :  you  know  not 
what  alterations  may  befall  you  in  your  body  or  estate,  that 
may  invite  you  to  it.  Are  you  sure  that  no  change  shall 
make  it  necessary  to  you  ?  Or  will  you  presume  to  bind 
God  himself  by  your  vows,  that  he  shall  make  no  such  al- 
teration ?  Or  if  you  were  never  so  confident  of  your  own 
unchangeableness,  you  know  not  what  fond  and  violent  af- 
fections another  may  be  possessed  with,  which  may  make  an 
alteration  in  your  duty.     At  the  present  it  may  be  your  duty 


CHAP,  v.]        CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  65 

to  liye  retiredly,  and  avoid  magistracy  and  public  employ- 
ments ;  but  you  may  not  therefore  vow  it  for  continuance  : 
for  you  know  not  but  Ood  may  make  such  alterations,  as 
may  make  it  so  great  and  plain  a  duty,  as  without  flat  im- 
piety or  cruelty  you  cannot  refuse  :  perhaps  at  the  present 
it  may  be  your  duty  to  give  half  your  yearly  revenues  to 
charitable  and  pious  uses ;  but  you  must  not  therefore  vow 
it  for  continuance  (without  some  special  6ause  to  warrant  it) : 
for  perhaps  the  next  year  it  may  be  your  duty  to  give  but  a 
fourth  or  a  tenth  part,  or  none  at  all,  according  as  the  pro- 
vidence of  God  shall  dispose  of  your  estate  and  you.  Per- 
haps Ood  may  impose  a  clear  necessity  on  you,  of  using 
your  estate  some  other  way. 

Direct,  xi.  '  If  you  be  under -government,  you  may  not 
lawfully  vow  without  your  governor's  consent,  to  do  any 
thing  which  you  may  not  lawfully  do  without  their  consent, 
in  case  you  had  not  vowed  it/  For  that  were,  1.  Actually 
to  disobey  them  at  the  present,  by  making  a  vow  without 
the  direction  and  consent  of  your  governors.  2.  And 
thereby  to  bind  yourselves  to  disobey  them  for  the  future, 
by  doing  that  without  them,  which  you  should  not  do  with- 
out them.  But  if  it  be  a  thing  that  you  may  do,  or  must  do, 
though  your  governors  forbid  you,  then  you  may  vow  it 
though  they  forbid  you,  (if  you  have  a  call  from  the  neces- 
sity of  the  vow). 

Direct,  xii.  'If  oaths  be  commanded  us  by  usurpers 
that  have  no  authority  to  impose  them,  we  must  not  take 
them  in  formal  obedience  to  their  commands.'  For  that 
were  to  own  their  usurpation  and  encourage  them  in  their 
sin :  if  we  owe  them  no  obedience  in  any  thing,  we  must 
not  obey  them  in  so  great  a  thing :  or  if  they  have  some 
authority  over  us  in  other  matters,  but  none  in  this  (as  a 
constable  hath  no  power  to  give  an  oath),  we  must  not  obey 
them  in  the  point  where  they  have  no  authority.  But  yet 
it  is  possible  that  there  may  be  other  reasons  that  may 
make  it  our  duty  to  do  it,  though  not  as  an  act  of  formal 
obedience  :  as  I  may  take  an  oath  when  a  thief  or  murderer 
reqoireth  it,  not  to  obey  him,  but  to  save  my  life.  And  if 
any  man  command  me  to  do  that  which  Ood  commandeth 
me,  I  must  do  it,  because  Ood  commandeth  it. 

Direct,  xiii.  '  If  a  lawful  magistrate  impose  an  oath  or 

VOL.   v.  F 


({0  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART    III. 

VOW  upon  you^  before  you  take  it  you  must  consult  with 
God,  and  know  that  it  is  not  against  his  will.'  God  matt 
be  first  obeyed  in  all  things :  but  especially  in  matters  of  so 
great  moment,  as  vows  and  promises. 

Quest.  I.  '  What  if  I  be  in  doubt  whether  the  oath  or 
promise  imposed  be  lawful  ?  must  I  take  it,  or  not  ?  If  I 
take  an  oath  which  I  judge  unlawful  or  false,  I  am  a  per- 
jured or  profane  despiser  of  God :  and  if  a  man  must  refuse 
all  oaths  or  promises,  which  the  magistrate  commandeth,  if 
he  do  but  doubt  whether  they  be  lawful,  then  government 
and  justice  will  be  injured,  while  every  man  that  hath  igno- 
rance enough  to  make  him  dubious,  shall  refuse  all  oaths 
and  promises  of  allegiance,  or  for  witness  to  the  truth.' 

Answ.  1.  I  shall  tell  you  what  others  say  first  in  the 
case  of  doubting :  Dr.  Sanderson  saith,  Prselect.  iii.  Sect. 
10.  pp.  74,  75.  '  Tertius  casus  est  cum  quis  juramento  pol- 
licetur  se  facturum  aliquid  in  se  fortassis  licitum,  quod  ta- 
men  ipse  putat  esse  illicitum.  Ut  siquis  ante  haec  tempera 
admittendus  ad  beneficium  (ut  vocant)  Ecdesiasticum,  pro- 
misisset  in  publicis  sacris  observare  omnes  ritus  legibus  £c- 
clesiasticis  imperatos ;  vestem  scilicet  lineam,  crucis  signum 
ad  sacrum  fontem,  ingeniculationem  in  percipiendis  symbo- 
lis  in  sacra  ccena,  et  id  genus  alios ;  quos  ipse  tamen  ex 
aliquo  levi  preejudicio  putaret  esse  superstitiosos  et  Pa- 
pisticos:  quseritur  in  hoc  casu  quae  sit  obligatio?  Pro 
Resp.  dico  tria:  Dico  1.  Non  posse  tale  juramentum  du- 
rante tali  errore  sine  gravi  peccato  suscipi.  Peccat  enim 
gravitur  qui  contra  conscientiam  peccat,  etsi  erroneam. 
Judicium  enim  intellectus  cum  sit  unicuique  proxima  agen- 
di  regula ;  voluntas,  si  judicium  illud  non  sequatur,  defi- 
ciens  k  regula  sua,  necesse  est  ut  in  obliquum  feratur.  Tri- 
tum  est  illud.  Qui  facit  contra  conscientiam  sadificat  ad  ge- 
hennam.  Sane  qui  jurat  in  id  quod  putat  esse  illicitum,  ni- 
hilominus  juraturus  esset,  si  esset  re  vera  illicitum ;  atque 
ita  res  ilia,  ut  ut  alii  licita,  est  tamen  ipsi  illicita ;  senteiH 
tiam  ferente  Apostolo,  Rom.  xiv.  14.  &c.     Dico  2.  Tale 

juramentum  non  obligare,  &c. '    That  is,  '  The  third 

case  is,  when  a  man  promiseth  by  oath  that  he  will  do  a 
thing  which  in  itself  perhaps  is  lawful,  but  he  thinketh  to  be 
unlawful :  as  if  one  before  these  times  being  to  be  admitted 
to  an  Ecclesiastical  benefice  (as  they  call  it),  had  promised. 


CHAP,  v.]  CHEI8TIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  67 

that  in  public  worship  he  would  observe  all  the  rites  com- 
manded in  the  Ecclesiastic  laws«  to  wit,  the  surplice,  the 
sign  of  the  cross  at  the  sacred  font,  kneeling  in  the  receiving 
of  the  symbols  in  the  holy  supper,  and  others  the  like ; 
which  yet  out  of  some  light  prejudice,  he  thought  to  be  su- 
perstitious and  Papistical.  The  question  is,  what  obliga- 
tion there  is  in  this  case  ?  For  answer  I  say  three  things, 
1.  I  say  that  an  oath,  while  such  an  error  lasteth,  cannot  be 
taken  without  grievous  sin :  for  he  grievously  sinneth,  who 
sinneth  against  his  conscience,  although  it  be  erroneous. 
For  when  the  judgment  of  the  intellect  is  to  every  man  the 
nearest  rule  of  action,  it  must  be  that  the  will  is  carried  into 
obliquity,  if  it  follow  not  that  judgment,  as  swerving  from 
its  rule.  It  is  a  common  saying,  he  that  doth  against  his 
conscience,  buildeth  unto  hell :  verily  he  that  sweareth  to 
that  which  he  thinketh  to  be  unlawful,  would  nevertheless 
swear  if  it  were  indeed  unlawful.  And  so  the  thing,  though 
lawful  to  another,  is  to  him  unlawful,  the  apostle  passing 
the  sentence,  Rom.  xiv.  14.  &c.    2.  I  say,  that  such  an 

oath  bindeth  not,  &c. '     Of  the  obligation  I  shall  speak 

anon ;  but  of  the  oath  or  promise,  I  think  the  truth  lieth 
here  as  followeth. 

1.  The  question  'de  esse'  must  first  be  resolved,  before 
the  question  of  knowing  or  opinion.  Either  the  thing  is 
reaUy  lawful  which  is  doubted  of,  or  denied,  or  it  is  not. 
If  it  be  not,  then  it  is  a  sin  to  swear  or  promise  to  it ;  and 
here  there  is  no  case  of  error.  But  if  it  be  really  lawful, 
and  the  vowing  of  it  lawful,  then  the  obligations  that  lie 
upon  this  man  are  these,  and  in  this  order,  (1.)  To  have  a 
humble  suspicion  of  his  own  understanding.  (2.)  To  search, 
and  learn,  and  use  all  means  to  discern  it  to  be  what  it  is. 
(3.)  In  the  use  of  these  means  to  acknowledge  the  truth. 
(4.)  And  then  to  promise  and  obey  accordingly.  Now  this 
being  his  duty,  and  the  order  of  his  duty,  you  cannot  say 
that  he  is  not  obliged  to  any  one  part  of  it,  though  he  be 
obliged  to  do  it  all  in  this  order,  and  therefore  not  to  do  the 
last  first,  without  the  former :  for  though  you  question  an 
hundred  times,  *  What  shall  he  do  as  long  as  he  cannot  see 
Uie  truth  V  the  law  of  God  is  still  the  same ;  and  his  error 
doth  not  disoblige  him :  *  Nemini  debetur  commodum  ex 
sua  culpa.'    So  many  of  these  acts  as  he  omitteth,  so  much 


68  CHRISTIAN   DIRECTORY.  [pART  III. 

he  sinneth.  It  is  his  sin  if  he  obey  not  the  magistrate  ;  and 
it  is  his  sin  that  he  misjudgeth  of  the  thing,  and  his  Bin 
that  he  doth  not  follow  ihe  use  of  the  means  till  he  be  in- 
formed. So  that  his  erring  conscience  entangleth  him  in  a 
necessity  of  sinning ;  but  disobligeth  him  not  at  all  from 
his  obedience.  2.  But  yet  this  is  certain,  that  in  snch  a 
case,  he  that  will  swear  because  man  biddeth  him,  when  he 
taketh  it  to  be  false,  is  a  perjured,  profane  despiser  of  God  ; 
but  he  that  forbeareth  to  swear  for  fear  of  sinning  against 
God,  is  guilty  only  of  a  pardonable,  involuntary  weakness. 
Direct,  xiv.  '  Take  heed  lest  the  secret  prevalency  of 
carnal  ends  or  interest,  and  of  fleshly  wisdom  do  bias  your 
judgment,  and  make  you  stretch  your  consciences  to  take 
those  vows  or  promises,  which  otherwise  you  would  judge 
unlawful,  and  refuse.'  Never  good  cometh  by  following 
the  reasonings  and  interest  of  the  flesh,  even  in  smaller 
matters ;  much  less  in  cases  of  such  great  importance. 
Meq  think  it  fitteth  them  at  the  present,  and  doth  the  busi- 
ness which  they  feel  most  urgent ;  but  it  payeth  them  home 
with  troubles  and  perplexities  at  the  last :  it  is  but  like  a 
draught  of  cold  water  in  a  fever.  You  have  some  present 
charr  to  do,  or  some  strait  to  pass  through,  in  which  you 
think  that  such  an  oath,  or  promise,  or  profession  would 
much  accommodate  you ;  and  therefore  you  venture  on  it» 
perhaps  to  your  perdition.  It  is  a  foolish  course  to  cure 
the  pcirts  (yea,  the  more  ignoble  parts)  with  the  neglect  and 
detriment  of  the  whole  :  it  is  but  like  those  that  cure  the 
itch  by  anointing  themselves  with  quicksilver ;  which  doth 
the  charr  for  them,  and  sendeth  them  after  to  their  graves, 
or  casteth  them  into  some  far  worse  disease.  Remember 
how  deceitful  a  thing  the  heart  is,  and  how  subtly  such 
poison  of  carnal  ends  will  insinuate  itself.  O  how  many 
thousands  hath  this  undone!  that  before  they  are  awafe» 
have  their  wills  first  charmed  and  inclined  to  the  forbidden 
thing,  and  fain  would  have  it  to  be  lawful ;  and  then  have 
brought  themselves  to  believe  it  lawful,  and  so  to  commit 
the  sin ;  and  next  to  defend  it,  and  next  to  become  the 
champions  of  satan,  to  fight  his  battles,  and  vilify  and  abuse 
them,  that  by  holy  wisdom  and  tenderness  have  kept  them* 
selves  from  the  deceit. 


QHAP.  v.]        CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  08 


Tit.  2.    Directions  against  Perjury  and  Perfidiousness :   and 

for  keeping  Votes  and  Oaths. 

Direct,  i.  '  Be  sure  that  you  have  just  apprehensions  of 
the  greatness  of  the  sin  of  perjury/  Were  it  seen  of  men  in 
its  proper  shape,  it  would  more  i^ight  them  from  it  than  a 
sight  of  the  devil  himself  would  do.  I  shall  shew  it  you  in 
part  in  these  particulars. 

1.  Itcontaineth  a  lie,  and  hath  all  the  malignity  in  it 
which  I  before  shewed  to  be  in  lying,  with  much  more.  2, 
Perjury  is  a  denial  or  contempt  of  God.  He  that  appealeth 
to  his  judgment  by  an  oath,  and  doth  this  in  falsehood  ^, 
doth  shew  that  either  he  believeth  not  that  there  is  a  God  ^, 
or  that  he  believeth  not  that,  he  is  the  righteous  governor  of 
the  world,  who  will  justly  determine  all  the  causes  that  be- 
long to  his  tribunal.  The  perjured  person  doth  as  it  were 
bid  defiance  to  God,  and  setteth  him  at  nought,  as  one  that 
is  not  able  to  be  avenged  on  him.  3.  Perjury  is  a  calling 
for  the  vengeance  of  God  against  yourselves.  You  invite 
God  to  plague  you,  as  if  you  bid  him  do  his  worst :  you  ap- 
peal to  him  for  judgment  in  your  guilt,  and  you  shall  find 
that  he  will  not  hold  you  guiltless.  Imprecations  against 
yourselves  are  implied  in  your  oaths :  he  that  sweareth  doth 
say  in  effect,  '  Let  God  judge  and  punish  me  as  a  perjured 
wretch,  if  I  speak  not  the  truth.'  And  it  is  a  dreadful  thing 
to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  living  God,  "  For  vengeance  is 
his  and  he  -will  recompence  :**  and  when  he  judgeth  the 
wicked,  "he  is  a  consuming  fire®.'*  4.  Perjury  and  perfi- 
dioosness  are  sins  that  leave  the  conscience  no  ease  of  an 
extenuation  or  excuse ;  but  it  is  so  heinous  a  villany,  that 
it  18  the  seed  of  self-tormenting  desperation.  Some  sins 
conscience  can  make  shift  awhile  to  hide,  by  saying,  '  It  is 
a  controversy :'  and  *  Many  wise  men  are  of  another  mind  :' 
bat  perjury  is  a  sin  which  heathens  and  infidels  bear  as  free 
a  testimony  against  (in  their  way)  as  Christians  do.     Some 

■  See  Cuaaboa'i  Exercit.  tOf . 

»  CotUin  Cic.  de  Nat  D.  to  prate  that  some  bold  there  is  no  God,  &aitb,  Quid 
de  acrifegia,  de  impiu,  de  perjorii  dicemui,  ti  carbo,  &c«  putaieet  eaae  Deut,  tam 
yttjuiui  aot  impioB  noo  foiMeu    See  lib.  u  6S.  (T.  C) 

•  Heb.  s.  31.  SO.    xii.  29. 


70  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY;  [PART  I1I« 

■ins  are  Bhifled  off  by  saying,  '  They  are  little  ones  :'  but 
Christians  P  and  heathens  are  agreed  that  perjury  is  a  sin 
almost  as  great  as  the  devil  can  teach  his  servants  to  com- 
mit. Saith  Plutarch  \  '  He  that  deceiveth  his  enemy  by  an 
oath,  doth  confess  thereby  that  he  feareth  his  enemy,  and 
despiseth  God/  Saith  Cicero,  '  The  penalty  of  perjury  is 
destruction  from  God,  and  shame  from  man/  Saith  Q. 
Curtius, '  Perfidiousness  is  a  crime  vehich  no  merits  can  mi- 
tigate.' Read  Cicero  de  Offic.  lib.  iii.  Saith  Aristotle, 
'  He  that  will  extenuate  an  oath,  must  say,  that  those  vil- 
lanous  wretches  that  think  God  seeth  not,  do  think  also  to 
go  away  with  their  perjury  unpunished.'  In  a  word,  the 
heathens  commonly  take  the  revenge  of  peijury  to  belong 
in  so  especial  a  manner  to  the  gods,  that  they  conclude  that 
man,  and  usually  his  posterity  to  be  destined  to  ruin,  that 
is  perjured  and  perfidious:  insomuch  that  it  is  written "^  of 
Agesilaus  and  many  others,  that  when  their  enemies  were 
perjured  and  broke  their  covenants,  they  took  it  for  a  sign  of 
victory,  and  the  best  prognostic  of  their  success  against 
them.  Plutarch  recordeth  this  story  of  Cleomenes,  that 
having  made  a  truce  for  seven  days  with  the  Argives,  he  set 
upon  them,  and  killed  and  took  many  of  them  in  the  night ; 
and  when  he  was  charged  with  perfidiousness,  answered,  *  I 
made  not  a  truce  with  them  for  seven  nights,  but  for  seven 
days.'  But  the  women  fetched  arms  out  of  the  temples  of 
the  gods,  and  repulsed  him  with  shame,  and  he  ran  mad, 
and  with  his  sword  did  mangle  his  own  body,  and  died  in  a 
most  hideous  manner.  Whta  conscience  is  awakened  to 
see  such  a  sin  as  perjury,  no  wonder  if  such  run  mad,  or 
hang  themselves,  as  perfidious  Achitophel  and  Judas  did. 
No  doubt  but  everlasting  horror  and  desperation  will  be  the 
end  of  such,  if  true  conversion  do  not  prevent  iU  5.  It  is 
a  sin  that  ruineth  families  and  societies  %  like  fire  that  being 

P  One  of  Cunutut'  laws  (S6>)  was,  that  perjured  pertons,  with  aoroeren,  idok- 
ters,  strumpets,  breakers  of  wedlock  be  boi^hed  the  realm :  dted  by  Bilwm  of 
Subject,  p.  {Of .     Hew  few  would  be  left  in  some  lands,  if  this  were  done. 

q  Plut.  in  Lysand.    Cicer.  de  Leg.  lib.  iii    Curt.  lib.  tH.    Arist.  Rhet.  c*  17. 

'  ^Kan.  Vari.  Hist.  lib.  xiv. 

■  Though  as  Modcr.  Folic,  saith,  Princ  7.  It  is  a  huge  advantage  that  mm 

hath  in  a  credulous  world,  that  can  easily  say  and  swear  to  any  thing:  and  yet  so 

'  palliate  his  perjuries  as  to  liide  them  from  the  cognisance  of  the  most.    Gabionitamm 

irritum  foedus,  calliditate  licet  extortum,  noonollis  intufisse  exitium,  &c«      Oildai 

in  Prolog,  p.  S.  Josselinc's  £d. 


CHAP,  v.]  CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  71 

kindled  in  the  thatch,  never  Atoppeth  till  it  have  consumed 
all  the  house.  Though  '*  the  curse  of  the  Lord  is  in  the 
house  of  the  wicked,  but  he  blesseth  the  habitation  of  the 
just*;''  yet  among  all  the  wicked,  there  are  few  so  com- 
monly marked  out  with  their  families  to  shame  and  ruin,  as 
the  perjured.  Whatever  nation  is  stigmatized  with  a  *  fides 
Punica  vel  Or&eca,'  '  with  the  brand  of  perjury,'  it  is  not 
only  their  greatest  infamy,  but  like  *  Lord  have  mercy  on  us' 
written  on  your  doors,  a  sign  of  a  destroying  plague  within  ^ 
Saith  Silius, 

NoQ  illi  domos  ant  conjox  aut  vita  manebit 

Unqaani  eipers  luctns,  lachrymseqne :  aget  sequore  aeniper 

'    Ac  telhuv  premens ;  aget  ngrani  nocte  dieqtie ; 

Detpecta  ac  Yiolaka  fidea<— 

Saith  Claudian, 

In  pralem  (Blatanmt  perjnria  patris/ 
£t  pcenam  merito  filtiis  ore  luit.- 

So  TibuUus, 

Ab  miser :  etnquu  primo  peijaria  celat, 
Sem  tameo  tacitos  poena  venit  pedibos. 

Saith  Pausanias,  *  The  fraud  that  is  committed  by  perjury, 
falleth  upon  posterity.'  6.  Perjury  and  perfidiousness  are 
virtttally  treason,  rebellion,  and  murder  against  kings  and 
magistrates,  and  no  more  to  be  favoured  in  a  kingdom,  by  a 
king  that  loveth  his  life  and  safety,  than  the  plague  in  a 
city,  or  poison  to  the  body.  '  Tristissimum  et  domesticum 
regibuB  omnibus  pharmacum  liberorum,  amicorum  et  exer- 
citOB  perfidia,'  saith  Appian.  What  security  have  princes 
of  their  crowns  or  lives,  where  oaths  and  covenants  seem 
not  obligatory?  There  is  then  nothing  left  but  fear  of  pu- 
mshment  to  restrain  the  violence  of  any  one  that  would  do 
them  mischief:  and  craft  or  strength  will  easily  break  the 
bonds  of  fear.  He  that  would  dissolve  the  bond  of  oaths, 
and  teach  men  to  make  light  of  perjury,  is  no  more  to  be 

■  Ptoy.  iiL  35. 

*  Hand  amentum  joititUe  est  fidet,  u  e.  dictoram  oonTcntoramque  constantia  et 
vifltaa.     Cicero. 


72  CHRISTIAN    DIKfiOTORY.  [PART    11I« 

endured  in  a  kingdom,  than  ^e  that  openly  inviteth  the 
subjects  to  kill  their  king,  or  rise  up  in  rebellion  against 
him.  If  he  that  breaketh  the  least  of  God's  commands,  and 
teacheth  men  so  to  do,  shall  be  called  least  in  the  kingdom 
of  God,  then  surely  he  that  breaketh  the  great  commands 
by  the  most  odious  sin  of  perjury,  and  teacheth  men  so  to 
do,  should  neither  be  great,  nor  any  thing,  in  the  kingdoms 
of  men.  7.  Perjury  is  the  poison  of  all  societies,  and  of 
friendship,  and  of  human  converse,  and  tumeth  all  into  a 
state  of  enmity  or  hostility,  and  teacheth  all  men  to  live  to- 
gether like  foes.  He  that  is  not  to  be  believed  when  he 
sweareth,  is  never  to  be  believed  :  and  when  oaths  and  co- 
venants signify  nothing,  and  no  man  can  believe  another, 
what  are  they  but  as  so  many  foes  to  one  another  ?  How 
can  there  be  any  relations  of  governors  and  subjects?  of 
husband  and  wife  ?  of  masters  and  servants  ?  Or  how  can 
there  be  any  trading  or  commerce,  when  there  is  no  trust  ? 
Perjury  dissolveth  all  societies  by  loosening  all  the  bonds  of 
association.  Well  might  Dionys.  Halic.  lib.  iii.  say,  '  The 
perfidious  are  far  worse  than  open  enemies,  and  worthy  of 
far  greater  punishment.  For  a  man  may  more  easily  avoid 
the  ambushments  of  foes,  and  repel  their  assaults,  dian  es- 
cape the  perfidiousness  of  seeming  firiends.'  Saith  Val. 
Max.  lib.  ix.  c.  6.  *  Perfidiousness  is  a  hidden  and  ensnaring 
mischief;  whose  effectual  force  is  in  lying  and  deceiving  : 
its  fruit  consisteth  in  some  horrid  villany ;  which  is  ripe  and 
sure  when  it  hath  compassed  cruelty  with  wicked  hands ; 
bringing  as  great  mischief  to  mankind,  as  fidelity  bringeth 
good  and  safety.'  He  that  teacheth  the  doctrine  of  perjury 
and  perfidiousness,  doth  bid  every  man  shift  for  himself,  and 
trust  no  more  his  friend  or  neighbour,  but  all  take  heed  of 
one  another  as  so  many  serpents  or  wild  beasts.  Lions  an^ 
bears  may  better  be  suffered  to  live  loose  among  men,  than 
those  that  teach  men  to  make  light  of  oaths.  8.  Thus  also 
it  destroyeth  personal  love,  and  teacheth  all  men  to  be 
haters  of  each  other :  for  it  can  be  no  better,  when  men  be- 
come such  hateful  creatures  to  each  other,  as  not  at  all  to  be 
credited  or  sociably  conversed  with.  9.  Perjury  and  per- 
fidiousness do  proclaim  men  deplorate ;  and  stigmatize  them 
with  this  character,  that  they  are  persons  that  will  stick  at 
the  committing  of  no  kind  of  villany  in  the  world,  further 


CHAP,  v.]  CHRISTIAN.  ECCL£SIASTICS.  73 

than  their  fleshly  interest  hindereth  them:  no  charity 
bindeth  a  man  to  think  that  he  will  make  conscience  of  mur- 
der, rebellion,  deceit,  adultery,  or  any  imaginable  wicked- 
ness, who  maketh  no  conscience  of  perjury  and  perfidiou^- 
ness.  Such  a  person  alloweth  you  to  judge  that  if  the  temp* 
tation  serve,  he  will  do  any  thing  that  the  devil  bids  him  : 
and  that  he  is  virtually  a  compound  of  all  iniquity,  atid  pre- 
pared for  every  evil  work.  10.  Lastly,  As  perjury  doth 
thus  dissolve  societies,  and  turn  mankind  into  enmity  with 
each  other,  so  it  would  make  the  misery  incurable,  by  mak- 
ing even  penitents  incredible.  Who  will  believe  him,  even 
while  he  professeth  to  repent,  that  hath  shewed  that  when  he 
Bweareth  he  is  not  to  be  believed  ?  He  that  dare  forswear 
himself,  dare  lie  when  he  pretendeth  repentance  for  his  per- 
jury. It  must  be  some  deeds  that  are  more  credible  than 
words  and  oaths,  that  must  recover  the  credit  of  such  a 
man's  professions.  If  perjury  have  violated  any  relations, 
it  leaveth  the  breach  almost  incurable,  because  no  profes- 
sions of  repentance  or  future  fidelity  can  be  trusted.  Thus 
I  have  partly  shewed  you  the  malignity  of  perjury  and  cove- 
nant-breaking. 

.  Direct,  ii.  '  Be  sure  that  you  make  no  vow  or  covenant 
which  God  hath  forbidden  you  to  keep.'  It  is  rash  vowing 
and  swearing  which  is  the  common  cause  of  perjury.  You 
should,  at  the  making  of  your  vow,  have  seen  into  the  bot- 
tom of  it,  and  foreseen  all  the  evils  that  might  follow  it,  and 
the  temptatioim  which  were  like  to  have  drawn  you  into 
perjury.  He  is  virtually  perjured  as  soon  as  he  hath  sworn, 
who  sweareth  to  do  that  which  he  must  not  do :  the  pre- 
ventive means  are  here  the  best. 

Direct,  in.  '  Be  sure  you  take  no  oath  or  vow  which  you 
are  not  sincerely  resolved  to  perform  ^'  They  that  swear  or 
vow  with  a  secret  reserve,  that  rather  than  they  will  be  ruin- 

*  Lege  diadnctiooem  Grotii  inter  Iv  o(b«V  et  ^fulfl|Kil^,  Annot.  in  Matt.  r.  SS. 
Hodern  Policy,  (sa|ypoMd  Dr.  Sandcroft's)  Princ.  7.  1.  We  are  readjr  to  interpret 
the  words  too  Itindly,  especially  if  thej  be  ambiguous:  and  it  is  hard  to  find  terms 
so  positive,  but  that  they  may  be  eluded  iiideed,  or  seem  to  us  to  be  so,  if  we  be  du- 
poaed.  f .  Some  are  inrited  to  illicit  promises,  *  qua  iliicite,'  because  they  know 
them  to  be  invalid.  S.  Some  are  frighted  into  these  bonds  by  threats  and  losses, 
and  temporal  oonceroroents,  and  then  they  please  themselves  that  they  swear  by 
dmem,  and  so  are  disengaged.     4.  Some  are  oath-proof,  &c. 


74  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

ed  by  keeping  it,  are  habitually  and  reputatively  perjured 
persons,  even  before  they  break  it :  besides  that,  they  shew 
a  base,  hypocritical,  profligate  conscience,  that  can  delibe- 
rately commit  so  great  a  sin* 

Direct,  iv.  '  See  that  all  fleshly,  worldly  interest  be 
fully  subdued  to  the  interest  of  your  souls,  and  to  the  will 
of  God.'  He  that  at  the  heart  sets  more  by  his  body  than 
his  soul,  and  loveth  his  worldly  prosperity  above  God,  will 
lie,  or  swear,  or  forswear,  or  do  any  thing  to  save  that  carnal 
interest  which  he  most  valueth.  He  that  is  carnal  and 
worldly  at  the  heart,  is  false  at  the  heart :  the  religion  of 
such  an  hypocrite  will  give  place  to  his  temporal  safety  or 
commodity,  and  will  carry  him  no  further  than  the  way  is 
fair.  It  is  no  wonder  that  a  proud  man,  or  a  worldling  will 
renounce  both  God  and  his  true  felicity  for  the  world,  seeing 
indeed  he  taketh  it  for  his  god  and  his  felicity :  even  as  a 
believer  will  renounce  the  world  for  God". 

Direct,  v.  '  Beware  of  inordinate  fear  of  man,  and  of  a 
distrustful  withdrawing  of  your  heart  from  God.'  Else  you 
will  be  carried  to  comply  with  the  will  of  man,  before  the 
will  of  God,  and  to  avoid  the  wrath  of  man  before  the  wrath 
of  God.  Read  and  fear  that  heavy  curse,  Jeir*  xvii.  5,  6. 
God  is  unchangeable,  and  hath  commanded  you  so  far  to 
imitate  him,  as  '  If  a  man  vow  a  vow  unto  the  Lord,  or 
swear  an  oath  to  bind  his  soul  with  a  bond,  he  shall  not 
break  his  word ;  he  shall  do  according  to  all  that  proceedeth 
out  of  his  mouth  ^."  But  man  is  mutable,  and  so  is  his  in- 
terest and  his  affairs ;  and  therefore  if  you  are  the  servants 
of  men,  you  must  swear  one  year,  and  forswear  it,  or  swear 
the  contrary  the  next :  when  their  interest  requireth  it,  you 
must  not  be  thought  worthy  to  live  among  men,  if  you  will 
not  promise  or  swear  as  they  command  you :  and  when  their 
interest  altereth  and  requireth  the  contrary,  you  must  hold 
all  those  bonds  to  be  but  straws,  and  break  them  for  their 
ends. 

Direct,  vi.  '  Be  sure  that  you  lose  not  the  fear  of  God, 
and  the  tenderness  of  your  consciences.'  When  these  are 
lost,  your  understanding,  and  sense,  and  life  are  lost ;  and 

0  It  b  one  Solon's  sajings  in  Laertios,  Probitatemjure-jurando  certiorein  habe. 
What  will  not  an  atheisjdcal.  impious  person  saj  or  swear,  for  adir8ntf^;ef 
*  Numb.  XXX.  fi. 


CHAP,  v.]         CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICIK.  75 

you  will  not  stick  at  the  greatest  vrickedness ;  nor  know 
when  you  have  done  it,  what  you  did.  If  faith  see  not  God 
continually  present,  and  foresee  not  the  great  approaching 
day,  perjury  or  any  villany  will  seem  tolerable,  for  worldly 
ends ;  for  when  you  look  but  to  men's  present  case,  you 
will  see  that  **  the  righteous  and  the  wise,  and  their  works 
are  in  the  hand  of  God :  no  man  knoweth  love  6r  hatred  by 
all  that  is  before  them.  All  things  come  alike  to  all :  there 
is  one  event  to  the  righteous,  and  to  the  wicked ;  to  the 
good,  and  to  the  clean,  and  to  the  unclean ;  to  him  that  sa- 
crificeth,  and  to  him  that  sacrificeth  not :  as  is  the  good,  so 
is  the  siimer ;  and  he  that  sweareth,  as  he  that  feareth  an 
oath  ^J*  But  in  the  end,  men  **  shall  discern  between  the 
righteous  and  the  wicked '/'  Therefore  it  is  the  believing 
foresight  of  the  end,  that  by  preserving  the  fear  of  God 
and  tenderness  of  conscience,  must  save  you  from  this,  and 
all  other  heinous  sin. 

Direct.  VII.  'Be  not  bold  and  rash  about  such  dreadful 
things  as  vows.'  Run  not  as  fearlessly  upon  them  as  if  you 
were  but  going  to  your  dinner :  the  wrath  of  God  is  not  to  be 
jested  with.  *  Usque  ad  aras,'  was  the  bounds  even  of  a 
heathen's  kindness  to  his  friend.  Meddle  with  oaths  with 
the  greatest  fear,  and  caution,  and  circumspection.  It  is 
terrible  here  to  find  that  you  were  mistaken,  through  any 
temerity,  or  negligence,  or  secret  seduction  of  a  carnal  in- 
terest. 

Direct,  viii.  '  Especially  be  very  fearful  of  owning  any 
public  doctrine,  or  doing  any  public  act,  which  tendeth  to 
harden  others  in  their  perjury,  or  to  encourage  multitudes 
to  commit  the  sin  *.'  To  be  forsworn  yourselves  is  a  dread- 
ful case ;  but  to  teach  whole  nations  or  churches  to  for- 
swear themselves,  or  to  plead  for  it,  or  justify  it  as  a  lawful 
thing,  is  much  more  dreadful.  And  though  you  teach  not 
or  own  not  perjury  under  the  name  of  perjury,  yet  if  first 
you  will  make  plain  perjury  to  seem  no  perjury,  that  so  you 
may  justify  it,  it  is  still  a  most  inhuman,  horrid  act.  God 
knoweth  I  insult  not  over  the  Papists,  with  a  delight  to 
make  any  Christians  odious :  but  with  grief  I  remember 
how  lamentably  they  have  abused  our  holy  profession,  while 

T  Eccles.  U.  1,  2.  >  Mai.  iiL  18. 

•  Nunc  Dime  qui  fcsdera  rompit,  Ditatar :  Qiu  lenrat  eget.    Claudian. 


76  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART    111. 

not  only  their  great  doctors,  but  their  approved  General 
Council  at  the  Lateran  under  Pope  Innocent  the  Third,  in 
the  third  canon  hath  decreed  that  the  pope  may  depose 
temporal  lords  from  their  dominions,  and  give  them  unto 
others,  and  discharge  their  vassals  from  their  allegiance 
and  fidelity,  if  they  be  heretics,  or  will  not  exterminate  he- 
retics, (even  such  as  the  holy  men  there  condemned  were,  in 
the  pope's  account).  To  declare  to  many  Christian  nations, 
that  it  is  lawful  to  break  their  oaths  and  promises  to  their 
lawful  lords  and  rulers,  or  their  vows  to  God,  and  to  under- 
take, by  defending  or  owning  this,  to  justify  all  those  na- 
tions that  shall  be  guilty  of  this  perjury  and  perfidiousness, 

0  what  a  horrid  crime  is  this  1  what  a  shame  even  unto 
human  nature !  and  how  great  a  wrong  to  the  Christian 
name ! 

Direct,  ix.  '  Understand  and  remember  these  following 
rules,  to  acquaint  you  how  far  a  vow  is  obligatory  :*  which 

1  shall  give  for  the  most  part  out  of  Dr.  Sanderson,  because 
his  decisions  of  these  cases  are  now  of  best  esteem. 

Ruk  I.  '  The  general  rule  laid  down  Numb.  xxx.  2,  3. 
doth  make  a  vow,  as  such,  to  be  obligatory,  though  the  par- 
ty should  have  a  secret  equivocation  or  intent,  that  though 
he  speak  the  words  to  deceive  another,  yet  he  will  not  oblige 
himself/  Such  a  reserve  not  to  oblige  himself  hindereth  not 
the  obligation,  but  proveth  him  a  perfidious  hypocrite.  Dr. 
Sanderson,  p.  23.  '  Juramentum  omne  ex  su&  natur&  est 
obligatorium :  ita  ut  si  quis  juret  nonintendens  se  obligare, 
nihilominus  tamen  suscipiendo  juramentum  ipso  facto  obli- 
getur :'  that  is.  If  he  so  far  understand  what  he  doth,  as  that 
his  words  may  bear  the  definition  of  an  oath  or  vow :  other- 
wise if  he  speak  the  words  of  an  oath  in  a  strange  language, 
thinking  they  signify  something  else,  or  if  he  spake  in  his 
sleep,  or  deliration,  or  distraction,  it  is  no  oath,  and  so  not 
obligatory. 

Rule  II.  '  Those  conditions  are  to  be  taken  as  intended 
in  all  oaths,  (whether  expressed  or  no,)  which  the  very  na- 
ture of  the  thing  doth  necessarily  imply** ;'  unless  any  be  so 
brutish  as  to  express  the  contrary).  And  these  are  all  redu- 
cible to  two  heads,  1.  A  natural,  and  2.  A  moral  impossibi- 
lity.    1 .  Whoever  sweareth  to  do  any  thing,  or  give  any 

i>  See  Dr.  Sendenoii,p.  47  and  197. 


CHAP,  v.]       CURISTIA)^    ECOLBSlASTICS.  77 

thing,  is  supposed  to  mean, '  If  I  live ;  and  if  I  be  not  dis- 
abled in  my  body,  faculties,  estate  ;  if  God  make  it  not  im- 
possible to  be/  kc.     For  no  man  can  be  supposed  to  mean, 
I  will  do  it  whether  God  will  or  not,  and  whether  i  live  or 
not,  and  whether  I  be  able  or  not.'    2.  Whoever  voweth  or 
sweareth  to  do  any  thing,  must  be  understood  to  mean  it  *  If 
no  change  of  providence  make  it  a  sin ;  or  if  I  find  not  con- 
trary to  my  present  supposition,  that  God  forbiddeth  it/ 
For  no  man  that  is  a  Christian  is  to  be  supposed  to  mean 
when  he  voweth,  '  I  will  do  this,  though  God  forbid  it,  or 
though  it  prove  to  be  a  sin  /  especially  when  men  therefore 
vow  it,  because  they  take  it  to  be  a  duty.     Now  as  that 
which  is  sinful  is  morally  impossible,  so  there  are  divers 
ways  by  which  a  thing  may  appear  or  become  sinful  to  us. 
(1.)  When  we  find  it  forbidden  directly  in  the  Word  of  God, 
which  at  first  we  understood  not.    (2.)  When  the  change  of 
things  doth  make  that  a  sin,  which  before  was  a  duty:  of 
which  may  be  given  an  hundred  instances :  as  when  the 
change  of  a  man's  estate,  of  his  opportunities,  of  his  liberty, 
of  his  parts  and  abilities,  of  objects,  of  customs,  of  the  laws 
of  civil  governors,  doth  change  the  very  matter  of  his  dnty^ 
Quest.  *  But  will  every  change  disoblige  us?     If  not, 
what  change  must  it  be  ?  seeing  casuists  use  to  put  it  as  a 
condition  in  general,  *  rebus  sic  stantibus.'    Answ.  No :  it 
is  not  every  change  of  things  that  disobligeth  us  from  the 
bonds  of  a  vow.     For  then  vows  were  of  no  considerable 
signification.    But,  1.  If  the  very  matter  that  was  vowed, 
or  about  which  the  vow  was,  do  cease,  '  cessante  materia 
cessat  obligatio'^:  as  if  I  promise  to  teach  a  pupil,  I  am  dis- 
obl^edwhen  he  is  dead.     If  I  promise  to  pay  so  much  mo- 
ney in  gold,  and  the  king  should  forbid  gold  and  change  his 
coin,  I  am  not  obliged  to  it.  2.  *  Cessante  termino  vel  corre- 
lato  cessat  obligatio.'    If  the  party  die  to  whom  I  am  bound, 
my  personal  obligation  ceaseth.     And  so.  the  conjugal  bond 
ceaseth  at  death,  and  civil  bonds  by  civil  death.    3.  '  Ces- 
sante fine,  cessat  obligatio.'     If  the  use  and  end  wholly 
cease,  my  obligation,  which  was  only  to  that  use  and  end, 
ceaseth.     As  if  a  physician  promise  to  give  physic  for  no- 

• 

*  Cicefo  de  Leg.  lib.  i.  pro? cth  that  right  is  founded  in  the  law  of  natare,  more 
than  in  man's  laws:  else,  taith  he,  men  may  make  evil  good,  and  good  evil,  and 
iadvKery,  perjorj,  Ace.  just  bj  making  a  law  for  them. 


78  CHRISTIAN    DIHECTORY.  [PART    111. 

thing  for  the  cure  of  the  plague,  to  all  the  poor  of  the  city ; 
when  the  plague  ceaseth^  his  end,  and  so  his  obligation, 
ceaseth.  4.  *  Cessante  person^  naturali  relat&  cessat  obli- 
gatio  personalis/  When  the  natural  person  dieth,  the  obli- 
gation ceaseth.  I  cannot  be  obliged  to  do  that  when  I  am 
dead,  which  is  proper  to  the  living.  The  subject  of  the  ob- 
ligation ceasing,  the  accidents  must  cease.  5.  *  Cessante 
relatione  vel  persona  civili,  cessat  obligatio  talis,  quit  talis.' 
The  obligation  which  lay  on  a  person  in  any  relation  merely 
as  such,  doth  cease  when  that  relation  ceaseth.  A  king  is 
not  bound  to  govern  or  protect  his  subjects  if  they  traiter- 
ously  depose  him,  or  if  he  cast  them  off,  and  take  another 
kingdom,  (as  when  Henry  III.  of  France,  left  the  kingdom 
of  Poland:)  nor  are  subjects  bound  to  allegiance  and  obe- 
dience to  him  that  is  not  indeed  their  king.  A  judge,  or 
justice,  or  constable,  or  tutor,  is  no  longer  bound  by  his 
oath  to  do  the  offices  of  these  relations,  than  he  continueth 
in  the  relation.  A  divorced  wife  is  not  bound  by  her  con- 
jugal vow  to  her  husband  as  before,  nor  masters  and  ser- 
vants, when  their  relations  cease :  nor  a  soldier  to  his  gene- 
ral by  his  military  sacrament,  when  the  army  is  disbanded, 
or  he  is  cashiered  or  dismissed. 

Ruk  III.  'No  vows  or  promises  of  our  own  can  dissolve 
the  obligation,  laid  upon  us  by  the  law  of  God.'  For  we 
have  no  co-ordinate,  much  less  superior  authority  over  our- 
selves ;  our  self-obligations  are  but  for  the  furthering  of  our 
obedience. 

Rule  IV.  '  Therefore  no  vows  can  disoblige  a  man  from 
any  present  duty,  nor  justify  him  in  the  committing  of  any 
sin.'  Vows  are  to  engage  us  to  God,  and  not  against  him  : 
if  the  matter  which  we  vow  be  evil,  it  is  a  sin  to  vow  it,  and 
a  sin  to  do  it  upon  pretence  of  a  vow.  Sin  is  no  accepta- 
ble sacrifice  to  God. 

Rule  V.  '  If  I  vow  that  I  will  do  some  duty  better,  I  am 
not  thereby  disobliged  from  doing  it  at  all,  when  I  am  dis- 
abled from  doing  it  better*^.'     Suppose  a  magistrate,  seeing 

^  How  often  perjury  hath  miDed  Christian  princes  and  states  all  historj  doth 
testify.  The  ruin  of  the  Roman  empire  by  the  Goths,  was  by  this  means.  Alaricas 
having  leave  to  live  quietiy  in  France,  Stilico  comes  in  pemiciera  Reipub.  Gothos  per- 
tentans,  dum  eos  imidiis  aggredi  cuperet,  belli  summam  Saulo  pagano  dud  commiut : 
qui  ipso  sacratissimo  die  Paschas,  Gothis  nil  tale  suspicantlbus,  8U|)er  eos  imiit,  nag- 
namque  eorum  panem  prostravit.    Nam  primum  perturbati  Gothi,  ac  propter  reli- 


CHAP*  v.]        CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  79 

• 

moch. amiss  in  church  and  commonwealth,  doth  vow  a  re- 
formation, and  vow  against  the  abases  which  he  findeth ;  if 
now  the  people's  obstinacy  and  rebellion  disable  him  to 
perform  that  vow,  it  doth  not  follow  that  he  must  lay  down 
his  sceptre,  and  cease  to  govern  them  at  all,  because  he 
cannot  do  it  as  he  ought,  if  he  were  free.     So  if  the  pastors 
of  any  church  do  vow  the  reformation  of  church  abuses,  in 
their  places,  if  they  be  hindered  by  their  rulers,  or  by  the 
people,  it  doth  not  follow  that  they  must  lay  down  their 
callings,  and  not  worship  God  publicly  at  all,  because  they 
cannot  do  it  as  they  would,  and  ought  if  they  were  free ;  as 
long  as  they  may  worship  him  without  committing  any  sin. 
God's  first  obligation  on  me  is  to  worship  him,  and  the  se- 
cond for  the  manner,  to  do  it  as  near  his  order  as  I  can : 
•now  if  I  cannot  avoid  the  imperfections  of  worship,  though 
I  vowed  it,  I  must  not  therefore  avoid  the  worship  itself,  (as 
long  as  corruptions  destroy  not  the  very  nature  of  it,  and  I 
am  put  myself  upon  no  actual  sin).     For  I  was  bound  to 
worship  God  before  my  vows,  and  in  order  of  nature  before 
my  obligation  '  de  modo  :'  and  my  vow  was  made  with  an 
implied  condition,  that  the  thing  were  possible  and  lawful : 
and  when  that  ceaseth  to  be  possible  or  lawful  which  I  vow- 
ed, I  must  nevertheless^do  that  which  still  remaineth  possi- 
ble and  lawful.     To  give   over  God's  solemn  worship  with 
the  church,  is  no  reformation.     To  prefer  no  worship  before 
imperfect  worship,  is  a  greater  deformation  and  corruption, 
than  to  prefer  imperfect  worship  before  that  which  is  more 
perfect.     And  to  prefer  a  worship  imperfect  in  the  manner, 
before  no  church  worship  at  all,  is  a  greater  reformation  than 
to  prefer  a  more  perfect  manner  of  worship  before  a  more 
imperfect  and  defective.     To  worship  God  decently  and  in 
order,  supposeth  that  he  must  be  worshipped ;  and  he  that 
doth  not  worship  at  all,  doth  not  worship  him  decently. 
If  a  physician  vow  that  he  will  administer  a  certain  effectual 
antidote  to  all  his  patients  that  have  the  plague,  and  that  he 
will  not  administer  a  certain  less  effectual  preparation,  which 
some  apothecaries,  through  covetousness  or  carelessness. 


oedentes,  demum  arma  corripiunt,  victoreroqae  virtute  potion  prottemuut 
exerdtwD:  hioc  in  rabiern  furoris  excitantur.  Coeptom  iter  deserentes,  Romam 
ooolviidiiot  petere,  cuncta  igne  ferroqae  vaitantes  :  nee  mora ;  venkntet  orbem  ca« 
phiat,  devastaiity  iocendant,  &c.  Paul  Diaconus,  lib.  3. 


80  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART   III. 

had  brought  into  common  use,  to  the  injury  of  the  sick; 
his  vow  is  to  be  interpreted  with  these  exceptions,  '  I  will 
do  it  if  I  can,  without  dishonesty  or  a  greater  mischief:  I 
will  not  administer  the  sophisticated  antidote  when  I  can 
have  better :  I  vow  this  for  my  patients'  benefit,  and  not  for 
their  destruction/  Therefore  if  the  sophisticated  antidote 
is  much  better  than  none,  and  may  save  men's  lives,  and 
the  patients  grow  wilful  and  will  take  no  other,  or  autho- 
rity forbid  the  use  of  any  other,  the  physician  is  neither 
bound  to  forsake  his  calling  rather  than  use  it,  nor  to  neg- 
lect the  life  of  his  patients :  (if  their  lives  indeed  lie  upon 
his  care,  and  they  may  not  be  in  some  good  hopes  without 
him,  and  the  good  of  many  require  him  not  to  neglect  a 
few).  But  he  must  do  what  he  can,  when  he  cannot  do 
what  he  would,  and  only  shew  that  he  consenteih  not  to 
the  sophistication. 

Ruk  VI.  '  Though  he  that  voweth  a  lawful  thing,  must 
be  understood  to  mean,  if  it  continue  possible  and  lawful; 
yet  if  he  himself  be  the  culpable  cause  Uiat  afterwards  it  be* 
Cometh  impossible  or  unlawful,  he  violateth  his  vow.'  He 
that  voweth  to  give  so  much  to  the  poor,  and  after  prodi- 
gally wasteth  it,  and  hath  it  not  to  give,  doth  break  his 
vow;  which  he  doth  not  if  fire  and  thieves  deprive  him  of  it 
against  his  will.  He  that  voweth  to  preach  the  Gospel,  if 
he  cut  out  his  own  tongue,  or  culpably  procure  another  to 
imprison,  silence  or  hinder  him,  doth  break  his  vow ;  which 
he  did  not  if  the  hindrance  were  involuntary  and  insupera- 
ble ;  consent  doth  make  the  impedition  his  own  act. 

Rule  VII.  'In  the  taking  and  keeping  of  oaths  and  vows 
we  must  deal  simply  and  openly  wiUiout  equivocation  and 
deceit*'.'  ''Who  shall  ascend  into  the  hill  of  the  Lord?  or 
who  shall  stand  in  his  holy  place  ?  He  that  hath  clean 
hands,  and  a  pure  heart ;  who  hath  not  lifted  up  his  soul 
unto  vanity,  nor  sworn  deceitfully.  He  shall  receive  the 
blessing  from  the  Lord,  and  righteousness  from  the  Ood  of 
,his  salvation  ^" 

Ruk  VIII.  'He  that  juggleth  or  stretcheth  his  conscience 
by  fraudulent  shifts  and  interpretations  afterwards,  is  as  bad 
as  he  that  dissembleth  in  the  taking  of  the  oath.'  To  break 
it  by  deceit,  is  as  bad  as  to  take  it  in  deceit.     "  Lord  who 

*  Sanders,  pp.  50,  3l.  '  PmU.  xxiv.  3—5. 


CHAP,  v.]         CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  81 

shall  abide  in  thy  tabernacle he  that  sweareth  to  his 

own  hurt  and  changeth  not  ^Z'  Saith  Dr.  Sanderson  ^,  "  Ista 
'mihi  aut  non  cogitare/'  &c.  '*  It  seemeth  to  me  that  the 
greater  part  of  the  men  of  these  times  either  think  not  of 
these  things,  or  at  least  not  seriously :  who  fear  not,  at 
large  and  in  express  words,  without  going  about,  to  swear 
to  all  that,  whatever  it  be,  which  is  proposed  to  them  by 
those  that  have  power  to  hurt  them :  yea,  and  they  take 
themselves  for  the  only  wise  men,  and  not  without  some 
disdain  deride  the  simplicity  and  needless  fear  of  those,  that 
lest  they  hurt  their  consciences  forsooth,  do  seek  a  knot  in 
a  rush,  and  oppose  the  forms  prescribed  by  those  that  have 
power  to  prescribe  them.  And  in  the  meantime  they  se- 
curely free  themselves  from  til  crime  and  fear  of  perjury, 
and  think  they  have  looked  well  to  themselves  and  their 
consciences,  if  either  when  they  swear,  like  Jesuits,  they 
can  defend  themselves  by  the  help  of  some  tacit  equivoca- 
tion, or  mental  reservation,  or  subtle  interpretation  which 
is  strained  and  utterly  alien  from  the  words ;  or  else  after 
they  have  sworn  can  find  some  chink  to  slip  through,  some 
cunning  evasion,  as  a  wise  remedy,  by  which  they  may  so 
elude  their  oath,  as  that  keeping  the  words,  the  sense  may 
by  some  sophism  be  eluded,  and  all  the  force  of  it  utterly 
enervated.  The  ancient  Christians  knew  not  this  divinity, 
nor  the  sounder  heathens  this  moral  philosophy.  Far  other- 
wise saith  Augustine, '  They  are  peijured,  who  keeping  the 
words,  deceive  the  expectation  of  those  they  swear  to : ' 
and  otherwise  saith  Cicero,'^  &c.  He  goeth  on  to  confirm 
it  at  large  by  argument. 

Rule  IX.  'An  oath  is  to  be  taken  and  interpreted  stricti 
ly.'  Sanderson  saith  **,'' Juramenti  obligatio  est  stricti  ju-^ 
ris ; "  that  is, ''  non  ut  excludat  juris  interpretationem  eaqui- 
tate  temperatam;  sed  ut  excludat  juris  interpretationem 
gratia  corruptam : "  "  not  as  excluding  an  equitable  inter- 
pretation, but  as  excluding  an  interpretation  corrupted  by 
partiality:''  that  it  be  a  just  interpretation,  between  the  ex- 
tremes of  rigid,  and  favourable  or  partial ;  and  in  doubtful 

'  Ftel.  XV.  1. 4.  '  Sanders,  pp.  32—41. 

k  Sanders,  pp.  41 — 44.    Ubide  justu  sensa  ambigitur,  longe  Mtios  est  et  nam*» 
ne  rei  ■ccommodaUni,  strictiore  qoara  benigDiare  uti  interpretatione.  ibid.  p.  4ix 
VOL,  V,  G 


82  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

cases  it  is  safer  to  follow  the  strict,  than  the  benign  or  &- 
vourable  sense.  It  is  dangerous  stretching  and  venturing 
too  far  in  matters  of  so  sacred  a  nature,  and  of  such  great 
importance  as  tows  and  oaths. 

Rule  X.  '  In  the  exposition  of  such  doubtful  oaths  and 
Yows,  1.  We  must  specially  watch  against  self-interest  or 
commodity  that  it  corrupt  not  our  understandings.  2.  And 
we  must  not  take  our  oaths  or  any  part  of  them  in  such  a 
sense,  as  a  pious,  prudent  stander-by  that  is  impartial,  and 
no  whit  interested  in  the  business,  cannot  easily  find  in  the 
words  themselves*.' 

Ruk  XI.  *  In  doubtful  cases  the  greatest  danger  must  be 
most  carefully  avoided,  and  the  safer  side  preferred:  but 
the  danger  of  the  soul  by  pequry  is  the  greatest,  and  there- 
fore no  bodily  danger  should  so  carefully  be  avoided  :  and 
therefore  an  oath  that  in  the  common  and  obvious  sense 
seemeth  unlawful  should  not  be  taken,  unless  there  be  very 
full  evidence  that  it  hath  another  sense.'  Sand.  p.  46.  '  Niti- 
tur  autem,'  8cc.  This  reason  leaueth  on  that  general  and 
most  uceful  rule,  that  in  doubtful  cases  we  must  follow  the 
safer  side :  but  it  is  safer  not  to  swear,  where  the  words  of 
the  oath  proposed,  do  seem  according  to  the  common  and 
obvious  sense  of  the  words  to  contain  in  them  something 
unlawful ;  than  by  a  loose  interpretation  so  to  lenify  them 
for  our  own  ends,  that  we  may  the  more  securely  swear 
them.  For  it  is  plain  that  such  an  oath  may  be  refused 
without  the  peril  of  perjury  ;  but  not  that  it  can  be  taken 
without  some  danger  or  fear.  The  same  rule  must  guide  us 
also  in  keeping  vows. 

Rule  xii.  'It  is  ordinarily  resolved  that  imposed  oaths 
must  be  kept  according  to  the  sense  of  the  imposer/  See 
Sanderson,  pp.  191,  192.  But  I  conceive  that  assertion  must 
be  more  exactly  opened  and  bounded.  1.  Where  justice 
requireth  that  we  have  respect  to  the  will  or  right  of  the  im- 
poser,  there  the  oath  imposed  must  be  taken  in  his  senses 
but  whether  it  must  be  kept  in  his  sense  is  further  to  be 
considered.  2.  When  I  have  done  my  best  to  understand 
the  sense  of  the  imposer  in  taking  the  oath,  and  yet  mis- 
take it,  and  so  take  it  (without  fmud)  in  anothef  sense,  the 
question  then  is  somewhat  hard,  whether  I  must  keep  it  in  ' 
the  sense  I  took  it  in,  or  in  his  sense,  which  then  I  under- 

'  Sanders,  p.  46. 


CHAP,  v.]        CHRISTIAN  £OCLESIASTICS.  83 

stood  not.  If  I  must  not  keep  it  in  my  own  sense,  which  I 
took  it  in,  then  it  wotdd  follow  that  I  must  keep  another 
oath,  and  not  that  which  I  took :  foir  it  is  th^  sense  that  is 
the  oath.  And  I  never  obliged  lUyself  to  any  thing,  but  ac- 
cording to  my  own  sense :  and  yet  on  the  other  side,  if 
erety  man  may -take  oaths  in  their  private  sense,  then  oaths 
will  not  attain  their  ends,  nor  b^  any  security  to  the  impo-  ^ 
sers. 

In  this  case  you  must  carefully  distihgUish  between  the 
formal  obligation  of  the  oath  dt  vow  as  such,  and  the  obli- 
gation of  justice  to  my  neighbdut  which  is  a  consequent  of 
my  vow.  And  for  the  former  I  conceive  (with  submission) 
that  an  oath  or  vow  cannot  bind  me,  formally  as  such,  in 
any  sense  but  my  own  in  which  '  bond,  fide'  I  took  it.  Be- 
cause formally  an  oath  cannot  bind  me  which  I  never  took : 
but  I  never  took  that  which  I  never  meant,  or  thought  of; 
if  you  so  define  an  oath  as  to  take  in  the  sense,  which  is  the 
soul  of  it. 

But  then  in  regard  of  the  consequential  obligation  in 
point  of  justice  unto  man,  the  question  I  think  must  be  thus 
resolved.  1.  We  must  distinguish  between  a  lawful  impo- 
ser  or  contractor,  and  a  violent  usurper  or  robber  that  inju- 
riously compelleth  us  to  swear.  2.  Between  the  obvious, 
usual  sense  of  the  words,  and  an  unusual,  forced  sense.  3. 
Between  a  sincere,  involuntary  misunderstanding  the  impo- 
ser,  and  iL  voluntary,  fraudulent  reservation  or  private  sense. 
4.  Between  one,  that  I  owe  something  to  antecedently,  and 
one  that  I  owe  nothing  to  but  by  the  mere  self-obligation  of 
my  vow.  6.  Between  an  imposer  that  is  himself  the  culpa- 
ble causii  bf  my  misunderstanding  him,  and  one  that  is  not 
the  caiise,  but  my  own  weakness  or  negligence  is  the  cause. 
6.  Between  a  case  where  both  senses  may  be  kept,  and  a 
case  where  they  cannot,  being  inconsistent.  Upon  these 
distinctions,  I  thus  resolve  the  question. 

Prop.  I.  If  I  fraudulently  and  wilfully  take  an  o&th  in  a 
sMse  of  my  own,  contrary  to  the  sense  of  the  imposer,  and 
tlie  commoii  and  just  sense  of  the  words  themselves,  I  am 
guilty  of  perfidiousness  and  profaneness  in  the  very  taking 
ofit^ 

'  They  wer^  ill  timet  that  Abbu  Uspergenais  describeth  Cbron.  p.  SfO.     Ut 
homo  jam  A  perjornst  et  praedtctis  fadnoribas  implicatuf,  ut  v\x  excosari  pes* 


84  CHRISTIAN  DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

Prop.  II.  If  it  be  long  of  my  own  culpable  ignorance  or 
negligence  that  I  misunderstood  the  imposer,  I  am  not 
thereby  disobliged  from  the  public  sense. 

Prop.  III.  When  the  imposer  openly  putteth  a  sense  on 
the  words  imposed  contrary  to  the  usual,  obvious  sense,  I 
am  to  understand  him  according  to  his  own  expression,  and 
not  to  take  the  oath,  as  imposed  in  any  other  sense* 

Prop.  IV.  If  the  imposer  refuse  or  neglect  to  tell  me  his 
sense  any  otherwise  than  in  the  imposed  words,  I  am  to 
take  and  keep  them  according  to  the  obvious  sense  of  the 
words,  as  they  are  commonly  used  in  the  time  and  place 
which  I  live  in. 

Prop.  V.  If  it  be  long  of  the  imposer's  obscurity,  or  re- 
fusing to  explain  himself,  or  other  culpable  cause  that  I 
mistook  him,  I  am  not  bound  to  keep  my  oath  in  his  sense, 
as  different  from  my  own  (unless  there  be  some  other  rea- 
son for  it). 

Prop.  VI.  If  the  imposer  be  a  robber  or  usurper,  or  one 
that  I  owe  nothing  to  in  justice,  but  what  I  oblige  myself 
to  by  my  oath,  I  am  not  then  bound  at  all  to  keep  my  oath 
in  his  sense,  if  my  own  sense  was  according  to  the  common 
use  of  the  words. 

Prop.  VII.  Though  I  may  not  lie  to  a  robber  or  tyrant 
that  unjustly  imposeth  promises  or  oaths  upon  me,  yet  if  he 
put  an  oath  or  promise  on  me  which  is  good  and  lawful  in 
the  proper,  usual  sense  of  the  words,  though  bad  in  his 
sense,  (which  is  contrary  to  the  plain  words,)  whether  I  may 
take  this  to  save  my  liberty  or  life,  I  leave  to  the  considera- 
tion of  the  judicious :  that  which  may  be  said  against  it  is, 
that  oaths  must  not  be  used  indirectly  and  dissemblingly  : 
that  which  may  be  said  for  it  is,  1.  That  I  have  no  obliga- 
tion to  fit  my  words  to  his  personal,  private  sense.  2.  That 
I  deceive  him  not,  but  only  permit  him  to  deceive  himself, 
as  long  as  it  is  he  and  not  I  that  misusetb  the  words.  3. 
That  I  wi  to  have  chief  respect  to  the  public  sense ;  and  it 
is  not  his  sense,  but  mine  that  is  the  public  sense.  4.  That 
the  saving  of  a  man's  life  or  liberty  is  cause  enough  for  the 
taking  a  lawfril  path. 

nt,  qain  sit  in  hu,  sicat  popalus,  lie  et  3aeerdos :  O  that  this  calamity  had  ended 
with  that  age!  £t  p.  Stl.  Principes  terraram  et  Wooes,  arte  diaboUcA  edocti,  oec 
^urabant  jarament^  infringere,  nee  fidem  violare»  et  juy  .o^ine  eonfoudere. 


CHAP,  v.]         CHRISTIAN  ECGLES1A8TIGS.  85 

Prop.  VIII.  In  case  I  misunderstood  the  imposed  oath 
through  my  own  default,  I  am  bound  to  keep  it  in  both 
senses  (my  own  and  the  imposer's)  if  both  be  consistent 
and  lawful  to  be  done.  For  I  am  bound  to  it  in  my  own 
sense,  because  it  was  formally  my  oath  or  vow  which  I  in- 
tended. And  I  am  bound  to  it  in  his  sense,  because  I  have 
in  justice  made  the  thing  his  due.  As  if  the  king  command 
me  to  vow  that  I  will  serve  him  in  wars  against  the  Turk ; 
and  I  misunderstand  him  as  if  he  meant  only  to  serve  him 
with  my  purse ;  and  so  I  make  a  vow  with  this  intent,  to  ex- 
pend part  of  my  estate  to  maintain  that  war ;  whereas  the 
true  sense  was  that  I  should  serve  him  with  my  person  :  in 
this  case,  I  see  not  but  I  am  bound  to  both. 

Indeed  if  it  were  a  promise  that  obliged  me  only  to  the 
king,  then  I  am  obliged  no  further,  and  no  longer  than  he 
will :  for  he  can  remit  his  own  right :  but  if  by  a  vow  I  be- 
come obliged  directly  to  God  himself  as  a  party,  then  no 
man  can  remit  his  fright,  and  I  must  perform  my  vow  as 
made  to  him. 

Ruk  XIII.  '  If  any  impose  an  ambiguous  oath,  and  re- 
fuse to  explain  it,  and  require  you  only  to  swear  in  these 
words«  and  leave  you  to  your  own  sense.  Dr.  Sanderson 
thinketh  that  an  honest  man  should  suspect  some  fraud  in 
such  an  oath,  and  not  take  it  at  all  till  all  parties  are  agreed 
of  the  sense,  pp.  193,  194.'  And  I  think  he  should  not 
take  it  at  all,  unless  there  be  some  other  cause  that  maketh 
it  his  duty.  But  if  a  lawful  magistrate  command  it,  or  the 
interest  of  the  church  or  state  require  it,  I  see  not  but  he 
may  take  it,  on  condition  that  in  ihe  plain  and  proper  sense 
of  the  words  the  oath  be  lawful,  and  that  he  openly  profess 
to  take  it  only  in  that  sense. 

Jtule  XIV.  '  If  any  power  should  impose  an  oath,  or  vow, 
or  promise,  which  in  the  proper,  usual  sense  were  downright 
impious,  or  blasphemous,  or  sinful,  and  yet  bid  me  take  it 
in  what  sense  I  pleased,  though  I  could  takie  it  in  such  a 
sense  as  might  make  it  no  real  consent  to  the  impiety,  yet 
it  would  be  impious  in  the  sense  of  the  world,  and  of  such 
heinous  consequence  as  will  make  it  to  be  unlawful.'  As  if 
I  must  subscribe,  or  say,  or  swear  these  words,  'There  is  no 
Ood  ;^  or,  '  Scripture  is  untrue ;'  though  it  is  easy  to  use 
these  or  any  words  in  a  good  sense,  if  I  may  put  what  sense 


86  CHRISTIAN  DIRECTORY.  [PART   III. 

I  will  upon  ttiem,  yet  the  public  sense  of  them  is  blasphe- 
my; and  I  may  not  publicly  blaspheme,  on  pretence  of  a 
private  right  sense  and  intention. 

RtUe  XV.  '  If  the  oath  imposed  be  true  in  the  strict  and 
proper  sense,  yet  if  that  sense  be  not  vulgarly  known,  nor 
sufficiently  manifest  to  be  the  imposer's  sense,  and  if  the 
words  are  false  or  blasphemous  in  the  vulgar  sense  of  those 
that  I  have  to  do  with,  and  that  must  observe  and  make  use 
of  my  example,  I  must  not  take  such  an  oath,  without  leave 
to  make  my  sense  as  public  as  my  oath.'     As  if  I  were  com- 
manded to  swear, '  That  God  hath  no   foreknowledge,  no 
knowledge,  no  will,'  &c. ;  it  were  easy  to  prove  that  these 
terms  are  spoken  primarily  of  man,  and  that  they  are  attribu- 
ted to  God  but  analogically  or  metaphorically,  and  that 
God  hath  no  such  human  acts  '  formallter,' but '  eminenter/ 
and  that '  forma  dat  nomen,'  and  so  that  strictly  it  is  not 
knowledge  and  will  in  the  primary,  proper  notion^  that  God 
hath  at  all,  but  something  infinitely  higher,  for  which  man 
hath  no  other  name.     But  though  thus  the  words  are  true 
and  justifiable  in  the  strictest,  proper  sense,  yet  are  they 
unlawful,  because  they  are  blasphemy  in  the  vulgar  sense : 
and  he  that  speaks  to  the  vulgar,  is  supposed  to  speak  with 
the  vulgar :  unless  he  as  publicly  explain  them. 

Rule  XVI.  '  If  the  supreme  power  should  impose  an  oath 
or  promise  which  in  the  ordinary,  obvious  sense  were  siiH 
ful,  and  an  inferior  officer  would  bid  me  take  it  in  what 
sense  I  pleased,  I  might  not  therefore  take  it :  because  that 
such  an  officer  hath  no  power  to  interpret  it  himself;  much 
less  to  allow  me  to  take  it  in  a  private  sense.'  But  if  the 
lawgiver  that  imposeth  it  bid  me  take  it  in  what  sense  I 
will,  and  give  me  leave  to  make  my  sense  as  public  as  my 
oath,  I  may  take  it,  if  the  words  be  but  dubious,  and  not  ap- 
parently false  or  sinful :  (so  there  be  no  reason  against  it, 
'  aliunde,'  as  from  illxonsequents,  8cc.) 

Rule  XVII.  '  If  any  man  will  say  in  such  a  case,  (when 
he  thinketh  that  the  imposer's  sense  is  bad) '  I  take  not  the 
same  oath  or  engagement  which  is  imposed,  but  another  in 
the  same  words,  and  I  suppose  not  inferior  officers  autbpiv 
ized  to  admit  any  interpretation,  but  I  look  at  them  only  as 
men  that  can  actually  execute  or  not  execute  the  laws  upon 
me ;  and  so  I  take  a  vow  of  my  own  according  to  my  own 


CHAP,  v.]  CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  87 

sense^  though  in  their  words,  as  a  means  of  my  avoiding 
^ their  severities:'  as  this  is  a  collusion  in  a  very  high  and 
tender  business,  so  that  person  (if  the  public  sense  of  the 
oath  be  sinful)  must  make  his  professed  sense  as  public  as 
his  oath  or  promise ;  it  being  no  small  thing  to  do  that 
which  in  the  public  sense  is  impious,  and  so  to  be  an  exam- 
ple of  perfidiousness  to  many/ 

Rule  XVIII.  'Though  an  oath  imposed  by  an  usurper  or 
by  violence  is  not  to  be  taken  in  formal  obedience,  nor  at 
all,  unless  the  greatness  of  the  benefit  require  it,  yet  being 
taken  it  is  nevertheless  obligatory^  (supposing nothing  else 
do  make  it  void)/  Man  is  a  free  agent  and  cannot  be  forced 
though  he  may  be  frightened :  if  he  swear  to  a  thief  for  the 
saving  of  his  life,  he  voluntarily  doth  choose  the  inconveni- 
ences of  the  oath,  as  a  means  to  save  his  life.  Therefore 
being  a  voluntary  act  it  is  obligatory  ;  else  there  should  be 
no  obligation  on  us  to  suffer  for  Christ,  but  any  thing  might 
be  sworn  or  done  to  escape  suffering :  see  of  this  Dr.  San- 
derson largely  PrsBlect.  iv.  Sect.  14—16.  The  imposition 
and  the  oath  are  different  things :  in  the  imposition,  a  thief 
or  tyrant  is  the  party  commanding,  and  I  am  the  party  com- 
manded; and  his  having  no  authority  to  command  me,  doth 
nullify  only  his  command,  and  maketh  me  not  obliged  to 
obey  him,  nor  to  take  it  in  any  obedience  to  him ;  but  yet 
if  I  do  take  it  without  any  authority  obliging  me  (as  private 
oaths  are  taken),  it  is  still  an  oath  or  vow,  in  which  the  par- 
ties are  Ood  and  man ;  man  vowing  and  making  himself  a 
debtor  to  Ood;  and  God  hath  authority  to  require  me  to 
keep  my  vows,  when  men  have  no  authority  to  require  me 
to  make  them.  All  men  confess  that  private  vows  bind : 
and  the  nullity  of  the  imposer's  authority,  maketh  them  but 
private  vows;  this  case  is  easy,  and  commonly  agreed  on. 

RtUe  XIX.  '  If  in  a  complex  vow  or  promise  there  be 
many  things  which  prove  materially  unlawful,  and  one  or 
more  that  are  lawful,  the  conjunction  of  the  things  unlaw- 
ful doth  not  disoblige  me  from  the  vow  of  doing  the  lawful 
part.'  Otherwise  a  man  might  make  void  all  his  vows  to 
Ood,  and  oaths,  and  covenants  with  men,  by  putting  in 
something  that  is  evil  with  the  good :  and  so  God,  and  the 

Sanders,  p.  1S9 — 153. 


88  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  lU. 

king,  and  our  neighbours  would  all  have  their  debts  paid  by 
our  sin  and  injury  done  them  on  the  bye. 

Rule  XX.  '  If  Bome  part  of  that  which  you  vowed  be- 
come impossible,  that  doth  not  disoblige  you  from  so  much 
as  remaineth  possible/  As  if  you  vow  allegiance  to  the 
king,  and  tyrants  or  disability  hinder  you  from  serving  him 
as  subjects  in  some  one  particular  way,  you  remain  still 
obliged  to  serve  him  by  those  other  ways  in  which  you  are 
yet  capable  to  serve  him.  So  if  you  had  taken  an  oath 
against  Popery,  to  preach  against  it,  and  reject  the  practice 
of  it,  and  for  ever  renounce  it ;  this  would  not  bind  yon 
from  the  common  truths  and  duties  of  Christianity  which 
Papists  hold  in  common  with  all  other  Christiana:  nor 
could  you  preach  against  Popery,  if  you  were  hindered  by 
imprisonment,  banishment  or  restraint ;  but  you  have  still 
power  to  forbear  approving,  consenting,  subscribing,  or 
practising  their  errors ;  and  this  you  are  otill  bound  to  do. 

Rule  XXI.  'Though  you  are  not  bound  to  do  that  of 
your  vow  which  changes  have  made  impossible  or  unlawful, 
yet  if  another  change  make  them  possible  and  lawful  again, 
your  obligation  doth  return  afresh  (unless  you  made  it  with 
such  limitation).'  It  is  not  a  temporary  cessation  of  th& 
matter,  or  end,  or  correlate  that  will  perpetually  discharge 
you  from  your  vow*  If  your  wife  be  taken  captive  many 
years,  when  she  returneth,  you  are  bound  to  the  duties  of  a 
husband.  If  the  king  be  expelled  by  usurpers,  you  are 
bound  at  present  to  so  much  duty  as  is  possible,  and  to 
obey  him  as  your  actual  governor  when  he  returneth.  But 
in  the  case  of  servants  and  soldiers,  and  other  temporary  re* 
lations,  it  is  otherwise ;  for  a  removal  may  end  the  relation 
itself.  If  you  promise  to  preach  the  Gospel,  to  tnedicate 
the  sick,  to  relieve  the  poor,  to  reform  your  families,  &c. 
you  are  not  hereby  obliged  to  do  it,  while  any  irresistible 
impediment  maketh  it  impossible ;  but  when  the  hindrance 
ceaseth,  you  are  obliged  to  do  it  again ;  the  matter  and 
your  capacity  being  restored. 

Rule  XXII.  '  Therefore  many  a  vow  and  promise  may  be 
lawfully  unperformed,  which  may  not  be  renounced  or  dis- 
claimed.' When  you  are  taken  captives  you  must  forbear 
your  duty  to  your  king,  your  father,  your  husband  or  wife, 
but  you  may  not  therefore  renounce  them,  and  say, '  I  have 


CHAP,  v.]        CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  89 

no  obligation  to  them :'  no,  not  to  the  death,  because  they 
are  relations  for  life :  and  how  improbable  soever  it  may 
seem  that  you  should  be  returned  to  them,  yet  God  can  do 
it,  and  you  must  wait  on  him. 

Rule  XXIII.  '  A  former  vow  or  promise  is  not  nullified 
by  a  latter  that  contradicteth  it .'  Otherwise  a  man  might 
disoblige  himself  at  his  pleasure.  Yet  he  that  maketh  con- 
trary vows,  obligeth  himself  to  contraries  and  impossibles; 
and  bringeth  a  necessity  of  perjury  on  himself,  for  not  doing 
the  things  impossible  which  he  vowed.  And  in  some  cases 
a  later  promise  to  men  may  null  a  former,  when  we  made 
the  former  with  the  reserve  of  such  a  power  or  liberty,  or  are 
justly  supposed  to  have  power  to  recal  a  former  promise ; 
or  when  it  is  the  duty  of  a  mutable  relation  which  we  vow, 
(as  of  a  physician,  a  schoolmaster,  &c.)  and  by  a  later  vow 
we  change  the  relation  itself:  (which  we  may  still  lawfully 

change.) 

Kuk  XXIV. '  The '  actus  juraudi'  must  still  be  distinguish- 
ed from  the  '  materia  juramenti :'  and  it  very  often  cometh 
to  pass  that  the  act  of  swearing  (or  the  oath  as  our  act)  is 
unlawfully  done,  and  was  a  sin  from  the  beginning,  and  yet 
it  is  nevertheless  obligatory  as  long  as  the  '  res  jurata,'  the 
matter  sworn  is  lawful  or  necessary ''.'  Dr.  Sanderson  in- 
stanceth  in  Joshua's  oath  to  the  Oibeonites.  The  nature  of 
the  thing  is  proof  enough ;  for  many  a  thing  is  sinfully  done, 
for  want  of  a  due  call,  or  manner,  or  end,  that  yet  is  done, 
and  is  no  nullity.  A  man  may  sinfully  enter  upon  the  mi- 
nistry, that  yet  is  bound  to  do  the  duty  of  a  minister  :  and 
many  marriages  are  sinful  that  are  no  nullities. 

Ruk  XXV. '  The  nullity  of  an  oath '  ad  initio'  is  '  quando 

realiter  vel  reputative  non  juravimus  :'  '  when  really  or  re- 

putatively  we  did  not  swear.'    The  sinfulness  of  an  oath  is 

when  we  did  swear  really  but  unlawfully  as  to  the  ground,  or 

end,  or  matter,  or  maimer,  or  circumstances.     Really  that 

man  did  not  swear,  1.  Who  spake  not  (mentally  nor  orally) 
the  words  of  an  oath.    2.  Wno  thought  those  words  had 

signified  no  such  thing,  and  so  had  no  intent  to  swear 

*  Sanders,  pp.  55,  56.  lu  quo  casa  locum  habet  quod  rulgo  dieitur.  Fieri  doo 
debet,  (actum  ndbt :  possumus  ergo  distingaere,  Juramentam  did  iilicitam  dtx>buji 
raofik  Vel  respectu  rei  juratae,  vel  respectu  actus  jurandi :  Joramentum  illicitum 
respecta  rei  jurats  nullatenus  obligat:  Juramentuiu  ilJicitum  respectu  actus  jucaodi 
obfiieal,  nisi  aliunde  Impediatur. 


00  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

either  mentally  or  verbally/  As  if  an  Englishman  be  taught 
to  use  the  words  of  an  oath  in  French,  and  made  believe 
that  they  have  a  contrary  sense.  3.  Who  only  narratively 
recited  the  words  of  an  oath,  as  a  reporter  or  historian, 
without  a  real  or  professed  intent  of  swearing.  2.  Repu- 
tatively  he  did  not  swear.  (1.)  Who  spake  the  words  of  an 
oath  in  his  sleep,  or  in  a  deliration,  distraction,  madness, 
or  such  prevalent  melancholy  as  mastereth  reason :  when  a 
man  is  not '  compos  mentis,'  his  act  is  not  *  actus  huma- 
nus.'  (2.)  When  a  man's  hand  is  forcibly  moved  by  another 
against  his  will  to  subscribe  the  words  of  an  oath  or  cove- 
nant ;  for  if  it  be  totally  involuntary  it  is  not  a  moral  act. 
But  words  cannot  be  forced ;  for  he  that  sweareth  to  save 
his  life,  doth  do  it  voluntarily  to  save  his  life.  Tile  will 
may  be  moved  by  fear,  but  not  forced.  Yet  the  person  that 
wrongfully  frighteneth  another  into  consent,  or  to  swear, 
hath  no  right  to  any  benefit  which  he  thought  to  get  by 
force  or  fraud,  and  so  '  in  foro  civili'  such  promises,  or  co- 
venants, or  oaths  may  '  quoad  effectum'  be  reputatively 
null ;  and  he  that  by  putting  his  sword  to  another  man's 
breast  doth  compel  him  to  swear  or  subscribe  and  seal  a 
deed  of  gift,  may  be  judged  to  have  no  right  to  it,  but  to  be 
punishable  for  die  force  ;  but  though  this  covenant  or  pro- 
mise be  null  '  in  foro  humano'  because  the  person  cannot 
acquire  a  right  by  violence,  yet  the  oath  is  not  a  nullity 
before  God ;  for  when  God  is  made  a  party,  he  hath  a  right 
which  is  inviolable ;  and  when  he  is  appealed  to  or  made  a 
witness,  his  name  must  not  be  taken  in  vain.  (3*)  It  is  a 
nullity  reputatively  when  the  person  is  naturally  incapa- 
ble of  self-obligation,  as  in  infancy,  when  reason  is  not 
come  to  so  much  maturity  as  to  be  naturally  capable  of 
such  a  work :  I  say  naturally  incapable  for  the  reasons  fol- 
lowing. 

Rule  XXVI.  '  We  must  distinguish  between  a  natural  in- 
pacity  of  vowing  or  swearing  at  all,  and  an  incapacity  of 
doing  it  lawfully  :  and  between  a  true  nullity,  and  when  the 
oath  is  only  '  quasi  nullum,'  or  as  null '  quoad  effectum ;  or 
such  as  I  must  not  keep.'  There  are  many  real  oaths  and 
vows  which  must  not  be  kept,  and  so  far  are  '  quasi  nulla' 
as  to  the  effecting  of  the  Ihing  vowed ;  but  they  are  not 
simply  null ;  for  they  have  the  effect  of  making  the  man  a 


CHAP,  v.]         CHRISTIAN   BCCLE8IA8TIC8.  9] 

sinner  ancl  peijured.  They  are  siirful  vows,  and  therefore 
vows.  A  natural  incapacity  proreth  it  no  vow  at  all ;  but 
if  I  am  naturally  capable,  and  only  forbidden  (by  God  or 
manX  this  maketb  it  not  no  vow,  but  a  sinful  vow,  of  which 
some  must  be  kept  Mid  some  mu3t  not. 

In  these  following  cases  a  real  vow  is  '  quasi  nullum  \ 
or  must  not  be  kept. 

1.  In  case  the  thing  vowed  (all  things  considered)  be  a 
thing  which  God  hath  forbidden  to  be  done  :  that  is,  in  case 
it  be  a  thing  in  itself  evil ;  but  if  the  thing  in  itself  be  a 
duty,  though  there  be  ^ome  inseparable  sins  which  we  shall 
be  guilty  of  in  the  performance,  we  must  not  therefore  leave 
the  duty  itself  und<»ie  which  we  have  vowed  :  as  if  I  vow 
to  praise  God,  and  yet  am  sure  that  I  cannot  praise  him 
wiUiout  a  sinful  defect  of  that  love  and  delight  in  him  which 
is  due,  I  must  not  therefore  forbear  to  praise  him ;  else  we 
must  cast  off  all  other  duty,  because  we  cannot  do  it  without 
some  sin.    But  yet,  though  in  case  of  unwilling  infirmity, 
we  must  thus  do  the  duty  though  we  are  sure  to  sin  in  it, 
yet  in  case  of  any  chosen,  voluntary  sin,  which  we  have  an 
immediate  power  to  avoid,  we  must  rather  forbear  the  duty 
itself  (vowed  or  not  vowed)  than  commit  such  a  sin :  as  if  I 
vow  to  preach  the  Gospel,  and  am  forcibly  hindered  unlesa 
I  would  voluntarily  tell  one  lie,  or  conunit  one  sin  wilfully 
for  this  liberty ;  I  ought  rather  never  to  preach  the  Gospel ; 
nor  is  it  then  a  duty,  but  become  morally  impossible  to  me : 
as  if  in  France  or  Spain  I  may  not  preach  unless  I  would 
take  Pope  Piua's  Trent  confession  or  oath.     Nay,  if  those 
very  defects  of  love,  and  wandering  thoughts,  which  now  in- 
separably cleave  to  my  best  performances,  were  morally  and 
immediatdy  in  my  power,  and  I  could  avoid  them,  I  ought 
not  electively  and  by  consent  to  commit  them,  for  any  li* 
berty  of  duty,  but  rather  to  forbear  the  duty  itself  as  no 
doty  to  me  when  it  cometh  upon  such  conditions :  for  then 
it  is  supposed  that  I  could  serve  God  better  without  that 
duty,  because  I  could  love  him  more,  &c. 

Yet  here  is  observable  a  great  deal  of  difference  between 
cmiiariona  and  commissions.  A  man  may  never  commit  a 
sin  thai  good  may  come  by  it,  though  he  vowed  the  good  \ 
but  a  man  may  ofUimes  omit  that  which  else  would  have 
been  Us  duty,  to  do  some  good  which  he  hath  vowed ;  for 


92  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

negative  commands  bind  '  semper  et  ad  semper ;'  but  the 
affirmative  do  not  (at  least  as  to  outward  duty) ;  tkerefore 
in  case  of  necessity  a  man  may  himself  consent  to  the  pre- 
sent omission  of  some  good,  for  the  escaping  of  greater,  nn- 
avoidable  omissions  another  time,  or  for  the  performing  of 
a  vow  or  greater  duty  which  is  to  be  preferred. 

2.  A  vow  is  not  to  be  kept,  when  the  matter  of  it  is  un- 
just and  injurious  to  another  (unless  you  have  his  consent) : 
as  if  you  vow  to  give  away  another  man's  lands  or  goods, 
or  to  do  him  wrong  by  word  or  deed  ;  or  if  you  vow  to  for- 
bear to  pay  him  his  due,  or  to  do  that  which  you  owe  him : 
as  if  a  servant  vow  to  forbear  his  master's  work  (unless  it 
be  so  small  an  injury  as  he  can  otherwise  repair);  or  % 
husband,  or  wife,  or  parents,  or  children,  or  prince,  or  sub- 
jects should  vow  to  deny  their  necessary  duties  to  each 
other.  Here  man's  right  together  with  God's  law  doth  make 
it  unjust  to  perform  such  vows. 

3.  A  vow  is  as  null  or  not  to  be  kept,  when  the  matter 
is  something  that  is  morally  or  civilly  out  of  our  power  to 
do  :  as  if  a  servant,  or  child,  or  subject  vow  to  do  a  thing, 
which  he  cannot  do  lawfully  vrithout  the  consent. of  his  su- 
perior :  this  vow  is  not  simply  null,  for  it  is  a  sinful  vow, 
(unless  it  was  conditional).  Every  rational  creature  is  so 
far  '  sui  juris,'  as  that  his  soul  being  immediately  subject  to 
God,  he  is  capable  of  obliging  himself  to  God  ;  and  so  his 
vow  is  a  real  sinful  vow,  when  he  is  not  so  (bt  '  sui  juris'  as 
to  be  capable  of  a  lawful  vowing,  or  doing  the  thing  which 
he  voweth.  Such  an  one  is  bound  to  endeavour  to  get  his 
superior's  consent,  but  not  without  it  to  perform  his  vow ; 
no  though  the  thing  in  itself  be  lawful.  For  God  having 
antecedently  bound  me  to  obey  my  superiors  in  all  lawfijd 
things,  I  cannot  disoblige  myself  by  my  own  vows. 

Yet  here  are  very  great  difficulties  in  this  case,  which 
causeth  difference  among  the  most  learned,  pious  casuists, 
1.  If  a  governor  have  beforehand  made  a  law  for  that  which 
I  vow  against,  it  is  supposed  by  many  that  my  vow  is  not  to 
be  kept  (the  thing  being  not  against  the  law  of  God) ;  be- 
cause the  first  obligatioA  holdeth.  2.  Yet  some  think  that 
magistrates'  penal  laws  binding  but '  aut  ad  obedientiam  aut 
ad  pcenam,'  '  to  obedience  or  punishment,'  I  am  therefore 
obliged  in  indifferent  things  to  bear  his  penalty,  and  to 


CHAP.  ▼.]         CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  93 

keep  my  vow\    3.  But  if  I  first  make  an  absolute  vow  in  a 
thing  indifferent,  (as  to  drink  no  wine>  or  to  wear  no  silks, 
&c.)  and  the  magistrate  afterwards  command  it  me,  some 
think  I  am  bound  to  keep  my  vow ;  because  though  I  must 
obey  the  magistrate  in  dl  things  lawful,  yet  my  vow  hath 
made  this  particular  thing  to  be  to  me  unlawful,  before  the 
magistrate  made  it  a  duty.    4.  Though  others  think  that 
even  in  this  case  the  general  obligation  to  obey  my  supe- 
riors prevented!  my  obliging  myself  to  any  particular  which 
they  may  forbid  in  case  I  had  not  vowed  it,  or  against  any 
particular  which  they  may  command.     5.  Others  distin- 
guish of  things  lawful  or  indifferent,  and  say  that  some  of 
them  are  such  as  become  accidentally  so  useful  or  needful 
to  the  common  good,  the  end  of  government,  that  it  is  fit 
the  magistrate  make  a  law  for  it,  and  the  breaking  of  that 
law  will  be  so  hurtful,  that  my  vow  cannot  bind  me  to  it,  as 
being  now  no  indifferent  thing ;  but  other  indifferent  things 
they  say,  belong  not  to  the  magistrate  to  determine  of  (as 
what  I  shall  eat  or  drink,  whether  I  shall  marry  or  not,  what 
trade  I  shall  be  of,  how  each  artificer,  tradesman,  or  profes- 
sor of  arts  and  sciences  shall  do  the  business  of  his  pro- 
fession, S&c.)    And  here  the  magistrate  they  think  cannot 
bind  them  against  their  vows,  because  their  power  of  them- 
selves in  such  private  cases  is  greater  than  his  power  over 
them  in  those  cases.     All  these  I  leave  as  so  many  questions 
unfit  for  me  to  resolve  in  the  midst  of  the  contentions  of  the 
learned.     The  great  reasons  that  move  on  both  sides  you 
may  easily  discern.     1.  Those  that  think  an  oath  in  lawful 
things,  obligeth  not  contrary  to  the  magistrate's  antecedent 
or  subsequent  command,  are  moved  by  this  reason,  that  else 
subjects  and  children  might  by  their  vows  exempt  them- 
selves fi*om  obedience,  and  null  God's  command  of  obeying 
our  superiors.    2.   Those  that  think  a  vow  is  obligatory 
against  a  magistrate's  command,  are  moved  by  this  reason, 
because  else,  say  they,  a  magistrate  may  at  his  pleasure 

*  SftfideivoD  p.  7t,  73.  Dico  ordioarie :  quia  fortassis  possiint  dari  casus  in 
^ftSbm  jnramentom  quod  tidetur  alicui  legi  oomnranitatis  aat  vocationis  adrersari, 
Hm  DOQ  debacrit  saadpi,  siuceptom  tamen  potest  obligare  :  at  e>  g.  in  lege  posnali 
diyncthra.  See  the  instances  which  he  addeth.  Joseph  took  an  oath  of  the 
hndSttt  to  carry  his  bones  out  of  Egypt,  Gen.  1.  t5.  What  if  Pharaoh  forbid 
tbea?  Are  they  acquit?  The  spies  swore  to  Bahab,  Josh.  ii.  1$.  18.  Had  they 
betn  quit  if  the  miers  bad  acquit  them  ? 


94  CHRISTIAN    DIR£CTORY.  [PART  ill, 

dispense  with  all  tows,  except  in  things  commanded  before 
by  Ood  :  for  he  may  come  after  and  Cross  our  vows  by  his 
commands,  which,  against  the  pope's  pretensions,  Protes- 
tants have  denied  to  foe  in  the  power  of  any  mortal  man. 
And  Ood,  say  they,  hath  the  first  right,  which  none  can 
take  away.  I  must  not  be  forward  in  determining  where 
rulers  are  concerned ;  only  to  those  that  may  and  must  de- 
termine it,  I  add  these  further  materials  to  be  considered  of. 

1.  It  is  most  necessary  to  the  decision  of  this  case,  to 
understand  how  far  the  inferior  that  voweth  was  'sui  juris,' 
and  had  the  power  of  himself  when  he  made  the  vow,  as  to 
the  making  of  it,  and  how  far  he  is  '  sui  juris'  as  to  the  act 
which  he  hath  vowed ;  and  to  that  end  to  know,  in  a  case 
where  there  is  some  power  over  his  act,  both  in  his  superior 
and  in  himself,  whether  his  own  power,  or  his  superiors,  as 
to  that  act,  be  the  greater. 

2.  It  is  therefore  heedful  to  distinguish  much  between 
those  acts  that  are  of  private  use  and  signification  only,  and 
those  that  (antecedently  to  the  ruler's  command)  are  of 
public  use  and  nature,  or  such  as  the  ruler  is  as  much  con- 
cerned in  as  the  inferior. 

3.  It  is  needful  to  understand  the  true  intent  and  sense 
of  the  command  of  our  superior;  whether  it  be  really  his  in- 
tent to  bind  inferiors  to  break  their  vows,  or  whether  they 
intend  only  to  bind  those  that  are  not  so  entangled  and  pre- 
engaged  by  a  vow,  with  a  tacit  exception  of  those  that  are  K 
And  what  is  most  just  must  be  presumed,  unless  the  con- 
trary be  plain. 

4.  It  must  be  discerned  whether  the  commands  of  supe- 
riors intend  any  further  penalty  than  that  which  is  affixed 
in  their  laws :  as  in  Our  penal  laws  about  using  bows  and 
arrows,  and  about  fishing,  hunting,  8cc. ;  whether  it  be  in- 
tended that  the  offender  be  guilty  of  damnation,  or  only 
dMtt  the  threatened  temporal  penalty  do  satisfy  the  law ; 
and  whether  Ood  bind  us  to  any  further  penalty  than  the  su- 
perior intendeth. 

5.  The  end  of  the  laws  of  men  must  be  distinguished 
from  the  words  ;  and  a  great  difference  must  be  put  between 
those  forbidden  acts  that  do  no  further  harm  than  barely  to 
cross  the  letter  of  the  law,  or  will  of  a  superior,  and  those 

P  Read  of  this  at  large,  Amesii  Cas.  Cods.  Kb.  ▼.  c.  25.  qa*  4. 


CHAP.  T.]  CHBISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  M 

that  cross  the  JBst  end  of  the  command  or  law,  and  that 
either  more  or  less,  as  it  is  more  or  less  hurtful  to  others, 
or  against  the  common  good  :  for  then  the  matter  will  be- 
come sinful  in  itself. 

6.  Whether  perjury,  or  the  unwilling  violation  of  human 
laws  be  the  greater  sin,  and  which  in  a  doubtful  case  should 
be  most  feared  and  avoided,  it  is  easy  to  discern. 

Ruk  XXVII.  'A  vow  may  be  consequently  made  null 
or  void^  1.  By  cessation  of  the  matter,  or  any  thing  essen- 
tial to  it,  (of  which  before,)  or  by  a  dispensation  or  dissolu- 
tion of  it  by  God  to  whom  we  are  obliged/  No  doubt  it  is 
in  God's  power  to  disoblige  a  man  from  his  vow  ;  but  how 
he  ever  doth  such  a  thing  is  all  the  doubt :  extraordinary 
revelations  being  ceased,  there  is  this  way  yet  ordinary,  viz. 
by  bringing  the  matter  ^which  I  vowed  to  do,  under  some 
prohibition  of  a  general  law,  by  the  changes  of  his  provi- 
dence. 

Ruk  XXVIII.  '  As  to  the  power  of  man  to  dispense  with 
oaths  and  vows,  there  is  a  great  and  most  remarkable  diffe- 
rence between  those  oaths  and  vows  where  man  is  the  only 
party  that  we  are  primarily  bound  to,  and  God  is  only  ap- 
pealed to  as  witness  or  judge,  as  to  the  keeping  of  my  word 
to  man ;  and  those  oaths  or  vows  where  God  is  also  made 
(either  only  or  conjunct  with  man)  the  party  to  whom  I 
primarily  oblige  myself.'  For  in  the  first  case  man  can  dis- 
pense with  my  oath  or  vow,  by  remitting  his  own  right,  and 
releasinfi^  me  from  my  promise ;  but  in  the  second  case  no 
created  power  can  do  it.  As  e.  g.  if  I  promise  to  pay  a  man 
a  sum  of  money,  or  to  do  him  service,  and  swear  that  I  will 
perform  it  faithfully ;  if  upon  some  after  bargain  or  conside- 
ration he  release  me  of  that  promise,  God  releaseth  me  also, 
as  the  witnesses  and  judge  have  nothing  against  a  man, 
whom  the  creditor  hath  discharged.  But  if  I  swear  or  vow 
that  I  will  amend  my  life,  or  reform  my  family  of  some  great 
abuse,  or  that  I  will  give  so  much  to  the  poor,  or  that  I  will 
give  up  myself  to  the  work  of  the  Gospel,  or  that  I  will  never 
marry,  or  never  drink  wine,  or  never  consent  to  Popery  or 
error,  Slc.  ;  no  man  can  dispense  with  my  vow,  nor  directly 
disoblige  me  in  any  such  case ;  because  no  man  can  give 
away  God's  ri^t ;  all  that  man  can  do  in  any  such  case  is, 
to  become  an  occasion  of  God's  disobliging  me ;  if  he  can 


90  CHRISTIAN  DIRECTORY.  [PAUT  III. 

80  change  the  case,  or  my  condition,  as  to  bring  me  under 
some  la*w  of  God,  which  commandeth  me  the  contrary  to  my 
▼ow,  then  God  disobligeth  me,  or  maketh  it  unlawful  to 
keep  that  vow.  And  here  because  a  vow  is  commonly  taken 
for  such  a  promise  to  God,  in  which  we  directly  bind  our- 
selves to  him,  therefore  we  say,  that  a  vow  (thus  strictly 
taken)  cannot  be  dispensed  with  by  man ;  though  in  the 
sense  aforesaid,  an  oath  sometimes  may. 

The  Papists  deal  most  perversely  in  this  point  of  dis- 
pensing with  oaths  and  vows  :  for  they  give  that  power  to 
the  pope  ovelr  all  the  Christian  world,  who  is  an  usurper, 
and  none  of  our  governor,  which  they  deny  to  princes  and 
parents  that  are  our  undoubted  governors :  the  pope  may 
disoblige  vassals  from  their  oaths  of  allegiance  to  their 
princes  (as  the  council  of  Lateran  before  cited,)  but  no  king 
or  parent  may  disoblige  a  man  from  his  oath  to  the  pope : 
nay,  if  a  child  vow  a  monastical  life,  and  depart  from  his 
parents,  they  allow  not  the  parents  to  disoblige  him. 

Ruk  XXIX  '  In  the  determining  of  controversies  about 
the  obligation  of  oaths  and  vows,  it  is  safest  to  mark  what 
Scripture  saith,  and  not  to  presume,  upon  uncertain  pre- 
tences of  reason,  to  release  ourselves,  where  we  are  not  sure 
that  God  releaseth  us.' 

Ruk  XXX.  '  That  observable  chapter,  Numb.  xxx.  about 
dispensations,  hath  many  things  in  it  that  are  plain  for  the 
decision  of  divers  great  and  useful  doubts  ;  but  many  things 
which  some  do  collect  and  conclude  as  consequential  or  im- 
plied, are  doubtful  and  controverted  among  the  most  judi- 
cious expositors  and  casuists*' 

1.  It  is  certain  that  this  chapter  speaketh  not  of  a  total 
nullity  of  vows  '  ab  initio,'  but  of  a  relaxation,  or  disanulling 
of  them  by  superiors.  For,  1.  Bare  silence  (which  is  no 
efficient  cause)  doth  prove  them  to  be  in  force.  2.  It  is  not 
said, '  She  is  bound,  or  not  bound ;'  but '  Her  vow  and  bond 
shall  stand,'  ver.  4.  7.  9.  11. :  or  '  shall  not  stand,'  ver.  6. 
12. :  and  *  He  shall  make  it  of  none  eflFect,'  ver.  8.  The 
Hebrew,  ver.  6.  signifieth,  '  Quia  annihilavit  pater  ejus 
illud.'     And  ver.  8.  '  Et  si  in  die  audire  virum  ejus,  an- 

nibilaverit  illud,  et  infregerit  votum  ejus*>.' 3.  It  is 

expressly  said,  that  she  had  'bound her  soul'  before  the  dis- 

%  And  si  infnngendo  infregerit  ea  vir  ejus.  r.  If.    Vir  ejus  infregit  ea.  t.  15. 


CHAP.  V,]         '  CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  97 

solution.  4.  It  is  said,  '  The  Lord  shall  forgive  her/  ver. 
5.  8.  12.  which  signifieth  a  relaxation  of  a  former  bond. 
Or  at  the  most,  the  parent's  silence  is  a  confirmation,  and 
his  disowning  it  hindereth  only  the  confirmation.  So  the 
Chaldee  paraphrase,. the  Samaritan  and  Arabic  '  Non  erunt 
confirmata,'  the  Syriac  '  Rata  vel  irrita  erunt.' 

2.  It  is  certain  that  a  father  hath  the  power  of  relaxation 
here  mentioned  as  to  an  unmarried  daughter,  in  her  youth 
living  in  his  house,  and  a  husband  over  his  wife  ;  for  it  is 
the  express  words  of  the  text. 

3.  It  is  certain  that  this  power  extendeth  to  vows  about 
all  things  in  which  the  inferior  is  not  *  sui  juris,'  but  is  un- 
der the  superior's  care  and  oversight,  and  cannot  perform  it 
(in  case  there  had  been  no  vow)  without  the  superior's  con- 
sent. 

4.  It  is  certain  that  it  extendeth  not  only  to  matters  con- 
cerning the  governors  themselves,  but  concerning  vows  to 
Ood,  as  they  are  good  or  hurtful  to  the  inferiors. 

5.  It  is  certain  that  there  are  some  vows  so  necessary 
and  clearly  for  the  inferior*s  good,  that  in  them  he  is  'sui 
juris,'  and  no  superior  can  suspend  his  vows :  as  to  have  the 
Lord  for  his  God;  and  not  to  commit  idolatry,  murder, 
theft,  &c.  No  superior  can  disoblige  us  here  ;  for  the  power 
of  superiors  is  only  for  the  inferior's  indemnity  and  good. 

6.  It  is  certain  that  the  superior's  recal  must  be  speedy 
or  in  time,  before  silence  can  signify  consent,  and  make  a 
confirmation  of  the  vow. 

7.  It  is  certain  that  if  the  superior  have  once  ratified  it  by 
silence  or  consent,  he  cannot  afterwards  disannul  it. 

8.  It  is  agreed,  that  if  he  awhile  dissent  and  disannul  it, 
and  afterwards  both  inferior  and  superior  consent  again,  that 
it  remaineth  ratified. 

9.  It  is  agreed  that  the  superior  that  can  discharge  the 
vow  of  the  inferior,  cannot  release  himself  from  his  own 
vows.  If  the  pope  could  release  all  men,  who  shall  re- 
lease him  ? 

2.  But  in  these  points  following  there  is  no  such  cer- 
tainty or  agreement  of  judgments,  because  the  text  seemeth 
silent  about  them,  and  men  conjecture  variously  as  they  are 
prepared.  1.  It  is  uncertain  whether  any  but  women  may 
be  released  by  virtue  of  this  text:  (1.)  Because  the  text  ex- 

VOL.  v.  H 


98  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

pressly  distingaishing  between  a  man  and  a  woman  doth 

first  say,  '  Si  vir If  a  man  vow  a  vow  unto  the  Lord,  or 

swear  an  oath  to  bind  his  soul  with  a  bond ;  he  shall  not 
break  his  word ;  he  shall  do  according  to  all  that  proceed- 
eth  out  of  his  mouth.'  And  2.  Because  women  are  only 
instanced  in,  when  Scripture  usually  speaketh  of  them  in 
the  masculine  gender,  when  it  includeth  both  sexes,  or  ex- 
tendeth  it  to  both.  3.  And  in  the  recapitulation  in  the  end, 
it  is  said  by  way  of  recital  of  the  contents,  ver.  16.  "  These 
are  the  statutes  which  the  Lord  commanded  Moses  between 
a  man  and  his  wife ;  between  the  father  and  his  daughter 
■  '  in  her  youth  in  her  father's  house :"  as  if  he  would 
caution  us  against  extending  it  any  further.  And  though 
many  good  expositors  think  that  it  extendeth  equally  to 
sons  as  to  daughters,  in  their  minority,  because  there  is  a 
parity  of  reason,  yet  this  is  an  uncertain  conjecture.  1. 
Because  God  seemeth  by  the  expression  to  bound  the  sense. 
2.  Because  God  acquainteth  not  man  with  all  the  reasons 
of  his  laws.  3.  Because  there  may  be  spiecial  reasons  for 
an  indulgence  to  the  weaker  sex  in  such  a  weighty  case; 
And  though  still  there  is  a  probability  it  may  extend  to  sons, 
it  is  good  keeping  to  certainties  in  matters  of  such  dreadful 
importance  as  oaths  and  vows  to  God. 

2.  It  is  uncertain  whether  this  power  of  disannulling 
vows  do  belong  also  to  other  superiors ',  to  princes,  to  in- 
ferior magistrates,  to  pastors,  masters,  to  commanders,  as  to 
their  soldiers,  as  well  as  to  parents  and  husbands :  some 
think  it  doth,  because  there  is,  say  they,  a  parity  of  reason. 
Others  think  it  is  dangerous  disannulling  oaths  and  vows 
upon  pretences  of  parity  of  reason,  when  it  is  uncertain 
whether  we  know  all  God's  reasons :  and  they  think  there  is 
not  a  parity,  and  that  it  extendeth  not  to  others.     1.  Be- 

'  Dr.  SftiidenoD  Praslect.  4.  sect.  5.  pp.  104, 105.  limiteth  it  to  *  De  his  r^bos  in 
qnibuf  subest :'  iii  those  same  things  in  which  one  is  under  another's  govemmeiiC : 
adding  sect.  6.  a  double  exception  :  '  Of  which  one  respecteth  the  person  of  tbt 
swearer,  the  other  the  consent  of  the  superior :'  the  first  is  that  '  As  to  (he  person  of 
the  swearer,  there  is  scarce  any  one  that  hath  the  use  of  reason,  (hat  is  so  fully  under 
another's  power,  but  that  in  some  things  he  is  '  sui  juris/  at  his  own  power:  and  there 
every  one  may  do  as  pleases  himself,  wi(hout  consulting  his  superior,  so  as  that  by  lik 
own  act,  without  hw  superior's  licence,  he  may  bind  himself.  «.  As  to  the  consent  of 
a  superior.'  A  tucit  consent,  antecedent  or  consequent,  sufficeth.  Quasi  diceret,  si 
iMistusam  saom  vel  tmo  die  disMnnilet,  TotiUD  In  perpetoum  stabilivit. 


CHAP,  v.]         CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  99 

oanse  parents  and  husbands  are  so  emphatically  named  in 
the  contents  in  the  end,  ver.  16.  2.  Because  it  had  been 
as  easy  to  God  to  name  the  rest.  3.  Because  there  is  no 
instance  in  Scripture  of  the  exercise  of  such  a  power,  when 
there  was  much  occasion  for  it.  4.  Because  else  vows  sig- 
nify no  more  in  a  kingdom  than  the  king  please,  and  in  an 
army  than  the  general  and  officers  please ;  and  among  ser- 
vants than  the  master  please,  which  is  thought  a  dangerous 
doctrine.  5.  Because  there  will  be  an  utter  uncertainty 
when  a  vow  bindeth  and  when  it  doth  not  to  almost  all  the 
people  in  the  world  ;  for  one  superior  may  contradict  it,  and 
another  or  a  hundred  may  be  silent :  the  king  and  most  of 
the  magistrates  through  distance  will  be  silent,  when  a 
master,  or  a  justice,  or  a  captain  that  is  at  hand  may  disan- 
nul it :  one  officer  may  be  for  it,  and  another  against  it :  a 
master  or  a  pastor  may  be  for  it,  and  the  magisti-ate  against 
it :  and  so  perjury  will  become  the  most  controverted  sin, 
and  a  matter  of  jest.  6.  Because  public  magistrates  and 
commanders,  and  pastors  have  not  the  near  and  natural  in- 
terest in  their  inferiors  as  parents  and  husbands  have  in  their 
children  and  wives ;  and  therefore  parents  have  not  only  a 
restraining  power  ("as  husbands  here  also  have) ;  but  also 
a  disposing  power  of  the  relation  of  their  infant  children, 
and  may  enter  them  in  baptism  into  the  vow  and  covenant  of 
Christianity,  the  will  and  acts  of  the  parents  standing  for 
the  child's  till  he  come  to  age  ;  but  if  you  say  that  upon  a 
parity  of  reason,  all  princes,  and  rulers,  and  pastors  may  do 
so  with  all  that  are  their  inferiors,  it  will  seem  incredible  to 
most  Christians.  7«  Because  public  magistrates  are  justly 
supposed  to  be  so  distant  from  almost  all  their  individuad 
subjects,  as  not  to  be  capable  of  so  speedy  a  disowning 
their  personal  vows.  Whatever  this  text  doth,  it  is  certain 
that  other  texts  enough  forbid  covenants  and  combinations 
against  the  persons,  or  power,  or  rights  of  our  governors, 
and  not  only  against  them  but  without  them,  in  cases 
where  our  place  and  calling  alloweth  us  not  to  act 
without  them.  But  it  is  certain  that  God  who  commanded 
all  Israel  to  be  entered  successively  into  the  covenant  of 
circumcision  with  him,  would  not  have  held  them  guiltless 
for  refusing  that  covenant,  if  the  prince  had  been  against  it. 
And  few  divines  think  that  a  subject,  or  soldier,  or  servant 


100  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

that  hath  vowed  to  forbear  wine,  or  feasting,  or  marriage  is 
discharged,  if  his  prince,  or  captain,  or  masters  be  against 
it.  Jonathan  and  David  were  under  an  oath  of  friendship ; 
(called  the  Lord's  oath,  2  Sam.  xxi.  7.)  Saul  as  a  parent 
could  not  discharge  Jonathan  as  being  a  man  at  full  age« 
Quaere  whether  Saul  as  a  king  being  against  it,  did  null  the 
oath  to  David  and  Jonathan  ?  No,  the  Scripture  sheweth 
the  contrary.  8.  Because  else  that  benefit  which  Ood  ex- 
tendeth  only  to  a  weaker  sort,  would  extend  to  any,  the 
wisest  and  most  learned  persons  through  the  world,  whose 
vows  to  God  even  for  the  afflicting  of  their  own  8ouls>  may 
be  nulled  by  the  king  or  other  superiors.  Many  such  rea- 
sons are  urged  in  this  case. 

3.  It  is  uncertain  whether  this  chapter  extend  to  asser- 
tory or  testimonial  oaths,  (if  not  certain  that  it  doth  not) : 
it  speaketh  but  of  binding  their  souls  in  vows  to  Ood,  which 
is  to  ofier  or  do  something  which  by  error  may  prove  pre- 
judicial to  them.  But  if  a  parent  or  husband  (much  more  a 
king  or  general)  might  nullify  all  the  testimonial  oaths  of 
their  inferiors  that  are  given  in  judgment,  or  discharge  all 
their  subjects  from  the  guilt  of  all  the  lies  or  false  oaths 
which  they  shall  take,  it  would  make  a  great  change  in  the 
morality  of  the  world. 

4.  It  is  not  past  all  controversy  how  far  this  law  is  yet 
in  force :  seeing  the  Mosaical  law  as  such  is  abrogated ;  this 
can  be  now  no  further  in  force  than  as  it  is  the  law  of  na- 
ture, or  some  way  confirmed  or  revived  by  Christ*  The 
equity  seemeth  to  be  natural. 

Rule  xxxi.  '  It  is  certain  that  whoever  this  power  of 
disannulling  vows  belongeth  to,. and  to  whomsoever  it  may 
be  given,  that  it  extendeth  not  to  discharge  us  from  the  pro- 
mise or  vow  of  that  which  is  antecedently  our  necessary  duty 
by  the  law  of  God.'  Else  they  should  dispense  with  the 
law  of  God,  when  none  but  the  lawgiver  can  relax  or  dis- 
pense with  his  laws,  (unless  it  be  one  superior  to  the  law- 
giver): therefore  none  can  dispense  with  the  laws  of  God. 
But  I  speak  this  but  of  a  duty  necessary  also  as  a  means  to 
our  salvation,  or  the  good  of  others,  or  the  honouring  of 
God :  for  otherwise  as  to  some  smaller  things,  the  duty  may 
be  such  as  man  cannot  dispense  with,  and  yet  a  vow  to  do 
that  duty  may  be  unnecessary  and  sinful :  as  if  I  swear  to 


CHAP,  v.]  CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  101 

keep  all  the  law  of  God^  and  never  to  sin,  or  never  to  think 
a  sinful  thought :  to  do  this  is  good,  but  to  vow  it  is  bad, 
because  I  may  foreknow  that  I  shall  break  it. 

Rule  XXXII.  'In  some  cases  a  vow  may  oblige  you 
against  that  which  would  have  been  your  duty  if  you  had 
not  vowed,  and  to  do  that  which  would  else  have  been  your 
sin  :  viz.  if  it  be  such  a  thing  as  is  sin  or  duty  but  by  some 
lesser  accident,  which  the  accident  of  a  vow  may  preponde- 
rate or  prevail  against.'  As  if  you  swear  to  give  a  penny  to 
a  wandering  beggar,  or  to  one  that  needeth  it  not,  which  by 
all  circumstances  would  have  been  an  unlawful  misemploy- 
ing of  that  which  should  have  been  better  used ;  yet  it  seem- 
eth  to  me  your  duty  to  do  it  when  you  have  moved  it.  To 
cast  away  a  cup  of  drink  is  a  sin,  if  it  be  causelessly ;  but  if 
you  vow  to  do  it,  it  is  hard  to  say  that  a  man  should  rather 
be  perjured  than  cast  away  a  cup  of  drink,  or  a  penny,  or  a 
pin.  The  Jesuits  think  it  lawful  to  exercise  the  obedience 
of  their  novices  by  bidding  them  sometimes  cast  a  cup  of 
wine  into  the  sink,  or  do  some  such  action  which  causelessly 
done  were  sin  :  and  shall  not  a  vow  require  it  more  strongly  ? 
Suppose  it  would  be  your  duty  to  pray  or  read  at  such  or 
such  an  hour  of  the  day  (as  being  fittest  to  your  body  and 
occasions) :  yet  if  you  have  (foolishly)  vowed  against  it,  it 
seemeth  to  me  to  be  your  duty  to  put  it  off  till  another  time. 
For  perjury  is  too  great  a  thing  to  be  yielded  to  on  every 
such  small  occasion.  Dr.  Sanderson '  '  ubi  supra'  giveth 
this  instance :  '  If  there  be  a  law  that  no  citizen  elected  to  it 
shall  refiise  the  office  of  a  prsBtor ;  and  he  that  doth  refuse 
it  shall  be  fined :  Caius  sweareth  that  he  will  not  bear  the 
office :  his  oath  is  unlawful  (and  disobedience  would  have 
been  his  sin  if  he  were  free)  yet  it  seems  he  is  bound  to  pay 
his  fine,  and  disobey  the  precept  of  the  law,  rather  than 
break  his  vow.' 

Rule  XXXIII.  *  There  are  so  great  a  number  of  sins  and 
duties  that  are  such  by  accidents  and  circumstantial  altera- 
tions,  and  some  of  these  greater  and  some  less,  that  it  is  a 
matter  of  exceeding  great  difficulty  in  morality  to  discern 
when  they  are  indeed  sins  and  duties  and  when  not,  which 
must  be  by  discerning  the  preponderancy  of  accidents  ;  and 
therefore  it  must  be  exceeding  difficult  to  discern  when  a 

*  Sanderson,  p.  73. 


102  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.         [PART    III. 

TOW  shall  weigh  down  any  of  these  accidents^  and  when 
not.' 

RtUe  XXXIV.  'The  exceeding  difficulty  and  frequency  of 
such  cases  maketh  it  necessary  to  those  that  have  such  en- 
tanglements of  vows,  to  have  a  very  wise  and  faithful  conn-  . 
seller  to  help  them  better  to  resolve  their  particular  cases, 
upon  the  knowledge  of  every  circumstance,  than  any  book 
or  general  rules  can  do,  or  any  that  are  not  so  perfectly  ac- 
quainted with  the  case.'  And  O  what  great  ability  is  ne- 
cessary in  divines  that  are  employed  in  such  works ! 

Ruk  XXXV.  '  Thus  also  the  case  must  be  resolved  whe- 
ther an  oath  bind  that  hindereth  a  greater  good  which  I 
might  do  if  I  had  not  taken  it.'  In  some  cases  it  may  bind : 
as  if  I  swear  to  acquaint  none  with  some  excellent  medicine 
which  I  could  not  have  known  myself  unless  I  had  so  sworn ; 
or  in  case  that  the  breaking  of  the  oath,  will  do  more  hurt  to 
me  or  others  than  the  good  comes  to  which  I  omit :  or  in  case 
all  things  considered,  the  doing  of  that  good  'hie  et  nunc' is 
not  my  duty  :  see  Dr.  Sanderson  of  the  difficulties  here  also. 

Rule  XXXVI.  '  No  personal  hurt  or  temporal  loss  is  any 
sufficient  cause  for  the  violation  of  an  oath.'  He  that  tak- 
eth  a  false  oath,  or  breaketh  a  promissory  oath  for  the  sa- 
ving of  his  life  or  a  thousand  men's  lives,  or  for  lands  or 
riches,  or  crowns  and  kingdoms,  hath  no  considerable  ex- 
cuse for  his  perfidiousness  and  perjury,  all  temporal  things 
being  such  inconsiderable  trifles  in  compaiison  of  the  will 
and  pleasure  of  God,  and  life  everlasting :  that  which  will 
not  justify  a  lie,  will  much  less  justify  perjury  ^ 

Rule xxxYii.  'If  the  matter  of  an  oath  prove  only  a 
temptation  to  sin,  and  not  sin  itself,  it  must  be  kept :'  but 
with  the  greater  vigilance  and  resolution !  As  if  a  man 
have  married  a  froward  wife  that  will  be  a  temptation  to 
him  all  his  life,  he  is  not  disobliged  from  her. 

Rule  XXXVIII.  '  If  the  matter  of  an  oath  be  such  as 
maketh  me  directly  the  tempter  of  myself  or  others,  it  is  a 
sin,  and  not  to  be  kept,  unless  some  greater  good  preponde- 
rate that  evil.'  For  though  it  be  no  sin  to  be  tempted,  yet  it 
is  a  sin  to  tempt :  though  it  be  no  sin  to  tempt  by  a  neces- 
sary trial,  (as  a  master  may  lay  money  before  a  suspected 
servant  to  try  whether  he  be  a  thief.)  nor  any  sin  to  tempt 

*  Sanders  p.80»  81. 


CHAP,  v.]       CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  lOS 

accidentally  by  the  performance  of  a  duty  (as  a  holy  life 
doth  accidentally  tempt  a  malignant  person  to  hatred  and 
persecution) ;  yet  it  is  a  sin  to  be  directly  and  needlessly  a 
tempter  of  ourselves  or  others  unto  sin ;  and  therefore  he 
that  Toweth  it  must  not  perform  it.  As  if  you  had  vowed 
to  persuade  any  to  unchastity,  intemperance,  error,  rebel- 
lion, &c. 

liii/e  XXXIX.  '  If  the  matter  of  an  oath  be  such  as  acci- 
d^QLtally  layethso  strong  a  temptation  before  men  (especial- 
ly before  a  multitude),  as  that  we  may  foresee  it  is  exceeding 
likely  to  draw  them  into  sin,  when  diere  is  no  greater  good 
to  preponderate  the  evil  of  such  a  temptation,  it  is  a  sin  to 
do  that  thing,  though  in  performance  of  a  vow.'  When  ac- 
tions are  good  or  evil  only  by  accident,  then  accidents  must 
be  put  in  the  balance  against  each  other,  and  the  weightiest 
must  preponderate.  As  in  matter  of  temporal  commodity 
or  discommodity,  it  is  lawful  to  do  that  action  which  acci- 
dentally bringedi  a  smaller  hurt  to  one  man,  if  it  bring  a 
greater  good  to  many ;  or  which  hurteth  a  private  person  to 
the  great  good  of  the  commonwealth;  but  it  is  not  lawful  to 
do  that  which  clearly  tendeth  (though  but  by  accident)  to 
do  more  hurt  than  good.  As  to  sell  powder  and  arms,  when  we 
foresee  it  will  be  used  against  the  king  and  kingdom ;  or  to 
sell  ratsbane  when  you  foresee  it  is  like  to  be  used  to  poison 
men.  Much  more  should  the  salvation  of  many  or  one  be 
preferred  before  our  temporal  commodity ;  and  therefore 
for  a  lesser  good,  we  may  not  tempt  men  to  evil,  though  but 
accidentally :  as  he  that  liveth  where  there  is  but  little  need 
of  taverns  or  alehouses,  and  the  common  use  of  them  is  for 
drunkenness,  it  is  unlawful  for  him  there  to  sell  ale  or  wine, 
unless  he  can  keep  men  from  being  drunk  with  it :  (as  if 
they  take  it  home  with  them,  or  be  unruly  he  cannot.)  For 
thus  to  be  a  foreknowing  tempter  and  occasion,  unnecessa- 
rily, is  to  be  a  moral  cause.  Two  things  will  warrant  a  man 
to  do  that  which  by  accident  tempteth  or  occasioneth  other 
men  to  sin:  one  is  a  command  of  God,  when  it  is  a  duty 
which  we  do :  the  other  is  a  greater  good  to  be  attained  by 
Ike  action,  which  cannot  be  attained  in  a  less  dangerous 
way.  As  in  a  country  where  there  is  so  great  a  necessity 
for  alehouses  and  taverns  that  the  good  that  is  done  by 
them  is  greater  than  the  hurt  ip  like  to  be,  though  some  will 


104  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.         [PART  III. 

be  drunk ;  it  is  lawful  to  use  these  trades  though  some  be 
hurt  by  it.  It  is  lawful  to  sell  flesh  though  some  will  be 
gluttonous  ;  it  is  lawful  to  use  moderate,  decent  ornaments, 
though  some  vain  minds  will  be  tempted  by  the  sight  to 
lust.  As  it  is  lawful  to  go  to  sea  though  some  be  drowned: 
to  act  a  comedy,  or  play  at  a  lawful  game,  with  all  those 
cautions,  which  may  secure  you  that  the  good  of  it  is  like 
to  be  greater  than  the  hurt,  is  not  unlawful :  but  to  set  up  a 
play-house,  or  gaming-house,  where  we  may  foresee  thai 
the  mischief  will  be  far  greater  than  the  good  (though  the 
acts  were  lawful  in  themselves),  this  is  but  to  play  the  devil'a 
part,  in  laying  snares  for  souls :  men  are  not  thus  to  be  ti- 
ced  to  hell  and  damned  in  sport,  though  but  accidentally^ 
and  though  you  vowed  the  act. 

Rule  XL.  'Thus  also  must  the  case  of  scandal  be  re- 
solved " :  as  scandal  signifieth  an  action  that  occasioneth 
another  to  sin,  or  a  stumbling-block  at  which  we  foresee  he 
is  like  to  fall  to  the  hurt  of  his  soul,  (which  is  the  sense 
that  Christ  and  the  apostles  usually  take  it  in)  so  it  is  the 
same  case  with  this  last  handled,  and  needs  no  other  reso- 
lution :  but  as  scandal  signifieth  (in  the  late  abusive  sense) 
the  mere  displeasing  of  another,  or  occasioning  him  to  cen- 
sure you  for  a  sinner,  so  you  must  not  break  a  vow  to  escape 
the  censure  or  displeasure  of  all  the  world.'  Otherwise  pride 
would  be  still  producing  perjury,  and  so  two  of  the  greatest 
sins  would  be  maintained. 

Rule  XLi.  '  Though  in  the  question  about  the  obligation 
of  an  oath  that  is  taken  ignorantly,  or  by  deceit,  there  be 
great  difficulties,  yet  this  much  seemeth  clear,  1 .  That  he  that 
is  culpably  ignorant  is  more  obliged  by  his  vow  or  contract 
while  he  useth  all  the  outward  form,  than  he  that  is  inculpa- 
bly  ignorant.  2.  That  though  the  deceit  (as  the  force)  of 
him  that  I  swear  to,  do  forfeit  his  right  to  what  I  promise 
him,  yet  my  oath  or  vow  obligeth  me  to  do  or  give  the 
thing,  having  interested  God  himself  in  the  cause.  3.  That 
all  such  errors  of  the  essentials  of  an  oath  or  vow  as  nullify 
it  (of  which  I  spake  before)  or  make  the  matter  sinful,  do  in- 
fer a  nullity  in  the  obligation  (or  that  it  must  not  be  kept).' 
But  no  smaller  error  (though  caused  by  deceit)  doth  dis- 
oblige. 

0  Sanders,  p.  82. 


CHAP,  v.]         CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  105 

The  commonest  doubt  is,  '  Whether  an  en'or  about  the 
very  person  that  I  swear  to,  and  this  caused  by  his  own  de- 
ceit, do  disoblige  me  ?  *  All  grant  that  I  am  obliged  not- 
withstanding any  circumstantial  error,  (as  if  I  think  a  wo- 
man rich  whom  I  marry,  and  she  prove  poor,  or  wise  and 
godly,  and  she  prove  foolish  or  ungodly :  yea,  if  the  error 
be  about  any  integral  part ;  as  if  I  think  she  had  two  eyes  or 
legs,  and  she  have  but  one :)  and  all  grant  that  an  error 
about  an  essential  part,  that  is,  which  is  essential  to  the  re- 
lation or  thing  vowed,  (if  inculpable  at  least)  disobligeth : 
as  if  I  took  a  man  in  marriage  thinking  he  had  been  a  wo- 
man ;  or  if  I  took  a  person  for  a  pastor,  a  physician,  a  coun- 
sellor, a  pilot,  that  hath  no  tolerable  ability  or  skill  in  the 
essentials  of  any  of  those  professions.  But  whether  I  am 
bound  if  I  swear  to  Thomas  thinking  it  was  John,  or  if  I 
marry  Leah  thinking  she  is  Rachel,  is  the  great  doubt. 
And  most  casuists  say  I  am  not :  and  therefore  I  dare  not 
be  bold  to  contradict  them".  But  I  much  suspect  that  they 
fetched  their  decision  from  the  lawyers;  who  truly  say, 
that  in  'foro  civili'  it  inferreth  no  obligation:  but  whether 
it  do  not  oblige  me  ethically  and  'in  foro  conscientise  et 
coeli'  I  much  doubt',  1.  Because  it  seemeth  the  very  case 
of  Joshua  and  the  Israelites,  who  by  the  guile  of  the  Oib- 
eonites  were  deceived  into  an  '  error  personarum,'  taking 
them  to  be  other  persons  than  they  were :  and  yet  that  this 
oath  was  obligatory,  saith  Dr.  Sanderson  is  apparent  (1.) 
In  the  text  itself.  Josh.  ix.  19.  (2.)  In  the  miracle  wrought 
for  that  victory  which  Joshua  obtained  in  defending  the 
GKbeonites  when  the  sun  stood  still  ^.  (3.)  In  the  severe 
rerei^  that  was  taken  on  the  lives  of  Saul's  posterity  for 
offering  to  violate  it  '•  2.  And  this  seemeth  to  be  the  very 
case  of  Jacob  who  took  not  himself  disobliged  from  Leah 
notwithstanding  the  mistake  of  the  person  through  deceit^ 
And  though  the  '  concubitus'  was  added  to  the  contract, 
that  obliged  most  as  it  was  the  perfecting  of  the  contract, 
which  an  oath  doth  as  strongly.  3:  And  the  nature  of  the 
thing  doth  confirm  my  doubt ;  because  when  I  see  the  per- 

■  Suders.  p.  Iti. 

*  Ssiiden.{>.  IfO,  ISl.  This  seeroetb  the  case  of  Isaac  in  blessmg  Jacob:  the 
error  peiBooae'  caused  bj  Jacob's  own  deceit  did  not  nallifj  tha  blessing,  because  i| 
was  fixed  on  the  determinate  person  that  it  was  spoken  to. 

f  Joab.  X.  8.  13.  *  S  Sam.  xxi.  %. 


100  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

son  before  me  there  is  the  '  individuum  determinatum/  in 
the  '  heec  homo/  and  so  all  that  is  essential  to  my  vow  is 
included  in  it :  if  I  mistake  the  name  or  the  quality,  or  birth 
or  relations  of  the  person,  yet  my  covenant  is  with  this  de- 
terminate person  that  is  present,  though  I  be  induced  to  it 
by  a  false  supposition  that  she  is  another.  But  this  I  leave 
to  the  discussion  of  the  judicious. 

Ruk  xLii.  'The  question  also  is  weighty  and  of  fre- 
quent use,  if  a  man  vow  a  thing  as  a  duty  in  obedience  to 
God  and  conscience,  which  he  would  not  have  done  if  he 
had  taken  it  to  be  no  duty,  and  if  he  afterwards  find  that  it 
was  no  duty,  is  he  obliged  to  keep  this  vow?  And  the  true 
answer  is,  ^at  the  discovery  of  his  error  doth  only  discover 
the  nullity  of  his  obligation  to  make  that  vow,  and  to  do  the 
thing  antecedently  to  the  vow ;  but  if  the  thing  be  lawful^ 
he  is  bound  to  it  by  his  vow  notwithstanding  the  nbistake 
which  induced  him  to  make  it. 

Ride  xLiii.  '  Vows  about  trifles  (not  unlawful)  must  be 
kept  though  they  are  sinfully  made  \*  As  if  you  vow  to 
take  up  a  straw,  or  to  forbear  such  a  bit  or  sort  of  meat,  or 
garment,  &c.  But  to  make  such  is  a  great  profS&nation  of 
Ood's  name,  and  a  taking  it  in  vain  as  common  swearers  do. 

Rule  XLi  V.  'A  general  oath  though  taken  upon  a  partio* 
ular  occasion  must  be  generally  or  strictly  interpreted  (un- 
less there  be  special  reasons  for  a  restraint,  from  the  matter, 
end,  or  other  evidence).'  As  if  you  are  afraid  that  your  son 
should  marry  such  a  woman,  and  therefore  swear  him  not 
to  marry  wiUiout  your  consent;  he  is  bound  thereby  neither 
to  marry  that  woman  nor  any  other.  Or  if  your  servant 
haunt  any  particular  alehouse,  and  you  make  him  forswear 
all  houses  in  general,  he  must  avoid  all  other.  So  Dr.  San- 
derson instanceth  in  the  oath  of  supremacy,  p.  195. 

Ruk  XLv.  *  He  that  vowetli  absolutely  or  implicitly  to 
obey  another  in  all  things,  is  bound  to  obey  him  in  all  lawfril 
things,  where  neither  God,  nor  other  superior  or  othar  per- 
son is  injured  ;  unless  the  nature  of  the  relation,  or  the  ends 
or  reasons  of  the  oath,  or  something  else  infer  a  limitation 
as  implied.' 

Ruk  XLvi.  *  Still  distinguish  between  the  falsehood  in 
the  words  as  disagreeing  to  the  thing  sworn,  and  the  false- 

*    Sanders,  p.  84. 


GHAP.  VI.]        CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  107 

hood  of  them  as  disagreeing  from  the  swearer's  mind.'    The 
former  is  sometimes  excusable,  but  the  latter  never. 

There  are  many  other  questions  about  oaths  that  belong 
more  to  the  chapter  of  Contracts  and  justice  between  man 
and  man ;  and  thither  I  refer  them. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


Directions  to  the  People  concerning  their  Internal  and  Private 
Duty  to  their  Pastors,  and  the  Improvement  of  their  Minis- 
terial Office  and  Gifis. 

The  people's  internal  and  private  duty  to  their  pastors    ^ 
(which  I  may  treat  of  without  an  appearance  of  encroach- 
ment upon  the  work  of  the  canons,  rubrics,  and  diocesans) 
I  shall  open  to  you  in  these  Directions  following. 

Direct,  i.  'Understand  first  the  true  ground,  and  nature, 
and  reasons  of  the  ministerial  office,  or  else  you  will  not  un- 
derstand the  grounds,  and  nature,  and  reasons  of  your  duty 
to  them.'  The  nature  and  works  of  the  ministerial  office  I 
have  so  plainly  opened  already  that  I  shall  refer  you  to  it  to 
avoid  repetition*.  Here  are  two  sorts  of  reasons  to  be 
given  you  :  1.  The  reasons  of  the  necessity  of  the  ministe- 
rial work.  2.  Why  certain  persons  must  be  separated  to 
this  work,  and  it  must  not  be  left  to  all  in  common. 

The  necessity  of  the  work  itself  appeareth  in  the  very  na- 
ture of  it,  and  enumeration  of  the  parts  of  it  ^  Two  sorts 
of  ministers  Christ  hath  made  use  of  for  his  church :  the 
first  sort  was  for  the  revelation  of  some  new  law  or  doctrine, 
to  be  the  rule  of  faith  or  life  for  the  church :  and  these 
were  to  prove  their  authority  and  credibility  by  some  divine 
attestation,  which  was  especially  by  miracles ;  and  so  Moses 
revealed  the  law  to  the  Jews,  and  (Christ  and)  the  apostles 
re?ealed  the  Gospel.  The  second  sort  of  ministers  are  ap- 
pointed to  guide  the  church  to  salvation  by  opening  and  ap- 
plying the  rule  thus  already  sealed  and  delivered:  and 
these  as  they  are  to  bring  no  new  revelations  or  doctrines  of 
faith,  or  rule  of  life,  so  they  need  not  bring  any  miracle  to 

*  IXipat.  ii.  of  Church  Government,  chap.  i.  and  Universal  Concord. 
^  Of  Uie  difference  between  fixed  and  unfixed  nihusters,  see  mj  Dispat.  ii.  liu 
ol  Charch  Govemroent,  and  Jos.  Acontalib.  v.  c.  tl,  32.  de  Missionibas. 


108  CHRISTIAN  DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

prove  tlieir  call  or  authority  to  the  church  ;  for  they  hare 
no  power  to  deliver  any  new  doctrine  or  gospel  to  the 
church,  but  only  that  which  is  confirmed  by  miracles  alrea- 
dy. And  it  is  impudence  to  demand  that  the  same  gospel 
be  proved  by  new  miracles  by  every  minister  that  shall  ex- 
pound or  preach  it :  that  would  make  miracles  to  be  no  mir- 
acles. 

The  work  of  the  ordinary  ministry  (such  as  the  priests 
and  teachers  were  under  the  law,  and  ordinary  pastors  and 
teachers  are.  under  the  Gospel,)  being  only  to  gather  and 
govern  the  churches,  their  work  lay  in  explaining  and  ap- 
plying the  Word  of  God,  and  delivering  his  sacraments,  and 
now  containeth  these  particulars  following:  1.  To  preach 
the  Gospel  for  the  conversion  of  the  unbelieving  and  ungod- 
ly world.  And  that  is  done,  partly  by  expounding  the 
words  by  a  translation  into  a  tongue  which  the  hearers  or 
readers  understand ;  and  partly  by  opening  the  sense  and 
matter  ^  2.  In  this  they  are  not  only  teachers,  but  mes- 
sengers sent  from  God  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost  to 
charge,  and  command,  and  entreat  men  in  his  name  to  re- 
pent, and  believe,  and  be  reconciled  to  God;  and  in  his 
name  to  offer  them  a  sealed  pardon  of  all  their  sins,  and  title 
to  eternal  life  ^.  3.  Those  that  become  the  disciples  of 
Christ,  they  are  (as  his  stewards)  to  receive  into  his  house, 
as  fellow  citizens  of  the  saints,  and  of  the  household  of  God ; 
and  as  his  commissioned  officers,  to  solemnize  by  baptism 
their  entrance  into  the  holy  covenant,  and  to  receive  their 
engagement  to  God,  and  to  be  the  messengers  of  God's  en- 
gagement unto  them,  and  by  investiture  to  deliver  to  them  by 
that  sacrament  the  pardon  of  all  their  sin,  and  their  title 
by  adoption  to  eternal  life :  as  a  house  is  delivered  by  the 
delivery  of  a  key ;  or  land,  by  a  twig  and  turf;  or  knight- 
hood by  a  sword  or  garter,  &c.  4.  These  ministers  are  to 
gather  these  converts  into  solemn  assemblies  and  ordered 
churches,  for  their  solemn  worshipping  of  God,  and  mutual 
edification,  communion,  and  safe  proceeding  in  their  Chris- 
tian course  *.     5.  They  are  to  be  the  stated  teachers  of  the 

«  Rom.  X.  7. 14.    Mark  xvi.  15.     Matt,  xxviii.  19,  SO. 
d  2  Cor.  V.  19—21.     AcU  xxvL  17, 18.    £pb.  ii.  19.     Acts  ii.  S7--40. 
«  Tit.  i.  7.    1  Cor.  iv.  i,  2.     Matt.  xxTiii.  19,  20.     Acts  zx.  32.    1  Ck>r.  iu. 
11,12. 


CHAP.  ▼!•]        CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  109 

assemblteSy  by  expounding  and  applying  that  word  which  is 
fit  to  build  them  up.     6.  They  are  to  be  the  guides  of  the 
congregation  in  public  worship,  and  to  stand  between  them 
and  Christ  in  things  pertaining  to  Qoi,  as  subservient  to 
Christ  in  his  priestly  office :  and  so  both  for  the  people,  and 
also  in  their  names,  to  put  up  the  public  prayers  and  praises 
of  the  church  to  God.     7.  It  is  their  duty  to  administer  to 
them,  as  in  the  name  and  stead  of  Christ,  his  body  and 
blood  as  broken  and  lihed  for  them,  and  so  in  the  frequent 
renewals  of  the  holy  covenants,  to  subserve  Christ  especial- 
ly in  bis  priestly  office,  to  offer  and  deliver  Christ  and  his 
benefits  to  them,  and  to-be  their  agent  in  offering  themselves 
to  God.     8.  They  are  appointed  to  oversee  and  govern  the 
church,  in  the  public  ordering  of  the  solemn  worship  of 
Crod,  and  in  rebuking  any  that  are  there  disorderly,  and  see- 
ing that  all  things  be  done  to  edification  ^    They  are  ap- 
pointed as  teachers  for  every  particular  member  of  the 
church  to  have  personal  and  private  recourse  to,  (as  far  as 
may  be,)  for  the  resolving  of  their  weighty  doubts,  and  in- 
struction in  cases  of  difficulty  and  necessity,  and  for  the 
settling  of  their  peace  and  comfort.     10.  They  are  appoint- 
ed, as  physicians  under  Christ,  to  watch  over  all  the  indivi- 
dual members  of  their  charge,  and  take  care  that  they  be 
not  infected  with  heresy,  or  corrupted  by  vice ;  and  to  ad- 
monish the  offenders,  and  reduce  them  into  the  way  of  truth 
and  holiness,  and  if  they  continue  impenitent  after  public 
admonition,  to  reject  them  from  the  communion  of  the 
church,  and  command  the  church  to  avoid  them.     11.  They 
are  as  to  bind  over  the  impenitent  to  answer  their  contumacy 
at  the  bar  of  Christ,  so  to  absolve  the  penitent,  and  com- 
fort them,  and  require  the  church  to  re-admit  them  to  their 
communion.     12.  They  are  appointed   as  stewards  in  the 
hoosehold  of  Christ,  to  have  a  tender  care  of  the  very  bodily 
welfare  of  their  flocks,  so  as  to  endeavour  the  supplying  of 
their  wants,  and  stirring  up  the  rich  to  relieve  the  poor,  and 
faithfully  (by  themselves  or  the  deacons)  to  distribute  what 
is  intrusted  with  them  for  that  use.     13.  They  are  especially 
to  visit  the  sick,  and  when  they  are  sent  for,  to  pray  for 

'  Acu  siv.  23.  t  Tiro.  ii.  2.  Acts  xiii.  2.  U.  41,  42.  ▼!.  2.  xx.  7.  28. 
1  Tim.  V.  17.  Titus  i.  5.  Acts  xi.  30  ,31.  Col.  i.  28.  Eph.  iv.  il,  12.  Mai. 
Tu  7.     1  Tim.  v.  17. 


110  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

them  and  with  them^  and  to  instruct  them  in  their  Bpecifetl 
preparations  for  deaths  and  confirm  them  against  those  last 
assaults.  14.  They  are  appointed  to  be  the  public  cham- 
pions of  the  truth,  to  defend  it  against  all  heretical  and  pro- 
fane opposers,  and  thereby  to  preserve  the  dock  from  being 
seduced.  15.  They  are  appointed  to  be  (under  Christ  the 
head)  the  nerves  and  ligaments  of  the  several  churches,  by 
which  they  are  kept  not  only  in  vigour  by  communication 
of  nutriment,  but  also  in  concord,  and  such  communion  as 
they  are  capable  of,  by  the  correspondencies,  and  consulta- 
tions, and  councils  of  their  pastors  ^.  All  these  are  the  dis- 
tinct and  special  uses  to  which  Christ  hath  appointed  the 
office  of  the  sacred  ministry :  which  having  but  named  to 
you,  I  need  to  say  no  more  to  shew  you  the  excellency,  and 
necessity,  and  benefits  of  it. 

Herein  also  the  reasons  are  apparent,  why  Christ  did 
institute  this  sacred  office.  1.  Because  it  was  meet  his 
kingdom  should  have  officers,  suited  to  his  work  in  the  ad- 
ministration of  it.  2.  It  was  meet  that  they  be  men,  like 
ourselves,  that  we  can  familiarly  converse  with.  3.  The 
great  necessity  of  his  church  required  it,  where  the  most  are 
weak,  and  insufficient  to  perform  all  these  offices  for  them- 
selves; and  cannot  well  subsist  without  the  support  of 
others.  It  was  meet  therefore  that  the  pastors  were  selected 
persons,  wiser,  and  holier,  and  stronger  than  the  people, 
and  fit  for  so  great  and  necessary  a  work.  4.  It  veas  requi- 
site also  to  the  order  of  the  church  ;  for  if  it  were  like  an 
army  without  officers,  there  would  be  nothing  but  confusion, 
and  neither  order  nor  edification. 

By  this  you  may  also  see  the  nature  and  reasons  erf  your 
obedience  to  your  pastors :  as  they  are  not  appointed  to 
govern  you  by  force  \  but  willingly,  "  not  for  filthy  lucre, 
but  of  a  ready  mind,  not  as  being  lords  over  God's  heritage, 
but  as  ensamples  to  the  flock  *,"  so  you  must  willingly  and 

K  1  Cor.  xiv.  16.  26  Acts  xx.  7.  36.  James  v.  14.  Acts  vi.  4.  ii.  4f. 
PhJl.  i.  4.  Neh.  xii.  «4.  xi.  17.  1  Cor.  xi.  J4.  x.  16.  Heb.  ?ii.  7.  Tit.  iL  15. 
i.  9.  11.  1  Tim.  v.  19.  iii.  5.  Tit.  iii.  10.  Matt,  xviii.  17,  18.  1  Cor.  ▼.  4.  11. 
IS.     Epli.  iv*  13,  14.     Acts  XV. 

*>  Princes  may  force  their  subjects  by  the  temporal  sword  which  tbey  beari 
bishops  may  not  force  their  flock  with  any  corporal  or  external  violence.  Bilson, 
Christ.  Siibjectiou,  p.  5t5, 

*  1  Peter  v.  1—3. 


CHAP.  ▼!•]        CHRItftlAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  Ill 

cheerfully  obey  them  in  their  work.  As  their  government  ^ 
is  not  by  any  bodily  penalties  or  mulcts  (for.  that  is  the  ma- 
gistrate's work  and  not  theirs),  but  a  government  by  the 
force  of  Truth  and  Love ;  so  your  obedience  of  them  con- 
sisteth  in  the  loving  and  thankful  reception  of  the  truth 
which  they  teach  you,  and  the  mercies  which  they  offer 
you  from  Christ. 

You  see  then  that  the  reasons  of  your  obedience  are  mani- 
fold. 1.  Some  of  them  from  God:  he  hath  sent  his  mes- 
sengers to  you,  and  set  his  officers  over  you ;  and  Christ 
hath  told  you  that  he  that  heareth  them  heareth  him,  and 
he  that  despiseth  them  despiseth  him,  and  him  that  sent 
him' :  he  commandeth  you  to  hear  and  obey  them  as  his 
officers.  2.  From  themselves :  they  have  authority  by  their 
commission,  and  they  have  ability  in  their  qualifications, 
which  require  your  obedience  and  improvement.  3.  From 
youTselve9 ;  have  you  reason  to  obey  your  natural  parents^ 
on  whom  your  livelihood  in  the  world  dependeth  ?  Have 
you  reason  to  obey  him  that  tendereth  you  a  pardon  from 
the  king  when  you  are  condemned  ?  or  that  offereth  you 
gold  or  riches  in  your  want?  or  that  inviteth  you  to  a  feast 
in  time  of  famine  ?  or  that  offereth  to  defend  and  save  you 
from  your  enemies?  Much  more  have  you  reason  to  obey 
Christ's  ministers  when  they  call  you  to  repentance,  and 
offer  you  pardon  of  sin,  and  peace,  and  salvation,  and  eter- 
nal life.  Did  you  ever  hear  a  man  so  mad  and  churlish,  as 
to  say  to  one  that  offered  him  riches,  or  liberty,  or  life, '  I 
am  not  bound  to  obey  you :  offer  them  to  those  that  you 
have  authority  over  !*  When  the  office  of  the  ministry  is  as 
well  subservient  to  Christ  as  a  Saviour  and  Benefactor,  as 
to  Christ  as  your  Teacher  and  your  King,  the  very  nature 
of  their  work  engageth  you  to  obey  them  as  you  love  your- 
selves. If'^you  were  in  hell,  and  Christ  should  send  for  you 
out,  you  would  not  refuse  to  go,  till  the  messenger  had 

^  Dr.  HammoDd  Anoot  q.  d.  The  bbhops  of  joar  several  churches,  I  exhort^ 
Take  care  of  ywu  several  churches,  and  govern  them,  not  as  secular  rulers,  by  force, 
bift  as  iMitors  do  their  sheep,  by  calling  and  going  before  them,  that  so  they  may 
fellow  of  their  own  accord.'  If  you  would  know  the  true  nature  and  extent  of  a 
bbiup's  work  and  office,  read  carefully  the  said  Dr.  Hammond's  Paraphrase  on  Acts 
xx»  90.  $8.  Heb.  xiii.  7. 17.  1  Tim.  v.  17.  1  Thess.  v.  12.  Heb.  xiii.  AnDot« 
A.  Tit.  iii.  10.  1  Cor.  xii.  98.  Annot.  e.  Jam.  v.  14.  Annot  Acts  xi.  30»  Annot. 
b-  Acts  ziv.  99. 

>  Luke  x.  16. 


112  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART    111. 

proved  his  authority.  And  when  you  are  the  heirs  of  hell, 
condemned  by  the  law,  and  going  thither,  will  you  refuse  to 
turn  back,  and  yield  to  the  offers  and  commands  of  grace, 
till  you  have  skill  enough  to  read  the  minister's  commission  '^ 

By  this  also  you  see,  that  the  power  of  your  pastors  is 
not  absolute,  nor  coercive  and  lordly,  but  ministerial  ^.  And 
though  the  Papists  make  a  scorn  of  the  word  *'  minister," 
it  is  but  in  that  pride,  and  passion,  and  malice  which  mak- 
eth  them  speak  against  their  knowledge :  for  their  pope 
himself  calleth  himself  the  servant  of  God's  servants ;  and 
Paul  saith,  "  Let  a  man  so  account  of  us  as  of  the  ministers 
of  Christ,  and  stewards  of  the  mysteries  of  God  ■."  "  Who 
then  is  Paul,  and  who  is  ApoUos,  but  ministers  by  whom 
ye  believed  **."  "  Who  made  us  able  ministers  of  the  New 
Testament  P."  "  In  all  things  approving  ourselves  as  the 
ministers  of  God  *i."  Even  magistrates,  yea,  and  angels  are 
not  too  good  to  be  called  (and  used  as)  the  ministers  of  God 
for  the  good  of  his  servants'^,  and  to  "  minister  for  them  who 
shall  be  heirs  of  salvation'."  Yea,  Christ  himself  is  so  call- 
ed ^  And  therefore  you  have  no  more  excuse  for  your  dis- 
obedience, than  for  refusing  his  help  that  would  pull  you 
out  of  the  fire  or  water  when  you  are  perishing.  You  see 
here  that  your  pastors  cannot  command  you  what  they  list, 
nor  how  they  list :  they  have  nothing  to  do  with  the  magis- 
trate's work ;  nor  can  they  usurp  the  power  of  a  master 
over  his  servants,  nor  comYnand  you  how  to  do  your  work 
and  worldly  business,  (except  in  the  morality  of  it).  In  the 
fifteen  particulars  beforementioned  their  work  and  office 
do  consist,  and  in  those  it  is  that  you  owe  them  a  rational 
obedience.    ' 

Direct,  ii.  '  Know  your  own  pastors  in  particular:  and 
know  both  what  you  owe  to  a  minister  as  a  minister  of 

"*  Chrj^aost.  cited  by  Bilson,  p.  525.  But  if  any  man  wander  from  tlie  right 
path  of  the  Christian  faith,  the  pastor  must  use  great  pains,  care,  and  |Nitiencc.  For 
be  may  not  be  forced,  nor  constrained  with  terror,  but  only  persuaded  to  r^um  en- 
tirely to  the  truth. A  bishop  cannot  cure  men  with  such  authority  as  a  shep- 
herd doth  his  sheep. — For  of  all  men  Christian  bishops  may  least  correct  the  faults 
of  men  by  force,  p.  526.  Matt.  xx.  «6.  Mark  x.  43.  See  Psal.  ciii.  «1.  cir.4. 
Isa.xvi.  6.  Jer.  xxxiii.  21.  Joel  i.  9.  13.  ii.  17.  2Cor.  xi.  23.  Actsxxvi.  t6. 
Rom.  XT.  16.     Ephes.  iii.7.     Col.  i.  23,  25.     1  Tim.  iv.  6.     1  Thes.iii.  2.     Col.  i.  7. 

n  1  Cor.  iv.  1.  «  1  Cor.  iii.  5.  P  2  Cor.  iii.  6. 

1  2  Cor.  vi.4.  '  Rom.  xiii.  36.  •  Heb.  i.  7. 14. 


CHAP.  Yl.]      CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  113 

Christ  in  common,  and  what  yon  owe  him  moreover  as  your 
pastor  by  special  relation  and  charge  ".'  When  any  minis- 
ter of  Christ  deli  vereth  his  Word  to  you,  he  must  be  heard  as  a 
minister  of  Christ,  and  not  as  a  private  man ;  but  to  your  own 
pastor  you  are  bound  in  a  peculiar  relation,  to  an  ordinary 
and  regular  attendance  upon  his  ministry  in  all  the  particu- 
lars beforementioned  that  concern  you.  Your  own  bishop 
must  in  a  special  manner  be  obeyed : 

1.  As  one  that  labouireth  among  you,  and  is  over  you  in 
the  Lord,  and  admonisheth  you,  and  preacheth  to  you  the 
Word  of  God',  watching  for  your  souls  as  one  that  must 
give  account  y,  and  as  one  that  ruleth  well,  and  especially 
that  laboureth  in  the  Word  and  doctrine ', ''  teaching  you 
publicly  and  from  house  to  house,  taking  heed  to  himself, 
and  to  all  the  flock  over  which  the  Holy  Ghost  hath  made 
him  an  overseer,  not  ceasing  to  warn  every  one  night  and 
day  with  tears  •/'  "  Preaching  Christ,  and  warning  every 
man,  and  teaching  every  man  in  all  wisdom,  that  he  may 
present  every  man  perfect  in  Christ  '*." 

2.  He  is  to  be  obeyed  as  the  guide  of  the  congregation 
in  the  management  of  God's  public  worship  :  you  must  se- 
riously and  reverently  join  with  him,  every  Lord's  day  at 
least,  in  the  public  prayers  and  praises  of  the  church,  and 
not  ordinarily  go  from  him  to  another. 

3.  You  must  receive  from  him  or  with  him,  the  sacra- 
ment of  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ :  which  of  old  was  ad- 
ministered every  Lord's  day,  and  that. only  in  the  church 
where  the  bishop  was,  that  is,  in  every  church  of  the  faith- 
ful :  for  as  Ignatius  most  obsei-vably  saith^,  '  tv  ButfuiaTiifHov 
iroop  rp    isacXritil^  xai  ug  iirLrKOTrog  afia  rcJ  irpar/Sure/ou^y  kcu 

rwc  Siiiicopoic' 'UNUM  ALTARE  OMNI  ECCLESIiE. 

ET  UNUS  EPISCOPUS  CUM  PRESBYTERIO  ET  DI A- 
CONIS.' '  IN  EVERY  CHURCH  there  is  ONE  AL- 

■  Fimctioiies  io  eoetesia  perpetac  Buot  dus,  Presbyte rorura  et  Diaoononim  : 
Preri»3rteros  tooo  cum  omni  ecclesia  veteri  eos,  qai  ecclcnam  pascont  verbi  pr»dica- 
dane«McmDenti8  et  clavibos ;  qua  jure  DiTino  sunt  individua.  Grotius  de  Imperio 
pag.  tG7.  cap.  10. 

*  Biahop  Jer.  Taj  lor  of  Repentance.  Pref.  '  I  am  sure  we  cannot  give  an  ac' 
coont  of  toob  of  which  we  have  no  iwtice.' 

»  1  Then.  V.  12.    Heb.  xUi.  7.  17.  »  I  Tim.  v.  17. 

•  AeU  XX.  19,  20.  24.  28.  31.  S3.  ^  Col.  i.  28. 

«  Ignat.  £pu.  ad  Philad.    Vid.  Mead's  Disc  of  Churches,  p.  48—50. 
VOL.    V.  1 


114  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART   III. 

TAR,  and  ONE  BISHOP,  WITH  THE  PRESBYTERY 
and  DEACONS.'—  So  in  his  Epist.  ad  Magnes.  '  Come 
all  as  one,  to  the  temple  of  God,  as  to  one  altar,  as  to  one 
Jesus  Christ.'  And  saith  TertuUian  '^, '  Eucharistis  Sacra- 
mentum— — nee  de  aliorum  manu  quam  praesidentium  bu- 
mimus :'  '  we  take  not  the  sacrament  of  the  eucharist  from 
the  hand  of  any  but  the  president.' 

4.  You  must  have  recourse  to  him  especially  for  the  re- 
solution of  your  weighty  doubts,  in  private  *. 

5.  You  must  hear  your  bishops  and  repent,  when  in 
meekness  and  love  they  convince  and  admonish  you  against 
your  sins,  and  not  resist  the  Word  of  God  which  they  power- 
fully and  patiently  lay  home  to  your  consciences,  nor  put 
them  with  grief  to  cut  you  off,  as  impenitent  in  scandalous 
sins,  from  the  communion  of  the  church. 

6.  You  must,  after  any  scandalous  sin  which  hath 
brought  you  under  the  censure  of  the  church,  go  humble 
yourselves  by  penitent  confession,  and  crave  absolution  and 
restoration  to  the  communion  of  the  church. 

7.  Your  public  church  alms  should  ordinarily  be  depo- 
sited into  the  bishop's  hands,  who  relieveth  the  orphans  and 
widows,  and  is  the  curator  or  guardian  to  all  absolutely  that 
are  in  want,  saith  Ignatius  to  Polycarp,  cited  by  Dr.  Ham- 
mond on  1  Cor.  xii.  28  ^ 

8.  You  must  send  for  him  in  your  sickness  to  pray  with 
you  and  advise  you.  See  Dr.  Hammond  on  James  v.  14. 
And  on  1  Cor.  xii.  2S.  he  saith,  '  Polycarp  himself  speaking 
of  the  elders  or  bishops  saith.  They  visit  and  take  care  of 
all  that  are  sick,  not  neglecting  the  widows,  the  orphans,  or 
the  poor.'  And  Dr.  Hammond  on  James  v.  14.  sheweth  out 
of  antiquity  ^,  that  '  One  part  of  the  bishop's  office  is  set 
down,  that  they  are  those  that  visit  all  the  sick.'  Not  but 
that  a  stranger  may  be  made  use  of  also  ;  but  ordinarily  and 
especially  your  own  bishop  must  be  sent  for ;  because  as 
you  are  his  special  charge,  and  he  "  watcheth  for  your  souls 

«»  Tertull.  de  Coron.  Milit.  c.  3. 

«  It  is  very  observable  that  Acosta  saith,  lib.  vi.  c.  If.  that  they  found  il  an  old 
custom  among  the  Indians  to  confess  their  sins  to  the  priests  before  tiie  Gospel  came 
thither. 

'  See  more  in  Dr.  Hammond,  ibid. 

f  Vid.  Canon.  Apost.  5.  St.  £t  Concil.  Andoch.  c.  S»  £t  ConciL  Cwth^. 
4.  Can.  35. 


CHAP.  VI.]        CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  1  15 

as  one  that  must  give  account^ ;"  so  it  is  supposed  that  he 
is  better  acquainted  with  your  spiritual  state  and  life  than 
others  are,  and  therefore  in  less  danger  of  wronging  you  by 
mistake  and  misapplications :  for  it  is  supposed  that  you 
have  acquainted  him  with  your  personal  condition  in  your 
health,  having  taken  him  as  your  ordinary  counsellor  for 
your  souls,  and  that  he  hath  acquainted  himself  with  your 
condition,  and  confirmed  you,  and  watched  over  you  by 
name,  as  Ignatius  to  Polycarp  bishop  of  Smyrna  saith  \ 
'  Seepe  congregationes  fiant :  ex  nomine  omnes  quaere :  ser- 
▼08  et  ancillas  ne  despicias/  As  bishop  Usher's  old  Latin 
translation  hath  it.  '  Let  congregations  be  often  held :  in- 
quire after  all  by  name  :  despise  not  servants  and  maids.' 
The  bishop  took  notice  of  every  servant  and  maid  by  name ; 
and  he  had  an  opportunity  to  see  whether  they  were  in  the 
congregation. 

9.  You  must  use  him  as  your  leader  or  champion  against 
all  heretics,  infidels,  and  subtle  adversaries  of  the  truth,  with 
whom  you  are  unable  to  contend  yourselves,  that  your 
bishop  may  clear  up  and  defend  the  cause  of  Christ  and 
righteousness,  and  by  irresistible  evidence,  stop  the  mouths 
of  all  gainsay^rs  ^.  It  is  for  your  own  benefit  and  not  for 
theirs  that  you  are  required  in  all  these  works  of  their  office 
to  use  them  and  readily  obey  them.  And  what  hurt  can  it 
do  you  to  obey  them  in  any  of  these  ? 

Direct,  iii.  *  Understand  how  it  is  that  Christ  doth  au- 
thorize and  send  forth  his  ministers,  lest  wolves  and  de- 
eeiTers  should  either  obtrude  themselves  upon  you  as  your 
lawful  pastors,  or  should  alienate  you  from  those  that  God 
hath  set  over  you,  by  puzzling  you  in  subtle  questioning  or 
disputing  against  their  call.'  Not  only  Paul's  warnings. 
Acts  XX.  30.  and  2  Tim.  iii.  6. ;  but  lamentable  experience 
telleth  us  what  an  eager  desire  there  is  in  proud  and  self- 
conceited  men,  to  obtrude  themselves  as  teachers  and  pas- 
tors on  the  churches,  to  creep  into  houses  and  lead  people 
captive,  and  draw  away  disciples  after  them,  tod  say  (and 
perhaps  think)  that  others  are  deceivers,  and  none  are  the 
true  teachers  indeed  but  they.     And  the  first  part  of  the  art 

^  Heb.  xiii.  17. 

*  VM.  Just.  Mart.  ApoL  2.    Yid.  TertoL  Apol.  c  59. 

^  I  hope  all  diis  will  tell  jfoa  what  a  bishop  hideed  »• 


il6  CHRISTIAN    DIKECTOttY.  [PART    III. 

and  work  of  wolves,  is  to  separate  you  from  your  pastors, 
and  catch  up  the  stragglers  that  are  thus  separated.  The 
malice,  and  slanders,  and  lies,  and  railing  of  hirelings  and 
deceivers,  and  all  the  powers  of  hell,  are  principally  poured 
out  on  the  faithful  pastors  and  leaders  of  the  flocks.  The 
principal  work  of  the  Jesuits  against  you,  is  to  make  you 
believe  that  your  pastors  are  no  true  pastors,  but  uncalled 
private  persons,  and  mere  usurpers :  and  the  reason  must 
be,  because  they  have  not  an  ordination  of  bishops  succes- 
sively from  the  apostles  without  interruption  ^  I  confess  if 
our  interruptions  had  been  half  as  lamentable  as  dieirs,  (by 
their  schisms,  and  variety  of  popes  at  once ;  and  popes  ac- 
cused, or  condemned  by  general  councils,  for  heretics  ;  and 
their  variety  of  ways  of  electing  popes,  and  their  incapaci- 
ties by  simony,  usurpation,  &c.)  I  should  think  at  least 
that  our  ancestors  had  cause  to  have  questioned  the  calling 
of  some  that  were  then  over  them.  But  I  will  help  you  in 
a  few  words  to  discern  the  juggling  of  these  deceivers,  by 
shewing  you  the  truth  concerning  the  way  of  Christ's  giving 
his  commission  to  the  ministers  that  are  truly  called,  and 
the  needlessness  of  the  proof  of  an  uninterrupted  succession 
of  regular  ordinatiou;  to  your  reception  of  your  pastors  and 
their  ministrations. 

The  ministerial  commission  is  contained  in,  and  con- 
veyed by  the  law  of  Christ,  which  is  the  charter  of  the 
church,  and  every  true  bishop  or  pastor  hath  his  power  from 
Christ,  and  not  at  all  from  the  efficient  conveyance  of  any 
mortal  man  :  even  as  kings  have  their  power  not  from  man, 
but  from  God  himself;  but  with  this  difference,  that  in  the 
church  Christ  hath  immediately  determined  of  the  species  of 
church  offices,  but  in  the  civil  government,  only  of  the 
genus  (absolutely  and  inunediately  "*)•    You  cannot  have  a 

I  Orot.  de  Imp.  p.  273.  Pastorum  est  ordinare  pastores.  Neque  id  oificiam 
ds  oompetit,  qua  hojas  aut  illius  ecclesis  pastores  sunt,  sed  qaa  ministris  cccleMB 
Catholics. 

"*  See  in  Grotius  de  Imper.  sum.  potest,  p.  269.  The  necessary  dbtiiietion  d 
1.  Ipsa  facultas  pnedicandi  sacramenta  et  claves  admioistrandi,  qaod  Mandatam  vo- 
cat.  2.  Appltcatio  hujos  facultalis  ad  certain  personam,  via.  Ordinatio.  5.  ApfiH- 
cmtio  hujus  persona  ad  certam  costam  et  locum,  vis.  Electio.  4.  IJIud  quo  certaper* 
sona  in  certo  loco  ministerium  slium  exercet  publico  presidio  ac  public^  autboritate, 
▼is.  Confirmatio.  p.  273.  Constat  munerb  institutionem  k  Deo  esse :  ordinatioiieiii 
&  pastoribos,  confirmationem  publicam  a  sumnw  potestate.  So  that  the  doubt  it 
only  about  election.    Which  yet  muft  be  differenced  from  ooment. 


CHAP.  VI.]         CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  117 

plainer  illustration,  than  by  considering  how  mayors  and 
bailiffs,  and  constables  are  annually  made  in  corporations  : 
the  king  by  his  charter  saith  that  '  every  year  at  a  certain 
time  the  freemen  or  burgesses  shall  meet,  and  choose  one  to 
be  their  mayor,  and  the  steward  or  town-clerk  shall  give  him 
bis  oath,  and  thus  or  thus  he  shall  be  invested  in  his  place, 
and  this  shall  be  his  power  and  work  and  no  other/     So  the 
king  by  his  law  appointeth  that  constables  and  church- 
wardens shall  be  chosen  in  every  parish.     Now  let  our  two 
questions  be  here  decided:  1.  Who  is  it  that  giveth  these 
officers  their  power?     2.  Whether  an  uninterrupted  succes- 
sion of  such  officers  through  all  generations  since  the  enact- 
ing of  that  law,  be  necessary  to  the  validity  of  the  present 
officer's  authority  ?     To  the  first.  It  is  certain  that  it  is  the 
king  by  his  law  or  charter  that  giveth  the  officers  their 
power;  and  that  the  corporations  and  parishes  do  not  give 
it  them  by  electing,  or  investing  them :  yea  though  the  king 
hmth  made  such  election  and  investiture  to  be  in  a  sort  his 
instrument  in  the  conveying  it,  it  is  but,  as  the  opening  of 
the  door  to  let  them  in,  '  sine  quo  non ;'  but  it  doth  not 
make  the  instruments  to  be  at  all  the  givers  of  the  power, 
nor  were  they  the  receiving,  or  containing  mediate  causes 
of  it.    The  king  never  gave  them  the  power  which  the  of- 
ficers receive,  either  to  use,  or  to  give :  but  only  makes  the 
electors  his  instruments  to  determine  of  the  person  that 
shall  receive  the  power  immediately  from  the  law  or  charter ; 
and  the  investers  he  maketh  his  instruments  of  solemnizing 
the  tradition  and  admission :  which  if  the  law  or  charter 
make  absolutely  necessary  ^ad  esse  officii,'  it  will  be  so; 
but  if  it  make  it  necessary  only  '  ad  melius  esse,'  or  but  for 
order  and  regular  admittance  when  no  necessity  hindereth 
it,  the  necessity  will  be  no  more.     And  to  the  second  ques- 
tion. It  is  plain  that  the  law  which  is  the  '  fiindamentum 
juris'  remaining  still  the  same,  if  a  parish  omit  for  divers 
years  to  choose  any  constable  or  church-warden,  yet  the 
next  time  they  do  choose  one  according  to  law,  the  law  doth 
aathorise  him,  nevertheless,  though  there  was  an  interrup- 
tion or  vacancy  so  long  :  and  so  in  corporations,  (unless  the 
law  or  charter  say  the  contrary)  :  so  is  it  in  the  present  case. 
1.  It  is  the  established  law  of  Christ,  which  describetb  the 
office,  determineth  of  the  degree  and  kind  of  power,  and 


1 18  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

gi*anteth  or  conveyeth  it,  when  the  person  is  determined  of 
by  the  electors  and  ordainers,  though  by  ordination  the  de- 
livery and  .admission  is  regularly  to  be  solemnized ;  which 
actions  are  of  just  so  much  necessity  as  that  law  hath  made 
them,  and  no  more.    2.  And  if  there  were  never  so  long  an 
interruption  or  vacancy,  he  that  afterward  entereth  lawfully, 
so  as  to  want  nothing  which  the  law  of  Christ  hath  made 
necessary  to  the  being  of  the  office,  doth  receive  his  power 
nevertheless  immediately  from  the  law  of  Christ,     And  Bel- 
larmine  himself  saith,  that  it  is  not  necessary  to  the  people, 
and  to  the  validity  of  sacraments  and  offices  to  them,  to 
know  that  their  pastors  be  truly  called  or  ordained :  and  if 
it  be  not  necessary  to  the  validity  of  sacraments,  it  is  not 
necessary  to  the  validity  of  ordination.     And  W.  Johnson  * 
confesseth  to  me  that  consecration  is  not  absolutely  neces- 
sary '  ad  esse  officii'  to  the  pope  himself:  no  nor  any  one 
sort  of  electors  in  his  election.  Page  333.    And  in  his  RepL 
Term.  Expl.  p.  46.  he  saith,  *  Neither  papal  nor  episcopal 
jurisdiction  (as  all  the  learned  know)  depends  of  episco- 
pal or  papal  ordination  :  nor  was  there  ever  interruptions  of 
successions  in  episcopal  jurisdiction  in  any  see,  for  want  of 
that  alone,  that  is  necessary  for  consecrating  others  validly, 
and  not  for  jurisdiction  over  them.'    You  see  then  how  litUe 
sincerity  is  in  these  mens'  disputations,  when  they  would 
persuade  you  to  reject  your  lawful  pastors  as  no  true  minis- 
ters of  Christ,  for  want  of  their  ordination  or  succession. 

Direct,  iv.  '  Though  the  sacraments  and  other  ministe- 
rial offices  are  valid  when  a  minister  is  qualified  (in  his  abil- 
ities and  call)  but  with  so  much  as  is  essential  to  the  office, 
though  he  be  defective  in  degree  of  parts  and  faithfolneas, 
and  have  personal  faults  which  prove  his  own  destruction ; 
yet  so  great  is  the  diffisrence  between  a  holy,  heavenly, 
learned,  judicious,  experienced,  skilful,  zealous,  laborious, 
faithful  minister,  and  an  ignorant,  ungodly,  idle,  nnskilfttl 
one  ;  and  so  highly  should  every  wise  man  value  the  best 
means  and  advantages  to  his  eternal  happiness,  that  he 
should  use  all  lawful  means  in  his  power  to  enjoy  and  live 
under  such  an  able,  godly,  4)owerfid  ministry,  diough.he 
part  with  his  worldly  wealth  and  pleasure  to  attain  it  *».*     I 


"  See  my  Disput.  with  biro  of  the  Successive  VbiWIity  of  the  Chnreh,  p. 

»  Cjrprian,  Epu.  Iiviii.    Piebs  obaeqacns  praceptts  domicicii  4  peocatoie  pMe- 


1 

CHAP.  YI.]      CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  1(0 

know  no  evil  must  be  done  for  the  attainment  of  the  great- 
est helps :  (for  we  cannot  expect  that  God  should  bless  a 
sinful  course,  or  that  our  sin  should  tend  to  the  saying  of 
our  souls.)  And  I  know  God  can  bless  the  weakest  means, 
when  they  are  such  as  he  appointeth  us  to  use ;  and  can 
teach  us  by  angels  when  he  denieth  us  the  help  of  men ;  but 
Scripture,  reason  and  experience  tell  us,  that  ordinarily  he 
worketh  morally  by  means,  and  fitteth  the  means  to  the 
work  which  he  will  do  by  them  :  and  as  he  doth  not  use  to 
light  men  by  a  clod  or  stone,  but  by  a  candle,  nor  by  a  rot- 
ten post  or  glowworm  so  much  as  by  a  torch  or  luminary ; 
so  he  doth  not  use  to  work  as  muchj  by  an  ignorant,  drunken, 
idle  person,  who  despiseth  the  God,  the  heaven,  the  Christ, 
the  Spirit,  the  grace,  the  sacred  Word  which  he  preacheth, 
and  yiliiieth  both  his  own,  and  other  men's  souls ;  as  he 
doth  by  an  able,  compassionate  minister.  And  the  soul  is 
of  to  much  more  worth  than  the  body,  and  eternal  things 
than  temporal,  that  a  little  commodity  to  the  soul,  in  order 
to  the  securing  of  our  salvation,  must  be  preferred  before  a 
great  deal  of  worldly  riches.  He  that  knoweth  what  his 
soul,  his  Saviour,  and  heaven  are  worth,  will  not  easily  sit 
down  contented,  under  such  a  dark,  and  dull,  and  starving 
minister,  as  he  feeleth  he  can  but  little  profit  by,  if  better 
may  be  had  on  lawful  terms.  He  that  feeleth  no  difference 
between  the  ministry  of  these  two  sorts  of  men,  it  is  because 
he  is  a  stranger  to  the  work  of  the  Gospel  on  the  soul :  and 
''if  the  Gospel  (in  its  truth,  or  worth,  or  use)  be  hid,  it  is  hid 
to  them  that  are  lost,  the  God  of  this  world  having  blinded 
their  minds  p."   It  must  be  no  small  matter  that  must  satisfy 

poBlci  mpante  te  debet.  Which  Orotios  de  Imper.  p.  230.  citing  aaith,  Jobentur 
enia  flngnliy  muito  oMgb  oiuTeni,  cavere  prophetas  hdaon,  olieuam  peBtorem  iiigere, 
•b  iii  decinare  qui  disndia  faciiintet  ofTensas  contra  doctrinam.  S.  Imperator  fide- 
ObimhmBmnm  eoram  coDsaetudinem  dedinarc  qui  firatres,  &c.  2  Cor.  v.  Bom.  xvi. 
17*     John  T.     9  Tim.  ni.  6.    t  Thess.  iu.  6.  14.     t  Cor.  iv.  3,  4^ 

P  Satan  or  their  own  worldly  advantages,  saith  Dr.  Hammond.  Dan.  i.  It,  13. 
Eaik*  iv.  If.  15.  Read  c^iii.  Acoata  excellently  rebakiiig  the  negligence  of  their 
p<i ill  that  tanght  the  Indians  the  catechism  idly,  and  without  explication,  or  calling 
tkem  to  aeooont  about  the  sense,  and  then  laid  all  the  fault  on  the  blockishness  of  the 
pe»pie»  wiKfi '  ToCa  catechixrndi  ratio  erat  nmbratilis,  et  ludicne  similis :  egovero 
(iaqik)  il  homines  ingenio  acerrimo,  et  discendi  percupidi  tales  pnweptores  nacti 
MMMk,  nihil  alind  qnam  ut  dupio  ignoratiores  evaderent,  doceri  isto  modo  arbitrarer. 
OBmin  sjmbolo  addiscendo  et  intelligendo,  roysteriisqne  fidei  agnoscendb  riri  inge- 
pnBrtantes  et  literatura  celebres,  dio  in  catechumenorum  ordine  ten^bantur,  cum 

Tigeret ;  neqoe  ante  ad  iidei  sacramentum  admittebantv, 


120  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [l^ART  IIT. 

a  serious  Christian  to  cast  his  soul  upon  any  hurtful  or  dan- 
gerous disadvantage.  Though  Daniel  and  his  companions 
may  live  well  on  pulse,  yea,  and  Ezekiel  upon  bread  baked 
with  dung,  when  God  will  have  it  so,  yet  no  wise  man  will 
choose  such  a  diet;  especially  if  his  diseases  require  the 
most  exact  diet,  or  his  weakness  the  most  restorative,  and 
all  too  little ;  which,  alas,  is  the  common  case.  Yet  this 
caution  you  must  here  take  with  you,  1.  That  you  pretend 
not  your  own  benefit,  to  the  common  loss  or  hurt  of  others. 
2.  And  that  you  consider  as  well  where  you  may  do  most 
good,  as  where  you  may  get  most;  for  the  way  of  greatest 
service,  is  the  way  of  greatest  gain. 

Direct,  v.  '  Understand  what  sort  and  measure  of  belief 
it  is  that  you  owe  to  your  teachers,  that  so  your  incredulity 
hinder  not  your  faith  in  Christ,  nor  your  over-much  credu- 
lity betray  you  to  heresy,  nor  make  you  the  servants  of  men, 
contrary  to  Matt,  xxiii.  8—10.  Eph.  iv.  13.  2  Cor.  i.  24. 
Acts  XX.  30.'  We  see  on  one  side  how  many  poor  souls  are 
cheated  into  schism  and  dangerous  errors,  by  fbcsaking  their 
teachers  and  refusing  their  necessary  help,  and  all  upon  this 
pretence,  that  they  must  not  make  men  the  lords  of  their 
faith,  nor  pin  their  faith  on  the  minister's  sleeve,  nor  take 
their  religion  upon  trust.  And  on  the  other  side  we  see 
among  the   Papists,  and  in  every   sect,  what  lamentable 

quftin  multas  ab  epucopo  de  sjmbolo  conciones  andissent,  diu  et  maltom  com  cale- 
cbista  oootolissent ;  post  qiuu  omnes  curas  et  roeditadonet,  magnmn  erat  ri  rectrn  ton 
tirent,  consentanea  respoodereQt,  &c  and  be  addeth,  p.  360.  Equideni  ife  opinor, 
neque  ab  ea  opiirone  avelli  unquam  poteio,  quin  petsamo  pfceptorioianea  ene  andl- 
tores  faebetes  credam.  A  bad  teacher  hath  always  bad  acholan.  Even  in  the  Bo- 
mao  church  how  little  their  authority  can  do  against  profauenest  and  negligence,  the 
same  Acosta  sheweth,  lib.  vi.  c  \w  p.  519.  Ottm  in  prorinciali  eondlio  Limcnii  ab  ob- 
nibos  Pecoensibiis  episcopis  csterisque  gravibos  viris  ad  ea  vitia  emendanda  moltuD 
opere  «t  studii  coilatam  sit,  atque  edita  extent  egregjia  decreta  de  refonnatiaoe  per. 
multa^  nihil  tamen  ampliusperfectum  est,  quam  si  ab  otiosis  nantn  derepoblicamod- 
eranda  oonsoltatem  csset.  Bonific  Mogunt.  £p.iii.  mentioneth  it  as  the  error  of  a 
new  sprang  sect^  that  heinous  sinners  even  socontinoing  may  be  priests.  And  Ep. 
Uxili.  it  u  said.  No  man  may  be  made  a  priest  that  liath  sinned  mortally  after  bif^ 
tism,  and,  Si  u  qui  tarn  in  episcopatn  vel  presbyterio  positus  mortale  peccatoB  att- 
quod  admiserit,  non  debet  offerre  panes  Domino,  quanto  magit — patientcr  retiahalfe 
ab  hoc  non  tam  honore  quam  onere,  et  aliorom  locum  qui  digni  sunt  non  aabiat  oc« 
cuparc.  Qui  enim  in  erudJendis  et  instituendis  ad  virtutem  populis  praest,  neccwi 
est,  at  in  omnibus  sanctus  Bit,et  in  nulloreprehensibiUs  habeatur*  Qui  enim  aliqneim 
de  peccato  arguit,  ipse  &  peccato  debet  esse  iinmunis.  Auct.  Bib.  Pat  Tom.ii»  p.  81. 
If  there  were  somewhat  too  much  strictness  in  the  ancient  exclusion  of  them  that  bet. 
noasly  sinned  after  baptism  from  the  priesthood,  let  not  us  b«  as  much  too  1ook« 


OHAP.  Vl.]     CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  121 

work  is  made  by  an  over-much  credulity  and  implicit  be- 
lief of  ambitions,  worldly,  factious,  proud  and  erroneous 
guides.  That  you  may  escape  both  these  extremes,  you 
must  observe  the  truth  of  these  conclusions  following, 
which  shew  you  what  it  is  that  your  teachers  have  to  reveal 
unto  you,  and  in  what  order,  and  how  far  the  several  partic- 
ulars are,  or  are  not  to  be  taken  upon  their  words. 

And  first,  as  a  preparative,  it  is  presupposed,  (1.)  That 
you  find  yourself  ignorant,  and  one  that  needeth  a  teacher  : 
for  if  you  think  you  know  all  that  you  need  to  know  already, 
you  are  like  a  full  bottle  that  will  hold  no  more.  (2.)  It  is 
presupposed  that  you  take  the  man  that  you  learn  of  to  be 
wiser  than  yourself  and  fit  to  teach  you:  either  because 
hme  or  other  men's  reports  have  told  you  so  (as  the  woman 
John  iv.  drew  the  Samaritans  to  Christ),  or  because  his  own 
profession  of  skill  doth  make  you  think  so  (as  you  will 
hearken  to  him  that  professeth  to  be  able  to  teach  you  any 
art  or  science) ;  or  else  because  your  present  hearing  his 
discourse  doth  convince  you  of  his  wisdom;  by  one  of 
these  means  you  are  brought  to  think  that  he  is  one  that  you 
may  learn  of,  and  is  fit  for  you  to  hear ;  (so  that  here  is  no 
need  that  first  you  take  him  to  be  infallible,  or  that  you 
know  which  is  the  true  church,  as  the  Papists  say).  These 
are  supposed. 

The  doctrines  which  he  is  to  teach  you  are  these,  and  in 
this  method  to  be  taught.  1.  He  will  teach  you  the  natu- 
ral knowledge  of  yourself;  that  being  a  man,  you  are  a  rati- 
onal, free  agent,  made- by  another  for  his  will  and  use,  and 
by  him  to  be  ruled  in  order  to  your  ultimate  end,  being 
wholly  his,  and  at  his  disposal. 

2.  He  will  next  teach  you  that  there  is  a  God  that  made 
you,  and  what  he  is,  and  what  relation  he  standeth  in  to  you, 
and  you  to  him,  as  your  Creator,  your  Owner,  your  Ruler, 
and  your  Benefactor,  and  your  End :  and  what  duty  you  owe 
him  in  these  relations,  to  submit  to  him,  and  resign  your- 
selveiB  to  him  as  his  own,  to  be  obedient  to  all  his  laws,  and 
to  love  him  and  delight  in  him :  and  this  with  all  your  heart, 
and  soul,  and  might ;  even  to  serve  him  with  all  the  powers 
of  your  soul  and  body,  and  with  your  estates  and  all  his  bles- 
sings. 

3.  He  will  next  teach  you  that  this  God  hath  made  your 


122  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.         [PART  III. 

souls  immortal,  and  that  there  is  a  life  after  this  where  ever- 
lasting happiness  or  misery  will  be  your  part,  and  where  the 
great  rewards  and  punishments  are  executed  by  the  Judge 
of  all  the  world  as  men  have  behaved  themselves  in  thig 
present  life.  That  your  end  and  happiness  is  not  here,  but 
in  the  life  to  come,  and  that  this  life  is  the  way  and  time  of 
preparation,  in  which  everlasting  happiness  is  won  or  lost. 

Thus  far  he  needeth  no  supernatural  proof  of  what  he 
saith ;  but  can  prove  it  all  to  you  from  the  light  of  nature : 
and  these  things  you  are  not  primarily  to  receive  of  him  as 
a  testifier  by  mere  believing  him ;  but  as  a  teacher,  by  leenn- 
ing  of  him  the  evidences  by  which  you  may  by  degrees  come 
to  know  these  things  yourselves. 

Yet  it  is  supposed  that  all  along  you  give  him  so  much 
credit  as  the  difference  between  his  knowledge  and  yours 
doth  require,  so  far  as  it  appeareth  to  you :  as  you  will  hear 
a  physician,  a  lawyer,  a  philosopher,  or  any  man  with  rev* 
erence,  while  he  discourseth  of  the  matters  of  his  own  pro- 
fession ;  as  confessing  his  judgment  to  be  better  than  year's, 
and  therefore  more  suspecting  your  own  apprehensions 
than  his.  Not  but  that  the  truth  may  compel  you  to  dis- 
cern it,  though  you  should  come  with  no  such  reverence  or 
respect  to  him  ;  but  then  you  cast  yourself  upon  much  dis- 
advantage irrationally ;  and  this  human  belief  of  him  is  but 
a  medium  to  your  learning,  and  so  to  the  knowledge  of  the 
matter ;  so  that  you  do  not  stop  and  rest  in  his  authority  or 
credibility,  but  only  use  it  in  order  to  your  discovery  of  that 
evidence  which  you  rest  in,  which  as  •a  teacher  he  acquaints 
you  with. 

These  things  being  thus  far  revealed  by  natural  light, 
are  (usually)  at  first  apprehended  by  natural  reason,  not  so 
as  presently  to  put  or  prove  the  soul  in  a  state  of  saving 
grace ;  but  so  as  to  awaken  it  to  make  further  inquiry ;  and 
so  when  the  soul  is  come  so  far  as  to  see  the  same  truths  fay 
supernatural  grace  in  the  supernatural  revelation  of  the  Ho* 
ly  Scriptures,  then  they  become  more  effectual  and  saving* 
which  before  were  known  but  preparatorily :  and  so  the 
same  truths  are  then  both  ihe  objects  of  knowledge  and  of 
faith. 

4.  Having  acquainted  you  with  man's  ultimate  end  and 
happiness  in  the  life  to  come,  the  next  thing  to  be  tanght 


CHAP4  VI.]        CHRISTIAN    ECCLE8IASTIGS.  123 

you  by  the  ministerg  of  Christ,  is,  that  Christ  as  our  Saviour, 
and  faith,  and  repentance,  and  sincere  obedience  to  be  per- 
formed by  us  through  his  grace,  is  the  way  to  heaven,  or 
the  means  by  which  we  must  attain  this  end.  Though  the 
knowledge  of  the  preacher's  wisdom,  piety  and  credibility 
remove  some  impediments  which  would  make  the  receiving 
of  this  the  more  difficult  to  you,  yet  you  are  not  to  take  it 
barely  on  his  word,  as  a  point  of  human  faith;  but  you  are 
to  call  for  his  proof  of  it,  that  you  may  see  better  reasons 
than  his  affirmations  for  the  entertainment  of  it. 

5.  The  proof  that  he  will  give  you  is  in  these  two  propo- 
sitions, 1.  God's  revelations  are  all  true.  2.  This  is  one  of 
Grod's  revelations :  this  is  an  argument,  *  Whatsoever  Qod 
saith  is  true:  but  this  Ood  saith,  therefore  this  is  true« 
The  first  proposition  you  are  not  to  take  upon  the  trust  of 
his  word,  but  to  learn  of  him  as  a  teacher  to  know  it  in  its 
proper  evidence  :  for  it  is  the  formal  object  of  your  faith : 
the  veracity  of  Qod  is  first  known  to  you,  by  the  same  evi- 
dence and  means  as  you  know  that  there  is  a  God :  and 
then  it  is  by  the  force  of  this  that  you  believe  the  particu- 
lar truths  which  are  the  material  object  of  faith.  And  the 
second  proposition  that  Ood  hath  revealed  this,  is  orderly  to 
be  first  proved,  and  so  received  upon  its  proper  evidence ; 
and  not  taken  merely  upon  your  teacher's  word  :  yet  if  you 
do  believe  him  by  a  human  faith  as  a  man  that  is  likely  to 
know  what  he  saith,  and  this  in  order  to  a  divine  faith,  it 
will  not  hinder,  but  help  your  divine  faith  and  salvation ; 
and  is  indeed  no  more  than  is  your  duty. 

Here  note,  1.  That  primarily  these  two  great  principles 
of  faith,  '  God  is  true,'  and  '  this  is  God's  revelation,'  are 
not  themselves  *  credenda ',  the  material  objects  of  divine 
futh,  but  of  knowledge.  2.  That  yet  the  result  of  both  is 
*  de  fide,'  matter  of  faith.  3.  And  the  same  principles  are 
secondarily  'de  fide,'  as  it  is  that  there  is  a  God.  For 
though  they  are  first  to  be  known  by  natural  evidence,  yet 
when  the  Scripture  is  opened  to  us,  we  shall  find  them  there 
revealed ;  and  so  the  same  thing  may  be  the  object  both  of 
knowledge  and  of  faith.  4.  And  faith  itself  is  a  sort  of 
knowledge  :  for  though  human  faith  have  that  uncertainty 
in  its  premises  (for  the  most  part),  as  forbiddeth  us  to  say 
(properly)  *  I  know  this  to  be  true,  because  such  a  man  said 


124  CHRISTIAN   DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

it ;'  yet  divine  faith  hath  that  certainty  which  may  make  tt 
an  excellent  sort  of  knowledge  ;  as  I  have  proved  copiouBly 
elsewhere.  In  believing  man  we  argue  thus^  '  Whatsoever 
so  wise  and  honest  a  man  saith,  is  credible,  that  is,  most 
likely  to  be  true  ;  but  this  he  saith :  Therefore,  &c/  But 
in  believing  God  we  argue  thus,  *  Whatever  God  saith  is 
credible,  that  is,  as  infallible  truth ;  but  this  God  saith : 
Therefore,  &c/  So  that  the  word  '  credible,'  signifieth  not 
the  same  thing  in  the  two  arguments ;  nor  are  divine  faith^ 
and  human  faith  the  same. 

6.  The  next  thing  that  the  preacher  hath  to  teach  you,  is 
the  proof  of  the  aforesaid  minor  proposition  (for  the  major 
was  proved  in  the  proof  of  a  deity)  :  and  that  is  thus  ;  The 
Gospel  which  Christ  and  his  apostles  first  preached,  and  is 
now  delivered  in  the  sacred  Scriptures  is  the  Word,  or  in- 
fallible revelation  of  God :  but  this  doctrine,  that  Christ,  with 
&ith,  and  repentance,  and  obedience  on  our  parts,  are  the 
way  to  life  eternal,  is  the  Gospel  which  Christ  and  his  apos- 
tles first  preached,  8cc.  Therefore  it  is  the  Word  of  God. 
For  the  minor  you  need  not  take  your  teacher's  word,  if  you 
can  read ;  for  you  may  see  it  in  the  Bible,  (of  which  more 
anon)  :  but  the  major  is  that  which  all  men  will  desire  to  be 
assured  of '  That  the  Gospel  is  God's  Word.'  And  for  that, 
though  a  belief  of  your  teacher  is  a  help  and  good  prepara- 
tory, yet  you  are  not  there  to  stop,  but  to  use  him  as  a 
teacher  to  shew  you  the  truth  of  it  in  the  proofs :  else  you 
must  take  any  thing  for  God's  Word,  which  your  teacher 
affirmeth  to  be  such.  And  the  proof  which  he  will  give  you» 
must  be  some  divine  attestation  which  may  be  shewed  to 
those  whom  we  would  convince. 

7.  This  divine  attestation,  which  he  is  next  to  shew  you, 
hath  many  parts,  that  it  may  be  complete  and  satisfactory. 

1.  God's  antecedent  testimony.  2.  His  inherent  or  im- 
pressed testimony.  3.  His  adherent,  concomitant  testi- 
mony. 4.  His  subsequent  testimony.  1.  God's  antecedent 
testimony  by  which  he  attested  the  Gospel,  is  the  train  of 
promises,  prophecies,  types,  and  the  preparing  ministry  of 
John,  which  all  foretold  Christ,  and  were  fulfilled  in  him. 

2.  God's  impressed  testimony  is  that  image  and  superscrip- 
tion of  God  (in  his  governing  wisdom,  holiness,  and  love,) 
which  is  inimitably  engraven  on  the  Gospel ;  as  an  image 


CHAP.  VI.]       CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  125 

upon  a  seal,  which  is  thereby  made  the  instrument  to  im- 
print the  same  on  other  things.  Thus  as  the  sun,  the  Gos- 
pel shineth,  and  proveth  itself  by  its  proper  light.  3.  The 
concomitant  attestation  of  God,  is  that  of  multitudes  of 
certain,  uncontrolled  miracles,  done  by  Christ  and  his  apos- 
tles, which  proved  the  approving  hand  of  God,  and  oblige 
all  rational  creatures  to  believe  a  testimony  so  coiifirmed  to 
them.  Among  these,  Christ's  own  resurrection  and  ascen- 
sion, and  the  gifts  of  his  apostles  are  the  chief.  4.  The 
subsequent  attestation  of  God  is,  the  power  and  efficacy  of 
the  Gospel,  in  calling  and  sanctifying  unto  Christ  a  pecu- 
liar people,  zealous  of  good  works,  and  directing  and  confirm- 
ing them  against  all  temptations  and  torments  to  the  end  ; 
producing  that  same  image  of  God  on  the  souls  of  his  elect, 
which  is  (more  perfectly)  engraven  on  the  Word  itself: 
making  such  changes,  and  gathering  such  a  people  unto 
Ood,  as  no  other  doctrine  ever  did.  And  all  these  four  at- 
testations are  but  one,  even  the  Holy  Spirit,  who  is  become 
the  great  witness  of  Christ  and  his  Gospel  in  the  world :  viz. 
1.  The  spirit  of  prophecy  is  the  antecedent  attestation.  2. 
The  holy  image  which  the  Spirit  hath  printed  on  the  Gospel 
itnelf,  is  the  inherent  evidence.  3.  The  miracles  of  the 
Spirit,  is  the  concomitant  attestation  or  evidence.  4.  And 
the  sanctifying  work  of  the  Spirit  is  the  subsequent  attes- 
tation«  renewed  and  accompanying  it  to  the  end  of  the  world. 
So  that  the  argument  runs  thus,  '  That  doctrine  which  hath 
this  witness  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  antecedently  in  such  pro- 
phecies, inherently  bearing  his  image  so  inimitably,  accom- 
panied by  so  many  certain,  uncontrolled  miracles,  and  fol- 
lowed and  attended  with  such  matchless  success  in  the 
sanctification  of  the  body  of  Christ,  is  fully  attested  by  God 
to  be  his  own :  but  such  is  the  doctrine  of  the  Gospel ; 
Therefore,  &rC.'  The  major  you  are  not  to  take  upon  trust 
from  your  teachers,  though  your  esteem  of  their  judgment 
may  the  better  dispose  you  to  learn ;  but  you  are  to  discern 
the  evidences  of  truth  which  is  apparent  in  it.  For  he  that 
ilenieth  this,  must  by  force  of  argument  be  driven  to  deny, 
1.  Either  that  God  is  the  Governor  of  the  world;  or  that 
he  is  the  supreme ;  but  say  he  is  controlled  by  another.  2. 
Or  that  he  is  good  and  true ;  and  must  affirm  that  he  either 
govemeth  the  world  by  mere  deceits,  and  undiscemible  lies. 


126  CHRISTIAN    DIR£CTOEy.  [PART  IIF. 

or  that  be  hath  given  up  the  power  to  some  one  that  so  go- 
verneth  it :  all  which  is  but  to  affirm  that  there  is  no  God, 
(which  is  supposed  to  be  proved  before). 

8.  There  now  remaineth  nothing  to  be  taught  yoa»  as  to 
prove  the  truth  of  the  Gospel,  but  only  those  matters  of  fact 
which  are  contained  and  supposed  in  the  minor  of  the  two 
last  arguments:  and  they  are  these  particulars.  1.  That 
there  were  such  persons  as  Christ  and  his  apostles,  and 
such  a  Gospel  preached  by  them.  2.  That  such  miracles 
were  done  by  them,  as  are  supposed.  3.  That  both  doctrine 
and  miracles  were  committed  to  writing  by  them,  in  the 
Scriptures,  for  the  more  certain  preserving  them  to  the 
church's  use  ^.  4.  That  churches  were  planted,  and  souls 
converted  and  confirmed  by  them  in  the  first  ages,  many  of 
whom  did  seal  them  with  their  blood.  5.  That  there  have 
been  a  succession  of  such  churches  as  have  adhered  to  this 
Christ  and  Gospel.  6.  That  this  which  we  call  the  Bible 
is  that  very  book  containing  those  sacred -wntings  afore- 
mentioned. 7.  That  it  hath  been  still  copied  out,  and  pre- 
served without  any  such  depravati9n  or  corruption  as  might 
frustrate  its  ends.  8.  That  the  copies  are  such  out  of  which 
we  have  them  translated,  and  which  we  shew.  9.  That  they 
are  so  truly  translated  as  to  have  no  such  corruptions  or 
mistakes,  as  to  frustrate  their  ends,  or  make  them  unapt  for 
the  work  they  were  appointed  to.  10.  That  these  particu- 
lar words  are  indeed  here  written  which  we  read  ;  and  these 
particular  doctrines  containing  the  essentials  of  Chris- 
tianity, together  with  the  rest  of  the  material  objects  of 
faith. 

All  these  ten  particulars  are  matters  of  fact  that  are 
merely  subservient  to  the  constituting  principles  of  our  faith, 
but  yet  very  needful  to  be  known.  Now  the  question  is. 
How  these  must  be  known  and  received  by  us  so  as  not  to 
invalidate  our  faith  ?  And  how  far  our  teachers  must  be 
here  believed  ?  And  first  it  is  very  useful  for  us  to  inquire. 
How  so  many  of  these  matters  of  fact  as  were  then  existent 
were  known  to  the  first  Christians  ?  As  how  knew  they  in 
those  days  that  there  were  such  persons  as  Christ  and  his 
apostles  ?    That  they  preached  such  doctrines,  and  spake 

q  Est  euim  admirabilis  quflBdara  continuatio  seriesque  rerum,  ut  alia  ex  alia  nexa, 
et  omnes  inter  se  apts,  oolllgatsqoe  videantur.    Cic.  Nat.  D*  I.  9. 


CHAP.  VI.]      CHRISTIAN    £CCLE3IASTICS.  127 

sach  languages,  and  did  such  works,  and  that  they  wrote 
such  books,  and  sent  such  epistles  to  the  churches,  and  that 
churches  were  hereby  converted  and  confirmed,  and  mar- 
tyrs sealed  this  with  their  blood,  &c.  ?  It  is  easy  to  tell 
how  they  .were  certain  of  all  these  ;  even  by  their  own  eyes, 
and  ears,  and  sensible  observation,  as  we  know  that  there 
are  Englishmen  live  in  England  ;  and  those  that  were  more 
remote  from  some  of  the  matters  of  fact,  knew  them  by  such 
report  of  those  that  did  see  them,  as  those  among  us  that 
never  saw  the  king,  or  court,  or  his  restoration,  do  know 
that  such  a  thing  there  was,  and  such  a  person  there  is. 
Thus  they  knew  it  then. 

From  whence  I  note,  1 .  That  in  those  days  it  was  not  neces- 
sary to  the  being  of  true  faith,  that  any  supernatural  testimo- 
ny of  the  Spirit,  or  any  other  sort  of  proof,  than  their  very 
senses  and  reason,  should  acquaint  them  with  those  matters 
of  fact  which  they  were  eye-witnesses  of.  2.  That  credible 
report  or  history  was  then  the  means  for  any  one  that  saw 
not  a  matter  of  fact,  to  know  as  much  as  they  that  saw  it. 
3.  That  therefore  this  is  now  the  way  also  of  producing  faith. 
Some  things  we  have  yet  sight  and  sense  for :  as  that  such 
bibles,  and  such  churches  are  existent;  that  such  holy 
eflFects  this  doctrine  hath  upon  the  soul  (which  we  see  in 
others  by  the  fruits,  and  after  feel  in  ourselves)  :  the  rest 
we  must  know  by  history,  tradition,  or  report. 

And  in  the  reception  of  these  historical  passages  note 
further,  L  That  human  belief  is  here  a  natur^ly  necessary 
means  to  acquaint  us  with  the  matter  of  our  divine  belief. 
2.  That  there  are  various  degrees  of  this  belief,  and  some 
need  more  of  it  by  far  than  others,  according  to  the  various 
degrees  of  their  ignorance ' :  as  he  that  cannot  read  him- 
sdf,  must  know  by  human  belief  (in  great  part)  that  the 

'  Bj  all  this  it  is  etLsy  to  gather  whether  a  pastor  may  ^o  his  work  per  alium. 
OrbCiot  de  Imp.  pp.  290,  291.  Nam  illud  quod  qtiis  per  alinm  facit  per  ae 
▼idetor  ad  eas  dontaxat  pertinet  actiooes  quanim  causa  effideos  proxima  i 
Jore  indefinitm  est.  Yet  people  should  labour  alter  such  maturity  and  sted fastness, 
that  they  may  be  able  to  stand  if  their  pastors  be  dead  or  taken  from  them  by  perse- 
I,  jea,  or  forsake  the  troth  themselves.  Victor  utic.  saith  of  the  people  in 
rhen  their  pastors  were  banished,  and  others  might  not  be  ordiuned  in  their 
Inter  hac  taoen  Dei  popolos  in  fide  consistens,  ut  eaanuna  apum  cereas 
adiicaiitia  maosioiies,  crescendo  melleis  fidei  claTicolis  firmabator.  Quanto  magis 
aftfebaotar,  tanto  magis  moltiplicabantur.    Victor,  p.  S82. 


128  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

preacher  readeth  truly,  or  that  such  words  indeed  are  in  the 
Gospel  as  he  saith  are  there ;  but  a  literate  person  may  know 
this  by  his  eye-sight,  and  not  take  it  upon  trust.     So  he  that 
understandeth  not  Hebrew  and  Greek,  must  take  it  upon 
trust  that  the  Scripture  is  truly  translated ;  but  another  that 
understandeth  those  tongues,  may  see  it  with  his  eyes.    3. 
History  being  the  proper  means  to  know  matters  of  fact  that 
are  done  in  times  past,  and  out  of  our  sight,  the  same  in- 
dustry that  is  necessary  to  a  thorough  acquaintance  with 
other  history,  is  necessary  to  the  same  acquaintance  with 
this.    4.  That  the  common  beginning  of  receiving  all  such 
historical  truths  is  first  by  believing  our  teachers  so  fiur  as 
becometh  learners,  and  in  the  mean  time  going  on  to  learn 
till  we  come  to  know  as  much  as  they,  and  upon  the  same 
historical  evidence  as  they.     5.  That  if  any  man  be  here  ne- 
cessitated to  take  more  than  others  upon  Uie  trust  or  belief 
of  their  teachers,  it  is  long  of  their  ignorance  :  and  there- 
fore if  such  cry  out  against  their  taking  things  on  trust,  it 
is  like  a  madman's  raving  against  them  that  would  order 
him ;  or  as  if  one  should  reproach  a  nurse  for  feeding  in- 
fants, and  not  letting  them  feed  themselves.     '  Oportet  dis- 
centem  credere.'     He  that  will  not  believe  his  teacher  will 
never  learn.     If  a  child  will  not  believe  his  master,  that 
tells  him  which  are  the  letters,  the  vowels,  and  consonants, 
and  what  is  their  power,  and  what  they  spell,  and  what  every 
word  signifieth  in  the  language  which  he  is  teaching  him, 
will  he  be  ever  the  better  for  his  teaching  ?     6.  That  he  that 
knoweth  these  historical  matters  no  otherwise  than  by  the 
belief  of  his  particular  teacher,  may  nevertheless  have  a  di- 
vine and  saving  faith :  for  though  he  believe  by  a  human 
£Buth  that  these  things  were  done,  that  this  is  the  same 
book,  &c.,  yet  he  believeth  the  Gospel  itself  (thus  brought 
to  his  knowledge)  because  God  is  true  that  hath  attested  it. 
Even  as  it  was  a^  saving  faith  in  Mary  and  Martha  that 
knew  by  their  eyes  and  ears,  and  not  only  by  belief,  that 
Lazarus  was  raised,  and -that  Christ  preached  thus  and  thus 
to  them :  but  believed  his  doctrine  to  be  true,  because  of 
God's  veracity  who  attested  it.     7.  That  it  is  the  great  wis- 
dom and  mercy  of  God  to  his  weak  and  ignorant  people,  to 
provide  them  teachers  to  acquaint  them  with  these  things, 
and  to  vouchsafe  them  such  a  help  to  their  salvation,  as  to 


CHAP.  VI.]  CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  129 

make  it  a  standing  office  in  his  church  to  the  end  of  the 
worlds  that  the  infants  and  ignorant  might  not  be  cast  off, 
but  have  fathers^  and  nurses,  and  teachers  to  take  care  of 
them.  8.  But  especially  mark,  that  yet  these  infants  have 
much  disadvantage  in  comparison  of  others,  that  know  all 
these  matters  of  fact  by  the  same  convincing  evidence  as 
their  teachers  ;  and  that  he  that  followeth  on  to  learn  it  as 
he  ought,  may  come  to  prove  these  subservient  matters  of 
fact,  by  such  a  concurrence  of  evidences,  as  amounteth  to 
an  infallibility  or  moral  certainty,  beyond  mere  human  faith 
as  such  :  as  e.  g.  an  illiterate  person  that  hath  it  but  from 
others,  may  be  certain  that  it  is  indeed  a  Bible  which  is  or- 
dinarily read  and  preached  to  him  ;  and  that  it  is  so  truly 
translated  as  to  be  a  sufficient  rule  of  faith  and  life,  having 
no  mistake  which  must  hazard  a  man's  salvation ;  because 
the  Bible  in  the  original  tongues  is  so  commonly  to  be  hsLd, 
and  so  many  among  us  understand  it,  and  there  is  among 
them  so  great  a  contrariety  of  judgments  and  interests,  that 
it  is  not  possible  but  many  would  detect  such  a  public  lie, 
if  any  should  deal  falsely  in  so  weighty  and  evident  a  case. 
There  is  a  moral  certainty  (equal  to  a  natural)  that  some 
actions  will  not  be  done  by  whole  countries,  which  every 
individual  person  hath  power  and  natural  liberty  to  do :  as 
e.  g.  there  is  no  man  in  the  kingdom  but  may  possibly  kill 
himself,  or  may  fast  to-morrow,  or  may  lie  in  bed  many  days 
together.  And  yet  it  is  certain,  that  all  the  people  in 
England  will  do  none  of  these :  so  it  is  possible  that  any 
single  person  may  lie  even  in  a  palpable  public  case,  as  to 
pretend  that  this  is  a  Bible  when  it  is  some  other  book,  or 
that  this  is  the  same  book  that  was  received  from  the  apos- 
tles by  the  churches  of  that  age,  when  it  is  not  it,  Qcc.  But 
for  all  the  country,  and  all  the  world  that  are  competent 
witnesses,  to  agree  to  do  this,  is  a  mere  impossibility,  I 
mean  such  a  thing  as  cannot  be  done  without  a  miracle,  yea, 
an  universal  miracle.  And  more  than  so,  it  is  impossible 
that  Qod  should  do  a  miracle  to  accomplish  such  an  univer- 
lai  wickedness  and  deceit ;  whereas  it  is  possible  that  na- 
torai  causes  by  a  miracle  may  be  turned  out  of  course,  where 
there  is  nothing  in  the  nature  of  God  against  it  (as  that  the 
sun  should  stand  still,  8cc.).  We  have  a  certainty  that  there 
was  a  Julius  C»sar,  a  William  the  Conqueror,  an  Aristotle, 

VOL.    v.  K 


130  CHRISTIAN    ]>IR£CXOKY.  [PABT  Hi. 

a  Cicero^  an  Auguatine^  a  Chrysostom^  and  that  the  laws  and 
statutes  of  the  land  were  really  enacteid  by  the  kings  and 
parliaments  whose  names  they  bear ;  becaune  the  natural 
and  civil  interests  of  so  many  thousands  that  are  able  to  de- 
tect itf  could  never  be  reconciled  here  to  a  deceit*  When 
judges  and  counsellors^  kings  and  nobles,  and  plaintiiFs  and 
defendants,  utter  enemies,  are  all  agreed  in  it,  it  is  moore  cer<' 
tain  to  a  single  person  than  if  he  had  seen  the  parsing  of 
them  with  his  eyes.  So  in  our  case,  when  an  office  was  es- 
tablished in  the  church,  to  read  and  preach  this  Gospel  in 
the  assemblies ;  and  when  all  the  congregations  took  it  as 
the  charter  of  their  salvation,  and  the  rule  of  the^r  fSaiith  and 
life ;  and  when  these  pastors  and  churches  were  dispersed 
over  all  the  Christian  world,  who  thus  worshipped  God  from 
day  to  day ;  and  all  sects  and  enemies  were  ready  to  have 
detected  a  falsification  or  deceit,  it  is  here  as  impossible  for 
such  a  kind  of  history,  or  tradition,  or  tc^sjbimony  to  be  false, 
in  such  material  points  of  fact,  as  for  one  man's  senses  to 
deceive  him,  and  much  more. 

Thus  I  have  at  once  shewed  you  the  true  order  of  the 
preaching,  and  proofs,  and  receiving  of  the  several  mattens 
of  religion,  and  how  and  into  what  our  faith  must  be  r^ 
solved ;  and  how  far  your  teachers  are  to  be  believed*  And 
here  you  must  especially  observe  two  things,  I.  That  there 
can  be  no  danger  in  this  resolution  of  faith,  of  derogating 
either  from  the  work  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  or  the  Scripture' 
self-evidence,  or  any  other  cause  whatever :  because  yn^e  as- 
cribe nothing  to  history  or  tradition  which  was  ascribed  te 
any  of  these  causes  by  the  first  Christians  j  but  only  put  our 
reception  by  tradition  instead  of  their  reception  immediatdy 
by  sense :  our  receiving  by  infallible  history,  is  but  in  thf 
place  of  their  receiving  by  sight ;  and  not  in  the  place  of 
the  self-evidence  of  Scripture,  or  any  testimony  or  teaching 
of  the  Spirit.  The  method  is  etacily  laid  down,  Heb.  ii.  3» 
4.  "  How  shall  we  escape  if  we  neglect  so  great  salvation, 
which  at  the  first  began  to  be  spoken  by  the  Lord,  and  w%i 
confirmed  to  us  by  them  that  heard  him  ;  God  a)so  bearing 
them  witness  both  with  .signs,  and  wonders,  and  divers  mi- 
racles, and  giil&  of  the  Holy  Ghost  according  to  his  own 
will."    Here  is  the  sum  of  what  I  have  been  saying. 

2.  Observe  also  the  great  difference  between  us  and  the 


CHAP.  VI.]        CHRISTIAN  ECCLESlASTIOb.  43^ 

Papists  in  tkis  controversy  of  using  tradition  in  the  resolu*- 
tion  of  our  faith.  1  •  They  decide  the  main  question  in  gross 
by  traditioQ,  viz.  Whether  the  Scripture  fa^  the  Word  of 
Qod  2  But  we  only  decide  the  questions  about  history  or 
matters  of  £eict  by  it,  which  are  subservient  to  the  other. 
2.  The  tradition  which  most  of  them  plead,  is  nothing  but 
the  anthoritative  judgment  of  the  successive  pastors  of  the 
church  in  a  general  council  confirmed  by  the  pope ;  and  as 
another  fisu^tton  among  them  saith>  The  reception  of  the 
whole  church  both  laity  and  clergy  ;  and  this  church  must 
be  only  the  Roman  fiiction.  But  the  tradition  which  we 
plead  is  the  concurrent  testimony  of  friends  and  foes,  ortho- 
dox and  heretics;  and  of  all  the  churches  throughout  the 
world,  both  Greek  and  Latin,  Ethiopian,  Armenian,  Protes- 
tants, fcc.  And  this  testimony  we  plead,  not  merely  as  a 
human  testimony^  much  less  as  such  as  is  credible  chiefly 
for  the  mere  power  (real  or  pretended)  of  the  testifiers ;  but 
as  such  as  by  a  concurrence  of  testimonies  and  circumstan- 
ces hath  (besides  the  teachers'  authority)  the  evidences  of 
infallible  moral  certainty,  in  the  very  history  ;  as  we  have  of 
the  statutes  of  the  realm. 

Direct,  vi.  *  Understand  what  kind  and  measure  of  obe- 
dience it  is  that  you  owe  your  lawful  pastors,  that  yoU 
neither  prove  schismatical  and  unruly,  nor  yet  have  a  hand 
in  setting  up  idols  smd  usurpations  in  the  church/  This 
you  may  learn  from  the  foregoing  description  of  the  pastor's 
worib  The  kind  of  your  obedience  is  commensurate  to  the 
ki&d  <lf  his  office  and  work.  You  are  not  to  obey  your  pas- 
tors, as  civil  magistrates  that  bear  the  sword ;  nor  as  phy- 
sicians, to  tell  you  what  you  must  do  for  your  health ;  nor 
as  artificers,  to  command  you  how  to  plough,  and  sow,  and 
trade,  &<i.  (except  in  the  morality  of  these) :  but  it  is  as  your 
teachers  and  guides  in  matters  of  salvation  that  you  must 
ebey  them  '•    And  that  not  as  prophets  or  lawgivers  to  the 

•  fft  may  not  o€kr  way  TioleDce,  but  only  persuade :  we  Uave  iiot  90  great  wi- 
Atiff  i^en  at  bj  the  laws,,  as  to  repress  offenders  :  and  if  it  were  lawAiI  forus  so 
to  dm,  we  hate  no  use  of  any  such  violent  power :  for  that  Christ  crowneth  them  that 
alialun  from  sin,  not  of  a  forced,  but  of  a  willing  mind  and  purpose.  Chrys.  citante 
BboD  of  Subjection,  p.  5f  6.  £t  ibid,  ex  Hilar.  If  this  Tiolence  were  used  &r  the 
tfuefidth,  the  doctrine  of  bishops  would  be  against  it :  God  n^edeth  no  forced  ser- 
vfob  He  reqnifeth  no  constrained  confession.  I  cannot  receive  any  osan  but  hjm 
dbat  b  willing :  I  cannot  give  ear,  but  to  him  that  entreateth,  &c.  Ita  et  Origeo. 
ftU.cilat.     SCor.  i.  24     Gal.  i.  7,  8.     SCor.z.S.     xiii.  10. 


432  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  UI. 

church ;  but  as  the  stated  officers  of  Christ  to  open  and  ap- 
ply the  laws  that  he  hath  given,  and  determine  of  such  cir- 
cumstances as  are  subservient  thereunto.  Not  as  those  that 
have  dominion  of  your  faith,  or  may  preach  another  Gospel, 
or  contradict  any  truth  of  God,  which  by  Scripture  or  na- 
ture he  hath  revealed,  or  can  dispense  with  any  duty  which 
he  hath  commanded  ;  but  as  those  that  have  all  their  power 
from  God,  and  for  God  and  your  salvation,  and  the  good  of 
other  men's  souls  ;  to  edification  only,  and  not  to  destruc- 
tion :  particular  cases  I  here  purposely  forbear. 

Direct,  vii.  'Be  sure  that  you  look  on  them  as  the  offi- 
cers of  Christ  in  all  that  they  do  as  such  ;  and  see  not  only 
their  natural,  but  their  ecclesiastical  persons,  that  through 
them  you  may  have  to  do  with  God.'  Especially  in  preach- 
ing  and  administering  the  sacraments,  and  binding  the  im- 
penitent,  and  absolving  the  penitent,  and  comforting  the 
sad  and  humbled  souls.  All  the  holiness,  and  life,  and 
power  of  your  spiritual  converse  with  them  consisteth  in 
your  seeing  and  conversing  with  God  in  them,  and  using 
them  as  his  messengers  or  officers,  that  deliver  his  message 
and  do  his  work,  and  not  their  own.  If  you  disobey  them 
in  his  work,  it  is  God  that  you  disobey :  and  if  they  teach 
you  his  Word,  or  deliver  you  Christ  and  his  benefits  in  the 
sacraments,  it  is  Christ  himself  that  doth  it  by  them  as  by 
his  instruments,  so  far  as  they  do  it  according  to  his  com- 
mission and  his  will.  This  observing  Cluist  in  their  teach- 
ing will  possess  you  with  due  reverence  and  care,  and  cause 
you  to  do  it  as  a  holy  work ;.  and  to  see  Christ  in  them«  de- 
livering and  sealing  his  covenant  to  you,  will  very  much  in- 
crease your  joy ;  when  man  as  man  is  but  a  shadow. 

Direct,  viii.  *  Make  use  of  their  help  in  private,  and  not 
in  public  only :'  as  the  use  of  a  physician  is  not  only  to  read 
a  lecture  of  physic  to  his  patients,  but  to  be  ready  to  direct 
every  person  according  to  their  particular  case  (there  being 
such  variety  of  temperatures,  diseases,  and  accidents,  that 
in  dangerous  cases  the  direction  of  the  judicious  is  needful 
in  the  application) :  so  here,  it  is  not  the  least  of  the  pas- 
toral work,  to  oversee  the  individuals,  and  to  give  them  per- 
sonally such  particular  advice  as  their  case  requireth.  Never 
expect  that  all  thy  books,  or  sermons,  or  prayers,  or  medi- 
tations should  serve  thy  turn  without  the  counsel  of  thy 


CHAP.  VI.]         CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  133 

pastprs,  in  greater  cases ;  for  that  were  but  to  devise  how 
to  prove  God's  officers  needless  to  his  church.  If  thou  be 
an  ignorant  or  unconverted  sinner,  go  to  the  minister,  and 
ask  him,  what  thou  must  do  to  be  saved?  And  resolve  to 
follow  his  sound  advice.  If  thou  be  in  doubt  of  any  weighty 
point  of  faith  or  godliness,  or  assaulted  perilously  by  any 
adversary,  or  need  his  advice  for  thy  settled  peace,  thy  as- 
surance of  pardon  and  salvation,  and  thy  preparation  for 
death ;  go  ask  counsel  of  thy  pastors,  and  receive  their  help 
with  readiness  and  thankfulness :  or  if  thou  live  where  there 
is  none  that  is  able  and  willing  thus  to  help  thee,  remove  to 
them  that  are  such,  if  lawfully  thou  canst. 

Direct,  ix.  '  Assist  your  pastors  in  the  work  of  God,  by 
the  duties  of  your  places  which  tend  thereto.'  Labour  by 
your  holy,  serious  conference,  to  instruct  the  ignorant,  and 
convince  the  unbelieving,  and  convert  the  ungodly,  and 
strengthen  the  weak,  with  whom  you  have  fit  opportunity 
for  such  work.  Labour  by  your  holy  examples,  by  love,  and 
concord,  and  meekness,  and  sobriety,  and  contempt  of  the 
world,  and  a  heavenly  life,  to  shine  as  lights  in  the  midst  of 
a  dark  and  crooked  generation.  Preach  all  of  you  by  the 
examples  of  your  blameless,  humble,  holy  lives.  O  how 
abundantly  would  this  course  promote  the  success  or  the 
public  preaching  of  the  Gospel !  If  you  would  cause  those 
men  to  see  the  glory  and  power  of  the  Gospel  in  your  holy 
and  heavenly  lives,  who  cannot  see  it  in  itself;  then  many 
that  would  not  be  won  by  the  Word,  might  be  won  without 
it  (to  seek  after  it  at  least)  by  your  conversations.  Thus 
all  must  preach  and  be  helpers  of  the  ministers  of  Christ. 

Direct,  x.  '  Forsake  not  your  faithful  pastors  to  follow 
deceivers  ;  but  adhere  to  them  who  spend  and  are  spent  for 
yoa :  defend  their  innocency  against  false  accusers ;  and 
refuse  them  not  such  maintenance  as  is  needful  to  their  en- 
tire giving  up  themselves  to  that  holy  work  to  which  they 
are  devoted.'  Read  and  study  well  Ephes.  iv.  13 — 15.  Acts 
XX.  30^  It  is  for  your  sakes  that  your  faithful  pastors  are 
singled  out  in  the  world  to  bear  the  slanders  and  contradic- 
tions of  the  wicked  ;  and  to  tead  the  way  in  the  fiery  trial. 
If  they  would  forsake  you,  and  that  sacred  truth  and  duty 
that  is  needful  to  your  salvation,  and  sell  you  up  into  the 
hands  of  cruel  and  deceitful  men,  it  were  as  easy  for  them  to 
have  the  applause  of  men,  and  the  prosperity  of  the  world  as 


134  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART    III. 

« 

others :  it  is  perfidious  ingratitude  to  forsake  them  in  every 
trial,  that  must  lose  their  lives  and  all  the  world*  rather  than 
forsake  you  or  betray  your  souls :  or  to  grudge  them  food 
and  raiment  that  lay  by  the  gainful  employments  of  the 
world,  that  they  may  attend  continually  on  the  service  Qi 
your  souls. 


CHAPTER  VIL 


Directions  for  the  Discovery  of  the  Truth  among  Contenders,  and 

the  Escape  of  Heresy  and  Deceit. 

Though  truth  be  naturally  the  object  of  man's  understand- 
ing, to  which  it  hath  a  certain  inclination,  and  though  it  be 
a  delightful  thing  to  know  the  truth  * ;  yet  that  which  is 
saving  meeteth  with  so  much  opposition  in  the  flesh,  and  in 
the  world,  that  while  it  is  applauded  in  the  general,  it  is  re- 
sisted and  rejected  in  particulars  :  and  yet  while  the  use  of 
holy  truth  is  hated  and  obstinately  cast  away,  the  name  and 
the  barren  profession  of  it  is  made  the  matter  of  the  glory- 
ing of  hypocrites,  and  the  occasion  of  reproaching  dissen- 
ters as  heretics,  and  the  world  is  filled  with  bloody  perse- 
cutions, and  inhuman,  implacable  enmities  and  divisions,  by 
a  wonderful  a^eal  for  the  name  of  truth,  even  by  those  men 
that  will  rather  venture  on  damnation,  than  they  will  obey 
the  truth  which  they  so  contend  for.  Multitudes  of  men 
have  tormented  or  murdered  others  as  heretics,  who  them- 
selves must  be  tormented  in  hell  for  not  being  Christians. 
It  concemeth  us  therefore  to  deal  very  wisely  and  cautiously 
in  this  business. 

Direct,  i.  '  Take  heed  lest  there  be  any  carnal  interest  or 
lust  which  maketh  you  unwilling  to  receive  the  truth,  or 
inclineth  you  to  error,  that  it  may  serve  that  interest  or 
lust.'  It  is  no  small  number  of  men  that  are  strangers  or 
enemies  to  the  truth,  not  because  they  cannot  attain  the 
knowledge  of  it,  but  because  they  would  not  have  it  to  be 
truth.  And  men  of  great  learning  and  natural  parts  are  fire- 
quently  thus  deceived  and  led  into  error  by  a  naughty,  car- 
nal, biassed  heart :  either  because  that  error  is  the  vuljgar 

*  Nitebttur  Socntes  saromo  iugeoii  acumine,  non  tam  illorum  sententiam  le- 
M\trt,  qusm  ipse  quid  verum  esset*  invenire.  Diog.  Lurt.  io  Socrat.  lib.  H.  «ect« 
K.  p.  93»    . 


CHAP.  VII.]  CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  135 

opinion,  and  necessary  to  maintain  their  popular  reputation, 
and  avoid  reproach ;  or  because  it  is  the  way  of  men  in 
power,  and  necessary  to  their  preferment  and  greatness  in 
the  world ;  or  because  the  truth  is  contrary  to  their  fleshly 
hists  and  pleasures,  or  contrary  to  their  honour  and  worldly 
interest,  and  would  hazard  their  reputations  or  their  lives. 
How  loath  is  a  sensual,  ungodly  man  to  believe,  that  "  with- 
out holiness  none  shall  see  God,"  and  that  he  *'  that  is  in 
Christ  is  a  new  creature,  and  that  if  any  man  have  not  the 
spirit  of  Christ,  the  same  is  none  of  his,  and  that  if  they 
live  after  the  flesh  they  shall  die.*'  How  loath  is  the  am- 
bitious minister  to  believe  that  the  way  of  Christ's  service 
lieth  not  in  worldly  pomp,  or  ease,  or  pleasures,  but  in  taking 
up  the  cross  and  following  Christ  in  self-denial,  and  in  being 
as  the  servant  of  all,  in  the  unwearied  performance  of  careful 
oversight,  and  compassionate  exhortations  unto  all  the  flock. 
Let  a  controversy  be  raised  about  any  of  these  points,  and  the 
mind  of  lazy,  ambitious  men  doth  presently  fall  in  with  that 
part  which  gratifieth  their  fleshly  lusts,  and  exouseth  them 
from  that  toilsome  way  of  duty  which  they  akeady  hate.  The 
secret  lusts  and  vices  of  a  false,  hypocritical  heart,  are  the 
commonest  and  the  most  powerful  arguments  for  error ;  and 
such  men  are  glad,  tliat  great  men  or  learned  men  will  give 
so  much  ease  to  their  consciences,  and  shelter  to  their  re- 
putations, SB  to  countenance,  or  make  a  controversy  at  least 
ofli&t  which  their  lusts  desire  to  be  true.  Above  all  there- 
fen  see  that  you  come  not  to  inquire  after  truth  with  an 
wuNttctified  heart,  and  unmortified  lusts,  which  are  a  bias 
to  your  minds,  and  make  you  warp  from  the  truth  which 
yoB  inquire  after :  for  if  the  carnal  mind  neither  is,  nor  can 
be  sobjoct  to  the  law  of  Ood,  you  may  easily  perceive  that  it 
will  be  loath  to  believe  it ;  when  in  so  doing  they  believe 
their  own  condemnation.  An  honest,  sanctified  heart  is 
flfeCest  to  entertain  the  truth. 

IHntt.  II.  '  Seek  after  the  truth,  for  the  love  of  truth, 
and  Idve  it  especially  for  its  special  use,  as  it  formeth  the 
heart  and  life  to  the  imago^  and  will  of  God ;  and  not  for 
the  fanciful  delight  of  knowing;  much  less  for  carnal, 
worldly  ends  ^.^    No  means  are  used  at  all  as  means,  where 

^  Socrates  de  ethkr,  ct  in  officinis,  et  in  publico  qootidie  philotoplMUii,  ca  p«» 
tiw  flMfaireiMU  hortabatiir,  qo«  mores  instruerent,  et  qooram  usiis  nobis  domi  esset 
irina.    Diog,  Ltert.  in  Socmt. 


136  CHRISTIAN  DIRECTORY.  [PART    III^ 

the  end  is  not  first  detennined  of.  And  to  do  the  same  thing 
materially  to  another  end,  is  not  indeed  to  do  the  same ;  for 
thereby  it  is  made  another  thing.  Your  physician  will  come 
to  you  if  you  seek  to  him  as  a  physician ;  but  not  if  you 
send  to  him  to  mend  your  shoes.  So  if  you  seek  knowledge 
for  the  true  ends  of  knowledge,  to  fill  your  hearts  with  the 
love  of  God,  and  guide  your  lives  in  holiness  and  righteous- 
ness, God  is  engaged  to  help  you  in  the  search.  But  if  you 
seek  it  only  for  to  please  your  pride  or  fancy,  no  wonder  if 
you  miss  of  it ;  and  it  is  no  great  matter  whether  you  find  it 
or  not,  for  any  good  it  is  like  to  do  you.  Every  truth  of 
God  is  appointed  to  be  his  instrument,  to  do  some  holy 
work  upon  your  heart :  let  the  love  of  holiness  be  it  that 
maketh  you  search  after  truth,  and  then  you  may  expect 
that  God  should  be  your  teacher. 

Direct,  iii.  *  Seek  after  truth  without  too  great  or  too 
small  regard  to  the  judgment  of  others  :  neither  contemn 
them,  nor  be  captivated  to  them.'  Use  the  help  of  the  wise ; 
but  give  not  up  your  reason  absolutely  to  any.  Engage  not 
yourselves  in  a  party,  so  as  to  espouse  their  errors,  or  impli- 
citly to  believe  whatever  they  say ;  for  this  breedeth  in  yon 
a  secret  desire  to  please  your  party,  and  interesteth  you  in 
their  dividing  interest,  and  msiketh  you  betray  the  truth  to 
be  accounted  orthodox  by  those  you  value  *. 

Direct,  iv.  *Take  heed  of  pride,  which  will  make  you 
dote  upon  your  own  conceits,  and  cause  you  to  slight  the 
weightiest  reasons  that  are  brought  by  others,  for  your  con- 
viction.' And  if  once  you  have  espoused  an  error  it  will 
engage  all  your  wit,  and  zeal,  and  diligence  to  maintain  it : 
it  will  make  you  uncharitable  and  furious  against  all  that  cross 
you  in  your  way ;  and  so  make  you  either  persecutors  (if 
you  stand  on  the  higher  ground),  or  sect-leaders,  or  church- 
dividers,  and  turbulent  and  censorious,  if  you  are  on  the 
lower  ground.  There  is  very  great  reason  in  Paul's  advice 
for  the  choice  of  a  bishop,  *'  Not  a  novice ;  lest  being  lifted 
up  with  pride  he  fall  into  the  condemnation  of  the  devil**.'* 

^  Non  tam  anctoritatis  in  disputandu,  qnani  rationis  momenta  qaterenda  siiat. 
Cic/NaL  D.I. 9.  Obcst  plerumque  iis,  qui  discere  voiunt,  auctoritas  eonim,  qui  ae 
docere  profitentur.  Desinunt  cnim  suura  judicium  adhibere:  id  habent  nitiun,  quod 
ab  eo,  qucm  probant,  judicatum  vident.  Ibid. 

^  1  Tiro.  iii.  6. 


CHAP;  VII.]       CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  137 

It  is  no  more  wonder  to  see  a  proud  man  erroneous,  and  in 
(he  confidence  of  his  own  understanding,  to  rage  against  all 
that  tell  him  he  is  mistaken,  than  to  hear  a  drunken  man 
boasting  of  his  wit,  to  the  increase  of  his  shame. 

Direct,  v.  '  Take  heed  of  slothfulness  and  impatience  in 
searching  after  truth,  and  think  not  to  find  it  in  difficult 
cases,  without  both  hard  and  patient  studies,  and  ripeness 
of  understanding  to  enable  you  therein :  and  suspect  all 
opinions  which  are  the  ofispring  of  idleness  and  ease,  what- 
ever Divine  illumination  they  may  pretend ;'  (except  as  you 
take  them  from  others  upon  trust  (in  a  slothful  way)  who 
attained  them  by  diligent  studies).  For  God  that  hath  cal- 
led men  to  labour,  doth  use  to  give  his  blessing  to  the  la- 
borious. And  he  that  hath  said  by  his  Spirit,  '*  Meditate 
upon  these  things :  give  thyself  wholly  to  them,  that  thy 
profiting  may  appear  to  all%"  doth  accordingly  cause  those 
men  to  profit,  who  seek  it  in  this  laborious  way  of  his  ap- 
pointment :  and  he  that  hath  said, ''  The  desire  of  the  sloth- 
ful killeth  him,''  doth  not  use  to  bless  the  slothful  with  his 
teachings.  He  that  will  say  to  him  in  judgment,  '*  Thou 
wicked  and  slothful  servant,''  will  not  encourage  the  sloth- 
fulness  which  he  condemneth.  ''  My  son,  if  thou  wilt  re- 
ceive my  words,  and  hide  my  commandments  with  thee ;  so 
that  thou  incline  thine  ear  unto  wisdom^  and  apply  thine 
heart  to  understanding  ;  yea,  if  thou  criest  after  knowledge, 
and  liftest  up  thy  voice  for  understanding ;  if  thou  seekest 
her  as  silver,  and  searchest  for  her  as  for  hid  treasures ;  then 
thalt  thou  understand  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  and  find  the 
knowledge  of  God :  for  the  Lord  giveth  wisdom  ^"  Mark 
here  to  whom  God  giveth  wisdom  :  all  the  godly  are  taught 
of  God :  but  mark  here  how  it  is  that  he  teacheth  them. 
Not  while  they  scorn  at  studies  and  universities,  and  look 
that  their  knowledge  should  cost  them  nothing,  or  that  the 
Spirit  should  be  instead  of  serious  studies,  or  that  their  un- 
derstandings should  discern  what  is  true  or  false  at  the  first 
appearance ;  but  while  they  think  no  pains  or  patience  too 
great  to  learn  the  truth  in  the  school  of  Christ. 

Direct,  vi.  '  Keep  out  passion  from  your  disputes,  and 
in  the  management  of  all  your  controversies  in  religion.' 
For  though  passion  be  useful  both  antecedently  to  the  re^ 

«  1  rim.  hr.  15.  '  ProT.  il  1—6, 


138  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  Iir. 

solution  of  the  will^  and  consequently  to  the  effectual  exe- 
oution  of  its  resolutions,  yet  it  is  commonly  a  very  great  se- 
ducer of  the  understanding*  and  strangely  blindedi  and 
perverteth  the  judgment* :  so  that  a  passionate  man  is  sel- 
dom so  far  from  the  tmtl^  as  when  he  is  most  confident  he 
is  defending  it.  When  passion  hath  done  boilings  and  the 
heart  is  cooled,  and  leayeth  the  judgment  to  do  its  work 
without  any  clamour  or  disturbance,  it  is  strange  to  see  how 
dungs  will  appear  to  you,  to  be  quite  of  anodier  tendency 
and  reason,  dian  in  your  passion  you  esteemed  theoK 

Direct,  viu  '  Keep  up  a  sense  of  the  evil  and  diuiger  of 
both:  extremes ;  and  be  not  so  wholly  intent  upon  the  avoid- 
ing'of  one  extreme,  as  to  be  fearless  of  the  other.'  The 
narrow  minds  of  unexperienced  men  are  hardly  brou^t  to 
look  on  both  sides  them,  and  to  be  duly  sensible  of  the  dan- 
ger of  both  extremes ;  but  while  they  are  taken  up'only  with 
the  hating  and  opposing  one  sort  of  errors^  they  forget 
those  on  the  other  side.  And  usually  the  sin  or  error  which 
we  observe  not,  is  more  dangerous  to  us  than  that  which  we 
do  observe,  (if  the  wind  of  temptation  set  that  way.) 

Direct,  viii.  *  When  you  detect  any  ancient  error  or 
corruption,  inquire  into  its  original;  and  see  whether  refor- 
mation contfist  not  rather  in  a  restitution  of  the  primitive 
state,  than  in  an  extirpation  of  the  whole/  Even  in  Popery 
itself  there  are  many' errors  and  ill  customs,  which  are  but 
the  corruption  of  some  weighty  truth;  and  the  degenerettng 
of  some  duty  of  God's  appointment ;  and  to^  reduce  all,  in 
such  cases,  to  the  primitive  verity,  is  the  way  of  W>ise  and 
thie  reformation ;  and  not  to  throw  away  that  w4iich  is 
Giod^s,  because  it  is  fallen  into  Uie  dirt  of  human  depravw* 
tion*  But  in  cases  where  aU  is  bad,  there  all  must  be  re- 
jected. 

Dcrectw  ix.  '  Pretend  not  to  trulii  and  orthodoxness 
against  Christian  love  and  peace :  and  so  follow  truth,  as 
thai  you  lose  not  love  and  peace  by  it ;  (as  much  as  in  you 
lieth  live  peaceably  with  all  men)/  Charity  is  the  endf  ef 
truth :  and  it  is  ^  mad  use  of  means^to  use  them  agaJaai 
the  end.     Make  sure  of  the  sincerity  of  your  charity,  and 

f  Qp»  don  ▼irtutes  in  disputatore  prinMe  sunt,  cas  ambas  in  Hobero  depre- 
hendi,  patientiam  adversarinro  prolixe  sua  ezplicanten  audiendi,  et  iemtatem  etiam 
aspere  dicta  perferendi,  inq.  Scultetos  pott<  ditp.  Conic  p.  33. 


CaAF.  VII.]      CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  139 

hold  it  fBiit ;  and  then  no  error  that  you  hold  will  be  dea- 
tnictive  to  you :  but  if  you  know  more  than  others,  and  Hse 
your  knowledge  to  the  weakening  of  your  love,  you  are  but 
(%8  our  first  parents,)  deceived  and  destroyed  by  a  desire  of 
fleshly,  ineffectual  knowledge.  Sudi  '*  knowledge  puffetb 
u|s  but  charity  edifteth  ^.^  To  coatend  for  truth,  to  the  loss 
of  lo^e,  in  yCKUfselves,  and  the  destouction  of  it  among  others, 
10  but  to-  choke  yourselves  with  excellent  food,  and  to  imi- 
tate that  orthodox,  catholic  physician,  that  gloried  that  he 
killed  his  patients  *  secundem  artem^'  by  the  most  accujpate 
OMthod,  and  excellent  rules  of  art  that  men  could  die  by. 

Direct,  x.  '  Pretend  no  truth  against  the  power  and 
prsfctioe  of  godliness.'  For  this  also  is  its  proper  end; 
tf  it  be  not  truth  that  is  according  to  godliness,,  it  is  no  truth 
worthy  our  seeking  or  contending  for.  And  if  it  be  eoii* 
trary  to  godliness  in  itself,,  it  is  no  truth  at  all ;  tfaeKfora  if 
il  be  used  against  godliness*,  it  is  used  contrary  to  the  ends 
of  truth.  Those  men  that  suppress  or  hinder  the  means  of 
knowledge,  and  holiness,  and  concord,  and  edification*  un- 
der pretence  of  securing,  defending,  or  propagating  the  or- 
thodox belief,  will  find  one  day,  that  Ood  wiU  give  them  as 
bttle  thanks  for  their  blind,  preposterous  zeal  for  truth,  as 
a.  tender  ft^her  would  do  to  a  physician,  that  killed  his  chil- 
dren, becanse  they  distasted  or  spit  out  his  medicines.  It 
is  usually  a  pitiful  defence  of  truUi  that  is  made  by  the  ene- 
mies of  godliness. 

Mon  near- and  particular  Directions  against  Error. 

Direct,  i.  '  Begins  at  the  greatest,  most  evident,  certain 
and  necessary  truths,  and  so- proceed  orderly  to  the  know»- 
ledge  of  the  less,  by  the  help  of  these.'  As  you  ctimb  by  the 
body  of  the  ttee  untO'  the  branches.  If  you  begin  at  diose 
trutfts^  which  spring  out  of  greater  common  truths,  and 
know  not  the  premises,  while  yon  plead  for  the  conclusion, 
yon  abuse  your  reason,  and  lose  the  truth  and  your  labour 
boA:  for  there  is  no  way  to  the  branches  but  by  ascending 
from  the  stock.  The  principles  well  laid,  must  be  your 
help  to  all  your  following  knowledge. 

Direct,  ii.  *  The  two  first  things  which  you  are  to  learn 

^  I  Cor.vfiKl. 


140  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

are,  what  man  is,  and  what  God  is :  the  nature  and  relation 
of  the  two  parties,  is  the  first  thing  to  be  known  in  order  to 
the  knowledge  of  the  covenant  itself,  and  all  following  tran- 
sactions between  Ood  and  man  **/  One  error  here  will  in- 
troduce abundance.  A  thousand  other  points  of  natural 
philosophy  you  may  safely  be  ignorant  of;  but  if  you  know 
not  what  man  is,  what  reason  is,  what  natural  freewill  is, 
and  what  inferior  sensitive  faculties  are,  as  to  their  uses,  it 
will  lay  you  open  to  innumerable  errors.  In  the  nature  of 
man,  you  must  see  the  foundation  of  his  relations  unto  Ood : 
and  if  you  know  not  those  great  relations,  the  duties  of  which 
must  take  up  all  our  lives,  you  may  easily  foresee  the  con- 
sequents of  such  ignorance  or  error.  So  if  you  know  not 
what  Ood  is,  and  what  his  relations  to  us  are,  so  far  as  is 
necessary^  to  our  living  in  the  duties  of  those  relations,  the 
consequents  of  your  ignorance  will  be  ^ad.  If  learned  men 
be  but  perverted  in  their  apprehensions  of  some  one  attri- 
bute of  Ood,  (as  those  that  think  his  goodness  is  nothing  but 
his  benignity^  or  proneness  to  do  good,  or  that  he  is  a  ne- 
cessary agent,  doing  good,  *  ad  ultimum  posse,'  &c.)  what 
abundance  of  horrid  and  impious  consequents  will  follow  ? 

Direct,  iii.  '  Having  soundly  understood  both  these  and 
other  principles  of  religion,  try  all  the  subsequent  truths 
hereby,  and  receive  nothing  as  truth  that  is  certainly  incon- 
sistent with  any  of  these  principles  ^'  Even  principles  that 
are  not  of  sense,  may  be  disputed  till  they  are  well  received ; 
and  with  those  that  have  not  received  them :  but  afterwards 
they  are  not  to  be  called  in  question ;  for  then  you  would 
never  proceed  nor  build  higher,  if  you  still  stand  question- 
ing all  your  grounds.  Indeed  no  truth  is  inconsistent  with 
any  other  truth :  but  yet  when  two  dark  or  doubtful  points 
are  compared  together,  it  is  hard  to  know  which  of  them  to 
reject.  But  here  it  is  easy  ;  nothing  that  contradicteth  the 
true  nature  of  Ood  or  man,  or  any  principle  must  be  held. 

Direct,  iv.  '  Believe  nothing  which  certainly  contradict- 
et&  the  end  of  all  religion.'  If  it  be  of  a  natural  or  neces- 
sary tendency  to  ungodliness,  against  the  love  of  Ood,  or 

h  Ut  Deam  norb,  etsi  ignores  et  locum  ct  faciem,  sic  8»imuni  tibi  taam  notam 
esse  oportet,  etiam  si  ignores  et  locnm  et  fbrmam.     Cic  Tuscul.  1.70. 

'  Nee  est  uila  erga  Deos  pietas,  nisi  honesta  de  numine  deorom  ac  mente  opiob 
sit.    Cic.  pro  Dom.  107.  Op.  toI.  iii.  p.  8S«. 


CHAP.  VII.]      CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  141 

against  a  holy  and  heavenly  mind  and  conversation^  it  can- 
not be  truth  whatever  it  pretend. 

Direct,  v.  *  Be  sure  to  distinguish  well  betwixt  revealed 
and  unrevealed  things :'  and  before  you  dispute  any  ques- 
tion, search  first  whether  the  resolution  be  revealed  or  not : 
and  if  ..it  be  not,  lay  it  by ;  and  take  it  as  a  part  of  your  ne- 
cessary submission,  to  be  ignorant  of  what  God  would  have 
you  ignorant,  as  it  is  part  of  your  obedience  to  labour  to  know 
what  God  would  have  you  know.     And  when  some  things 
unrevealed  are  mixed  in  the  controversy,  take  out  those  and 
lay  them  by,  before  you  go  any  further,  and  see  that  the  re- 
solution of  the  rest  be  not  laid  upon  them,  nor  twisted  with 
them,  to  entangle  the  whole  in  uncertainty  or  confusion^. 
Thus  God  instructed  Job,  by  convincing  him  how  many 
things  were  past  his  knowledge  ^     Thus  Christ  instructed 
Nicodemus  about  the  work  of  regeneration,  so  as  to  let  him 
know  that  though  the  necessity  of  it  must  be  known,  yet  the 
manner  of  the  Spirit's  accesses  to  the  soul  cannot  be  known"'. 
And  Paul  in  his  discourse  of  election  takes  notice  of  the 
unsearchable  depths,  and  the  creature's  unfitness  to  dispute 
with  God''.    When  you  find  any  disputes  about  predeter- 
mination or  predestination   resolved  into   such   points  as 
these :  Whether  God  do  by  physical,  premoving  influx,  or 
by  concourse,  or  by  moral  operation '  ut  finis,'  determine  or 
specify  moral  acts  of   man?    Whether  a  positive  decree 
'  quoad  actum'  be  necessary  to  the  negation  of  effects,  (as 
that  such  a  one  shall  not  have  grace  given  him,  or  be  con- 
verted or  saved ;  that  all  the  millions  of  possible  persons, 
names,  and  things  shall  not  be  future)  ?     What  understand- 
ing, will,  or  power  are  formally  in  God  ?     How  he  knoweth 
future  contingents  ?  with  a  hundred  such  like ;  then  remem- 
ber that  you  make  use  of  this  rule,  and  say  with  Moses, 
"  The  secret  things  belong  to  the  Lord  our  God,  but  those 
things  that  are  revealed  unto  us  and  to  our  children  for  ever, 
that  we  may  do  all  the  words  of  his  law  °."    There  are  many 
rare,  profound  discoveries  much  gloried  of  by  the  masters 
of  several  sects,  of  which  you  may  know  the  sentence  of  the 

^  Non  u,  samos  qoibaa  bos  nihil  verum  esse  videatur  ;  sed  ii,  qui  omnibus  veris 
fiUa  qnaMlani  adjuncta  esse  dicamus,  tanta  similitadiqe,  at,  £cc  Cic.  Nat.  D.  1. 12. 
■  Job  zzx?iii— xH.  »  John  iii*  7,  8.  "  Rcmd.  iz. 

»  Vt^t,  xiix.  99. 


14t  CHRISTIAN    DIRACTORV.  [PART  ill. 

Holy  Ghost,  by  that  instance,  *'  Let  no  num  be^k  jron  of 
your  reward,  in  a  voluntary  humility  and  wondiipping  of 
angels,  intruding  into  those  things  which  he  hath  nottKen, 
vainly  puffed  up  by  his  fleshly  mind  <"/'  Reverently  witii^ 
draw  from  things  that  are  unrevealed,  «md  dispute  them  not. 

Direct,  vi.  'Be  a  careful  and  accurate  (though  not  a 
vain)  distinguisher :  and  suffer  not  ambiguity  and  confcsion 
to  deceive  you.'  Suspect  every  word  in  your  question,  and 
anatomise  it,  and  agree  upon  the  sense  of  all  your  comaiOR 
terms,  before  you  dispute  with  any  adversary.  1%  is  not 
only  in  many  words,  but  in  one  word  or  syllable,  Aat  8o 
much  ambigui^  and  confusion  may  be  contained,  as  may 
make  a  long  dispute  to  be  but  a  vain  and  ridiculous  wraiog- 
ling^i.  Is  it  not  a  ridiculous  business  to  hear  men  dispute 
many  hours  about  the  '  cur  credis,'  and  into  what  faith  is 
to  be  resolved  ?  and  in  the  end  come  to  understand,  that  by 
'  cur,'  one  of  them  speaks  of  the  '  principiite  or  causa  veri'> 
tatis'  and  the  other  of  the  '  principium  pateflictionis,'  or  the 
*  evidentia  veritatis,'  or  some  other  cause  ?  And  when  one 
speaks  of  the  resolution  of  his  faith  as  into  the  formal  ob- 
ject, and  another  into  the  subservient  testimony  or  means, 
or  into  the  proofs  of  Divine  attestation,  or  many  other  cau'^ 
ses  ?  Or  to  hear  men  dispute  whether  Christ  died  for  all : 
when  by  '  for,'  one  man  meaneth  '  for  the  benefit  of  all,^ 
and  another  means '  in  the  place  or  stead  of  all,  or  for  the 
sins  of  all  as  the  procuring  cause,  &c.'  Yet  here  is  but  a 
syllable  to  contain  this  confusion !  What  a  tedious  thing 
is  it  to  read  long  disputes  between  many  Papists  and  Pto^- 
testants,  about  justification,  while  by  justification  one  mean- 
eth one  thing,  and  another  meaneth  quite  another  thing? 
He  that  cannot  force  every  word  to  make  a  plain  confession 
of  its  proper  signification,  that  the  thing  intended  may  be 
truly  discerned  in  the  word,  he  will  but  deceive  himself  and 
others,  with  a  wordy,  insignificant  dispute. 

Direct,  vii.  'Therefore  be  specially  suspicious  of  meta^ 
phors ;  as  being  all  but  ambiguities  till  an  explication  hath 
fixed  or  determined  the  sense.'    It  is  a  noisome  thing  to 

P  Col.  ti.  18. 

4  See  ray  Preface  before  the  second  Part  of  the  Saints'  Rest,  Edit.  S.  Stc.  A 
man  of  judgment  shall  bear  ignorant  men  dfiler,  and  know  that  they  mean  one  thing : 
and  yet  they  themselves  will  never  agree.    Lord  Bacon,  Essay  3. 


CHAP.  VII.]      CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  143 

bear  some  dispute  upon  an  uaexplained  metaphorical  wordi^ 
when  neither  of  them  have  enucleated  the  sense,  and  when 
there  are  proper  words  enow. 

Direct,  vii.  'Take  special  notice  of  what  kind  of  being 
your  inquiry  or  disputation  is,  and  let  all  your  temui  be 
adapted  and  interpreted  according  to  the  kind  of  beings  you 
dispute  of/    As  if  you  be  inquiring  into  the  nature  of  any 
grace,  as  fiuth,  repentance,  obedience,  &c.  remember  that  it 
is  '  in  g^iere  moris,'  a  moral  act :  and  therefore  the  terms 
are  not  to  be  understood  as  if  you  disputed  about  mere  phy* 
sicsl  acts,  which  are  considered  but '  in  genere  entis.'    For 
that  object  which  must  essentiate  one  moral  act,  containeth 
many  physical  particles,  which  will  make  up  many  physical 
acts  '•    If  yoi^  take  such  a  man  for  your  king,  your  com- 
mander, your  master,  your  physician,  &c.,  if  you  should  at 
the  bar,  when  you  ari  questioned  for  un&dthfidness,  dispute 
upon  the  word  *  take,'  whether  it  be  an  act  of  the  fantasy,  or 
sense,  or  intellect,  or  will,  &c.  would  you  not  be  justly 
laughed  at  ?    So  when  you  ask.  What  act  fSeiith  or  repen- 
tance is?  which  contain  many  particular   physical  acts. 
When  you  dispute  of  divinity,  policy,  law,  war,  &c.  you 
must  not  use  the  same  terms  in  the  same  sense,  as  when  you 
dispute  of  physics,  or  metaphysics. 

Direct,  ix.  'Be  sure  in  all  your  disputes  that  you  still 
keep  distinguished  before  your  eyes,  the  order  of  being,  and 
the  order  of  knowing :  that  the  questions  '  de  esse'  lying  un- 
detetmined  in  your  way,  do  not  frustrate  all  your  dispute 
about  the  question  '  de  cognoscere.'  As  in  the  question. 
Whether  a  man  should  do  such  or  such  a  thing,  when  he 
thinketh  that  it  is  God's  command  ?  How  far  conscience 
must  be  obeyed?  It  must  first  be  determined  'de  esse/ 
whether  indeed  the  thing  be  commanded  or  lawful,  or  notf 
before  the  case  can  be  determined  about  the  obligation  that 
followeth  my  apprehension.  For,  whatever  my  conscience 
or  opinion  say  of  it,  the  thing  either  is  lawful  or  it  is  not :  if 
it  be  lawful,  or  a  duty,  the  case  is  soon  decided ;  but  if  it 
be  not  lawful,  the  error  of  my  conscience  altereth  not  God's 
law,  nor  will  it  make  it  lawful  unto  me.  I  am  bound  first 
to  know  and  then  to  do  what  God  revealeth  and  command- 

'  At  1  have  shewed  in  my  DiiiMite  of  Saving  Faith  with  Dr.  Barlow,  and  of  Jot- 


144  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  ^PART    III. 

eth :  and  this  I  shall  be  bound  to»  whaterer  I  imagine  to  the 
contrary ;  and  to  lay  by  the  error  which  is  against  it. 

Direct,  x.  '  Be  sure  when  you  first  enter  upon  an  en- 
quiry or  dispute,  that  you  well  discover  how  much  of  the 
controversy  is  verbal '  de  nomine/  and  how  much  is  material 
'  de  re  */  And  that  you  suffer  not  your  adversary  to  go  on 
-upon  a  false  supposition,  that  the  controversy  is  'de  re/ 
when  it  is  but '  de  nomine/  The  difference  between  names 
and  things  is  so  wide,  that  you  would'  think  no  reasonable 
man  should  confound  them:  and  yet  so  heedless  in  this 
point  are  ordinary  disputers,  that  it  is  a  usual  thing  to  make 
a  great  deal  of  stir  about  a  controversy  before  they  discern 
whether  it  be  '  de  nomine'  or  *  de  re/  Many  a  hot  and 
long  dispute  I  have  heard,  which  was  managfpd  as  about  the 
very  heart  of  some  material  cause  (as  about  man's  power  to 
do  good,  or  about  the  sufficiency  of  grace,  or  about  justifi- 
cation, &c.)  when  the  whole  contest  between  the  disputers 
was  only  or  principally  '  de  nomine,'  and  neither  of  them 
seemed  to  take  notice  of  it.  Be  sure  as  soon  as  you  peruse 
the  terms  of  your  question,  to  sift  this  throughly,  and  dis- 
pute verbal  controversies,  but  as  verbal,  and  not  as  real  and 
material.  We  have  real  differences  enow:  we  need  not 
make  them  seem  more  by  such  a  blind  or  heedless  manner 
of  disputing  ^ 

Direct,  xi.  '  Suffer  not  a  rambling  mind  in  study,  nor  a 
rambling  talker  in  disputes,  to  interrupt  your  orderly  pro- 
cedure, and  divert  you  from  your  argument  before  you  bring 
it  to  the  natural  issue.'  But  deceiving  sophisters,  arid 
giddy  headed  praters,  will  be  violent  to  start  another  game, 
and  spoil  the  chase  of  the  point  before  you  :  but  hold  them 
to  it,  or  take  them  to  be  unworthy  to  be  disputed  with,  and 
let  them  go  (except  it  be  where  the  weakness  of  the  auditors 
requireth  you  to  follow  them  in  their  wild-goose  chace). 
You  do  but  lose  time  in  such  rambling  studies  and  disputes. 

Direct,  xii.  'Be  cautelous  of  admitting  false  supposi- 
tions :  or  at  least  of  admitting  any  inference  that  dependeth 

■  Non  ex  verbis  res,  sed  ex  rebus  verba  esse  inqairenda.  Myson,  in  Laert. 
p.  70.  Basil.  Edit.  (Arostel.  lib.  i.  sect.  108.  p.  69.  T.  C.) 

t  It  is  a  noble  work  that  Mr.  lieblanck  of  Sedan  is  about  to  this  purpose,  stating 
more  exactly  than  hath  yet  been  done  all  the  controversies  between  us  and  the  Pa- 
pists :  which  how  excellently  he  is  like  to  perform  I  easily  conjecture  by  the  Disputes 
of  his  upon  Justification!  &c.  which  I  have  seen. 


CHAP.^VIl.]      CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  145 

upon  tbem/  In  some  cases  a  supposition  of  that  whicfai'  is. 
fidse  may  be  made,  while  it  no  way  tends  to  infer  the  truth 
of  it:  but  nothing  must  be  built  upon  that  falsehood^  as  iur 
timating  it  to  be  a  truth.  False  suppositions  cunningly  and 
secretly  worked  into  arguments,  are  very  ordinary  instru- 
ments of  deceit. 

Direct,  xiii.  '  Plead  not  uncertainties  against  certain- 
ties :'  but  make  certain  points  the  measure  to  try  the  uncer- 
tain by.  Reduce  not  things  proved  and  sure  .to  those  that 
are  doubtful  and  justly  controverted :  but  reduce  points 
disputable  to  those  that  are  past  doubt. 

Direct,  xiv.  '  Plead  not  the  darker  texts  of  Scripture 
against  those  that  are  more  plain  and  clear,  nor  a  few  texts 
against  many  that  are  as  plain :'  for  that  which  is  interpreted 
against  the  most  plain  and  frequent  expressions  of  the  same 
Scripture  is  certainly  misinterpreted. 

Direct,  xv.  '  TdLenot  obscure  prophecies  for  precepts.' 
The  obscurity  is  enough  to  make  you  cautious  how  you 
venture  yourself  in  the  practice  of  that  which  you  under- 
stand not ;  but  if  there  were  no  obscurity,  yet  prophecies 
are  no  warrant  to  you  to  fulfil  them ;  no,  though  they  be 
for  the  church's  good.  Predictions  tell  you  but '  de  eventu' 
what  will  come  to  pass,  but  wsirrant  not  you  to  bring  it  to 
pass  :  God's  prophecies  are  ofttimes  fulfilled  by  the  wicked- 
est men  and  the  wickedest  means.  As  by  the  Jews  in  kill- 
iag  Christ,  and  Pharaoh  in  refusing  to  let  Israel  go,  and 
Jehu  in  punishing  the  house  of  Ahab.  Yet  many  self-con- 
ceited persons  think  that  they  can  fetch  that  out  of  the  Re- 
▼elatioBS  or  the  prophecies  of  Daniel,  that  will  justify  very 
horrid  crimes,  while  they  use  wicked  means  to  fulfil  God's 
prophecies. 

Direct,  xvi.  *  Be  very  cautious  in  what  cases  you  take 
men's  practice  or  example  to  be  instead  of-  precept,  in  the 
sacred  Scriptures.'  In  one  case  a  practice  or  example  is 
obligatory  to  us  as  a  precept ;  and  that  is,  when  God  doth 
give  men  a  conmiission  to  establish  the  form  or  orders  of 
his  church  and  worship,  (as  he  did  to  Moses  and  to  the 
apostles,)  and  promiseth  them  his  Spirit  to  lead  them  into 
all  truth,  in  the  matters  which  he  employeth  them  in  ;  here 
Ood  is  engaged  to  keep  them  from  miscarrying ;  for  if  they 
should,  his  work  would  be  ill  done,  his  church  would  be  ill 

VOL.    v.  L 


146  CHRISTIAN  DIRBCTORY.  [FART  lit. 

eoRBtitQted  and  framed,  and  his  senrants  unayoidably  de» 
ceived.  The  apostles  were  authorized  to  constitute  ohureli 
officers,  and  orders  for  continuance;  and  die  8criptufe 
which  i»  written  for  a-great  part  historically,  acquaints  us 
what  they  did  (as  well  as  what  they  said  and  wrote)  in  the 
building  of  the  church,  in  obedience  to  their  commission ) 
(at  least  in  declaring  to  the  world  what  Christ  had  first  ap- 
pointed)* And  thus  if  their  practice  were  not  obligatory  to 
us,  their  words  also  might  be  avoided  by  the  same  pretences; 
And  on  this  ground  (at  least)  the  Lord's  day  is  easoly  proved 
to  be  of  Divine  appointment  and  obligation.  Only  we  must 
see  that  we  carefully  distinguish  between  both  the  words 
and  practice  of  the  apostles  which  were  upon  a  particular 
and  temporary  occasion  (and  obligation)  from  those  that 
were  upon  an  universal  or  permanent  ground. 

Direct,  xvii.  '  Be  very  caotelous  what  conclusions  you 
raise  from  any  mere  works  of  Providence.'  For  the  bold 
and  blind  exposition  of  these,  hath  led  abundfnce  into  most 
heinous  sins  :  no  providence  is  instead  of  a  hiw  to  us :  but 
sometimes  and  ofttimes  Providence  changeth  the  matter  of 
cur  duty,  and  so  occasioneth  the  change  of  our  obligations : 
(as  when  the  husband  dieth,  the  wife  is  disobliged,  &c.)  But 
men  of  worldly  dispositions  do  so  over-value  worldly  things, 
that  from  them  they  venture  to  take  tl^  measureiof  Ood's 
love  and  hatred,  and  of  the  causes  which  he  approv«th  or 
disapproveth  in  the  world.  And  the  wisdom  of  God  dotk 
seem  on  purpose,  to  cause  such  wonderful,  unexpected  mu- 
tations in  the  affairs  of  men,  as  shall  shame  the  principles  or 
spirits  of  these  men,  and  manifest  their  giddiness  and  muta- 
bility to  their  confusion.  One  year  they  say, '  This  is  suie 
the  cause  of  God,  or  else  he  would  never  own  it  as  he  dptk :' 
another  year  they  say,  '  If  this  had  been  God's  cause  he 
would  never  have  so  disowned  it :'  just  as  the  barbarians 
judged  of  Paul  when  the  viper  seized  on  his  hand.  And 
thus  God  is  judged  by  them  to  own  or  disown  by  his  pros- 
pering or  afflicting,  more  than  by  his  word. 

Direct,  xviii.  'In  controversies  which  much  depend  on 
the  sincerity  and  experience  of  godly  men,  take  heed  that 
you  affect  not  singularity,  and  depart  not  from  the  common 
sense  of  the  godly.'    For  the  workings  of  God's  Spirit  aie 


CHAP.  VII.]        CHRISTIAN   ECCLESIASTICS.  147 

better  judged  of,  by  the  ordinary  tenor  of  them,  thail  by 
some  (real  or  Bupposed)  case  that  is  extraordinary. 

Dntd.  XIX.  'In  controversies  which  most  depend  on 
the  testimony  of  antiquity,  depart  not  from  the  judgment  of 
the  ancients/  They  that  stood  within  view  of  the  days  of 
the  aposttes  could  better  tell  what  they  did,  and  what  a  con- 
dition they  left  the  churches  in  than  we  can  do.  To  appeal 
to  the  ancients  in  every  cause,  even  in  those  where  the  later 
Christians  do  excel  them  is  but  to  be  fools  in  reverence  of 
our  forefathers'  wisdonu  But  in  points  of  history,  or  any 
thing  in  which  they  had  the  advantage  of  their  posterity, 
their  testimony  is  to  be  preferred. 

Direct,  xx.  'In  controversies  which  depend  on  the  ex- 
perience of  particular  Christians  or  of  the  church,  regard 
most  the  judgment  of  the  most  experienced,  and  prefer  the 
jadgment  of  the  later  ages  of  the  church  before  the  judg- 
ment of  leas  experienced  ages :'  (except  the  apostolical  age 
that  had  the  greater  help  of  the  Spirit).  An  ancient,  expe- 
rienced Christian  or  divine  is  more  to  be  regarded  in  many 
points,  which  require  experience,  than  many  of  the  younger 
sort,  that  are  yet  more  zeajous  and  of  quicker  understand- 
ing and  expression  than  the  elder.  So  those  that  we  call 
the  ftithers  or  ancients  were  indeed  in  the  younger  ages  of 
the  church,  and  we  that  are  fallen  into  the  later  and  more 
experienced  age,  have  all  the  helps  of  the  wisdom  and  ex- 
perience of  the  ages  tha);  were  before  us :  and  therefo^^e  God 
wtU  require  at  our  hands  an  account  of  these  greater  talents 
which  we  have  received !  As  it  were  inexcusable  now  in  a 
physician,  that  hath  the  help  of  such  voluminous  institu- 
tioiis,  observations  and  experiments  of  former  ages,  to  know 
110  moi«  than  those  former  times  that  had  no  such  helps  ; 
so  would  it  be  as  inexcusable  for  this  present  age  of  the 
church  to  be  no  wiser  than  those  former  ages.  When  Aqui- 
nas, Seotus,  Ariminensis,  and  other  schoolmen,  delivered 
the  doctrine  of  Christianity  to  the  church  in  a  dress  so  far 
different  bom.  Ignatius,  Irenseus,  Tertullian,  Cyprian,  or  any 
ef  those  former  ages,  they  certainly  thought  that  they  had 
attained  to  a  far  greater  excellency  and  accurateness  in  the 
kaowledge  of  divinity  than  tliose  their  ancestors  had  attain- 
ed :  and  whatever  they  swear  in  the  Trent  oath,  of  not  ex- 
pounding any   Scripture  otherwise  than  the  fathers  do,  I 


148  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

doubt  not  but  Saarez,  and  Vasquez,  and  others  of  their 
modern  schoolmen  thought  so  too,  and  would  have  been 
loath  to  be  accounted  wise  in  the  measure  only  of  those  an- 
cients. The  later  and  elder  ages  of  the  church  have  had 
abundant  experience^  e.  g.  of  the  tendency  of  ambition  and 
papal  aspirings  and  usurpations ;  of  the  mischiefs  of  com- 
posing and  imposing  the  popish  missals  and  numerous  cere- 
monies, and  of  their  implicit  faith,  and  their  concealment  of 
the  Scriptures  from  the  vulgar,  and  many  such  points ;  and 
if  we  are  never  the  wiser  for  all  this  experience,  we  are  the 
more  inexcusable;  and  may  be  judged  as  the'Ueglecters  of 
our  greater  helps. 

Direct,  xxi.  '  In  controversies  which  depend  most  upon 
skill  in  the  languages,  philosophy,  or  other  parts  of  com- 
mon learning,  prefer  the  judgment  of  a  few  that  are  the  most 
learned  in  those  matters,  before  the  judgment  of  the  most 
ancient,  or  the  most  godly,  or  of  the  greatest  numbers,  even 
whole  churches,  that  are  unlearned. '  In  this  case  neither 
numbers,  nor  antiquity,  nor  godliness  will  serve  turn :  but 
as  one  clear  eye  will  see  further  than  ten  thousand  that  are 
purblind,  so  one  Jerome  or  Origen  may  judge  better  of  a 
translation,  or  the  grammatical  sense  of  a  text  than  a  hun- 
dred of  the  other  fathers  could.  One  man  that  underdtand- 
eth  a  language  is  fitter  to  judge  of  it,  than  a  whole  nation 
that  understand  it  not.  One  philosopher  is  fitter  to  judge 
of  a  philosophical  question,  than  a  thousand  illiterate  per^ 
sons.  Every  man  is  most  to  be  regarded  in  the  matters 
which  he  is  best  acquainted  with. 

Direct,  xxii.  'In  controversies  of  great  difficulty  where 
divines  themselves  are  disagreed,  and  a  clear  and  piercing 
wit  is  necessary,  regard  more  the  judgment  of  a  few  acute, 
judicious,  well-studied  divines  that  are  well  versed  in  those 
controversies,  than  of  a  multitude  of  dull  and  common  wits 
that  think  to  carry  it  by  the  reputation  of  their  number*/ 
It  is  too  certainly  attested  by  experience,  that  judicious  men 
are  very  few,  and  that  the  multitude  of  the  injudicious  that 
have  not  wit  enough  to  understand  them,  nor  humility 
enough  to  confess  it,  and  to  learn  of  them,  have  yet  pride 
and  arrogancy  enough  to  contradict  them,  and  often  malice 

■  Satis  triuniphat  Veritas  si  apud  panoos  bonosque  accepta :  nee  indoles  ejus  eit 
placere  raultis.    Lipsliis. 


CHAP.  VII.]         CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  149 

enough  to  vilify  them.  In  such  differences  it  is  not  only  a 
sign  of  a  wise  man  to  be  content  with  the  approbation  of  a 
tew,  but  also  to  have  but  few  approvers;  (except  where  ihe 
injudicious  do  implicitly  believe  those  few  that  are  judi- 
cious). Commonly  a  very  few  that  are  wiser  than  the  mul- 
titude, are  fain  to  stand  by,  and  compassionate  not  only  the 
world  but  the  church,  and  see  the  disease,  and  the  easy  re- 
medy, and  all  in  vain  ;  while  they  are  but  neglected  or  des- 
pised by  the  rest,  that  will  not  be  made  wiser  by  them. 

Direct,  xxiii.  '  In  all  contentions  hold  close  to  that 
which  all  sides  are  agreed  in  : '  there  is  so  much  agreed  on, 
even  between  the  Papists  and  Protestants,  as  would  save 
them  all,  if  all  of  them  did  sincerely  believe,  love  and  prac- 
tise it ;  for  they  all  confess  that  the  whole  canonical  Scrip- 
ture is  true.  Therefore  be  more  studious  sincerely  to  hold 
and  improve  those  common  truths  which  they  all  profess, 
than  to  oppose  the  particular  opinions  of  any,  further  than 
that  common  truth  requireth  it.  See  that  the  articles  of 
the  common  creed  which  all  profess,  be  unfeignedly  believ- 
ed by  you ;  and  that  the  petitions  in  the  Lord's  prayer  be 
sincerely  and  earnestly  put  up  to  God ;  and  that  the  ten 
comjuandments  be  heartily  and  entirely  obeyed  ;  and  then 
no  error  or  difference  will  be  damning  to  you. 

Direci.  xxiv.  'Take  nothing  as  necessary  to  salvation 
in  point  of  faith,  nor  as  universally  necessary  in  point  of 
practice,  which  the  universal  church  in  every  age  since 
Christ  did  not  receive.'  For  if  any  thing  be  necessary  to  sal- 
vation which  the  church  received  not  in  every  age,  then  the 
church  itself  of  that  age  could  not  be  saved ;  and  then  the 
church  was  indeed  no  church ;  for  Christ  is  the  Saviour  of 
his  body.  But  certainly  Christ  had  in  every  age  a  church 
of  saved  ones,  who  openly  professed  all  that  was  of  common 
necessity  to  salvation.  An  opinion  may  be  true  which  ac- 
cuseth  the  generality  in  the  church  of  some  error  or  imper- 
fection ;  for  it  is  most  certain  that  the  church  on  earth  is 
composed  of  none  (that  have  the  use  of  reason)  but  erring 
and  imperfect  members  ;  but  no  opinion  can  be  true  that 
condemneth  all  the  church  to  hell,  in  any  one  age ;  for  the 
head  and  husband  of  the  church  must  be  her  judge. 

Direct.  XXV.  '  Be  not  bonte  down  by  the  gensoriousness 
of  any,  to  overrun  your  own  imderstanding  and  the  truth. 


150  CHRISTIAN  DIRECTORY.         [PART  UU 

and  to  comply  with  them  in  their  errors  and  extremes':  but, 
hold  to  the  truth  and  keep  your  station:  ''let  them  re- 
tturn  unto  thee,  but  return  not  thou  unto  themV  It  is 
too  usual  for  the  younger  and  more  injudicious  sort  of  Chris- 
tians to  be  most  zealous  about  some  little  opinions,  ceremo- 
nies and  words,  and  to  censure  all.  those  that  differ  from 
them,  with  such  bitter  censures,  (as  ungodly,  false-hearted* 
See.)  that  hereupon  some  of  the  more  judicious  forsake  the 
truth  and  simplicity  of  the  Oospel,  to  comply  with  these 
censurers  merely  to  escape  them,  (or  as  some  say,  that  they 
may  keep  an  interest  in  them  to  do  them  good :)  but  such 
carnal  compliances,  though  with  the  most  zealous  men,  will 
bring  nothing  home  at  last  but  repentance  and  shame : 
truth  which  is  the  means  of  the  good  of  souls«  must  not  be 
betrayed  as  for  the  good  of  souls. 

Direct,  xxvi.  '  Doubt  not  of  well-proved  truths,  for 
every  difficulty  that  appeareth  against  them/  There  is  scarce 
any  truth  in  the  world  so  plain,  but  in  your  own  thoughts, 
or  in  the  cavils  of  a  wrangling  wit,  there  may  such  difficul- 
ties be  raised  as  you  can  hardly  answer  :  and  there  is  scarce 
any  thing  so  evident,  that  some  will  not  dispute  against. 
You  see  that  even  the  most  learned  Jesuits,  and  all  the  cler- 
gy of  the  Roman  kingdom,  will  not  stick  to  dispute  all  the 
world  (if  they  could)  out  of  the  belief  of  all  their  senses,  while 
they  maintain  that  bread  is  not  bread,  and  wine  is  not  wine. 
And  yet  how  many  princes,  lords  and  rulers  follow  them, 
and  how  many  millions  of  the  people ;  because  they  be  not 
able  to  confute  them.  If  they  had  said  that  a  man  is  no  man 
but  a  worm',  they  might  in  reason  have  expected  as  much 
belief. 

Direct,  xxvii.  '  Abuse  not  your  own  knowledge  by  sub- 
jeoting  it  to  your  carnal  interest  or  sensuality.'  He  that  will 
sin  against  his  conscience,  and  will  not  obey  the  knowledge 
which  he  hath,  doth  deserve  to  be  given  over  to  blindofM 
and  deceit,  and  to  lose  even  that  which  he  hath,  and  to  be 
forsaken  till  he  believe  and  defend  a  lie :  "  that  all  they 
might  be  damned  who  obeyed  not  the  truth,  but  had  plea- 
sure in  unrighteousness  *".''  God  will  not  hold  him  guiltless 
who  debaseth  his  sacred  truth  so  far,  as  to  make  it  stoop  lo 

X  Thus  Peter  and  Barnabas  erred,  dtl.  ii. 

J  Jer.  XV.  19.  »  P»l.  itxii.6.  •  2  Then.  H.  10— i«. 


CHAK  VIII.]      CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIAfiTICS.  151 

his  commodity  and  lust ;  where  he  is  a  teacher  he  will  be  a 
king,  and  sendeth  his  truth  as  the  instrument  of  his  gorem- 
ment,  and  not  as  a  slaye  or  pander  to  the  flesh  :  he  that 
will ''  do  Qod's  will  shall  know  it^."  But  the  carnal  mind 
that  cannot  be  subject  to  God's  law,  is  unfit  to  receive  it, 
because  it  is  spiritually  discerned  ^. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


Directions  for  the  Union  and  Communion  of  Saints,  and  the 
avoiding  Unpeaceableness  and  ScMsm. 

The  peace  and  concord  of  believers  is  a  thing  that  almost 
all  those  plead  for,  who  call  themselves  believers ;  and  yet 
a  thing  that  almost  all  men  hinder  and  resist  while  they  com- 
mend it*.  The  discord  and  divisions  of  believers,  are  as 
commonly  spoken  against,  and  by  the  same  men,  as  com- 
monly fomented.  The  few  that  are  sincere  (both  rulers  and 
private  men)  desire  concord  and  hate  divisions  in  love  to 
holiness  which  is  promoted  by  it,  and  in  love  to  the  church, 
and  good  of  souls,  and  the  honour  of  religion,  and  the  glory 
of  Ood ;  and  the  few  of  those  few  that  are  experienced, 
wise,  judicious  persons,  do  choose  the  means  that  are  fittest 
to  attap  these  ends,  and  do  prudently  and  constantly  pro- 
secute them  accordingly ;  but  these  being  in  the  world  as  a 
spoonful  of  fresh  water  cast  into  the  sea,  or  a  spoonful  of  water 
cast  into  the  flames  of  a  house  on  fire,  no  wonder  if  the  briny 
sea  be  not  sweetened  by  them,  nor  the  consuming,  raging 
fire  quenched  by  them.  The  other  rulers  of  the  world  and 
of  the  churches,  are  for  concord  and  against  division,  be- 
cause this  tendeth  to  the  quieting  of  the  people  under  them, 
and  the  making  of  men  submissive  and  obedient  to  their 
wills,  and  so  to  confirm  their  dignities,  dominions  and  inte- 
rests **•  And  all  men  that  are  not  holy,  being  predominantly 
■elfish,  they  would  all  be  themselves  the  centre  of  that  union, 
and  bond  of  that  concord  which  they  desire:  and  they 

k  John  Tii.  17.  *  Bom.  ▼lii.  7.    1  Cor.  ii/14. 

»  Of  this  sabject  I  have  written  already,  1.  My  **  UnWenal  Concord."    t.  My 
•^CatholicUiuty."  3.  Of  the  •«  True  Catholic  Church."  4.  Mj  "  Chrirtian  Concurd." 
^  Head  over  Sir  Francis  Bacon's  third  Essay  }  and  Hales  of  Schism. 


152  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

would  have  it  accomplished  upon  such  terms  and  by  such 
means  as  are  most  agreeable  to  their  principles  and  ends  ; 
in  which  there  are  almost  as  many  minds  as  men  :  so  that 
among  all  the  commenders  of  unity  and  concord,  there  are 
none  that  take  the  way  to  attain  it,  but  those  that  would 
centre  it  all  in  God,  and  seek  it  upon  his  terma,  and  in  his 
way.  The  rest  are  all  tearing  unity  and  peace  in  pieces, 
while  they  commend  it,  and  they  fight  against  it  while  they 
seek  it;  every  man  seeking  it  for  himself,  and  upon  his  own 
terms,  and  in  his  own  way ;  which  are  so  various  and  incon- 
sistent, that  east  and  west  may  sooner  meet  than  they. 

Yet  must  the  sons  of  God  be  still  the  sons  of  peace,  and 
continue  their  prayers  and  endeavours  for  unity,  how  small  * 
soever  be  the  hopes  of  their  success  :  ''  If  it  be  possible,  as 
much  as  in  us  lieth,  we  must  live  peaceably  with  all  men/' 
So  far  must  they  be  from  being  guilty  of  any  schisms  or  un- 
lawful divisions  of  the  church,  that  they  must  make  it  a  great 
part  of  their  care  and  work  to  preserve  the  unity  and  peace 
of  Christians.     In  this  therefore  1  shall  next  direct  them. 

Direct,  i.  '  Understand  first  wherein  the  unity  of  Chris- 
tians and  churches  doth  consist  i*  or  else  you  will  neither 
know  how  to  preserve  it,  nor  when  you  violate  it  ®.  Chris- 
tians are  said  to  be  united  to  Christ,  when  they  are  entered 
into  covenant  with  him,  and  are  become  his  disciples,  his 
subjects,  and  the  members  of  his  (political)  body.  They 
are  united  to  one  another  when  they  are  united  to  Christ 
their  common  head,  and  when  they  have  that  spirit^  that 
faith,  that  love  which  is  communicated  to  every  living  mem- 
ber of  the  body.  This  union  is  not  the  making  of  many  to 
be  one  Christian  ;  but  of  many  Christians  to  be  one  church : 
which  is  considerable  either  as  to  its  internal  life,  or  its  ex- 
ternal order  and  profession.  In  the  former  respect  the 
bonds  of  our  union  are,  1.  The  heart-covenant  (or  faith). 
2.  And  the  Spirit ;  the  consent  of  Christ  and  of  ourselves 
concurring,  doth  make  the  match  or  marriage  between  us ; 
and  the  Spirit  communicated  from  him  to  us  is  as  the  nerves 
or  ligaments  of  the  body,  or  rather  as  the  spirits  which  pass 
through  all.  The  union  of  the  church  considered  visibly 
in  its  outward  policy,  is  either  that  of  the  whole  church,  or 

c  In  veste  ChrUti  varielas  sit ;  scissura  non  sit.     They  be  two  thing?,  unitj 
and  uniformity.    Lord  Bacon,  Essay  iii. 


CHAP.  VIII.]      CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  153 

of  the  particular  churches  within  themselves,  or  of  diyers 
particular  churches  accidefutally  united.  L  The  union  of 
the  whole  is  essential,  integral,  or  accidental.  The  essen- 
tial union  is  that  relation  of  a  head  and  members,  which  is 
between  Christ  and  all  the  visible  members  of  his  church  : 
the  foundation  of  it  is  the  mutual  covenant  between  Christ 
and  them,  considered  on  their  part  as  made  externally,  whe- 
ther sincerely  or  not :  this  is  usually  done  in  baptism,  and 
-  is  the  chiefest  act  of  their  profession  of  the  faith.  Thus  the 
baptismal  covenant  doth  constitute  us  members  of  the  visi- 
ble church.  The  integral  and  accidental  union  I  pass  by 
now.  2.  Besides  this  union  of  the  universal  church  with 
Christ  the  universal  head,  there  is  in  all  particular  organized 
churches,  a  subordinate  union,  (1.)  Between  the  pastor  and 
the  flock.  (2.)  Between  the  people  one  towards  another ; 
which  consisteth  in  these  their  special  relations  to  each 
other.  3.  And  there  is  an  accidental  union  of  many  parti- 
cular churches :  as  when  they  are  united  under  one  civil  go- 
vernment ;  or  c-onsociated  by  their  pastors  in  one  synod  or 
counjcil.     These  are  the  several  sorts  of  church  union. 

Direct,  ii.  '  Understand  also  wherein  the  communion  of 
Christians  and  churches  doth  consist :  that  you  may  know 
what  it  is  that  you  must  hold  to/  In  the  universal  church 
your  internal  communion  with  Christ  consisteth  in  his  com- 
munication of  his  Spirit  and  grace,  his  Word  and  mercifss 
unto  you ;  and  in  your  returns  of  love,  and  thanks  and 
obedience  unto  him ;  and  in  your  seeking  to  him,  depend- 
ing on  him,  and  receivings  from  him  :  your  internal  com- 
munion vrith  the  church  or  saints,  consisteth  in  mutual  love, 
and  other  consequent  affections,  and  in  praying  for,  and 
doing  good  to  one  another  as  yourselves,  according  to  your 
abilities  and  opportunities.  Your  external  communion  with 
Christ  and  with  most  of  the  church  in  heaven  and  earth,  is 
not  mutually  visible  and  local ;  for  it  is  but  a  small  number 
comparatively  that  we  ever  see ;  but  it  consisteth  in  Christ's 
visible  communication  of  his  Word,  his  officers,  and  his  or- 
dinances and  mercies  unto  you,  and  in  your  visible  learning 
and  reception  of  them,  and  obedience  to  him,  and  expres- 
sions of  your  love  and  gratitude  towards  him.  Your  exter- 
nal conununion  with  the  universal  church,  consisteth  in  the 
prayers  of  the  church  for  you,  and  your  prayers  for  the 


154  CHRISTIAN    DIRBCTORY.  [FART  U|» 

chnrch ;  in  your  holding  tlie  same  faith,  and  professing  to« 
love  and  worship  the  same  Giod,  and  Saviour,  and  Sanctifier» 
in  the  same  holy  ordinances,  in  order  to  the  same  eternal 
end.   , 

Your  external  communion  in  the  same  partioulai  congi^ 
gations,  consisteth  in  your  assembling  together  to  hear  the 
preaching  of  God's  Word,  and  to  receiye  the  sacrament  of 
the  body  and  blood  of  Christ,  and  pray  and  praise  God»'  aii4 
to  help  each  other  in  knowledge  and  holiness,  and  walk  tOi- 
gether  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord. 

Your  communion  with  other  neighbour  Qhurches^  lieth 
in  praying  for  and  counselling  each  other,  and  keeping  such 
correspondencies  as  shall  be  found  necessary  to  maintain 
that  love,  and  peace,  and  holiness  which  all  are  bound  to. 
seek,  according  to  your  abilities  and  opportunities. 

Note  here,  that  communion  is  one  thing,  and  subjectaoo 
is  another.  It  is  not  your  subjection  to  other  churches  thai 
is  required  to  your  communion  with  them.  The  churches 
that  Paul  wrote  to  at  Rcune,  Corinth,  Galatia,  Bphesus, 
Philippi,  8cc.,  had  communion  together  according  to  their 
capacities  in  that  distance ;  but  they  were  not  subject  one 
to  another,  any  otherwise  than  as  all  are  commanded  to  be 
subject  to  each  other  in  humility  ^.  The  chuYoh  of  Roiae 
now  accuseth  all  the  Christians  in  the  world  of  separating 
from  thetr  communion,  unless  they  will  take  them  for  their 
rulers,  and  obey  them  as  the  mistress  church:  bi^t  Pai^ 
speaketh  not  one  syllable  to  any  of  the  churches  of  any  such 
thing,  as  their  obedience  to  the  church  of  Rome.  To  your 
own  pastors  you  owe  subjection  statedly  as  well  as  com- 
munion ;  and  to  other  pastors  of  the  churches  of  Christ 
(fixed  or  unfixed),  you  owe  a  temporary  subjection  so  £ur  as 
you  are  called  to  make  use  of  them  (as  sick  persons  do  lo 
another  physician,  when  the  physician  of  the  hospital  is  out 
of  the  way) :  but  one  church  is  not  the  ruler  of  another,  or 
any  one  of  all  the  rest,  by  any  appointment  of  the  king  of 

the  church. 

Direct,  in.  '  By  the  help  of  what  is  already  said,  you 
are  next  distinctly  to  understand  how  fitr  you  are  bound  to 
union  or  communion  with  any  other,  church  or  person,  and 
what  distance,  separation,  or  division  is  a  sin,  and  what  is 

*  1  Pet.  ▼.  5. 


CHAP.  VIII.]      CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  165 

not :'  that  so  you  may  neither  canselessly  trouble  your- 
selyes  with  scruples^  nor  trouble  the  church   by   sinful 

schitEum. 

I.  There  must  be  an  union  among  all  churches  and 
Christians  in  these  following  particulars.     1.  They  have  all 
but  one  God.    2.  And  one  Head  and  Saviour,  Jesus  Christ. 
3.  And  one  Sanctifier,  the  Holy  Ghost.     4.  And  one  ulti- 
mate  end  and  hope,  even  the  fruition  of  God  in  heaven.     5. 
And  one  Gospel  to  teach  them  the  knowledge  of  Christ,  and 
contain  the  promise  of  their  salvation.     6.  And  one  kind  of 
fiuth  that  is  wrought  hereby.     7.  And  one  and  the  same  co- 
venant (of  which  baptism  is  the  seal)  in  which  they  are  en- 
gaged to  God.     8.  And  the  same  instrumental  founders  of 
our  faith,  under  Jesus  Christ,  even  the  prophets  and  apos- 
tles. -9.   And  all  members  of  the  same  universal  body.     10. 
And  all  have  the  same  new  nature  and  holy  disposition,  and 
the  same  holy  affections,  in  loving  God  and  holiness,  and 
hating  sin.     11.  They  all  own,  as  to  the  essential  parts,  the 
same  law  of  God,  as  the  rule  of  their  faith  and  life,  even  the 
sacred  canonical  Scriptures.     12.  Every  member  hath  a  love 
to  the  whole,  and  to  each  other,  especially  to  the  more  ex- 
cellent and  useful  members ;  and  an  inclination  to  holy 
communion  with  each  other.     13.  They  have  all  a  propen- 
sity to  the  same  holy  means  and  employment,  as  prayer, 
letraing  the  Word  of  God,  and  doing  good  to  others.     All 
diese  things  the  true  living  members  of  the  church  have  in 
sincerity,  and  the  rest  have  in  profession. 

II.  There  will  be  still  a  diversity  among  the  churches 
and  particular  Christians  in  these  following  points,  without 
any  dissolution  of  the  fore-described  unity.  1.  They  will 
not  be  of  the  same  age  or  standing  in  Christ ;  but  some 
babes,  some  young  men,  and  some  fathers.  2'.  They  will 
not  have  the  same  degrees  of  strength,  of  knowledge,  and 
of  holiness :  some  will  have  need  to  be  fed  with  milk,  and 
be  unskilful  in  the  word  of  righteousness.  3.  They  will 
differ  in  the  kind  and  measure  of  their  gifts :  some  will  ex- 
cel in  one  kind,  and  some  in  another,  and  some  in  none  at 
all.  4.  They  will  differ  in  their  natural  temper,  which  will 
make  some  to  be  more  hot  and  some  more  mild,  some  more 
quick  and  some  more  dull,  some  of  more  regulated  wits  and 
some  more  scattered  and  confused.    5.  They  will  differ  in 


156  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART   ill. 

spiritual  health  and  soundness  ;  one  will  be  more  orthodox 
and  another  more  erroneous  ;  one  will  have  a  better  appe- 
tite  to  the  wholesome  word  than  others  that  are  inclining  to 
novelties  and  vain  janglings ;  one  will  walk  more  blame- 
lessly than  another ;  some  are  full  of  joy  and  peace,  and 
others  full  of  grief  and  trouble.    6.  They  differ  much  in 
usefulness  and  service  to  the  body ;  some  are  pillars  to  sup- 
port the  rest,  and  some  are  burdensome  and  troublers  of  the 
church.     7.  It  is  the  will  of  Christ  thai  they  differ  in  office 
and  employment ;  some  being  pastors  and  teachers  to  the 
rest.    8.  There  may  be  much  difference  in  the  manner  of 
their  worshipping  God  ;  some  observing  days  and  difference 
of  meats  and  drinks,  and  forms  and  other  ceremonies,  which 
others  observe  not :  and  several  churches  may  have  several 
modes.    9.  These  differences  may  possibly  by  the  tempta- 
tion of  satan,  arise  to  vehement  contentions,  and  not  only 
to  the  censuring  and  despising  of  each  other,  but  to  the  re- 
jecting of  each  other  from  the  communion  of  the  several 
churches,  and  forbidding  one  another  to  preach  the  Gospel, 
and  the  banishing  or  imprisoning  one  another,  as  Constan- 
tine  himself  did  banish  Athanasius,  and  as  Chrysostom  and 
many  another  have  felt.     10.  Hence  it  folio weth,  that  as  in 
the  visible  church  some  are  the  members  of  Christ,  and  some 
are  indeed  the  children  of  the  devil,  some  shall  be  saved  and 
some  be  damned,  even  with  the  sorest  damnation,  (the 
greatest  difference  in  the  world  to  come  being  betwixt  the 
visible  members  of  the  churchy  so  among  the  godly  and 
sincere  themselves,  they  are  not  all  alike  amiable  or  happy, 
but  they  shall  differ  in  glory  as  they  do  in  grace.    All  these 
differences  there  have  been,  are,  and  will  be  in  the  church, 
notwithstanding  its  unity  in  other  things. 

III.  The  word  '  schism'  cometh  from  '  ay^u^/  *  disseco, 
lacero/  and  signifieth  any  sinful  division  among  Christians. 
Some  Papists  (as  Johnson)  will  have  nothing  called  schism, 
but  a  dividing  one's  self  from  the  Catholic  church  :  others 
maintain  that  there  is  nothing  in  Scripture  called  schism, 
but  making  divisions  in  particular  churches  *.    The  truth 

«  The  true  placing  the  bouds  of  anitj  importeth  exceedingly.  Which  will  be 
done  if  the  points  fimdaniental,  and  of  substance  in  religion  were  truly  discerned  and 
dbtingaifthed  from  points  not  merely  of  faith,  but  of  opinion,  order,  or  good  iotentioii. 
This  u  a  thing  that  .may  seem  to  many  a  matter  trivial,  and  done  already;  but  if  it 


CHAP.  VIll.]      CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  iSf 

18,  (obTious  in  the  thing  itself)  that  there  are  several  sorts 
of  schism  or  division*  1.  There  is  a  causing  divisions  in  a 
particalar  church,  when  yet  no  party  divideth  from  that 
church,  much  less  from  the  universal.  Thus  Paul  blameth 
the  divisions  that  were  among  the  Corinthians,  while  one 
said  '  I  am  of  Paul,'  and  another,  '  I  am  of  ApoUos,'  &c. 
1  Cor.  iii.  3.  And  1  Cor.  xi.  18.  "  I  hear  that  there  be  di- 
visions among  you :''  not  that  they  separated  from  each 
other's  communion,  but  held  a  disorderly  communion.  Such 
divisions  he  vehemently  dissuadeth  them  from,  1  Cor.  i.  10. 
And  thus  he  persuadeth  the  Romans,  (xvi.  17.)  to  ''  mark 
them  which  cause  divisions  and  offences  among  them,  con- 
trary to  the  doctrine  which  they  had  learned,  and  avoid 
them ;"  which  it  seems  therefore  were  not  such  as  had 
avoided  the  church  first.  He  that  causeth  differences  of 
judgment  and  practice,  and  contendings  in  the  church,  doth 
c^use  divisions!  though  none  separate  from  the  church. 

2.  And  if  "this  be  a  fault,  it  must  be  a  greater  fault  to 
cause  divisions  from,  as  well  as  in,  a  particular  church, 
which  a  man  may  do  that  separateth  not  from  it  himself: 
as  if  he  persuade  others  to  separate,  or  if  he  sow  those  tares 
of  error  which  cause  it,  or  if  he  causelessly  excommunicate 
or  cast  tiiem  out. 

3.  And  then  it  must  be  as  great  a  sin  to  make  a  cause- 
less separation  from  the  church  that  you  are  in  yourself, 
which  is  another  sort  of  schism.  If  you  may  not  divide  in 
the  church,  nor  divide  others  from  the  church,  tben  you  may 
not  causelessly  divide  the  common  from  it  yourselves. 

4.  And  it  is  yet  a  greater  schism,  when  you  divide  not 
only  from  that  one  church,  but  from  many  ;  because  they 
concur  in  opinion  with  that  one,  (which  is  the  common  way 
of  dividers). 

5.  And  it  is  yet  a  greater  schism,  when  whole  churches 
separate  from  each  other,  and  renounce  due  communion 
with  each  other  without  just  cause :  as  the  Greeks,  Latins, 
and  Protestants  in  their  present  distance,  must  some  of  them 
(whoever  it  is)  be  found  guilty. 

6.  And  yet  it  is  a  greater  schism  than  this,  when 
churches  do  not  only  separate  from  each  other  causelessly, 

done  less  ptrtaoUy,  it   would  be  embraced  more  gener^ly.    Lord  Bacon, 


1A8  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  lUs 

but  alto  unchurch  each  other/and  endeavour  to  out  off  eai^ 
other  from  the  church  universal,  by  denying  each  other  to 
be  true  churches  of  Christ.  It  is  a  more  grievous  schism 
to  withdraw  from  a  true  church  as  no  church,  than  as  a  cot^ 
nipt  church ;  that  is,  to  out  off  a  church  from  Christy  and 
the  church  Catholic,  than  to  abstain  from  communion  with 
it  as  a  scandalous  or  offending  church. 

7.  It  is  yet  '  csBteris  paribus'  a  higher  degree  of  schism 
to  divide  yourselves  (a  person  or  a  church)  from  the  univer^ 
sal  church  without  just  cause,  though  you  separate  from,  it 
but  '  secundum  quid,'  in  some  accidental  respect  wheie 
unity  is  needful  (for  where  unity  is  not  required,  there  dis- 
union is  no  sin) :  yet  such  a  person  that  is  separate  but 
*  secundum  quid,'  from  something  accidental,  or  integral, 
but  not  essential  to  the  Catholic  church,  is  still  a  Catholic 
Christian,  though  he  sin. 

8.  But  as  for  the  highest  degree  of  all,  tia.  to  separate 
from  the  universal  church  '  simpliciter,'  or  vi  some  essen- 
tial respect,  this  is  done  by  nothing  but  by  heresy  or  apos- 
tasy. However  the  Papists  make  men  believe  that  schis^ 
matics  that  are  neither  heretics  nor  apostates,  do  separate 
themselves  wholly  or  simply  from  the  Catholic  church,  this 
is  a  mere  figment  of  their  brains.  For  he  that  separateth 
not  from  the  church  in  any  thing  essential  to  it,  doth  not 
truly  and  simply  separate  from  the  church,  but  *  secundum 
quid,'  from  something  separable  from  the  church.  But 
whatever  is  essential  to  the  church,  is  necessary  to  salvation ; 
and  he  that  separateth  from  it  upon  the  account  of  his  de^ 
nying  any  thing  necessary  to  salvation,  is  an  heretic  or  an 
apostate :  that  is,  if  he  do  it,  as  denying  some  one  (or  more) 
essential  point  of  faith  or  religion,  while  he  pretendeth  to 
hold  all  the  rest,  he  is  an  heretic :  if  he  deny  the  whole 
Christian  faith,  he  is  a  flat  apostate ;  and  these  are  more 
than  to  be  schismatics. 

The  word  '  heresy'  also  is  variously  taken  by  ecclesias- 
tic writers.  Austin  will  have  heresy  to  be  an  inveterate 
schism:  Jerome  maketh  it  to  be  some  perverse  opinion; 
some  call  every  schism  which  gathereth  a  separated  party 
from  the  rest,  by  the  name  of  heresy ;  some  call  it  a  heresy 
if  there  be  a  perilous  error  though  without  any  schism ;  some 
call  it  a  heresy  only  when  schism  is  made,  and  a  party  se- 


CHAF.  VIII.]      CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  159 

t 

IpMAtod  «lMi  IIm  aocovnt  of  some  perilouB  error.  Some 
•ay  this  error  muftt  be  damnable,  that  is,  in  the  essentials  of 
religion ;  and  some  say,  it  is  enough  if  it  be  but  dangerous. 
Among  all  these,  the  commonest  sense  of  a '  heretic'  is,  one 
that  obstinately  erreth  in  some  essential  point,  and  divideth 
from  the  conmiunion  of  other  Christiaixs  upon  that  account. 
And  so  ParsBus  and  many  Protestants  take  heresy  for  the 
apectes,  and  schism  for  the  genus.  All  schism  is  not  heresy ; 
but  all  heresy,  say  they,  is  schism.  Remember  that  all  this 
ift  bat  a  controversy  '  de  nomine,'  and  therefore  of  small 
moment. 

By  tlya  that  I  have  said  you  may  perceive  who  they  be 
thai  are  guilty  of  church  divisions :  As,  1.  The  sparks  of  it 
are  kindled,  when  proud  and  self-conceited  persons  are 
braio^ck  in  the  fond  estimation  of  their  own  opinions,  and 
heart-sick  by  a  feverish  zeal  for  propagating  them.  Igno- 
rtiit  aouia  think  that  every  change  of  their  opinions  is  made 
by  BQch  an  aooeasion  of  heavenly  light,  that  if  they  should 
Hot  bestir  them  to  make  all  of  the  same  mind,  they  should 
be  betrayers  of  the  truth,  and  do  the  world  unspeakable 
wron^.  When  they  measure  and  censure  men  as  they  re- 
ceive or  reject  their  peculiar  discoveries  or  conceits,  schism 
is  in  the  egg. 

2.  The  lire  is  blown  up,  when  men  are  desirous  to  have 
a  party  follow  them  and  cry  them  up,  and  thereupon  are 
busy  in  persuading  others  to  be  of  their  mind,  and  do  speak 
perrerse  things  to  draw  away  disciples  after  them.  And 
when  they  would  be  counted  the  masters  of  a  party. 

3.  The  flames  break  forth,  when  by  this  means  the  same 
church,  or  divers  churches  do  fall  into  several  parties  bum^ 
ing  in  zeal  against  esch  other,  abating  charity,  censaring  and 
eondemning  one  another,  backbiting  and  reviling  each  other, 
Ihroagh  envy  and  strife  ;  when  they  look  strangely  at  one 
aoother,  as  being  on  several  sides,  as  if  they  were  not  chil- 
dbren  of  the  same  Father,  nor  members  of  the  same  body ;  or 
ms  if  Christ  were  divided,  one  being  of  Paul,  and  another  of 
ApoUos,  and  another  of  Cephas,  and  every  one  of  a  faction, 
letting  out  their  thoughts  in  jealousies  and  evil  surmises  of 
each  other ;  perverting  the  words  and  actions  of  each  to  an 
ugly  sense,  and  snatching  occasions  to  represent  one  another 

-  as  fools  or  odious  to  the  hearers,  as  if  you  should  plainly 


160  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.         [PART    III. 

say, '  I  pray  you  hate  or  despise  these  people  whom  I  bhte 
and  despise.'  This  is  the  core  of  the  plague-sore.  It  is 
schism  in  the  bud. 

4*  When  people  in  the  same  church  do  gather  into  pri- 
vate meetings,  not  under  the  guidance  of  their  pastors,  to 
edify  one  another  in  holy  exercises  in  lore  and  peace,  bdt 
in  opposition  to  tiieir  lawful  pastors,  or  to  one  another,  to 
propagate  their  singular  opinions,  and  increase  their  parties, 
and  speak  against  those  that  are  not  on  their  side ;  schism  is 
then  ready  to  bring  forth  and  multiply,  and  the  swarm  is 
ready  to  come  forth  and  be  gone. 

5.  When  these  people  actually  depart,  and  renounce  or 
forsake  the  communion  of  the  church,  and  cast  off  their 
faithful  pastors,  and  draw  into  a  separated  body  by  them- 
selves, and  choose  them  pastors  and  call  themselves  a 
church,  and  all  without  any  just,  sufficient  cause:  when 
thus  churches  are  gathered  out  of  churches,  before  the  old 
ones  are  dissolved,  or  they  have  any  warrant  to  depart; 
when  thus  pastor  is  set  up  against  pastor,  church  against 
church,  and  altar  against  altar;  this  is  schism  ripe  and* 
fruitful.    The  swarm  is  gone,  and  hived  in  another  place. 

6.  If  now  the  neighbour  churches  by  their  pastors  in 
their  synods,  shall  in  compassion  seek  to  reclaim  these 
stragglers,  amd  they  justify  their  unjust  separation,  and  con- 
temn the  counsel  of  the  churches  and  ministers  of  Christ; 
this  is  a  confirmed,  obstinate  schism. 

7.  If  they  shall  also  judge  that  church  to  be  no  church 
from  which  they  separated,  and  so  cut  off  a  part  of  the  body 
of  Christ  by  an  unrighteous  censure,  and  condenm  the  inno- 
cent, and  usurp  authority  over  their  guides ;  this  is  dis- 
obedience and  uncharitableness  with  schism. 

8.  If  they  shall  also  condemn  and  unchurch  all  the 
other  churches  that  are  not  of  their  mind  and  way,  and  re- 
nounce communion  with  them  all,  and  so  condemn  unjustly 
a  great  part  of  the  body  of  Christ  on  earth,  this  is  to  add 
fury  and  rebellion  to  an  uncharitable  schism.  And  if  to 
cover  their  sin,  they  shall  unjustly  charge  these  churches 
which  they  reject,  with  heresy  or  wickedness,  they  do  but 
multiply  their  crimes  by  such  extenuations. 

9.  If  the  opinion  that  all  this  ado  is  made  for,  be  a  damn- 


CHAF.  VIII.]     CHRWTf AN    ECCLESIASTICS.  161 

tng  error,  against  some  essential  point  of  the  true  religion, 
then  it  is  heresy  as  well  as  schism. 

10.  If  this  separation  from  the  church  be  made  in  de- 
fence of  an  ungodly  life,  against  the  discipline  of  the  church : 
if  a  wicked  sort  of  men  shall  withdraw  from  the  church  to 
aroid  the  disgrace  of  confession  or  excommunication ;  and 
shall  first  cast  off  the  church,  lest  the  church  should  proceed 
to  east  out  them ;  and  so  they  separate  that  they  may  have 
none  to  goyem  and  trouble  them  but  themselves  ;  this  is  a 
profane,  rebellious  schism.  This  is  the  common  course  of 
schism  when  it  gro.weth  towards  the  height. 

11.  Besides  all  these,  there  is  yet  a  more  pernicious  way 
of  schism,  which  the  church  or  court  of  Rome  is  guilty  of: 
they  make  new  articles  of  faith,  and  new  points  of  religion, 
and  a  new  worship — of  God,  shall  I  say,  or  of  bread  as  if  it 
were  a  God  ?  And  all  these  they  put  into  a  law,  and  im- 
pose them  on  all  the  other  churches ;  yea,  they  put  them 
into  an  oath,  and  require  men  to  swear  that  without  any 
doubting  they  believe  them  to  be  true :  they  pretend  to 
have  authority  for  all  this,  as  Rome  is  the  mistress  of  all 
other  churches.  They  set  up  a  new  universal  head,  as  an 
essential  part  of  the  Catholic  church,  and  so  found  or  feign 
m  new  kind  of  Catholic  church  :  and  he  that  will  not  obey 
them  in  all  this,  they  renounce  communion  with  him,  and  to 
hide  this  horrid,  notorious  schism,  they  call  all  schismatics 
that  are  not  thus  subjected  to  them. 

12.  And  to  advance  their  schism  to  the  height,  as  far  as 
arrogance  can  aspire,  they  not  only  refuse  communion  with 
IlkMie  from  whom  they  separate,  but  condemn  them  as  no 
"pastors,  no  churches,  no  Christians,  that  are  not  subject  to 
them  in  this  their  usurpation :  and  they,  that  are  but  about  the 
third  or  fourth  part  (at  most)  of  the  Christian  world,  do  con- 
demn the  body  of  Christ  to  hell  (even  all  the  rest)  because 
tiiey  are  not  subjects  of  the  pope. 

Besides  all  this  criminal,  odious  schism,  of  imposers  or 
sepaiaters,  there  is  a  degree  of  schism  or  unjust  division, 
which  may  be  the  infirmity  of  a  good  and  peaceable  person. 
As  if  a  humble,  tender  Christian  should  mistakingly  think 
it  unlawful  to  do  some  action  that  is  imposed  upon  all  that 
will  hold  conmiunion  with  that  particular  church  (such  as 

VOL,  V.  M 


IflS  CHRISTIAN  DIRECTORY.  fPART  III. 

Paul  speaketh  of  Rom.  xiv.  if  they  had  been  impoaed) :  and 
if  he,  suspecting  his  own  understanding,  do  uaeallmeanB  to 
know  the  .truth,  and  yet  still  continueth  inhis  mistake;  if 
this  Chriatian  do  forbear  all  reviling  of  his  auperiora,  and 
aensuring  those  that  differ  from  him,  and  drawing  others  to 
his  opinion,  but  yet  dare  not  join  with  the  church  in  thai 
which  he  taketh  to  be  a  sin,  thiB  is  a  sinful  eortof  withdraw- 
ing, because  it  is  upon  mistake ;  but  yet  it  is  but  a  pardon- 
able infirmity,  consistent  with  integrity,  and  the  fovonr  of 
God. 

IV.  In  these  cases  following  separation  is  our  duty  and 
not  a  sin.  1 .  The  church'a  separation  firom  the  unbelieving 
world  is  a  necessary  duty ;  for  what  is  a  church,  but  a  so- 
ciety dedicated  or  sanctified  to  God,  byaeparationfirom  the 
rest  of  the  world ?  ''  Wherefore  come  outfrom  amongthem 
and  be  ye  separate  saith  the  Lord,  and  touch  not-the  unclean 
thing,  and  I  will  receive  you,  and  will  be  a  Father  unto  you* 
and  ye  shall  be  my  sons  and  daughters,  saith  the  Lord 
Almighty  ^"  The  church  is  a  holy  people,  and  therefore  a 
separated  people  *. 

2.  If  a  church  apostatize  and  forsake  the  faith,  or  if  they 
turn  notoriously  heretical,  denying  opeiily  any  one  eaaen- 
tial  article  of  the  faith,  and  this  not  only  by  an  undiscemed 
consequence,  but  directly  in  express  terms  or  sense,  it  i» 
our  duty  to  deny  to  hold  communion  with  suchapoistatesor 
heretics :  for  it  is  their  separating  from  Christ  that  is  the 
sinful  separation,  and  maketh  it  necessary  to  ua  to  separate 
from  them.  But  this  is  no  excuse  to  any  church  or  person 
that  shall  fabely  accuse  any  other  church  qr. person  of  he- 
resy (because  of  some  forced  or  disowned  consequences  of 
his  doctrine),  and  then  separate  from  them  when  they  jhave 
thus  injured. them  by  their  calumnies  or  censures. 

8.  We  are  not  bound  to  own  that  as  a  church  w)iioh 
maketh  not  a  visible  profession  of  faith  and  holiness :  .that 
is,  if  the  pastors  and  a  suiBScient  number  of  the  flock  make 
not  this  profession.  For  as  the.  pastor  and  flock  are  the  con- 
stituent parts  of  the  church,  politically  considered,  ao  pro- 
fession of  faith  and  holiness  is  the  essential  qualification  of 
the  members.  If  either  pastors  or  people  'want  this  profes- 
sion, it  is  no  political  church ;  but  if  the  people  profess  true 

f  *i  Cor.  ▼!•  17,  18.  K  Leg.  Grutium  de  Imp.  pp.  iSO,  SSl. 


CHAP.  YIII.]      CHRISTIAN  £CCLE«IAiiTICS.  198 

rdtgion»  and  kamt  no  pastors,  it  is  a  Gommunity  of  believers, 
or  a  church  unorganized,  and  as  such  to  be  acknowledged* 

4.  If  any  shall  unlawfully  constitute  a  new  political 
church-form,  by  making  new  constitutive  officers  to  be  its 
visible  head,  which  Christ  never  appointed,  we  are  not  to 
hold  communion  with  the  church  in  its  devised  form  or  po- 
lity :  though  we  may  hold  communion  with  the  members  of 
it  considered  as  Christians  and  members  of  the  universal 
church.  Mark  well,  that  I  do  not  say  that  every  new  da«- 
vised  officer  disobligeth  us  from  such  communion,  but  suck 
as  I  describe ;  which  I  shall  more  fully  open. 

Que$t,  May  not  men  place  new  officers  in  the  church  ; 
and  new  forms  of  government  which  God  never  instituted? 
Or  is  there  any  form  and  officers  of  Divine  institution  ? 

Answ,  Though  I  answered  this  before,  I  shall  here 
briefly  answer  it  again.  1.  There  are  some  sorts  of  officers 
that  are  essential  to  the  polity,  or  church^form,  and  some 
that  are  only  needful  to  the  wellbeing  of  it,  and  some  that 
are  only  accidental.  2.  There  is  a  church-form  of  Ood's 
own  institution,  and  there  is  a  superadded  human  polity,  or 
form.  There  are  two  sorts  of  churches,  or  church^forms  of 
God's  own  institution.  The  first  is  the  universal  church 
considered  politically  as  headed  by  Jesus  Christ :  this  is  so 
.  of  Divine  appointment,  as  that  it  is  an  article  of  our  creed. 
Here  if  any  man  devise  and  superinduce,  another  bead  of 
the  universal  church,  which  God  never  appointed,  though 
he  pretend  to  hold  his  sovereignty  from  Christ  and  under 
him,  ii  is  treason  against  the  sovereignty  of  Christ,  as  setting 
up  Ml  universal  government  or  sovereign  in  his  church 
in^tkottt  his  authority  and  consent.  Thus  the  pope  is  the 
usurping  head  of  a  rebellion  against  Christ,  and  in  that 
senye  by  Protestanis  called  antichrist.  And  he  is  guilty  of 
the  rebellion  that  subscribeth  to,  or  owneth  his  usurpation, 
or  sweareth  to  him  as  his  governor,  though  he  promise  to 
obey  him  but '  in  Ileitis  ei  l^nestis  ;'  because  it  is  not  law/- 
M  or  hcmest  to  consent  to  an  usurper's  government.  If  an 
nsurper  should  traiterously,  without  the  king's  consent, 
proclaim  himself  vice-king  of  Ireland  or  Scotland,  and 
fidsely  say  that  he  hath  the  king's  authority,  when  the  king 
diadaimeth  him,  he  that  should  voluntarily  swear  obedience 
to  him  in  things  lawful  and  honest,  dodi  voluntarily  own 


184  CHRISTIAN   DIRECTORY.        [PART  Iff. 

his  uBarpation  and  treason.    And  it  is  not  ihe  lawfulness 
and  honesty  of  the  matter  which  will  warrant  us  to  0¥m  the 
usurpation  of  the  commander  *.     And  secondly  there  is  an- 
other subordinate  church-form  of  Christ's  institution ;  that 
is,  particular  churches  consisting  of  pastors  and  people  con- 
joined for  personal  communion  in  God's  worship.    These 
are  to  the  universal  church,  as  particular  corporations  are  to 
a  kingdom,  even  such  parts  of  it  as  have  a  distinct  subordi- 
nate polity  of  their  own :  it  is  no  city  or  corporation,  if  they 
have  not  their  mayors,  bailiffs,  or  other  chief  officers,  sub- 
ject to  the  king,  as  governors  of  the  people  under  him.  And 
it  is  no  particular  church,  in  a  political  sense,  but  only  a 
community,  if  they  have  not  their  pastors  to  be  under 
Christ,  their  spiritual  conductors  in  the  matters  of  salvation ; 
as  there  is  no  school  which  is  not  constituted  of  teacher  and 
scholars.    That  particular  organized  political  churphes  are 
of  Christ's  institution  (by  his  Spirit  in  the  apostles)  is  un- 
deniable.   ''  They  ordained  them  elders  in  every  church  ^." 
"  Ordain  elders  in  every  city  as  I  commanded  thee  ^'*    **  He 
sent  to  Ephesus  and  called  the  elders  of  the  church  *'." 
"  Take  heed  to  yourselves  and  to  all  the  flock,  over  which 
the  Holy  Ghost  hath  made  you  overseers,  to  feed  the  church 
of  God^"    Thus  far  it  is  no  question  but  church-forms  and 
government  is  of  Divine  appointment :  and  man  can  no  more 
alter  this,  or  set  up  such  other  without  God's  consent,  than 
a  subject  can  alter  or  make  corporations  without  the  king's 
consent.    2.  But  besides  these  two  sorts  of  Divine  institu- 
tion, there  are  other  allowable  associations  which  some  call 
churches.    God  hath  required  these  particular  churches  to 
hold  such  communion  as  they  are  capable  of,  for  promoting 
tne  common  ends  of  Christianity:  and  prudence  is  left- to 
determine  of  the  times,  and  places,  and  manner  of  their  pas- 
tors assemblies,  councils,  and  correspondencies  according 
to  God's  general  rules.     If  any  will  call  these  councils,  or 
the  associations  engaged  for  special  correspondencies,  by 
die  name  of  churches,  I  will  not  trouble  any  with  a  strift 
about  the  name.     In  this  case  so  far  as  men  have  power  to 
make  that  association  or  combination  which  they  call  a 

K  Leg.  GroUum  de  Imp.  pp.  223.  2t6. 

b  Acti  xiT.  23.  »  Tiui.  6.  ^  Acts  xx.  17. 

i  Acti  XX.  f 8.    So  1  Then.  ?,  It,  13.  -Heb.  xiii.  7.  17,  f4.  &c   1  Cor.  vii.  f 3. 


CHAP.  VIII.]       CHRISTIAN  fiCCI.BSIASTICS.  105 

church,  80  also  if  thej  make  officers  suited  to  its  ends,  not 
encroaching  upon  the  churches  or  officers  of  Christ's  own 
institution,  I  am  none  of  those  that  will  contend  against 
them ;  nor  will  this  allow  us  to  deny  communion  with  them. 
3.  And  in  those  churches  which  Christ  himself  hath  insti- 
tuted, there  are  officers  that  make  but  for  the  integrity,  and 
not  for  the  political  essence  of  the  church  :  as  deacons,  and 
all  pastors  or  presbyters  more  than  one.    For  it  is  not  es- 
sential to  it  to  have  any  deacons,  or  many  pastors.     As  to 
this  sort  of  officers,  Christ  hath  appointed  them,  and  it  is 
not  in  man's  power  to  alter  his  institution,  nor  to  set  up  any 
such  like  in  co-ordination  with  these  :  but  yet  if  they  should 
do  so,  as  long  as  the  true  essentials  of  the  church  remain,  I 
am  not  to  deny  communion  with  that  church,  so  I  own  not 
this  corruption.    4.  But  there  are  also  as  circumstantial 
employments  about  God's  worship,  so  officers  to  do  those 
employments,  which  men  may  lawfully  institute :  as  clerks, 
church-wardens,  doorkeepers,  ringers,  8lc.     It  is  not  the 
adding  of  these  that  is  any  sin.     By  this  time  you  may  see 
plainly  both  how  far  churches,  officers,  and  church-govern- 
ment is  '  jure  divino,'  and  how  far  man  may  or  may  not  add 
or  alter,  and  what  I  meant  in  my  proposition,  viz.  That  if 
men  introduce  a  new  universal  head  to  the  church  Catholic, 
or  a  new  head  to  particular  churches,  instead  'of  that  of 
Christ's  institution,  this  is  *  in  sensu  politico,'  to  make  new 
species  of  churches,  and  destroy  those  that  Christ  hath  in- 
stituted ;  (for  the  *  pars  gubemans,'  and  *  pars  gubemata' 
ar^  the  essential  constituents  of  a  church).    And  with  such 
a  church,  as  such,  in  specie,  I  must  have  no  communion 
(which  is  our  case  with  the  Papal  church) ;  though  with 
the  material  parts  of  that  church,  as  members  of  Christ,  I 
may  hold  communion  still. 

6.  If  particular  members  are  guilty  of  obstinate  impeni- 
tency  in  true  heresy,  or  ungodliness,  or  any  scandalous 
crime,  the  church  may  and  must  remove  such  from  her  com- 
munion ;  for  it  is  the  communion  of  saints.  And  the  offen- 
der is  the  cause  of  this  separation. 

6.  If  a  whole  church  be  guilty  of  some  notorious,  scan- 
dalous sin,  and  refuse  with  obstinacy  to  repent  and  reform, 
when  admonished  by  neighbour  churches,  or  if  that  church 
do  thus  defend  such  a  sin  in  any  of  her  members,  so  as 


108  CHRISTIAN    DIRKCTORY.  [PART  III, 

9 

openly  to  ovm  it  \  other  churches  may  refuse  comnkunion 
with  her,  till  she  repent  and  be  reformed.  Or  if  they  see 
cause  to  hold  communion  with  her  in  other  respects,  yet  in 
this  they  must  have  none  ^. 

7«  If  any  church  will  admit  none  to  her  personal  com- 
munion, but  those  that  will  take  tome  false  oath,  or  sub- 
scribe any  untruth,  or  tell  a  lie,  though  that  church  do  think 
it  to  be  true,  (as  the  Trent  oath  which  their  priests  all  swear,) 
it  is  not  lawful  to  do  any  such  unlawful  thing  to  obtain 
communion  with  that  church  :  and  he  that  refuseth  in  this 
case  to  commit  this  sin,  is  no  way  guilty  of  the  separation, 
but  is  commendable  for  being  true  to  Ood  \  And  though 
the  case  may  be  sad  to  be  deprived  of  the  liberty  of  public 
worship,  and  the  benefits  of  public  communion  with  that 
church,  yet  sin  is  worse,  and  obedience  is  better  than  sacri- 
fice ^.  God  will  not  be  served  with  sin,  nor  accept  the  sa- 
crifice of  a  disobedient  fool  p.  Nor  must  we  lie  to  glorify 
him,  nor  do  evil  that  good  may  come  by  it :  just  is  the  dam- 
nation of  such  servers  of  God^.  All  public  worship  is  ra- 
ther to  be  omitted,  than  any  one  sin  committed  to  enjoy  it: 
(though  neither  should  be  done  where  it  is  possible  to  do 
better.)  It  is  not  so  unwise  to  think  to  feed  a  man  with 
poisons,  as  to  think  to  serve  God  acceptably  by  sin. 

.  8.  If  any  one  church  would  ambitiously  usurp  a  govern- 
ing power  over  others  (as  Rome  doth  over  the  world),  it  is 
no  unwarrantable  separation  to  refuse  the  government  of 
that  usurping  church.  We  may  hold  communion  with  then 
as  Christians,  and  yet  refuse  to  be  their  subjects.  Alid 
therefore  it  is  a  proud  and  ignorant  complaint  of  the  church 
of  Rome,  that  the  Protestants  separate  from  them  as  to  com- 
munion, because  they  will  not  take  them  for  their  governor. 

9.  If  any  by  violence  will  banish  or  cast  out  the  true 
bishops  or  pastors  of  the  church,  and  set  up  usurpers  in 
their  stead  (as  in  the  Arian's  persecution  it  was  commonly 
done),  it  is  no  culpable  separation,  but  laudable,  and  a  duty, 

■■  Bat  not  den^ring  her  to  be  a  church,  unless  she  cast  off  some  essentbl  part ; 
but  so  disowning  her  as  in  2  Thess.  iii. 

"  Where  any  church,  retaining  the  poritj  of  doctrine,  doth  require  the  ownhig 
of  and  conforming  to  any  unlawful  or  suspected  practice,  men  may  lawfully  deny 
conformity  to,  and  communion  with  that  church  in  such  things,  without  incnrring  the 
guilt  of  schism.    Mr.  Stillingfleet.  Iren.  p.  117. 

•  1  SwD.  zv.  ft.    ProT.  XV.  S.         P  Ecdcs.  ▼.  l,  2.         f  Hon.  i.  7,  S. 


CHIAP.  VIII.]      CHRISTIAN  SCCLBSIASTICS.  1^ 

for  the  people  to  own  their  relation  to  their  true  pastors,  and 
deny  communion  with  the  usurpers ;  as  the  people  of  the 
Eastern  churches  did  commonly  refuse  communion  with  the- 
intruding  bishops,  even  to  the  death,,  telling  the  oiyil  rulers, 
that  they  had  bishops  of  their  own,  to  whom  they  would 
adhere. 

10.  If  a  true  church  will  obstinately  deny  her  members 
the  use  of  any  one  ordinance  of  God,  as  preaching,  or  read- 
ing Scripture,  or  prayer,  or  praise,  or  discipline,  while  it  re- 
taineth  all  the  rest,  though  we  may  not  separate  from  this 
church  as  no  church'  (which  yet  in  the  Case  of  total  rejection 
of  prayer  or  praise,  is  very  questionable  at  least),  yet  if  we 
haFe  opportunity,  we  must  remove  our  local  communion  to 
a  more  edifying  church,  that  useth  all  the  public  ordinanoes 
of  God  :  unless  the  public  good  forbid,  or  some  great  impe- 
diment, or  contrary  duty  be  our  excuse* 

11.  If  a  true  church  will  not  cast  out  any  impenitent, 
notorious,  scandalous  sinner,  though  I  am  not  to  separate 
ftxmi  tbe  cbufch,  yet  I  am  bound  to  avoid  private  familiarity 
with  such  a  person,  that  he  may  be  ashamed,  and  that  I  par- 
take not  of  his  sin '. 

12.  As  the  church  hath  diversity  of  members,  some  more 
holy,  and  some  less,  and  some  of  whose  sincerity  we  have 
small  hope,  some  that  are  more  honourable,  and  some  less, 
some  that  walk  blamelessly,  and  some  that  work  iniquity;, 
so  ministers  and  private  members,  are  bound  to  difference 
between  them  accordingly,  and  to  honour  and  love  some 
fitr  above  others,  whom  yet  we  may  not  excommunicate ; 
and  tins  is  no  sinful  separation '. 

13.  If  the  church  that  I  live  and  communicate  with,  do 
hold  any  tolerable  error,  1  may  differ  therein  from  the 
obnrch,  without  a  culpable  separation.  Union  with  the 
ekurch  may  be  continued  with  all  the  diversities  before  men- 
tkmed.  Direct,  iii. 

14.  In  case  of  persecution  in  one  church  or  city,  when 
the  servants  of  Christ  do  fly  to  another  (having  no  special 
season  to  forbid  it),  this  is  no  sinful  separation  K 

16.    If  the  public  service    of  the   church    require  a 

'  S  John  X.  11.    f  Tim.  ill.  5.    Rom.  iri.  17.     1  Cor.  ▼.  11. 

•  BAUL  liiL  41.  ao.    Jer.  iv.  19.      1  Cor.  xH.  *tS,  S4. 

*  MiUCx.  SS. 


168  CUHI8TIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  111. 

minister  or  priytiite  Christian  to  remore  to  another  church, 
if  it  be  done  deliberately  and  upon  good  advice,  it  ia  no 
sinful  separation, 

16.  If  a  lawful  prince  or  magistrate  command  us  to  re- 
move our  habitation,  or  command  a  minister  from  one 
church  to  another,  when  it  is  not  notoriously  to  the  detri- 
ment of  the  common  interest  of  religion,  it  is  no  sinful  se- 
paration to  obey  the  magistrate. 

17.  If  a  poor  Christian  that  hath  a  due  and  tender  care 
of  his  salvation,  do  find  that  under  one  minister  his  soul  de- 
cliueth  and  groweth  dead,  and  under  another  that  is  more 
sound,  and  clear,  and  lively,  he  is  much  edified  to  a  holy 
and  heavenly  frame  and  life,  and  if  hereupon,  preferring  his 
salvation  before  all  things,  he  remove  to  that  church  and 
minister  where  he  is  most  edified,  without  unchurching  the 
other  by  his  censures,  this  is  no  sinful  separation,  but  a 
preferring  the  one  thing  needful  before  all. 

18.  If  one  part  of  the  church  have  leisure,  opportunity, 
cause,  and  earnest  desires  to  meet  oftener  for  the  edifying  of 
their  souls,  and  redeeming  their  time,  than  the  poorer,  la- 
bouring, or  careless  and  less  zealous  part  will  meet,  in  any 
fit  place,  under  the  oversight  and  conduct  of  their  pastors, 
and  not  in  opposition  to  the  more  public,  full  assemblies, 
as  they  did,  Acts  xii.  12.  to  pray  for  Peter  at  the  house  of 
Mary,  ^^  where  many  were  gathered  together  praying ;"  and 
Acts  X.  1.,  &c.  this  is  no  sinful  separation. 

19.  If  a  man's  own  outward  afiairs  require  him  to  re- 
move hio  habitation  from  one  city  or  country  to  ano- 
ther, and  there  be  no  great  matter  to  prohibit  it,  he  may 
lawfully  remove  his  local  communion  from  the  church  that 
he  before  lived  with,  to  that  which  resideth  in  the  place  he 
goeth  to.  For  with  distant  churches  and  Christians  I  can 
have  none  but  mental  communion,  or  by  distant  means,  (aas 
writing,  messengers,  &c.) ;  it  is  only  with  present  Chris- 
tians that  I  can  have  local,  personal  communion. 

20.  It  is  possible  in  some  cases  that  a  man  may  live  long 
without  local,  personal  communion  with  any  Christians  or 
church  at  all,  and  yet  not  be  guilty  of  sinful  separation.  At 
the  king's  ambassador  or  agent  in  a  land  of  infidels,  or  some 
traveller,  merchants,  factors,  or  such  ^s  go  to  convert  the 


CHAP.  VIII.]      CHRI8TIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  169 

infidels,  or  those  that  are  banished  or  imprisoned.     In  all 
these  twenty  cases,  some  kind  of  separation  may  be  lawful. 

21.  One  more  I  may  add,  which  is,  when  the  temples  are 
so  small,  and  the  congregations  so  great,  that  there  is  no 
room  to  hear  and  join  in  the  public  worship ;  or  when  the 
church  is  so  excessively  great,  as  to  be  incapable  of  the 
proper  ends  of  the  society ;  in  this  case  to  divide  or  with- 
draw, is  no  sinful  separation.  When  one  hive  will  not  hold 
the  bees,  the  swarm  must  seek  themselves  another,  withot&t 
the  injury  of  the  rest. . 

By  all  this  you  may  perceive,  that  sinful  separation  is 
first  in  a  censorious,  uncharitable  mind,  condemning 
churches,  ministers,  and  worship  causelessly,  as  unfit  for 
them  to  have  communion  with.  And  secondly,  it  is  in  the 
personal  separation  which  is  made  in  pursuance  of  this  cen- 
sure :  but  not  in  any  local  removal  that  is  made  on  other 
lawful  grounds. 

Direct,  iv.  '  Understand  and  consider  well  the  jeasons 
why  Christ  so  frequently  and  earnestly  presseth  concord  on 
his  church,  and  why  he  so  vehemently  forbiddeth  divisions. 
Observe  how  much  the  Scripture  speaketh  to  this  purpose, 
and  upon  what  weighty  reasons.'  Here  are  four  things  dis- 
tinctly to  be  represented  to  your  serious  consideration.  1. 
How  many,  plain,  and  urgent  are  the  texts  that  speak  for 
unity,  and  condemn  division.  2.  The  great  benefits  of  con- 
cord. 3.  And  the  mischiefs  of  discord  and  divisions  in  the 
church.    4.  And  the  aggravations  of  the  sin. 

I.  A  true  Christian  that  hateth  fornication,  drunkenness, 
lying,  perjury,  because  they  are  forbidden  in  the  Word  of 
God,  will  hate  divisions  also  when  he  well  observeth  how 
frequently  and  vehemently  they  are  forbidden,  and  concord 
highly  commended  and  commanded.  "  That  they  all  may 
be  one ;  as  thou.  Father,  art  in  me,  and  I  in  thee ;  that  they 
also  may  be  one  in  us ;  that  the  world  may  believe  that  thou 
hast  sent  me.  And  the  glory  which  thou  gavest  me  I  have 
given  them ;  that  they  may  be  one,  even  as  we  are  one :  I  in 
them,  and  thou  in  me,  that  they  may  be  made  perfect  in  one ; 
and  that  the  world  may  know  that  thou  hast  sent  me,  and 
hast  loved  them,  as  thou  hast  loved  me  **.''  Here  you  see, 
that  die  unity  of  the  saints  must  be  a  special  means  to  con- 

■  John  zvii.  21 — 15. 


170  CHRISTIAN    DIKECTORY.         [PART  111. 

vince  the  infidel'  world  of  the  truth  of  Christiaiiity^  and  ta 
{nrore  Ood's  special  lore  to  his  church,  and  abo  to  accoiy 
fdiab  their  own  perfectioiu  *'  Now  I  beaeedi  yoa»  brethren, 
by  the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  ye  all  speak  the 
same  thing,  and  that  there  be  no  divisions  (or  schisms); 
among  you  ;  but  that  ye  be  perfectly  joined  together  in  the 
same  mind,  and  in  the  same  judgment.  For  it  hath  bee» 
declared  to  me  of  you,  my  brethren,— that  there  aie 

contentions  among  you '."    "  For  ye  are  yet  carnal: 

for  whereas  there  is  among  you  envying,  (zeal,)  and  strife, 
and  divisions,  (or  parties,  or  factions,)  are  ye  not  carnal, 
and  walk  as  men?  For  while  one  saith,  I  am  of  Paol,  and 
another,  I  am  of  ApoUos,  are  ye  not  carnal'  V  **  If  there  be 
any  consolation  in  Christ,  if  any  comfort  of  love,  if  any  fel- 
lowship of  the  Spirit,  if  any  bowels  and  mercies,  fulfil  ye  my 
joy,  that  ye  be  likeminded,  having  the  same  love,  of  one 
accord,  of  one  mind.  Let  nothing  be  done  through  strife  or 
vainglory,  but  in  lowliness  of  mind,  let  each  esteem  others 
better  than' themselves'."  **  Now  I  beseech  you,  brethren, 
mark  them  which  cause  divisions  (or  parties),  and  offences 
(or  scandals),  contrary  to  the  doctrine  which  ye  have  learn- 
ed, and  avoid  them  *."  Abimdance  more  such  testa  may  be 
recited. 

n.  The  great  benefits  of  the  concord  of  Christians  are 
these  following.  1.  It  is  necessary  to  the  very  life  of  the 
church  and  its  several  members,  that  they  be  all  one  body. 
As  their  union  with  Christ  the  head  and  principle  of  their 
life  is  principally  necessary,  so  unity  among  themselves  is 
secondarily  necessary,  for  the  conveyance  and  reception  of 
that  life  which  floweth  to  all  from  Christ.  For  Ihoij^h  the 
head  be  the  fountain  of  life,  yet  the  nerves  and  other  parts 
must  convey  that  life  unto  the  members ;  and  if  any  member 
be  cut  ofi*  or  separated  from  the  body,  it  is  separated  also 
from  the  head,  and  perisheth.  Mark  well  those  words  of 
the  apostle,  Ephes.  iv.  3 — 16.  "  Endeavouring  to  keep  the 
unity  of  the  Spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace.  There  is  one  body, 
and  one  Spirit,  even  as  ye  are  called  \ft  one  hope  of  your 
calling :  one  Lord,  one  faith,  one  baptism,  one  Qod  and  Fa- 
ther of  all,  who  is  above  all,  and  through  all,  and  in  you  all. 

«  1  Cor.  i.  10,  11.  y  1  Cor.  iil.  3, 4. 

«  Phil.  ii.  1—4.  •  Rom.  xti.  17,  18. 


CHAP.  Tin.]     CHRISTIAN   ECCLESIASTICS.  171 

But  unto  erery  one  of  us  is  given  grace  according  to  the 

measare  of  the  g^t  of  Christ. And  he  gave  some^ 

apostles ;  and  some,  prophets ;  and  some>  evangelists ;  and 
some,  pastors  and  teachers;  for  the  perfecting  of  the  saints, 
for  the  work  of  the  ministry,  for  the  edifying  of  the  body  of 
Christ,  till  we  all  come  in  the  unity  of  die  faith,  and  of  the 
knowledge  of  the  Son  of  God,  to  a  perfect  man,  unto  the 

measure  of  the  stature  of  the  fulness  of  Christ :  thai 

speaking  the  truth  in  love,  we  may  grow  up  into  him  in  all 
things,  which  is  the  head,  even  Christ ;  from  whom  the  whole 
body  fitly  joined  together,  and  compacted  by  every  joint  of 
supply,  according  to  the  effectual  working  in  the  measure 
of  every  part,  maketh  increase  of  the  body  to  the  edifying 
of  itself  in  love.''  See  here  how  the  church's  unity  is  ne- 
cessary to  its  life  and  increase,  and  to  the  due  nutrition  of 
all  the  parts. 

2.  The  unity  of  the  church  and  the  concord  of  believers, 
are  necessary  to  its  strength  and  safety ;  for  Christ  also 
strengtheneth  as  well  as  quickeneth  them  by  suitable  means. 
Woe  to  him  that  is  alone :  but  in  the  army  of  the  Lord  of 
hosts  we  may  safely  march  on,  when  stragglers  are  catched 
op  or  killed  by  the  weakest  enemy.  A  threefold  cord  is 
not  easily  broken.  Enemies  both  spiritual  and  corporal  are 
deterred  from  assaulting  the  church  or  any  of  its  members, 
while  they  see  us  walk  in  our  military  unity  and  order.  In 
this  posture  every  man  is  a  blessing  and  defence  unto  bis 
neighbour.  As  every  soldier  hath  the  benefit  of  all  the  con- 
duct, wisdom,  and  valour  of  the  whole  army,  while  he  keep- 
eth  in  his  place ;  so  every  weak  Christian  hath  the  use  and 
benefit  of  all  the  learning,  the  wisdom,  and  gifts  of  the 
church,  while  he  keepeth  his  station,  and  walketh  orderly 
in  the  church.  The  hand,  the  eye,  the  ear,  the  foot,  and 
every  member  of  the  body,  is  as  ready  to  help  or  serve  the 
whole,  and  every  other  particular  member  as  itself;  but  if 
it  be  cut  ofi*,  it  is  neither  helpful,  nor  to  be  helped.  O  what 
a  mercy  is  it  for  every  Christian,  that  is  unable  to  help  him- 
•df,  to  have  the  help  of  all  the  church  of  God  !  Their  direc- 
tions,  their  exhortations,  their  love,  their  prayers,  their  libe 
rality  and  compassion,  according  to  their  several  abilities 
and  opportunities !  As  infants  and  sick  persons  have  the 
help  of  all  the  rest  of  the  family  that  are  in  health. 


17t  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III; 

3.  Unity  and  concord,  as  they  proceed  from  loye,  so  they 
greatly  cherish  and  increase  love:  even  as  the  laying  of  ihe 
wood  or  coals  together  is  necessary  to  the  making  of*  the 
fire,  which  separating  of  them  will  pnt  out  ^.  Holy  concord 
cherisheth  holy  converse  and  communion ;  and  holy  com* 
munion  powerfully  kindled  holy  love.  When  the  servants 
of  Christ  do  see  in  each  other  the  lustre  of  his  graces,  and 
hear  from  each  other  the  heavenly  language  which  floweth 
from  a  divine  and  heavenly  mind,  this  potently  kindleth 
their  affections  to  each  other,  and  make^  them  close  with 
those  as  the  sons  of  God,  in  whom  they  find  so  much  of 
God ;  yea,  it  causeth  them  to  love  God  himself  in  others, 
with  a  reverent,  admiring,  and  transcendant  love,  when 
others  at  the  best,  can  love  them  but  as  men.  Concord  is 
the  womb  and  soil  of  love,  although  it  be  first  its  progeny. 
In  quietness  and  peace  die  voice  of  peace  is  most  regarded. 

4.  Unity  and  concord  is  the  church's  beauty  :  it  maketh 
us  amiable  even  to  the  eye  of  nature,  and  venerable  and  ter- 
rible even  to  the  eye  of  malice.  A  concord  in  sin  is  no 
more  honour,  than  it  is  for  conquered  men  to  go  together  in 
multitudes  to  prison  or  captivity ;  or  for  beasts  to  go  by 
droves  unto  the  slaughter.  But  to  see  the  churches  of 
Christ  with  one  heart  and  soul  acknowledging  their  Maker 
and  Redeemer,  and  singing  his  praise  as  with  one  voice, 
and  living  together  in  love  and  concord,  as  those  that  have 
one  principle,  one  rule,  one  nature,  one  work,  one  interest, 
and  hope,  and  end,  this  is  the  truly  beauteous  symmetry, 
and  delectable  harmony.  Psal.  cxzxiii. ''  Behold  how  good 
and  how  pleasant  it  is  for  brethren  to  dwell  together  in  Uni- 
ty !  It  is  like  the  precious  ointment  upon  the  head,  that 
ran  down  upon  the  beard,  even  Aaron's  beard,  that  went 

^  Peace  oontainetli  infinite  bletdngs)  itstrengthenethfidth:  it  kindleth  charily. 
The  outward  peace  of  the  church  distilleth  info  peace  of  conscience:  and  it  tnniedi 
the  writing  and  reading  of  controversies,  into  treatises  of  mortification  and  devolioo. 
Against  procuring  unitj  by  sanguinary  persecutions,  see  Lord  Baooo,  Eatay  S. 
Surely  there  is  no  better  way  to  stop  the  rising  of  new  sects  and  schisms,  than  to  re- 
form abuses,  to  compound  the  smaller  differences,  to  proceed  mildly,  and  not  with 
sanguinary  persecutions,  and  rather  to  take  off  the  principal  authors  by  winniiiig  and 
adnuncing  them,  than  to  enrage  them  by  violence  and  bitterness.  Lord  Baooo  in  bis 
Essay  58.  '  Ira  hommis  non  implet  justitiam  "Del*  And  it  was  a  notable  obsenratkn 
of  a  wise  father,  that  those  which  held  and  persuaded  pressure  of  consciences,  weie 
commonly  interested  therein  themselves  for  their  own  ends.    Id.  Essay  S.  p.  19« 


CHAP.  VIII.]      CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  173 

down  to  the  skirts  of  his  garment.  As  the  dew  of  Hermon, 
and  as  the  dew  that  descended  upon  the  mountains  of  Zion : 
for  there  the  Lord  commanded  the  blessing,  even  life  for 
evermore."  The  translators  well  put  this  as  the  contents 
of  this  Psalm,  "  The  benefit  of  the  communion  of  saints." 

5.  The  concord  of  believers  doth  greatly  conduce  to  the 
successes  of  the  ministry,  and  propagation  of  the  Gospel, 
and  the  conviction  of  unbelievers,  and  the  conversion  and 
salvation  of  uneodly  souls.'    When  Christ  prayeth  for  the 
unity  of  his  disciples,  he  redoubleth  this  argument  from  the 
effect  or  end,  **  that  the  world  may  believe  that  thou  hast 
sent  me :"  and  '*  that  the  world  may  know  that  thou  hast 
sent  me,  and  hast  loved  them""."    Would  this  make  the 
world  believe  that  Christ  was  sent  of  God  ?     Yes,  undoubt- 
edly if  all  Christians  were  reduced  to  a  holy  concord,  it  would 
do  more  to  win  the  heathen  world,  than  all  other  means  can 
do  without  it^  It  is  the  divisions  and  the  wickedness  of 
professed  Christians,  that  maketh  Christianity  so  contemn- 
ed by  the  Mahometans,  and  other  infidels  of  the  world :  and 
it  is  the  holy  concord  of  Christians  that  would  convince 
and  draw  them  home  to  Christ.     Love,  and  peace,  and  con- 
cord are  such  virtues,  as  all  the  world  is  forced  to  applaud, 
notwithstanding  nature's  enmity  to  good.    When  the  first 
Christian  church  '^  were  all  widi  one  accord  in  one  place, 
and  continued  daily  with  one  accord  in  the  temple,  and 
breaking  bread  from  house  to  house  partook  of  food  with 
gladness  and  singleness  of  heart,  and  when  the  multitude  of 
believers  were  of  one  heart  and  of  one  soul*^ ;  then  did  God 
send  upon  them  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  then  were  three  thou- 
sand converted  at  a  sermon  ;  and  with  '*  great  power  gave 
the  apostles  witness  of  the  resurrection  of  the  Lord  Jesus, 
and  great  grace  was  upon  them  all  *." 

Our  concord  in  religion  hath  all  these  advantages  for  the 
converting  of  unbelievers  and  ungodly  men.  1.  It  is  a  sign 
that  there  is  a  constraining  evidence  of  truth  in  that  Gospel 
which  doth  convince  so  many ;  a  concurrent  satisfaction  and 
yielding  to  the  truth,  is  a  powerful  testimony  for  it.  2. 
They  see  then  that  religion  is  not  a  matter  of  worldly  policy 
-and  design,  when  so  many  men  of  contrary  interests  do  em- 
jbrace  it.    3.  And  they  see  it  is  not  the  fruit  of  melancholy 

*  Jchn  stH.  ti.  S3.        *  Acts  U.  1.  4d.    W.  3f .        •  Acts  ii.  41.    iv.  33. 


174  CHRISTIAN    DIRBCTORY.     -      [PART  III. 


constitationsy  when  so  many  men  of  variotis  temperatni 
entertain  it.    4.  They  may  see  that  the  Gospel  hath  power 
to  conquer  that  self-love  and  self-interest  which  is  the  moat 
potent  thing  in  vitiated  nature :  otherwise  it  could  never 
make  so  many  unite  in  God  as  their  common  interest  and 
end.    5.  They  may  see  that  the  Gospel  and  Spirit  of  Christy 
are  stronger  than  the  devil  and  all  the  allurements  of  the  flesh 
and  world*  when  they  can  make  so  many  agree  in  the  renoune«> 
ing  of  all  earthly  vanities,  for  the  hopes  of  everlasting  life. 
6.  They  will  see  that  the  design  and  doctrine  of  Christiani- 
ty are  good  and  excellent,  beseeming  God,  and  desirable  to 
man;  when  they  see  that  they  produce  so  good  effects, 
as  the  love,  and  unity,  aud  concord  of  mankind.     7.  And  it 
is  an  exceeding  great  and  powerful  help  to  the  conversion 
of  the  world  in  this  respect,  because  it  is  a  thing  so  conspic- 
uous in  their  sight,  and  so  intelligible  to  them,  and  so  ap- 
prov€Hl  by  them.    They  are  little  wrought  40  by  the  doc- 
trine of  Christ  alone,  because  it  is  visible  or  andible  but  to 
few,  and  understood  by  fewer,  and  containeth  many  things 
which  nature  doth  distaste :  but  the  holy  concord  of  be- 
lievers is  a  thing  that  they  are  more  able  to  discern  and 
judge  of,  and  do  more  generally  approve.     The  holy  con- 
cord of  Christians,  must  be  the  conversion  of  the  unbeliev- 
ing world,  if  God  have  so  great  a  mercy  for  the  world : 
which  is  a  consideration  that  should  not  only  deter  us  from 
divisions,  but  make  us  zealously  study  and  labo'ur  with  att 
our  interest  and  might,  for  the  healing  of  the  lamentaW^ 
divisions  among  Christians,  if  we  have  the  hearts  of  ChriS'- 
tians,  and  any  sense  of  the  interest  of  Christ. 

6.  The  concord  of  Christians  doth  greatly  conduce  Ae 
the  ease  and  peace  of  particular  believers.  The  very  ex^r^ 
cise  of  love  to  Que  another  doth  sweeten  all  our  lives  and 
duties :  we  sail  towards  heaven  in  a  pleasant  calm,  with  wind 
and  tide,  when  we  live  in  love  and  peace  together ;  how 
easy  doth  it  make  the  work  of  godliness  I  How  light  a 
a  burden  dodi  religion  seem,  when  we  are  all  as  of  one  heart 
and  soul ! 

7.  Lastly,  consider  whether  this  be  not  the  likest  state 
to  heaven,  and  therefore  have  not  in  it  the  most  of  Chria- 
tian  excellency  and  perfection  ?  In  heaven  there  is  no  disr 
cord,  but  a  perfect  consort  of  glorified  spirits,  harmoniously 


CHAP.  VIIX.]       CHRISTIAN   £CCL£8IA8TICS.  176 

ft 

loving  and  fratBing  their  Creator.    And  if  heaven  be  desi- 
ntUe,  holy  concord  on  earth  i»  next  desindble. 

Ill*  On  the  contrary,  consider  well  of  the  Buschiefis  of 
divisioBB.  1.  It  is  the  killing  of  the  church  (as  much  as 
lieth  in  the  dividers)  or  the  wounding  it  at  least.  Christ's 
body  is  one,  and  it  is  sensible ;  and  therefore  dividing  it 
tendeth  directly  to  the  destroying  it,  and  at  least  will  cause 
tto  smart  and  pain.  To  reform  the  church  by  dividing  it, 
is  no  wiser  than  to  cut  out  the  liver,  or  spleen,  or  gall,  to 
cleanse  them  from  the  filth  that  doth  obstruct  them,  and  hin- 
der them  in  their  office :  you  may  indeed  thus  cleanse  them, 
bntit  will  be  a  mortal  cure.  As  he  that  should  divide  the 
kingdom  into  two  kingdoms  dissolveth  the  old  kingdom,  or 
part  of  it  at  least,  to  erect  two  new  ones ;  so  he  that  would 
divide  the  Catholic  church  into  two,  must  thereby  destroy 
it,  if  he  could  succeed ;  or  destroy  that  part  which  divideth 
itself  from  the  Best.  Can  a  member  live  that  is  cut  off  from 
the  body,  or  a  branch  that  is  separated  from  the  tree  ? 

Qaeai.  *  O  but,'  say  the  Romanists, '  why  then  do  you 
cat  off  yourselves  from  us :  the  division  is  made  by  you,  and 
we  are  the  church,  and  you  are  dead  till  you  return  to  us  ? 
How  will  you  know  which  part  is  the  church,  when  a  divi* 
sion  is  once  made  ? '  Answ.  Are  you  the  church  ?  Are 
you  the  only  Christians  in  the  world  ?  The  church  is,  'all 
Christians  united  in  Christ  their  head.'  You  traitorously 
set  up  a  new  usurping  head ;  and  proclaim  yourselves  to  be 
the  whole  church,  and  condemn  all  that  are  not  subjects  to 
your  new  head ;  we  keep  our  station,  and  disclaim  his  usur- 
pation, and  deny  subjection  to  you,  and  tell  you  that  as  you 
are  the  subjects  of  the  pope,  you  are  none  of  the  church  of 
Christ  at  all :  from  this  treasonable  conspiracy  we  withdraw 
ourselves ;  but  as  you  are  the  subjecte  of  Christ  we  never 
divided  from  you,  nor  denied  you  our  communion  ^  Let 
reason  judge  now  who  are  the  dividers.  And  is  it  not  easy 
to  know  which  is  the  church  in  the  division?  It  is  all  those 
that  are  still  united  unto  Christ;  if  you  or  we  be  divided 
from  Christ,  and  from  Christians  that  are  his  body,  we  are 

'  CoQciL  Toltft  If.  c*16.  fS.  q.  1.  Ca.  Jiidn  qai—-Biloir  sqMratkiafiviQ  a  Jew- 
ish btisband,  if  after  admonition  he  will  not  be  a  Chriadan :  and  so  do  Acosta  and 
htt  CoBcil.  limena.  lib.  vi  c.  ^1.  and  other  Jesuits,  and  allow  the  marrying  of  an- 
odier :  and  sore  the  conjugal  bond  is  faster  than  that  of  a  pastor  and  his  flock  :  may 
not  a  man  then  change  hb  pastor  when  hisaonl  is  in  apparent  hazard ' 


176  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [pARl*  Mm 

tken  none  of  the  charch  :  but  if  we  are  not  divided  fiom 
Christ,  we  are  of  the  church  still ;  if  part  of  a  tree,  (though 
the  far  greater  part)  be  cut  off  or  separated  from  the  rest,  it 
is  that  part  (how  small  soever)  that  still  groweth  with  the 
root  that  is  the  living  tree.  The  Indian  fig-tree,  and  some 
C>ther  trees,  have  branches  that  take  root  when  they  touch 
the  ground:  if  now  you  ask  me  whether  the  branches 
springing  from  the  second  root,  are  members  of  the  first 
tree,  I  answer,  1.  The  rest  that  have  no  new  root  are  more 
undoubtedly  members  of  it.  2.  If  any  branches  are  separa- 
ted from  the  first  tree,  and  grow  upon  the  new  root  alone, 
the  case  is  out  of  doubt.  3.  But  if  yet  they  are  by  con- 
tinuation joined  to  both,  that  root  which  they  receive  their 
nutriment  most  from,  is  it  which  they  most  belong  to.  Sap- 
pose  a  tyrant  counterfeit  a  commission  from  the  king  to  be 
vice-king  in  Ireland,  and  proclaim  all  them  to  be  traitors 
that  receive  him  not ;  the  king  disclaimeth  him,  the  wisest 
subjects  renounce  him,  and  the  rest  obey  him  but  so  as  to 
profess  they  do  it,  because  they  believe  him  to  be  commis- 
sioned by  the  king.  Let  die  question  be  now,  who  are  the 
dividers  in  Ireland  ?  and  who  are  the  king's  truest  subjects? 
and  what  head  it  is  that  denominateth  the  kingdom?  and 
who  are  the  traitors?     This  is  your  case. 

2.  Divisions  are  the  deformities  of  the  church.  Cut  off 
a  nose,  or  pluck  out  an  eye,  or  dismember  either  a  man  or  a 
picture,  and  see  whether  you  have  not  deformed  it.  Ask 
any  compassionate  Christian,  ask  any  insulting  enemy, 
whether  our  divisions  be  not  our  deformity  and  shame ;  the 
lamentation  of  friends  and  the  scorn  of  enemies  ? 

3.  The  divisions  of  the  church  are  not  our  own  dishon- 
our alone,  but  the  injurious  dishonour  of  Christ,  and  religion, 
and  the  Oospel.  The  world  thinketh  that  Christ  is  an  im- 
potent king,  that  cannot  keep  his  kingdom  at  unity  in  itself, 
when  he  hath  himself  told  us,  that  "  every  kingdom  divided 
against  itself  is  brought  to  desolation,  and  every  city  or 
house  divided  against  itself  shall  not  stand  '.  They  think  the 
Gospel  tendeth  to  division,  and  is  a  doctrine  of  dissension, 
when  they  see  divisions  and  dissensions  procured  by  it ; 
they  impute  all  the  faults  of  the  subjects  to  the  king,  and 
think  that  Christ  was  confused  in  his  legislation,  and  knew 

f  Matt.  xii.f5. 


CHAP.  VIII.]      CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  177 

not  what  to  teach  or  command,  because  men  are  confoand- 
ed  in  their  opinions  or  practices,  and  know  not  what  to 
think  or  do.  If  men  misunderstand  the  law  of  Christ,  and 
one  saith.  This  is  the  sense,  and  another  saith.  That  is  the 
sense,  they  are  ready  to  think  that  Christ  spake  nonsense, 
or  understood  not  himself,  because  the  ignorant  understand 
him  not :  who  is  there  that  converseth  with  the  ungodly  of 
the  world,  that  heareth  not  by  their  reproach  and  scorns 
how  much  God  and  religion  are  dishonoured  by  the  divisions 
of  religious  people. 

4.  And  thus  also  our  divisions  do  lamentably  hinder  the 
progress  of  the  Qospel,  and  the  conversion  and  salvation  of 
the  ungodly  world :  they  think  they  have  small  encourage- 
ment to  be  of  your  religion,  while  your  divisions  seem  to  tell 
them,  that  you  know  not  what  religion  to  be  of  yourselves. 
Whatever  satan  or  wicked  men  would  say  against  religion  to 
discourage  the  ungodly  from  it,  the  same  will  exasperated 
persons  in  these  divisions  say  against  each  other's  way :  and 
when  every  one  of  you  condemneth  another,  how  should  the 
consciences  of  the  ungodly  persuade  them  to  accept  salva- 
tion in  any  of  those  ways,  which  you  thus  condemn  ?  Doubt- 
less the  divisions  of  the  Christian  world,  have  done  more 
to  hinder  the  conversion  of  infidels,  and  keep  the  heathen 
and  Mahometan  world  in  their  damnable  ignorance  and  de- 
lusions, than  all  our  power  is  able  to  undo :  and  have  pro- 
duced such  desolations  of  the  church  of  Christ,  and  such  a 
plentiful  harvest  and  kingdom  for  the  devil,  as  every  tender. 
Christian  heart  is  bound  to  lament  with  tears  of  bitterness. 
If  it  must  be  that  such  offences  shall  come,  yet  woe  to  those 
by  whom  they  come. 

6.  Divisions  lay  open  the  churches  of  Christ,  not  only 
to  the  scorn,  but  to  die  malice,  will  and  fury  of  their  ene- 
mies. A  kingdom  or  house  divided  cannot  stand :  where 
hath  the  church  been  destroyed,  or  religion  rooted  out,  in 
any  nation  of  the  .earth,  but  divisions  had  a  principal  band 
in  the  effect?  O  what  desolations  have  they  made  among 
the  flocks  of  Christ !  As  Seneca  and  others'  opened  their 
own  veins  and,  bled  to  death,  when  Nero  or  such  other  ty- 
rants, did  send  them  their  commands  to  die  ;  even  so  have 
many  churches  done  by  their  divisions,  to  the  gratifying  of 
satan,  the  enemy  of  souls. 

VOL.  v.  N 


178  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART   III. 

6.  Divisions  among  Christians  do  greatly  hinder  the  ed- 
ification of  the  members  of  the  church ;  while  they  are  pos- 
sessed with  envyings  and  distaste  of  one  another,  they  lose 
all  the  benefit  of  each  other's  gifts,  and  of  that  holy  c<MBmn- 
nion  which  they  should  have  with  one  another.    And  they 
are  possessed  with  that  zeal  and  wisdom,  which  James  cal- 
leth  earthly,  sensual  and  devilish,  which  corrupteth  all  their 
affections,  and  tumeth  their  food  to  the  nourishment  of 
their  disease,  and  maketh  their  very  worshipping  of  God  to 
become  the  increase  of  their  sin.     Where  divisions  and  con- 
tentions are,  the  members  that  should  grow  up  in  humility, 
meekness,  self-denial,  holiness  and  love,  do  grow  in  pride, 
and  perverse  disputings,  and  passionate  strivings,  and  en- 
vious wranglings  :  the  Spirit  of  Gk>d  departeth  from  them, 
and  an  evil  spirit  of  malice  and  vexati<)n  taketh  place; 
though  in  their  passion,  they  know  not  what  spirit  they  are 
of:  whereas  if  Uiey  be  of  one  mind,  and  live  in  peace,  the 
Gk>d  of  love  and  peace  will  be  with  them.    What  lamentable 
instances  of  this  calamity  have  we  in  many  of  the  sectaries 
of  this  present  time ;  especially  in  the  people  called  Qua- 
kers, that  while  they  pretend  to  the  greatest  austerities,  do 
grow  up  to  such  a  measure  of  sour  pride,  and  uncharitable 
contempt  of  others,  and  especially  of  all  superiors,  and  hel- 
lish railing  against  the  holiest  ministers  and  people,  as  we 
have  scarce  known,  or  ever  read  of. 

7.  These  divisions  fill  the  church  with  sin :  even  with 
sins  of  a  most  odious  nature.  They  introduce  a  swarm  of 
errors,  while  it  becomes  the  mode  for  every  one  to  have  a 
doctrine  of  his  own,  and  to  have  something  to  say  in  reli- 
gion which  may  make  him  notable.  ''Of  your  own  sehres 
shall  men  arise,  speaking  perverse  things,  to  draw  away  dis- 
ciples after  them^."  They  cherish  pride,  and  malice,  and 
belying  others  (the  three  great  sins  of  the  devil)  as  natural- 
ly as  dead  flesh  breedeth  worms ;  they  destroy  impartial. 
Christian  love,  as  naturally  as  bleeding  doth  consume  our 
vital  heat  and  moisture.  What  wickedness  is  it  that  they 
will  not  cherish  ?  In  a  word,  the  Scripture  telleth  us  that 
''  where  envying  and  strife  is,  there  is  confusion,  and  every 
evil  work."  (And  is  not  this  a  lamentable  way  of  reforma- 
tion of  some  imaginary  or  lesser  evils  ?) 

t  Acttxx.  so. 


CHAP.  Till.]      CHRISTIAN  ECeLESIASTICS.  179 

8.  These  divisions  are  the  grief  of  honest  spectators,  and 
cause  the  sorrows  of  those  that  are  guilty  of  them.  They 
make  all  their  duties  uneasy  to  them,  and  turn  their  reli- 
gion into  a  bitter,  unpleasant,  wrangling  toil :  like  oxen  in 
the  yoke  that  strive  against  each  other,  when  they  should 
draw  in  order  and  equality.  What  a  grievous  life  is  it'  to 
husband  and  wife,  or  any  in  the  family,  if  they  livfB  in  dis- 
cord? So  is  it  to  the  members  of  the  churchy  When 'once 
men  take  the  kingdom  of  God  to  consist 'of 'meats,  or  drirdis, 
or  ceremonies,  which  consisteth  in  righteousness,  and  piettce, 
and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ohost,  and  turn  to  strive  about  unedi- 
fyiiig  questions,  they  turn  from  all  the  sweetness  of  religion. 

9.  Sects  and  divisions  lead  directly  to  apostacy  from  the 
faith*  Nothing  is  more  in  the  design  of  satan,  thui  to  con- 
found men  so  with  variety  of  religions,  that  they  may  think 
there  is  no  certainty  in  any  ;  that  so  both  the  ignorant  spec- 
latow  may  think  all  religion  is  but  fancy  and  deceit,  and  the 
contenders  themselves  wheel  about  from  sect  to. sect,  till 
they  come  to  the  point  where  they  first  set  out,  and  to  be  at 
last  deliberately  of  no  religion,  who  at  first  were  of  none  for 
want  of  deliberation.  And  it  is  no  small  success  that  sotan 
liftth  had  by  this  temptaition. 

10.  Hie  divisions  of  .Christians  do  oft  proceed  to  shake 
states  and  kingdoms,  having  a  lamentable  influence  upon 
the  civil  peace;  and  this  stirreth  up  pruioes.'  jealousies 
agamst  them,  and  to  the  use  of  those  severities,  which  the 
suffering  party  takes  for  persecution  ;  yea,  and  Turks^  and 
all  princes  that  are  enemies  to  reformation  and  holiness,  do 
justify  themselves  in  their  most  cruel  persecutions,  when 
they  see  the  divisions  of  Christians,  and  the  troubles  of 
states  that  have  followed  thereupon.  If  Christians,'  and 
Froteataiits  in  special,  did  live  in  that  umty,  peace  and  or- 
der as  their  Lord  and  ruler  requireth  them  to  do,  the  con- 
sciences of  persecutors  would  even  worry  and  torment  them, 
and  make  their  lives  a  hell  on  earth,  for  their  cruelty  against 
saeKoellent  a  sortof  men;  but  now  when  they  see  them  all 
in.  confusions,  and  see  the  troubles  that  follow  hereupon^ 
isid  hear  them  reviling  one  another,  they  think  they  may 
destroy  them  as  the  troublers  of  the  earth,  and  their  con- 
sciences scarce  accuse  them  for  it. 

IV.  It  is  necessary  also  for  your  true  understanding  the 


180  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART   III. 

malignity  of  this  sin,  that  you  take  notice  of  the  aggrfeLya- 
tions  of  it,  especially  as  to  us.  1.  It  is  a  sin  against  so 
many,  and  clear,  and  vehement  words  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
(which  I  have  partly  before  recited)  that  it  is  therefore  ut- 
terly without  excuse :  whoredoms,  and  treasons,  and  per- 
jury are  not  oftener  forbidden  in  the  Gospel  than  this. 

2.  It  is  contrary  to  the  very  design  of  Christ  in  our  re- 
demption ;  which  was  to  reconcile  us  all  to  God,  and  unite 
and  centre  us  all  in  him :  '*  To  gather  together  in  one  the 
children  of  God  that  are  scattered  abroad  >."  '  To  gather 
together  in  one  all  things  in  Christ  K**  '*  To  make  in  him- 
self of  twain  one  new  man,  so  making  peace  V  And  shall 
we  join  with  satan  the  divider  and  destroyer,  against  Christ 
the  reconciler,  in  the  very  design  of  his  redemption? 

3.  It  is  contrary  to  the  design  of  the  Spirit  of  grace,  and 
contrary  to  the  very  nature  of  Christianity  itself.    **  By  one 

Spirit  we  are  all  baptized  into  one  body and  have  all 

been  made  to  drink  into  one  Spirit  V  "  As  there  is  one 
body  and  one  spirit,  so  it  is  our  charge  to  keep  the  unity  of 
the  Spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace  ^"  The  new  nature  of  Chris- 
tians doth  consist  in  love,  and  desireth  the  communion  of 
saints  as  such  ;  and  therefore  the  command  of  this  special 
love  is  called  the  New  Commandment,  John  xriu  21.  xiii. 
34.  XV.  12.  17.  And  they  are  said  to  be  taught  of  God  to 
love  one  another,  1  Thess.  iv.  9.  As  self-preservation  is 
the  chief  principle  in  the  natural  body,  which  causeth  it  to 
abhor  the  wounding,  or  amputation  of  its  members,  and  to 
avoid  division  as  destruction,  except  when  a  gangrened 
member  must  be  cut  off,  for  the  saving  of  the  body ;  so  it  is 
also  with  the  mystical  body  of  Christ.  He  is  senseless 
and  graceless  that  abhorreth  not  church-wounds. 

4.  These  divisions  are  sins  against  the  nearest  bonds  of 
our  high  relations  to  each  other  :  ''  We  are  brethren,  and 
should  there  be  any  strife  among  us"  ?  "  "  We  are  all  the 
children  of  God  by  faith  in  Christ  Jesus'*."  We  are  the 
fellow-members  of  the  body  of  Christ ;  and  should  we  tear 
his  body,  and  separate  his  members,  and  cut  his  flesh,  and 
break  his  bones  "^  ?    ''  For  as  the  body  is  one,  and  hath  many 

»  John  xi.  52.  ^  Eph.  i.  10.  »  Epli.  ii.  15. 

k  1  Cor.  xW.  13.  •  Eph.  iv.  3.  4.  "»  Gen.  xiii.  8. 

*»  Gal.  iii.  «6  *'  Eph.  v.  «3.  30. 


CHAP.  VIII.]        CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  181 

memberSy  and  all  the  members  of  that  one  body,  being  many, 
are  one  body;  so  also  is  Christ  p."    "As  we  have  many 

members  in  one  body so  we  being  many,  ^e  one  body 

in  Christ ;  and  every  one  members  one  of  another  *i."  He 
that  woundeth  or  dismembereth  your  own  bodies,  shall 
source  be  taken  for  your  friend ;  and  are  you  Christ^ 
friends,  when  you  dismember  or  wound  his  body '  ?  Is  it 
lovely  to  see  the  children  or  servants  in  your  family  together 
by  the  ears?  Are  civil  wars  for  the  safety  of  a  kingdom  ? 
Or  doth  that  tend  to  the  honour  of  the  children  of  Ood, 
which  is  the  shame  of  common  men  ?  Or  is  that  the  safety 
of  his  kingdom,  which  is  the  ruin  of  all  others?  ''  We  are 
all  fellow-citizens  with  the  saints,  and  of  the  household  of 
God  •."  We  are  God's  building  *.  "  Know  ye  not  that  ye 
are  the  temple  of  God :  and  that  the  Spirit  of  God  dwelleth 
in  you  ?  If  any  man  defile  the  temple  of  God,  him  shall  God 
destroy :  for  the  temple  of  God  is  holy,  which  tempte  ye 
are  ■/'  Will  he  destroy  the  defilers,  and  will  he  love  the  di- 
viders and  destroyers  ?  If  it  be  so  great  a  sin  to  go  to  law 
unnecessarily  with  brethren,  or  to  wrong  them  ',  what  is  it 
to  disown  them,  and  cast  them  off?  And  if  they  that  sa- 
lute and  love  only  their  brethren,  and  not  also  their  ene- 
mies, are  not  the  children  of  God  ^ ;  what  are  they  that  se- 
parate from,  and  condemn  even  their  brethren  ? 

6.  Church-dividers  either  would  divide  Christ  himself 
between  them,  or  else  would  rob  him  of  a  great  part  of  his 
inheritance :  and  neither  of  these  is  alitUe  sin.  Ifyou  make 
aeveral  bodies,  you  would  have  several  heads  :  and  is  Christ 
divided?  saith  the  apostle>  1  Cor.  i.  13.  Will  you  make 
him  a  sect-master?  He  will  be  your  common  head  as 
Christians ;  but  he  will  be  no  head  of  your  sects  and  par- 
ties ;  (I  will  not  name  them)«  Or  would  you  tear  out  «f  the 
hands  of  Christ,  any  part  of  his  possessions  ?  Will  he  cut 
them  off,  because  you  cut  them  off?  Will  he  separate  them 
from  himself,  because  you  separate  from  them,  or  separate 

»  1  Cor.  liL  IS.  4  Rom.  ui.4,  5. 

'  Qaioqaid  ad  moldtudineiD  ▼eipt,antipathiamooDtioet ;  et  quanto  maps  mnl- 
titadd  aogetar,  tanto  et  antipathia ;  quicqaid  verd  ad  anitatein  teodtt,  fympaUiiaiD 
habeij  et  quaDto  magu  ad  anitatem  acoedit,  tanto  pariori  sympcUhia  aug^tar.  Paul 
Tp  Epbt.  Cath.  lib.  iii.  p.  176. 

•  Eph.  H.  19.  M  Cor.  Hi.  9.  •  1  Cor.  iii.16»17, 

*  1  Cor.  6.8.  '  Matt.  ▼.  47. 


182  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PAHT    III. 

them  from  yoa?  Will  he  give  them  a  bill  of  diyorce,  when* 
ever  you  are  pleased  to  lay  any  odioas  accusation  against 
them?  Who  shall  condemn  them,  when  it  is  he  that  jnsti- 
fieth  them*?  Wlap  shall  separate  them  from  the  love  of  God  ? 
Can  your  censure  or  separation  do  it,  when  neither  life,  nor 
death,  nor  any  creature  can  do  it  *  ?  Hath  he  not  told  you, 
that  ''  he  will  give  them  eternal  life,  and  they  shall  never 
perish,  neither  shall  any  pluck  them  out  of  his  hand  \*' 
Will  he  lose  his.  jewels,  because  you  cast  them  away  as 
dirt  ?  He  suffered  more  for  souls  than  you,  and  better 
knoweth  the  worth  of  souls !  And  do  you  think  he  will  for- 
get so  dear  a  purchase?  or  take  it  well  that  you  rob  him  of 
that  which  he  hath  bought  so  dearly  ?  Will  you  give  the 
members  and  inheritance  of  Christ  to  the  devil,  and  say, 
^  They -are  satan's,  and  none  of  Christ's/  ''  Who  art  thou 
that  judgest  another  man's  servant/' 
i.  6.  Church<<lividerB  are  guilty  of  self*ignorance,  and 
pride,  and  great  unthankfulness  against  that  Gk>d  that  bear- 
eth'  with  so  much  in  them,  who  so  censoriously  cast  off  their 
brethren.  Wert  thou  ever  humbled  for  thy  sin?  Dost 
thou  know  who  thou  art,  and  what  thou  carriest  about  thee, 
and  how  much  thou  offendest  God  thyself?  If  thou  do, 
surely  thou  wilt  judge  tenderly  of  thy  brethren,  as  knowing 
what  a  tender  hand  thou  needest,  and  what  mercy  thou  hast 
found  from  God.  Can  he  cruelly  judge  his  brethren  to  hell 
upoa  his. petty  .differences,  whois  sensible  how  the  gracious 
hand  of  his  Redeemer,  did  so  lately  snatch  him  from  the 
brink  of  hell  ?  Can  he  be  forward  to  condemn  his 
brethren,  that  hath  been  so  lately  and  mercifully  saved 
himself? 

7.  Church  dividers  are  the  most  successful  servants  of 
the  devil,  being  enemies  to  Christin  his  family  and  livery. 
They  gratify  satan,  and  all  the  enemies  of  the  church,  and 
do  the  very  work  that  he  would  have  them  do,  more  effis^ 
tually  than  open  enemies  could  do  it.  As  mutineers  in  an 
army  may  do  more  to  destroy  it,  than  the  power  of  the 
enemy. 

8.  It  is  a  sin  that  contradicteth  all  God's  ordinances  and 
meaps  of  grace ;  which  are  purposely  to  procure  and  main- 
tain the  unity  of  his  church.    The  Word  and  baptism  ar^ 

*  Rom.  viii.  33.  he,  *  John  x.  38. 


CHAP.  VIII.]      CHRISTIAN   ECCLESIASTICS.  183 

to  gather  them  into  one  body,  and  the  Lord's-supper  to  sig- 
nify and  maintain  their  concord,  as  being  one  bread,  and  one 
body  K  And  all  the  communion  of  the  church  is  to  express 
and  to  maintain  this  concord.  The  use  of  the  ministry  is 
much  to  this  end,  to  be  the  bonds  and  joints  of  the  unity  of 
believers*^.  All  t;hese  are  contemned  and  frustrated  by 
dividers. 

9.  Church-division  is  a  sin  (especially  to  us)  against  as 
great  and  lamentable  experiences  as  almost  any  sin  can  be. 
About  sixteen  hundred  years  the  church  hath  smarted  by 
it.  In  many  countries  where  the  Gospel  prospered,  and 
churches  flourished,  division  hath  turned  all  into  desolation, 
and  delivered  them  up  to  the  curse  of  Mahometanism  and 
infidelity.  The  contentions  between  Constantinople  ^d 
Rome,  die  Eastern  and  the  Western  churches,  have  shaken 
the  Christian  interest  upon  earth,  and  delivered  up  much  of 
the  Christian  world  lo  tyranny  and  blindness,  and  given  ad- 
vantage to  the  Papacy  to  captivate  and  corrupt  much  of  the 
rest,  by  pretending  itself  to  be  the  centre  of  unity.  O  what 
glorious  churches,  where  the  learned  writers  of  those  ages 
once  lived,  are  now  extinct,  and  the  places  turned  to  the 
worship  of  the  devil  and  a  deceiver ;  Uirough  the  ambition 
and  contentions  of  the  bishops,  that  should  have  been  the 
bonds  of  their  unity  and  peace  !  But  doth  England  need  to 
look  back  into  history,  or  look  abroad  in  foreign  lands,  for 
instances  of  the  sad  effects  of  discord  ?  Is  there  any  one, 
good  or  bad  in  this  age,  that  hath  spent  his  days  in  such  a 
sleep,  as  not  to  know  what  divisions  have  done,  when  they 
have  made  such  ruins  in  church  and  state,  and  kindled  such 
consuming  fires,  and  raised  so  many  sects  and  parties,  and 
filled  so  many  hearts  with  uncharitable  rancour,  and  so  many 
Bioaths  with  slanders  and  revilings,  and  turned  so  many 
prayefs  into  sin,  by  poisoning  them  with  pride  and  factious 
oppositions,  and  hath  let  out  streams  of  blood  and  fury  over 
aU  the  land?  He  that  maketh  light  of  the  divisions  of 
Christians  in  these  kingdoms,  or  loveth  not  those  that 
speak  against  them>  doth  shew  himself  to  be  so  impenitent 
in  them,  as  to  be  one  of  those  terrible  effects  of  them,  that 
should  be  a  pillar  of  salt  to  warn  after  ages  totake  heed. 

10.  Yea,  this  is  a  heinous  aggravation  of  this  sin,  that 

*  1  Cor.  X.  ir.  «  Ephes.  iv.  IS,  14.  16. 


184  CHRISTIAN   DIRECTORY.  [pART  III. 

commonly  it  is  justified,  and  not  repented  of  by  those  that 
do  commit  it.  When  a  drunkard  or  a  whoremonger  will 
confess  his  sin,  a  church-divider  will  stand  to  it  and  defend 
it :  and  woe  to  them  that  call  evil  good,  and  good  evil.  Im- 
penitency  is  a  terrible  aggravation  of  sin. 

11.  And  it  is  yet  the  more  heinous,  in  that  it  is  com- 
monly fathered  upon  God.  If  a  drunkard  or  whoremonger 
should  say,  *  God  commandeth  me  to  do  it,  and  I  serve  God 
by  it,'  would  you  not  think  this  a  horrid  aggravation? 
When  did  you  ever  know  a  sect  or  party,  how  contrary 
soever  among  themselves,  but  they  all  pretended  God's  au- 
thority, and  entitled  him  to  their  sin,  and  called  it  his  ser* 
vice,  and  censured  others  as  ungodly,  or  less  godly,  that 
would  not  do  as  bad  as  they  ?  St.  James  is  put  to  confute 
them  that  thought  this  wisdom  was  from  above,  and  so  did 
glory  in  their  sin,  and  lie  against  the  truth,  when  their  wis- 
dom was  from  beneath,  and  no  better  than  earthly,  sensual, 
and  devilish.  For  the  **  wisdom  from  above,  is  first 
pure,  then  peaceable,  gentle,  easy  to  be  entreated,  full  of 
mercy,  &c  *." 

12.  Church-divisions  are  unlike  to  our  heavenly  state, 
and  in  some  regard  worse  than  the  kingdom  of  the  devil,  for 
he  would  not  destroy  it  by  dividing  it  against  itself*.  O 
what  a  blessed  harmony  of  united  holy  souls,  will  there  be 
in  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  where  we  hope  to  dwell  for  ever ! 
There  will  be  no  discords,  envyings,  sidings  or  contendings, 
one  being  of  this  party,  and  another  of  that ;  but  in  the 
unity  of  perfect  love,  that  world  of  spirits,  with  joyful  praise 
will  magnify  their  Creator.  And  is  a  snarling  envy  or  jarring 
discord  the  likely  way  to  such  an  end  ?  Is  the  church  of 
Christ  a  Babel  of  confusion?  Should  they  be  divided, 
party  against  party  here,  that  must  be  one  in  perfect  love 
for  ever  ?  Shall  they  here  be  condemning  each  other,  as 
none  of  the  children  of  the  Most  High,  who  there  must  live 
in  sweetest  concord  ?  If  there  be  shame  in  heaven,  you  will 
be  ashamed  to  meet  those  in  the  delights  of  glory,  and  see 
them  entertained  by  the  Lord  of  love,  whom  you  reviled  and 
cast  out  of  the  church  or  your  communion,  causelessly, 
on  earth. 

Remember  now  that  schism,  and  making  parties  and  di- 

^  James  iii.  17-  <*  Matt.  \\u  96. 


CHAP.  VIII.]      CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  185 

Tidions  in  the  church,  is  not  so  small  a  sin  as  many  take  it 
it  for :  it  is  the  accounting  it  a  duty,  and  a  part  of  holiness, 
which  is  the  greatest  cause  that  it  prospereth  in  the  world ; 
and  it  will  never  be  reformed  till  men  have  right  apprehen- 
sions of  the  evil  of  it.  Why  is  it  that  sober  people  are  so 
far  and  free  from  the  sins  of  swearing,  drunkenness,  forni- 
cation, and  lasciviousness,  but  because  these  sins  are  under 
so  odious  a  character,  as  helpeth  them  easily  to  perceive  the 
evil  of  them.  And  till  church-divisions  be  rightly  appre- 
hended, as  whoredom,  and  swearing,  and  drunkenness  are, 
they  will  never  be  well  cured.  Imprint  therefore  on  your 
minds  the  true  character  of  them,  which  I  have  here  laid 
down,  and  look  abroad  upon  the  effects,  and  then  you  will 
fear  this  confounding  sin,  as  much  as  a  consuming  plague. 

The '.two  great  causes  that  keep  divisions  from  being 
hated  as  they  ought,  are,  1.  A  charitable  respect  to  the 
good  that  is  in  church-dividers,  carrying  us  to  overlook  the 
evil  of  the  sin;  judging  of  it  by  the  persons  that  commit  it, 
and  thinking  that  nothing  should  seem  odious  that  is  theirs, 
because  many  of  them  are  in  other  respects  of  blameless, 
pious  conversations.  And  indeed  every  Christian  must  so 
prudently  reprehend  the  mistakes  and  faults  of  pious  men, 
as  not  to  asperse  the  piety  which  is  conjunct;  and  there- 
fore not  to  make  their  persons  odious,  but  to  give  the  per- 
son all  his  just  commendations  for  his  piety,  while  we  op- 
pose and  aggravate  his  sin  :  because  Christ  himself  so  dis- 
tinguisheth  between  the  good  and  the  evil,  and  the  person 
and  the  sin,  and  loveth  his  own  for  their  good,  while  he 
hateth  their  evil ;  and  so  must  we  :  and  because  it  is  the 
grand  design  of  satan,  by  the  faults  of  (he  godly  to  make 
dieir  persons  hated  first,  and  their  piety  next,  and  so  to  ba- 
nish religion  from  the  world ;  and  every  friend  of  Christ 
most  shew  himself  an  enemy  to  this  design  of  satan.  But 
yet  the  sin  must  be  disowned  and  opposed,  while  the  person 
is  loved  according  to  his  worth.  Christ  will  give  no  thanks 
for  such  love  to  his  children,  as  cherisheth  their  church- 
destroying  sins.  There  is  no  greater  enemy  to  sin  than 
Christ,  though  there  be  no  greater  friend  to  souls.  God- 
liness was  never  intended  to  be  a  fortress  for  iniquity  ;  or 
a  battery  for  the  devil  to  mount  his  cannons  on  against  the 
church  ;  qor  for  a  blind  to  cover  the  powder-mines  of  hell. 


180  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

Satan  never  opposeth  truth,  and  godliness,  and  unity  so 
dangerously,  as  when  he  can  make  religious  men  his  instfu- 
ments.  Remember  therefore  that  all  men  are  vanity,  and 
God's  interest  and  honour  must  not  be  sacrificed  to  theirs, 
nor  the  Most  Holy  be  abused,  in  reverence  to  the  holiest  of 
sinful  men. 

The  other  great  hindrance  of  our  due  apprehensions  of 
the  sinfulness  of  divisions,  is  our  too  deep  sense  of  our  suf- 
ferings by  superiors,  and  our  looking  so  much  at  the  evil  of 
persecutions,  as  not  to  look  at  the  danger  of  the  contrary 
extreme.  Thus  under  the  Papacy,  the  people  of  Germany 
at  Luther's  reformation  were  so  deeply  sensible  of  the  Papal 
cruelties,  that  they  thought  by  how  many  ways  soever  men 
fled  from  such  bloody  persecutors,  they  were  very  excusa^ 
ble.  And  while  men  were  sdl  taken  up  in  decryingHhe  Ro- 
man idolatry,  corruptions,  and  cruelties,  they  never  feared 
the  danger  of  their  own  divisions  till  they  smarted  by  them. 
And  this  was  once  the  case  with  many  good  people  here  in 
England,  who  so  much  hated  the  wickedness  of  the  profieme 
and  the  haters  of  godliness,  that  they  had  no  apprehensioon 
of  the  evil  of  divisions  among  themselves.  And  because 
many  profane  ones  were  wont  to  call  sober,  godly  people, 
schismatics  and  factious,  therefore  the  very  names  ^began 
with  many  to  grow  into  credit,  as  if  they  had  been  of  good 
signification,  and  there  had  been  really  no  such  sin  as  schism 
and  faction  to  be  feared;  till  God  permitted  this  sin  to 
break  in  upon  us  with  such  fury,  as  had  almost  turned  us  into 
a  Babel,  and  a  desolation.  And  I  am  persuaded  God  did 
purposely  permit  it,  to  teach  his  people  more  sensibly  to 
know  the  evil  of  that  sin  by  the  effects,  which  they  would 
not  know  by  other  means ;  and  to  let  them  see  when  they 
had  reviled  and  ruined  each  other,  that  there  is  that  in 
themselves  which  they  should  be  more  afraid  of,  than  of 
any  enemy  without. 

Direct,  v.  '  Own  not  any  cause  which  is  an  enemy  lo 
love:  and  pretend  neither  truth,  nor  holiness,  nor  unity, 
nor  any  thing  against  it.'  The  spirit  of  love  is  that  one  vital 
spirit  which  doth  animate  all  the  saints.  The  increase  of 
love  is  the  powerful  balsam  that  healeth  all  the  church's 
woimds.  Though  loveless,  lifeless  physicians  think  that  all 
these  wounds  must  be  healed  by  the  sword.     And  indeed 


CHAP.  VIII.]      CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  187 

the  weapon-Balve  is  now  become  the  proper  cure.     It  is  the 
sword  that  must  be  medicated,  that  the  wounds  made  by  it 
may  be  healed.    The  decays  of  love  are  the  church's  disso- 
lution ;  which  first  causeth  fissures  and  separations,  and  in 
process  crumbleth  us  all  to  dust ;  and.  therefore  the  pastors 
of  the  church  are  the  fittest  instruments  for  the  cure,  who 
are  the  messengers  of  love,  and  whose  government  is  pater- 
nal, and  hurteth  not  the  body,  but  is  only  a  government  of 
love,  and  exercised  by  all  the  means  of  love.    All  Christians 
in  the  world  confess  that  Love  is  the  very  life  and  perfection 
of  all  grace,  and  the  end  of  all  our  other  duties,  and  that 
which  maketh  us  like  to  God,  and  that  if  love  dwelleth  in 
us,  God  dwelleth  in  us  ;  and  that  it  will  be  the  everlasting 
grace,  and  the  work  of  heaven,  and  the  happiness  of  souls; 
and  that  it  is^he  excellent  way,  and  the  character  of  saints, 
and  the  new  commandment.     And  all  this  being  so,  it  is 
moat  certain  that  no  way  is  the  way  of  God,  which  is  not  the 
way  t>f  love  ;  and  therefore  what  specious  pretences  soever 
they  may  have,  and  one  may  cry  up  truth,  and  another  ho- 
liness, and  another  order,  and  another  unity  itself,  to  jus- 
tify iheir  envyings,  hatred,  cruelties,  it  is  most  certain  that 
all  such  pretences  are  satanical  deceits ;  cmd  if  they  bite 
and  devour  one  another,  they  are  not  like  the  sheep  of 
Christ,  but  shall  be  devoured  one  of  another  ^    ''  Love 
worketh  no  ill  to  his  neighbour :  therefore  love  is  the  ful- 
filling of  the  law  ^"    When  Papists  that  shew  their  love  to 
men's  souls  by  racking  their  bodies,  and  frying  them  in  the 
fire,  can  make  men  apprehensive  of  the  excellency  of  that 
kind  of  love,  they  may  use  it  to  the  healing  of  the  church. 
In  the  meantime  as  their  religion  is,  such  is  their  concord, 
while  all  those  are  called  members  of  their  union,  and  pro'* 
fcBBOTS  of  their  religion,  who  must  be  burnt  to  ashes  if  they 
«ay  the  contrary.    They  that  give  Gk>d  an  image  and  car-? 
case  of  religion,  are  thus  content  with  the  image  and  carcase 
of  a  church  for  the  exercise  of  it.     And  if  there  were  nothing 
else  but  this  to  detect  the  sinfulness  of  the  sect  of  Quakers, 
and  many  more„  it  is  enough  to  satisfy  any  sober  man,  that 
it  cannot  be  the  way  of  God.     God  is  not  the  author  of  that 
spirit  and  way  which  tends  to  wrath,  emulation,  hatred, 
riuling,  and  the  extinction  of  Christian  love,  to  all  save  their 

-^  Gtl.v.  15.  f  Rom.  liil  10. 


188  CHRISTIAN  DIRECTORY.  [PARTllI. 

own  sect  and  party.  Remember  as  you  love  your  bouIs, 
that  you  shun  all  ways  that  are  destructive  to  uniTersal 
Christian  love. 

Direct,  vi.  '  Make  nothing  necessary  to  the  unity  of  the 
churchy  or  the  communion  of  Christians,  which  God  hath 
not  made  necessary,  or  directed  you  to  make  so  ^.*    By  this 
one  folly,  the  Papists  are  become  the  most  notorious  schis- 
matics on  earth ;  even  by  making  new  articles  of  faith,  and 
new  parts  of  worship,  and  imposing  them  on  all  Christians, 
to  be  sworn,  subscribed,  professed,  or  practised,  so  as  that 
no  man  shall  be  accounted  a  Catholic,  or  have  communion 
with  them,  (or  with  the  universal  church,  if  they  could  hin- 
der it,)  that  will  not  follow  them  in  all  their  novelties.    They 
that  would  subscribe  to  all  the  Scriptures,  and  to  all  the  an- 
cient creeds  of  the  church,  and  would  do  any  thing  that 
Christ  and  his  apostles  have  enjoined,  and  go  every  step 
of  that  way  to  heaven  that  Peter  and  Paul  went,  as  far  as 
they  are  able,  yet  if  they  will  go  no  further,  and  believe  no 
more  (yea,  if  they  will  not  go  against  some  of  this,)  must  be 
condemned,  cast  out,  and  called  schismatics  by  these  noto- 
rious schismatics.     If  he  hold  to  Christ,  the  universal  Head 
of  the  church,  and  will  not  be  subject  or  sworn  to  the  pope, 
the  usurping  head,  he  shall  be  taken  as  cut  off  from  Christ 
And  there  is  no  certainty  among  these  men  what  measure  of 
faith,  and  worship,  and  obedience  to  them,  shall  be  judged 
necessary  to  constitute  a  church-member :  for  as  that  which 
served  in  the  apostles'  days,  and  the  following  ages,  will  not 
serve  now,  nor  the  subscribing  to  all  the  other  pretended  • 
councils  until  then,  will  not  serve  without  subscribing  to  the 
creed  or  council  of  Trent ;  so  nobody  can  tell,  what  new 
faith,  or  worship,  or  test  of  Christianity,  the  next  council 
(if  the  world  see  any  more)  may  require :  and  how  many 
thousand  that  are  Trent  Catholics  now,  may  be  judged  here- 
tics and  schismatics  then,  if 'they  will  not  shut  their  eyes» 
and  follow  them  any  whither,  and  change  their  religion  as 
oft  as  the  papal  interest  require th  a  change.     Of  this  Chil* 
lingworth,  Hales,  and  Dr.  H.  More  have  spoken  plainly'. 

^  See  Mr.  Slillingfleet,  Ireu.  p.  p.  It9,  ISO.    BUson  for  Chrutun  Sabjectuo, 

p.  525. 

»  Dr.  H.  More  saith,  Myst.  Redempt.  p.  495. 1. 10.  c.  «.    There  is  scarce  wmy 
church  iu  Christendam  at  this  day,  that  doth  not  obtrude,  not  only  fidiehood,  but  socb 


CHAP.  VIII.]      CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  189 

If  the  pope  had  imposed  but  one  lie  to  be  subscribed,  or  one 
sin  to  be  done,  and  said,  **  All  nations  and  persons  that  do 
not  this,  are  no  Christians,  or  shall  have  no  communion 
with  the  church,"  the  man  that  refuseth  that  imposed  lie  or 
sin,  doth  but  obey  God,  and  save  his  soul ;  and  the  usurper 
that  imposeth  them,  will  be  found  the  heinous  schismatic 
before  God,  and  the  cause  of  all  those  divisions  of  the 
church.  And  so  if  any  private  sectary  shall  feign  an  opi- 
nion or  practice  of  his  own  to  be  necessary  to  salvation  or 
church  communion,  and  shall  refuse  communion  with  those 
that  are  not  of  his  mind  and  way,  it  is  he,  and  not  they,  that 
is  the  cause  of  the  uncharitable  separation. 

Direct,  vii.  '  Pray  against  the  usurpations  or  intrusions 
of  impious,  carnal,  ambitious,  covetous  pastors  into  the 
churches  of  Christ  ^J  For  one  wicked  man  in  the  place  of 
a  pastor,  may  dp  more  to  the  increase  of  a  schism  or  faction, 
than  many.privttle  men  can  do.  And  carnal  men  have  car- 
nal minds  and  carnal  interests,  which  are  both  irreconcile- 
able  to  the  spiritual,  holy  mind  and  interest ;  for  the  **  car- 
nal mind  is  enmity  against  God,  and  is  not  subject  to  his 
law,  nor  can  be.  And  they  that  are  in  the  flesh  cannot 
please  God."  And  you  may  easily  conceive  what  work 
will  be  made  in  the  ship,  when  an  enemy  of  the  owner  hath 
snbtilly  possessed  himself  of  the  pilot's  place!  He  will 
charge  all  that  are  faithful  as  mutineers,  because  they  resist 
him  when  he  would  carry  all  away.  And  if  an  enemy  of 
Christ  shall  get  to  be  governor  of  one  of  his  regiments  or 
garrisons,  all  that  are  not  traitors  shall  be  called  traitors, 
and  cashiered  that  they  hinder  not  the  treason  which  he  in- 
tendeth.  And  ''  as  then  he  that  was  bom  after  the  flesh, 
persecuted  him  that  was  born  after  the  Spirit,  even  so  it  is 


Ihst  will  appear  to  a&y  free  spirit  pure  contradiction*  and  impossibilities; 
and  that  with  the  same  gravity,  aotbority,  and  importunity,  that  they  do  the  holy  ora^ 
det  of  God.  Now  the  oonseqoetit  ofthis  most  needs  be  sad :  for  what  knowing  and 
ooiMcientious  man.  hot  will  be  driveo  off,  if  he  cannot  assert  the  truth,  withoot  open' 
asBCrtlBg  a  gross  He?  Id.  p.  5t6>  And  as  for  opinions,  tliough  some  may  be  better 
thmi  other  some/ yet  none  should  exclude  from  the  fullest  enjoyment  of  either  private 
or  piriilic  rights;  supposing  there  be  no  venom  of  the  persecutive  spirit  mingled  with 
thca:  hot  every  one  that  professeth  the  faith  of  Christ,  and  believeth  the  Scriptures 
in  the  hntsfrical  sense,  &c     See  Hales  of  Schism,  p.  8. 

^  In  ecclesiis  plus  certamimam  gignunt  verba  hominum  qiiam  Dei ;  magisque 
pMjnatiir  Cere  de  Apolline,  Petro,  ct  Paulo,  quam  de  Christo :  retine  divuia :  relinqua 
baoMoa.     Bocholoer. 


190  CHKISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [pART  III. 

now  :  but  what  saith  the  Scripture  ?  cast  oat  the  bondwo* 
man  and  her  son^''  8cc.  It  is  not  the  sacred  office  of  the 
ministry,  nor  the  profession  of  the  same  religion,  that  will 
cure  the  enmity  of  a  carnal  heart,  against  both  holiness  and 
the  holy  seed.  The  whole  business  of  the  world  from  age 
to  age  iS'but  the  management  of  that  war,  proclaimed  at 
•in's  first  entrance  into  the  world,  between  the  seed  of  the 
woman  and  the  serpent ;  and  none  of  the  serpent's  seed  are 
more  cruel  or  more  successful,  than  those  of  them  that  creep 
into  the  armies  of  Christ ;  and  especially  that  get  the  con* 
duct  of  his  regiments  °^.  Neither  brotherhood  nor  unity  of 
professed  religion,  would  hold  the  hands  of  malignant  Cain 
from  murdering  his  brother  AbeL  The  same  religion,  and 
father,  and  family  reconciled  not  scoffing  Ishmael  to  Isaac, 
or  profane  Esau  to  his  brother  Jacob.  The  family  of  Christ, 
and  an  apostle's  office,  did  not  keep  Judas  from  being  a  trai* 
tor  to  his  Lord.  If  carnal  men  invade  the  ministry,  they 
take  the  way  of  ease,  and  honour,  and  worldly  wealth,  and 
strive  for  dominion,  and  who  shall  be  the  greatest,  and  ctore 
not  how  great  their  power  and  jurisdiction  are,  nor  how  little 
their  profitable  work  is ;  and  their  endeavour  is  to  fit  all 
matters  of  worship  and  discipline  to  their  ambitioue,  cove* 
tons  ends  ;  and  the  spiritual  worshipper  shall  be  the  object 
of  their  hate :  and  is  it  any  wonder  if  the  churches  of  Christ 
be  torn  by  schism,  and  betrayed  to  profaneness,  where 
there  are  such  unhappy  guides  °  ? 

I  Gal.  It.  f9, 30. 

■  Poete  mmquam  perturbanint  rtspublicaa :  oratores  non  imro.    Bncboltaer.  ' 

"  Acosta,  lib.  vi.  c.  S3,  p.  579.    Nothing  so  much  faorteth  this  church  *s  • 

rabble  of  hirelings  and  self-seekers :  for  what  can  natural  men,  that  scarce  have  the 

Spirit,  do  in  the  cause  of  God  i    A  f6w  in  number  that  are  eicellent  in  Tirtue,  wiU 

more  promote  the  work  of  God. But  they  that  come  hither  being  humble,  and 

loven  of  soola,  takug  Christ  for  their  pattern,  and  bearing  in  their  bodies  hia  cnm 
and  death,  shall  most  certainly  find  hcateniy  treasures  and  inestimable  dellglNi. 
But  when  will  this  be?  When  men  cease  to  be  men»  and  to  savoor  the  tinnga  of 
men ;  and  to  deek  and  gape  after  the  things  of  men.  With  men  this  is  otteriy  i»- 
poniblc,  bnt  with  God  all  things  aae  possible :  because  thb  is  hard  m  the  ejes  of  tUa 
people,  shall  it  therefore  be  hard  in  my  eyes,  saith  the  Lord?  Zech.  viiL  6.  p.  MOL 
I  may  say  to  some  ministers  that  cry  out  of  the  schismatical  disobedience  of  the  peo* 
pie,  as  Acosta  doth  to  those  that  cried  out  of  the  Indians'  dnlness  and  wickedness: 
It  is  long  of  the  teachers.  Deal  with  them  in  all  possible  lore  and  tenderness ;  away 
with  coretoesnessy  lordUness,  and  cruelty ;  give  them  the  example  of  an  nprighl  life ; 
open  to  them  the  way  of  truth,  and  teach  them  according  to  thdr  capacity ;  and  difi- 
gently  bold  on  in  this  way,  whoever  thou  art  that  art  a  minister  of  the  Gospel,  and' 


CHAP«  VIII.]      CHRISTIAN  F.CCLESIASTICS.  191 

Difvcf.  Till.  '  In  a  special  manner^  take  heed  of  pride  :' 
suspect  it  and  sabdue  it  in  yourselves,  and  do  what  you  can 
to  bring  it  into  disgrace  with  others*^.  **  Only  by  pride 
cometh  contention  p."  I  never  yet  saw  one  schism  made, 
in  which  pride  conjunct  with  ignorance  was  not  the  cause : 
nor  ever  did  I  know  one  person  forward  in  a  schism  (to  my 
remembrance),  but  pride  was  discemibly  his  disease.  I  do 
not  here  intend  (as  the  Papists)  to  charge  all  with  schism  or 
pride,  that  renounce  not  their  understandings,  and  choose  not 
to  give  up  themselves  to  a  bestial  subjection  to  usurpers  or 
their  pastors  :  he  that  thinks  it  enough  that  his  teacher  hath 
reason  and  be  a  man,  instead  of  himself,  and  so  thinketh  it 
enough  that  his  teacher  be  a  Christian  and  religious,  must 
be  also  content  that  his  teacher  alone  be  saved  :  (but  then 
he  must  not  be  the  teacher  of  such  a  damning  way).  But 
by  pride  I  mean  a  plain  overvaluing  of  his  own  understand- 
ing, and  conceits,  and  reasonings,  quite  above  all  theleviden- 
ces  of  their  worth,  and  an  undervaluing  and  contempt  of  the 
judgments  and  reasonings  of  far  wiser  men,  that  had  evi- 
dence enough  to  have  evinced  his  folly  and  error  to  a  sober 
imd  impartial  man.  Undoubtedly  it  is  the  pride  of  priests 
and  people,  that  hath  so  lamentably  in  all  ages  torn  the 
church.  He  diat  readeth  the  histories  of  schisms  and 
church-confasions,  and  marketh  the  effects  which  this  age 
hath  shewed,  will  no  more  doubt  whether  pride  were  the 
cause,  than  whether  it  was  the  wind  that  blew  down  trees 

(luth  be)  at  ever  I  hope  to  enjoy  thee,  O  Lord  Jeso  Christ,  I  am  persuaded  the  har> 
vest  will  be  plentiful  and  joyfal.  Db.  iv.  p.  432$.  et  passim.  But  (saitb  be)  we 
i|«lekly  cease  our  laboars,  and  must  presently  have  hasty  and  plenteous  fruit.  But 
tlie  kingdom  of  God  is  not  such :  verily ,  it  is  not  such,  but  as  Christ  hath  tdd  ns, 
like  aoed  east  into  the  earth,  which  groweth  up  by  degrees  we  know  not  how.  pp.  4Sd, 
43i»  Jerome's  case  is  many  another's:  Concivit  odia  perditomm:  oderout  earn 
haretici,  quia  eos  impugnare  nondefinit :  oderunt  clerici,  quia  vitameorum  insectatnr 
eC  cfinuna.  Sed  plane  eum  boui  omnes  admirontur  et  dilignnt.  Posthnmianus  in 
Snip.  Severi  Dialog.  1.  And  Dial.  3.  Martinns  in  medio  coetu  et  conversatione  po- 
paloniB,  inter  derioos  dissidentes,  inter  episcopos  sftTientes,  cum  fere  quotidianis 
•rtwiaHa  hisc  atqoe  inde  premeretur,  inexpognabili  tamen  adversus  omnia  virtute 

fimdatos  stetit. Nee  tamen  huic  crimini  miscebo  populares,  soli  ilium  clerici,  soli 

acsduMt  sacerdotes,  necimmerito :  nosse  ilium  invidi  uoluerunt :  quia  si  virtutes  iilius 
noMent,  tuorum  vitia  oognovissent. 

*  How  the  Jenuts  have  hereby  distracted  the  cfanrdi*  read  Mariana,  et 
Axcfaiepisc.  Prsgensis  Censur.  de  Bull.  Jesuit,  et  Dan.  Hospital,  ad  Reges,  &c. 
Aug.  Ardinghelli  Paradoxa  Jesuitica.     Galindus,  Giraldus,  &c.    Arcana  Jesuit. 

P  Vrow,  sHL  10. 


192  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY*  [PART  III. 

and  houses,  when  he  seeth  them  one  way  overturaed  by  mul- 
titudesy  where  the  tempest  came  with  greatest  force.    There- 
fore a  bishop  must  be  "  no  novice  lest  being  lifted  up  with 
pride  (Iva  /uii  rv^Oug)  he  fall  into  the  condemnation  of  the 
devil  \"    And  if  such  stars  fall  from  heaven,  no  wonder  if 
they  bring  many  down  headlong  with  them.     Humble  soub 
dwell  most  at  home,  and  think  themselves  unworthy  of  the 
communion  of  their  brethren,  and  are  most  quarrelsome 
against  their  own  corruptions.    ''  They  do  nothing  in  strife 
and  vainglory,  but  in  lowliness  of  mind,  each*  one  esteem- 
eth  other  better  than  themselves'';''  and  ''judge  not  lest 
they  be  judged*."     And  is  it  likely  such  should  be  dividers 
of  the  church  ?     But  proud  men  must  either  be  great  and 
domineer,  and  as  Diotrephes  ^  love  to  have  the  preeminence, 
and  cast  the  brethren  out  of  the  church,  and  prate  against 
their  most  faithful  pastors  with  malicious  words ;  or  else 
must  be  noted  for  their  supposed  excellencies,  and  set  up 
themselves,  and  speak  perverse  things,  to  draw  away  disci- 
ples after  them,  and  think  the  brethren  unworthy  of  their 
communion,  and  esteem  all  others  below  themselves ;  and 
as  the  church  of  Rome,  confound  communion  and  subjec- 
tion, and  think  none  fit  for  their  communion  that  obey  them 
not,  or  comply  not  with  their  opinion  and  will.     There  is  no 
hope  of  concord  where  pride  hath  power  to  prevail. 

Direct,  ix.  '  Take  heed  of  singularity,  and  narrowness 
of  mind,  and  unacquaintedness  with  the  former  and  present 
state  of  the  church  and  world.'  Men  that  are  bred  up  in  a 
comer,  and  never  read  nor  heard  of  the  common  condition 
of  the  church  or  world,  are  easily  misled  into  schism,  through 
ignorance  of  those  matters  of  fact  that  would  preserve  them. 

Abundance  of  this  sort  of  honest  people  that  I  have  known, 
have  known  so  little  beyond  the  town  or  country  where  they 

lived,  that  they  have  thought  they  were  very  Catholic  in 
their  communion,  because  they  had  one  or  two  congrega- 
tions, and  divided  not  among  themselves.  But  for  the 
avoiding  of  schism,  1.  Look  (with  pity)  on  the  unbelieving 
world,  and  consider  that  Christians  of  all  sorts,  are  but  a 
sixth  part  of  the  whole  earth.  And  then  2.  Consider  of 
this  sixth  part  how  small  a  part  the  reformed  churches  are. 

1  I  Tim.  iii.  6.  '  Phil.  ii.  2,3. 

"  Matt.  vi.  I.  I  SJolinix.  10. 


CHAP.  VIII.]      CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  103 

And  if  you  be  willing  to  leave  Christ  any  church  at  all,  per- 
haps you  will  be  loath  to  separate  yet  into  a  narrower  party, 
which  is  no  more  to  all  the  world,  than  one  of  your  cottages 
is  to  the  whole  kingdom.  And  is  this  all  the  kingdom  on 
earth  that  you  will  ascribe  to  Christ?  Is  the  king  of  the 
church,  the  king  only  of  your  little  party?  Though  his 
flock  be  but  a  little  flock,  make  it  not  next  to  none :  as  if 
he  came  into  the  world  on  so  low  a  design  as  the  gathering 
of  your  sect  only.  The  less  his  flock  is,  the  more  sinful  it  is 
to  rob  him  of  it,  and  make  it  less  than  it  is.  It  is  a  little 
flock,  if  it  contained  all  the  Christians,  Protestants,  Greeks, 
Armenians,  Abassines,  and  Papists  on  the  earth.  Be  sin- 
gular and  separate  from  the  unbelieving  world,  and  spare 
not :  and  be  singular  in  holiness  •  from  profane  and  nominal 
hypocritical  Christians.  But  afiect  not  to  be  singular  in 
opinion  or  practice,  or  separated  in  communion,  from  the 
universal  church,  or  generality  of  sound  believers :  or  if 
you  forsake  some  common  error,  yet  hold  still  the  common 
love  and  communion  with  all  the  faithful,  according  to  your 
opportunities.  3.  And  it  will  be  very  useful  when  you  are 
tempted  to  separate  from  any  church  for  the  defectiveness 
of  its  manner  of  worship,  to  inquire  how  God  is  worshipped 
in  all  the  churches  on  earth,  and  then  consider,  whether  if 
you  lived  among  them  you  would  forsake  communion  with 
them  all,  for  such  defects,  (while  you  are  not  forced  to  jus- 
tify or  approve  them  ")•  4.  And  it  is  very  useful  to  read 
church  history,  and  to  understand  what  heresies  have  been 
in  times  past,  and  what  havoc  schisms  have  caused  among 
Christians  :  for  if  this  much  had  been  known  by  well  mean- 
ing persons  in  our  days,  we  should  not  have  seen  those 
same  opinions  applauded  as  new  light,  which  were  long  ago 
exploded  as  old  heresies :  nor  should  we  have  seen  many 
honest  people,  taking  that  same  course  to  reform  the  church 
now,  and  advance  the  Gospel,  which  in  so  many  ages  and 
nations  hath  heretofore  destroyed  the  church,  and  cast  out 
the  Gospel.  A  narrow  soul,  tiiat  taketh  all  Christ's  interest 
in  the  world,  to  lie  in  a  few  of  their  separated  meetings,  and 
ahutteth  up  all  the  church  in  a  nutshell,  must  needs  be 

■  That  God  above  that  knoweth  the  heart,  doth  ducera  that  frail  men  in  tome 
of  their  oootradictiODs  intend  the  same  thing,  and  acoepteth  both.    Lord  Bacon, 
in.  p.  15. 
VOL.   V.  O 


194  CHRISTIAN  DIREOTORT.  [PART  III. 

guilty  of  the  foulest  schismB.  It  is  a  Caikolic  Bpirit  ^soi, 
Catholic  principles,  loving  a  Christian  as  a  Christian^  ab- 
horring the  very  names  of  sects  and  parties  as  the  charch's 
wounds,  that  must  make  a  Catholic  indeed. 

Direct*  x.  '  Understand  well  fhe  true  difference  between 
the  visible  church,  and  the  world,  lest  you  should  think  that 
you  are  bound  to  separate  as  much  from  a  corrupted  church, 
as  from  the  world.'  It  is  not  true  faith,  but  the  profession 
of  true  faith,  that  maketh  a  man  fit  to  be  acknowledged  a 
member  of  the  visible  church.  If  this  profession  be  un- 
sound, and  accompanied  with  a  vicious  life,  it  is  the  sin  and 
misery  of  such  an  hypocrite ;  but  it  doth  not  presently  put 
him  as  far  unrelated  to  you,  as  if  he  were  an  infidel  without 
the  church.  If  you  ask,  what  advantage  have  such  unsound 
church  members  ?  I  answer  with  the  apostle, ''  Much  every 
way,  chiefly  because  unto  them  are  committed  the  oracles  of 
God  '."  '^  To  them  pertaineth  the  adoption,  and  the  gloiy, 
and  covenants,  and  the  giving  of  the  law,  and  the  service  of 
God,  and  the  promises  ^"  Till  the  church  find  cause  to 
cast  them  out,  tiiey  have  the  external  privileges  of  its  com- 
munion. It  hath  made  abundance  to  incur  the  guilt  of  sin- 
ful separation,  to  misunderstand  those  texts  of  Scripture 
that  call  Christians  to  separate  from  heathens,  infidels,  and 
idolaters:  as  2  Cor.  vi.  17.  "Wherefore  come  out  firom 
among  them  and  be  ye  separate  saith  the  Lord,  Sec."  The 
text  speaketh  onty  of  separating  from  the  world  who  are  in- 
fidels and  idolaters,  and  no  members  of  the  church,  and  ig- 
norant people  ordinarily  expound  it,  as  if  it  were  meant  of 
separating  from  the  church  because  of  the  ungodly  that  are 
members  of  it :  but  that  God  that  knew  why  he  called  his 
people  to  separate  from  the  world,  doth  never  call  them  to 
separate  from  the  church  universal,  nor  from  any  particular 
church  by  a  mental  separation  so  as  to  unchurch  them.  We 
read  of  many  loathsome  corruptions  in  the  churches  of 
Corinth,  Galatia,  Laodicea,  8cc.,  but  yet  no  command  to  se- 
parate from  them.  So  many  abuse  Rev.  xviii.  4.  ''  Come 
out  of  her  my  people :''  as  if  God  commanded  them  to  come 
out  of  a  true  church  because  of  its  corruptions  or  imperfec- 
tions, because  he  calleth  them  out  of  Babylon.  It  is  true, 
you  must  partake  with  no  church  in  their  sins,  but  you  may 

"  Rom.  iii.  1,  2.  J  Rom.  is.  4. 


CHAP.  VIII.]      CHHISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  1P6 


partake  with  any  church  in  their  holy  profession  and  wor- 
ship, so  far  as  you  can  do  it  without  partaking  with  them 
in  their  sins. 

Directs  xi.  '  Understand  what  it  is  that  maketh  you  par- 
takers of  the  sins  of  a  church,  or  any  member  of  it,  lest  you 
think  you  are  bound  to  separate  from  them  in  good  as  well 
as  in  evil.'  Many  fly  from  the  public  assemblies,  lest  they 
partake  of  the  sins  of  those  that  are  there  present.  Cer- 
tainly nothing  but  consent  (direct  or  indirect)  can  make 
their  faults  to  become  yours ;  and  therefore  nothing  which 
signifieth  not  some  such  consent,  should  be  on  that  account 
arolded.  L  If  you  by  word,  or  subscription,  or  furtherance, 
own  any  man's  sin,  you  directly  consent  to  it.  2.  If  you 
neglect  any  dnty  which  lieth  upon  you  for  the  cure  of  his 
sin,  you  indirectly  consent ;  for  you  consent  that  he  shall 
rather  continue  in  his  sin,  than  you  will  do  your  part  to  help 
him  ont  of  it.  Consider  therefore  how  fkr  you  are  bound 
to  reprove  any  sin,  or  to  use  any  other  means  for  the  reform 
mation  of  it,  whether  it  be  in  the  pastor  or  the  people ;  and 
if  you  neglect  any  such  means,  your  way  is  to  reform  your 
own  neglect,  and  do  your  duty,  and  not  to  separate  from  the 
church,  before  you  have  done  your  duty  to  reform  it.  But 
if  you  have  done  all  that  is  your  part,  then'the  sin  is  none  of 
yours,  though  you  remain  there  present. 

It  is  a  turbulent  fancy  and  disquieting  error  of  some 
people,  to  think  that  their  presence  in  the  assembly,  and 
continuance  with  the  church  doth  make  them  guilty  of  the 
personal  faults  of  those  they  join  with  :  if  so,  who  would 
ever  join  with  any  assembly  in  the  world  ?  Quest.  '  But 
what  if  they  be  gross  and  scandalous  sinners  that  are  mem- 
bers of  the  church  V  Amw.  If  you  be  wanting  in  your  duty 
to  reform  it,  it  is  your  sin ;  but  if  bare  presence  made  their 
simi  to  be  ours,  it  would  also  make  all  the  sins  of  the  assem- 
bly owns ;  but  no  word  of  God  doth  intimate  any  such  thing. 
Puri  never  told  the  churches  of  Galatia  and  Corinth  so, 
that  had  so  many  defiled  members.  Quest,  '  But  what  if 
they  are  sins  committed  in  the  open  assembly,  even  by  the 
■ulster  himself  in  his  praying,  preaching,  and  other  admi- 
nistrations ?  and  what  if  all  this  be  imposed  on  him  by  a  law, 
and  so  I  am  certain  beforehand  that  I  must  join  with  that 
which  is  unwarrantable  in  God's  worship  V    Amw.  The  next 


196  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

Direction  containeth  those  distinctioiiB  that  are  necessary 
to  the  answer  of  this. 

Direct,  xii.  '  Distinguish  carefully,  1.  Between  a  mi- 
nister's personal  faults,  and  his  ministerial  faults.  2.  Be- 
tween his  tolerable  weaknesses,  and  his  intolerable  insuffi- 
ciencies. 3.  And  between  the  work  of  the  minister  and  of 
the  congregation.'  And  then  you  will  see  your  doubt  re- 
solyed  in  these  following  propositions. 

1.  A  minister's  personal  faults  (as  swearing,  lying, 
drunkenness,  8cc.)  may  damn  himself,  and  must  be  matter  of 
lamentation  to  the  church,  and  they  must  do  their  best  to 
reform  them,  or  to  get  a  better  pastor  by  any  lawful  means'. 
But  in  case  they  cannot,  his  sin  is  none  of  theirs,  nor  doth 
it  make  his  administration  null  or  ineffectual;  nor  will  it 
allow  you  to  separate  from  the  worship  which  he  adminis- 
tereth.  Though  many  of  the  priests  were  wicked  men,  the 
godly  Jews  were  not  thereby  disobliged  from  God's  public 
worship,  or  sacrifices  which  were  to  be  offered  by  their  hands. 
Odierwise  how  sad  a  case  were  the  church  in,  that  must 
answer  for  the  sins  which  they  never  committed,  nor  could 
reform.     But  no  Scripture  chargeth  this  upon  them. 

2.  It  is  not  all  ministerial  faults  that  will  allow  you  to 
separate  from  or  disown  a  minister ;  but  only  those  that 
prove  him  or  his  ministration  utterly  intolerable  \  Such 
are,  1.  An  utter  insufficiency  in  knowledge  or  utterance  for 
the  necessary  parts  of  the  ministerial  work :  as  if  he  be  not 
able  to  teach  the  necessary  points  of  the  Christian  religion, 
nor  to  administer  the  sacraments  and  other  parts  of  public 


*  Saith  Cleauthes  (b  Diog.  Laert.)  The  Peripatetics  are  like  Men  tfaat  i 
well,  bat  bear  not  themielTes. 

*■  Yet  I  excuse  not  impietj  or  insoffidency  in  ministers.  It  was  one  of  Solonfs . 
laws.  Qui  ueqnitia  ac  flagitiis  insignis  est,  tribunali,  pnblicisqae  snggestis  aroaados 
est.  Aud  Gildas  saith  to  the  ungodly  pastors  of  Britam,  Apparet  ergo  eum  qdl  vos 
sacerdotes  sciens  ex  oorde  didt,  non  ease  ezimioin  Cbristianiiin.-*—  QneoKido  fas 
aliqnid  aolTetis,  ut  sit  solotom  et  in  colia,  a  oolo  ob  soeleia  adempti,  «t  i 
peocatorean  funibus  compediti  ?  Qoaque  ratione  aliquid  interra  ligahitis,  qaod 
munduni  etiam  ligetur,  propter  vosmet  ipsoa,  qui  ita  ligatiiniqoitatibos  in  hoc 
tmemini,  ut  in  ccslis  -neqoaquam  ascendatis,  sed  in  in&usta  tartan  ergaitiilay  bob 
coDversi  in  liac  vita  ad  dominum,  decidatb?  Fol.  ult.  p.  99.  JosaeKne't  Edit.  O  li- 
imicl  Dei,  et  non  sacerdotes !  O  Udtatores  malorum,  et  non  pontificcs !  tradit^m^ 
et  n6n  sanctorom  apostolomro  socoessores ;  impugnatores,  et  non  Christi  miuirtiL 
p.  571.  BasiL  In  JoaseHne's  Edit  p.  95.  '  veteraui '  is  inserted  after  'licSlaaores,' 
and  '  inpngnatoret'  is  wanting.    (T.  C) 


CHAP.  VIII.]      CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  197 

worship.  2.  If  he  set  himself  to  oppose  the  very  ends  of 
his  ministry,  and  preach  down  godliness,  or  any  part  of  it 
that  is  of  necessity  to  salvation :  for  then  he  doth  the  devil's 
work,  in  seeking  the  damnation  of  souls,  and  so  maketb  him- 
self the  devil's  minister,  and  is  not  the  minister  of  Christ : 
for  the  end  is  essential  to  the  relation.  Herein  I  include  a 
preacher  of  heresy  that  doth  preach  up  any  damning  error, 
and  preach  down  any  necessary  saving  truth  :  that  is,  that 
preacheth  such  error  as  subverteth  either  faith  or  godliness, 
and  doth  more  harm  in  the  church  than  good.  3.  If  he  so 
deprave  God's  public  worship  as  to  destroy  the  substance  of 
it,  and  make  it  unacceptable,  and  offer  up  a  public  false 
worship  to  God,  which  he  disowneth  in  the  very  matter  of 
it.  As  if  he  put  up  blasphemy  for  praise  and  prayer,  or  com- 
mit idolatry,  or  set  up  new  sacraments,  and  guide  the  peo- 
ple thus  in  public  worship.  As  the  Papist  priests  do  that 
adore  bread  with  Divine  worship,  and  pray  to  the  dead,  and 
offer  real  sacrifices  for  them,  &c. :  such  worship  is  not  to  be 
joined  in.  4.  Or  if  they  impose  any  actual  sin  upon  the 
people  :  as  in  their  responds  to  speak  any  falsehood,  or  to 
adore  the  bread,  or  the  like  :  these  faults  discharge  us  from 
being  present  with  such  pastors  at  such  worship.  But  be- 
sides these  there  are  many  ministerial  faults  which  warrant 
not  our  separation.  As,  1.  The  internal  vices  of  the  pas- 
tor's mind  Uiough  manifested  in  their  ministration :  as  some 
tolerable  errors  of  judgment,  or  envy  and  pettish  opposition 
to  others.  "  Some  indeed  preach  Christ  of  envy  and  strife, 
and  some  of  good  will :  the  one  preach  Christ  of  contention, 
not  sincerely,  supposing  to  add  affliction  to  my  bonds ;  but 
the  other  of  love,  &c  *"."  Here  is  an  odious  vice  in  the  pub- 
lic ministry,  even  an  endeavour  to  increase  the  sufferings  of 
the  apostle :  yet  it  was  lawful  to  hear  such  preachers ; 
though  not  to  prefer  them  before  better.  Most  sects  among 
Christians  are  possessed  with  a  tang  of  envy  and  uncharita- 
bkness  against  dissenters,  which  useth  to  break  forth  in 
their  preaching  and  praying :  and  yet  it  is  lawful  to  join 
with  such.  2.  It  is  not  unlawful  to  join  with  a  minister  that 
bath  many  defects  and  infirmities  in  his  ministration  or 
manner  of  worship  :  as  if  he  preach  with  some  ignorance, 
disorder,  unfit  expressions  or  gestures,  unmeet  repetitions ; 

i»  PliU.i.15. 


196  CHRISTIAN   DIRECTOBY.  [PART  III. 

or  if  he  do  the  like  in  prayer^  or  in  the  sacramentii,  pitting 
something  last  that  should  be  first,  and  leaving  out  sonie- 
thing  that  should  be  said,  or  praying  coldly  or  formally. 
These  and  such  like  are  faults  which  we  should  do  our  best 
to  reform ;  and  we  should  not  prefer  such  a  ministry  before 
a  better ;  but  it  is  lawAil  and  a  duty  to  join  with  such,  when 
we  have  no  better.  For  all  men  are  imperfect,  and  there- 
fore the  manner  of  worship  as  performed  by  them  will  be 
imperfect.  Imperfect  men  cannot  be  perfect  in  their  mi- 
nistrations :  we  must  join  with  a  defective  and  imperfeot 
mode  of  worship,  or  join  with  none  on  earth :  and  we  must 
perform  such  or  none  ourselves.  Which  of  you  dare  say 
that  in  your  private  prayers,  you  have  no  disorder,  vain  re- 
petitions, flatness,  or  defects  ?  3.  It  is  not  unlawful  to  join 
with  a  minister  that  hath  some  material  error  or  ontrath  in 
his  preaching  or  praying,  so  be  it  we  be  not  called  to  ap- 
prove it,  or  make  it  ours,  and  so  it  be  not  pernicious  and 
destructive  to  the  ends  of  his  ministry.  For  all  men  have 
some  error,  and  they  that  have  them  may  be  expected  some- 
times to  vent  them.  And  it  is  not  our  presence  that  is  any 
signification  of  our  consent  to  their  mistakes.  If  we  nm 
away  from  all  that  vent  any  untruth  or  mistake  in  public  or 
private  worship,  we  shall  scarce  know  what  churdli  oir  per- 
son we  may  hold  communion  with  :  the  reason  of  this  fol- 
loweth. 

3.  The  sense  of  the  church,  and  all  its  members,  is  to 
be  judged  of  by  their  public  professions,  and  not  by  such 
words  of  a  minister  which  are  his  own,  and  never  had  their 
consent.  I  am  by  profession  a  Christian,  and  the  Scripture 
is  the  professed  rule  of  my  religion ;  and  when  I  go  to  the 
assemblies,  I  profess  to  worship  God  according  to  that 
rule :  I  profess  myself  a  hearer  of  a  minister  of  the  Gospel, 
that  is  to  preach  the  Word  of  God,  and  that  hath  promised 
in  his  ordination, '  out  of  the  holy  Seripturea  to  instruct  the 
people  committed  to  his  charge,  and  to  teach  nothing  (as 
required  of  necessity  to  eternal  salvation)  but  diat  which  be 
shall  be  persuaded  may  be  concluded  and  proved  by  thfe 
Scripture.'  This  he  professed  when  he  was  ordained,  and  I 
profess  by  my  presence,  only  to  hear  such  a  preacher  of  the 
Gospel,  and  worship  God  with  him  in  those  ordinances  of 
worship,  which  God  hath  appointed.    If  now  this  man  shall 


CHAP.  VIII.]      CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  109 

drop  in  any  mistake  in  preaehing,  or  modify  his  prayers  or 
administrations  amiss*  and  .do  his  part  weakly  and  disor- 
derly, the  hearers  are  no  way  guilty  of  it  by  their  presence; 
For  if  I  must  ran  away  from  God's  public  worship  because 
of  men's  misperformance*  1.  I  should  join  with  none  on 
earth :  for  a  small  sin  may  no  more  be  wilfully  done  or 
owned  than  a  greater.  2.  And  then  another  man's  weak- 
ness may  disoblige  me  and  discharge  me  from  m]^  duty. 
To  order  and  word  his  prayers  and  preaching  aright,  is  part 
of  the  minister's  own  work,  and  not  the  people's ;  and  if  he 
do  it  well,  it  is  no  commendation  to  me  that  am  present,  but 
to  himself;  and  therefore  if  he  do  it  amiss,  it  is  no  fault  of 
mine  or  dispraise  to  me,  but  to  himself.  If  the  Common- 
council  of  London,  or  the  court  of  Aldermen  agree  to  peti- 
tion the  king  for  the  renewing  of  their  charter,  and  commit 
the  expressing  of  their  request  to  their  recorder,  in.  their 
presence ;  if  he  petition  for  something  else  instead  of  that 
which  he  was  entrusted  with,  and  so  betray  them  in  the  sub- 
stance of  his  business,  they  are  openly  to  contradict  him  and 
disown  his  treachery  or  mistake ;  but  if  he  deliver  the  same 
petition  which  he  undertook  with  stammering,  disorder, 
defectiveness,  and  perhaps  some  mixture  of  untruths  in  his 
additional  reasons  and  discourse,  this  is  his  failing  in  the 
personal  performance  of  his  duty,  and  no  way  imputable  to 
them  that  sent  him,  though  (in  modesty)  they  are  silent  and 
•peak  not  to  disown  it :  for  how  can  it  be  their  fault  that  a 
man  is  wanting  in  his  personal  sufficiency  and  duty :  (unless 
it  be  that  they  choose  not  a  better.)  And  whether  he 
qieak  ^  ex  tempore'  or  more  deliberately,  in  a  written  form 
or  without,  in  words  that  other  men  taught  him,  or  wrote 
tor  him,  or  in  words  of  Us  own  devising,  it  altereth  not  their 


Otfed.  *  But  if  a  man  fail  through  weakness  in  his  own 
performance,  I  know  not  of  that  beforehand ;  but  if  his 
finhy  manner  of  praying  be  prescribed  and  imposed  on  him 
hf  %  law,  then  I  know  it  beforehand,  and  therefore  am 
guilty  of  it' 

Amw.  .  To  avoid  confusion,  fix  upon  that  which  you 
tUusk  is  the  thing  sinful.  1 .  Either  it  is  because  the  prayers 
•re  defective  and  faulty.  2.  Or  because  they  are  imposed. 
3.  Or  because  you  know  the  fault  beforehand.    But  none 


200  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTOKY.  [pART  UK 

of  all  these  can  prove  your  joining  with  them  sinfiil.  I. 
Not  because  they  are  faulty :  for  you  may  join  with  as 
faulty  prayers  you  confess,  if  not  imposed  S  2.  Not  be- 
cause imposed,  (1.)  Because  that  is  an  extenuation,  and  not 
an  aggravation  :  for  it  proveth  the  minister  less  volnntaiy 
of  the  two  than  those  are  that  do  it  without  any  command, 
through  the  error  of  their  own  judgments,  (as  most  erroneous 
persoi)p  will).  (2.)  Because  (though  lawful  things  oft  be- 
come unlawful  when  superiors  forbid  them,  yet)  no  reason 
can  be  given  why  a  lawful  thing  should  become  unlawful, 
because  a  lawful  superior  doth  command  it.  Else  superiors 
might  take  away  all  our  Christian  liberty,  and  make  all  things 
unlawful  to  us  by  commanding  them.  You  would  take  it 
for  a  wild  conceit  in  your  children  or  servants,  if  they  say, 
when  you  bid  them  learn  a  catechism,  or  use  a  form  of 
prayer,  '  It  was  lawful  to  us  till  you  commanded  us  to  do  it; 
but  because  you  bid  us  do  it,  it  is  unlawful.'  If  it  be  a  duty 
to  obey  governors  in  all  lawful  thingp?,  then  it  is  not  a  sin  to 
obey  them.  3.  And  it  is  not  your  knowing  beforehand  that 
maketh  it  unlawful :  for,  1.  I  know  in  general  beforehand, 
that  all  imperrect  men  will  do  imperfectly ;  and  though  I 
know  not  the  particular,  that  maketh  it  never  the  more  law- 
ful, if.  foreknowledge  itself  did  make  it  unlawful.  2.  If  yon 
know  that  e.  g.  an  Antinomian  or  some  mistaken  preacher 
would  constantly  drop  some  words  for  his  error  in  prayer 
or  preaching,  that  will  not  make  it  unlawful  in  your  own 
judgment  for  you  to  join,  if  it  be  not  a  flat  heresy.  3.  It  is 
another,  man's  error  or  fault  that  you  foreknow  and  not  your 
own  'y  and  therefore  foreknowledge  maketh  it  not  your  own. 
4.  Qod  himself  doth  as  an  universal  cause  of  nature  concur 
with  men  in  those  acts  which  he  foreknoweth  they  will  Bin- 
fully  do  j  and  yet  Ood  is  not  to  be  judged  either  an  author 
or  approver  of  the  sin  because  of  such  concurrence  and  fore- 
knowledge :  therefore  our  foreknowledge  maketh  us  np  ap- 
provers, or  guilty  of  the  failings  of  any  in  their  sacred  mi- 
nistrations, unless  there  be  some  other  guilt.  If  you  say 
that  it  is  no  one  of  these  that  maketh  it  unlawful,  but  all 
together,  you  must  give  us  a  distinct  argument  to  prove  that 
the  concurrence  of  these  three  will  prove  that  unlawful, 

*  Pii  hominis  est  lacere  quod  potest,  etianui  nou  faciat  hoc  quod  est  d 
bilius.    Bucholtier. 


CUAP.  VIII.]       CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  201 

which  cannot  be  proved  so  by  any  of  them  alone,  for  your 
affirmation  must  not  serve  the  turn :  and  when  we  know  your 
argument,  I  doubt  not  but  it  may  be  answered.  One  thing 
I  still  confess  may  make  any  defective  worship  to  be  unlaw- 
ful to  you ;  and  that  is,  when  you  prefer  it  before  better,  and 
may  (without  a  greater  inconvenience)  enjoy  an  abler  mi- 
nistry, and  purer  administration,  but  will  not. 

Object.  '  But  he  that  sitteth  by  in  silence,  in  the  pos- 
ture as  the  rest  of  the  congregation,  seemeth  to  consent  to 
all  that  is  said  and  done :  and  we  must  avoid  all  appearance 
of  evil.' 

Anno.  The  appearance  of  evil  which  is  evil  indeed,  must 
be  always  avoided ;  but  that  appearance  of  eril  which  is  in- 
deed good,  must  not  be  avoided.  We  must  not  forsake  our 
duty  lest  we  seem  to  sin :  that  were  but  to  prefer  hypocrisy 
before  sincerity,  and  to  avoid  appearances  more  than  reali- 
ties. The  omission  of  a  duty  is  a  real  sin ;  and  that  must 
not  be  done  to  avoid  a  seeming  sin.  And  whom  doth  it  ap- 
pear so  to?  If  it  appear  evil  to  the  blind  or  prejudiced,  it 
is  their  eyes  that  must  be  cured ;  but  if  it  appear  so  to  the 
wise,  then  it  is  like  it  is  evil  indeed :  for  a  wise  man  should 
not  judge  that  to  be  evil  that  is  not.  But  I  confess  that  in 
a  case  that  is  altogether  indifferent,  even  the  mistakes  of  the 
ignorant  may  oblige  us  to  forbear :  but  the  worship  of  God 
must  not  be  so  forborne.  It  is  an  irrational  fancy  to  think 
that  you  must  be  uncivil,  by  contradicting,  or  covering  your 
heads,  or  doing  something  offensive  to  the  congregation, 
when  any  thing  is  said  or  done  which  you  disallow.  Your 
pfesence  signifieth  your  consent  to  ail  that  you  profess, 
even  to  worship  Qod  according  to  his  Word,  and  not  to  all 
the  human  imperfections  that  are  there  expressed. 

Direci.  xiii.  *  Distinguish  carefully  between  your  per- 
sonal private  duties,  and  the  duty  of  the  pastor  or  church 
with  which  you  must  concur.  And  do  not  think,  that  if 
ibe  church  or  pastor  do  not  their  duty,  that  you  are  bound 
tadp  it  for  them.'  To  cast  out  an  obstinate  impenitent 
sinner  by  sentence  from  the  communion  of  the  church,  is 
the  pastor's  or  church's  duty,  and  not  yours,  unlesjt  in  con- 
cmrence  or  subserviency  to  the  church.  Therefore  if  it  be 
not  done,  inquire  whether  you  did  your  duty  towards  it ;  if 
yon  did,  the  sin  is  none  of  yours  :  for  it  is  not  in  your  power 


202  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART    III. 

to  cast  out  all  that  are  unworthy  from  the  ohurch.  But 
private  familiarity  is  in  your  power  to  refuse ;  and  with 
such  no  not  to  eat. 

Direct,  xit.  '  Take  the  measure  of  your  accidental  du- 
ties more  from  the  good  or  hurt  of  the  church,  or  of  many, 
than  from  the  immediate  good  or  hurt  that  cometh  to  your- 
self.' You  are  not  to  take  that  for  the.  station  of  your  duty, 
which  you  feel  to  be  most  to  the  commodity  of  your  souls ; 
but  that  in  which  you  may  do  Qod  most  service.  If  the 
service  of  Qod  for  the  good  of  many,  require  you  to  stay 
with  a  weaker  minister,  and  defective  administrations,  yoo 
will  find  in  the  end  that  this  was  not  only  the  place  of  your 
duty,  but  also  of  your  benefit :  for  your  life  is  in  God's 
hands,  and  all  your  comforts ;  and  thai  is  the  best  way  to 
your  peace  and  happiness,  in  which  you  are  most  pleasing 
unto  God,  and  have  his  promise  of  most  acceptance  and 
grace.  I  know  the  least  advantage  to  the  soul,  must  be 
preferred  before  all  earthly  riches ;  but  not  before  the  public 
good.  Yea,  that  way  will  prove  most  advantageous  to  us» 
in  which  we  exercise  most  obedience. 

Direct,  xv.  '  Take  heed  of  suffering  prejudice  and  fancy 
to  go  for  reason,  and  raise  in  your  minds  unjustifiable  dis* 
tastes  of  any  way  or  mode  of  worship.'  It  is  wonderful  to 
see  what  fancy  and  prejudice  can  do !  Get  once  a  hard 
opinion  of  a  thing,  and  your  judgments  will  make  light  of  all 
that  is  said  for  it,  and  will  see  nothing  that  should  recon- 
cile you  to  it.  Partiality  will  carry  you  away  from  equity 
and  truth.  Abundance  of  things  appear  now  false  and 
to  men  that  once  imagine  them  to  be  so,  which  would 
hannlesB,  if  not  laudable,  if  they  were  tried  by  a  mind  that 
is  clear  from  prejudice. 

Direct,  xvi.  '  Judge  not  of  doctrines  and  worship  by 
persons,  but  rather  of  persons  by  their  doctrine  and  worship 
(together  with  their  lives).'  The  world  is  all  prone  to  be 
carried  by  respect  to  persons.  I  confess  where  any  thing  is 
to  be  taken  upon  trust,  we  must  rather  trust  the  intelligent^ 
experienced,  honest,  and  credible,  than  the  ignorant  and  in- 
credible 4  but  where  the  Word  of  God  must  be  our  rule^  it 
is  perverse  to  judge  of  things  by  the  persons  that  hold  then 
or  oppose  tiitgm :  sometimes  a  bad  man  may  be  in  the  right, 
and  a  good  man  in  the  wrong.    Try  the  way  of  the  worst 


CHAP.  VIII.]      CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  SOS 

men  before  you  reject  it  (in  disputable  things).  And  try 
the  opinions  and  way  of  the  wisest  before  you  venture  to  re- 
ceive them. 

Direct,  xvii.  *  Enslave  not  yourselves  to  any  party  of 
men,  so  as  to  be  over-desirous  to  please  them,  nor  over- 
fearfiil  of  their  censure.'  Have  a  respect  to  all  the  rest  of 
the  world  as  well  as  them.  Most  men  that  once  engage 
themselves  in  a  party,  do  think  their  honour  and  interest  is 
involved  with  them,  and  that  they  stand  or  fall  with  the  fa- 
vour of  their  party,  and  therefore  make  them  (before  they 
are  aware)  the  masters  of  their  consciences. 

Direct,  xviii.  '  Regard  more  the  judgment  of  aged,  ripe, 
experienced  men,  that  have  seen  the  fruits  of  the  various 
courses  of  professors  of  religion,  than  of  the  young,  unripe, 
unexperienced,  hot-headed  sort.'  Zeal  is  of  great  use  to 
execute  the  resolutions  of  a  well  informed  man  :  and  the 
zeal  of  others  is  very  useful  to  warm  the  hearts  of  such  as 
do  converse  with  them.  But  when  it  comes  to  matter  of 
judgment  once,  to  decide  a  case  of  difficulty,  aged  expe- 
rience hath  far  the  advantage ;  and  in  no  cases  more,  than 
in  those  where  peace  and  concord  are  concerned,  where  rash, 
hotrheaded  youth  is  very  prone  to  precipitant  courses,  which 
must  be  afterwards  repented  of. 

Direct,  xix  '  When  fervent,  self-conceited  people  would 
carry  down  all  by  censoriousness  and  passion,  it  is  time  for 
the  pastors  and  the  aged  and  riper  sort  of  Christians  openly 
to  rebuke  them,  and  appear  against  them,  and  stand  their 
ground,  and  not  to  comply  with  the  misguided  sort  to  es- 
cape their  censures.'  Nothing  hath  more  caused  schisms 
in  the  church  (except  the  pride  and  ambition  of  the  clergy) 
than  tiiat  the  riper  and  more  judicious  sort  of  people  toge- 
tiier  with  the  ministers  themselves,  have  been  so  loath  to 
lie  under  the  bitter  censures  of  the  unexperienced,  younger, 
kotter  sort;  and  to  avoid  such  censures  and  keep  in  with 
them,  they  have  followed  those  whom  they  should  have  led, 
md  have  been  drawn  quite  beyond  their  own  understand- 
ings. God  hath  made  Wisdom  to  be  the  guide  of  the  churchy 
aiid  Zeal  to  follow  and  diligently  execute  the  commands  of 
wisdom.  Let  ignorant,  well  meaning  people  censure  you  as 
bitterly  as  they  please,  yet  keep  your  ground,  and  be  not  so 
proud  or  wei^  as  to  prefer  their  good  .esteem  before  their  be- 


204  CHRISTIAN  DIRECTORY.  [PART   Ilf. 

nefit,  and  before  the  pleasing  of  God.  Sin  not  i^ainst  your 
knowledge  to  escape  the  censure  of  the  ignorant.  If  yon  do, 
Ood  will  make  those  men  your  scourges  whom  you  so  much 
ovenralued  :  .and  they  shall  prore  to  their  spiritual  fiithers 
as  cockered  children  (like  Absalom)  do  to  their  natural 
fathers,  and  perhaps  be  the  breaking  of  your  hearts.  Bui 
if  the  pastors  and  the  riper,  experienced  Christians  will 
stand  their  ground,  and  stick  together,  and  rebuke  the  ex- 
orbitancies  of  the  censorious  younger  ones,  they  will  main- 
tain the  credit  of  the  Gospel,  and  keep  the  truth,  and  the 
church's  peace,  and  the  hotspurs  will  in  time  either  repent 
and  be  sober,  or  be  ashamed  and  disabled  to  do  much  hurt. 
Direct,  xx.  '  Take  heed  how  you  let  loose  your  zeal 
against  the  pastors  of  the  church,  lest  you  bring  their  per- 
sons and  next  their  office  into  contempt,  and  so  break  the 
bonds  of  the  church's  unity  and  peace.'  There  is  no  more 
hope  of  maintaining  the  church's  unity  and  concord  without 
the  ministry,  than  of  ^keeping  the  strength  or  unity  of  the 
members  n^thout  the  nerves.  If  these  nerves  be  weak  or 
labour  of  a  convulsion  or  other  disease,  it  is  curing  and 
strengthening  them,  and  not  the  cutting  them  asunder  that 
must  prove  to  the  welfare  and  safety  of  the  body.  Meddle 
with  die  faults  of  the  ministry  only  so  far  as  tendeth  to  a 
cure,  of  them  or  of  the  church,  but  not  to  bring  them  into 
disgrace,  and  weaken  their  interest  in  the  people,  and  dis- 
able them  from  doing  good.  Abhor  that  proud,  rebellious 
spirit,  that  is  prone  to  set  up  itself  against  the  officers  of 
Christ,  and  under  pretence  of  greater  wisdom  and  holinew, 
to  bring  their  guides  into  contempt ;  and  is  picking  quarrels 
'  with  them  behind  their  back,  to  make  them  a  scorn  or 
odious  to  the  hearers.  Indeed  a  minister  of  satan  that  doth 
more  harm  in  the  church  than  good,  must  be  so  detected  as 
may  best  disable  him  from  doing  harm.  But  he  that  doth 
more  good  than  hurt,  must  so  be  dissuaded  from  the  hurt  as 
not  to  be  disabled  from  the  good.  **  My  brethren  be  not 
many  masters  (or  teachers),  knowing  that  ye  shall  receive 
the  greater  condemnation^  •" 

Direct,  xxi.  '  Look  more  with  an  eye  of  charity  on  what 
is  good  in  others  and  their  worship  of  God,  than  with  an 
eye  of  malice  to  carp  at  what  appeareth  evil.'    Some  men 

*  Jam.  iiL  t. 


CHAP.  VIII.]      CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  205 

have  Buch  distempered  eyes,  that  they  can  see  almost  no- 
thing but  faoltiness  in  any  thing  of  another  party  which 
they  look  at;  envy  and  fieiction  make  them  carp  at  every 
word  and  ^yery  gesture  :  and  they  make  no  conscience  of 
aggravating  every  failing,  and  making  idolatry  oF>every  mis- 
take in  worship,  and  making  heresy  or  blasphemy  of  every 
mistake  in  judgment,  and  making  apostacy  of  every  fall ;  nay 
perhaps  the  truth  itself  shall  have  no  better  a  representation. 
As  Dr.  H.  More  well  noteth.  It  would  do  much  more  good 
in  the  world,  if  all  parties  were  forwarder  to  find  out  and 
commend  what  is  good  in  the  doctrine  and  worship  of  all 
that  differ  from  them.  This  would  win  them  to  hearken  to 
reforming  advice,  and  would  keep  up  the  credit  of  the  com- 
mon truths  and  duties  of  religion  in  the  world,  when  this 
envious  snarling  at  all  that  others  do,  doth  tend  to  bring  the 
world  to  atheism,  and  banish  all  reverence  of  religion,  to- 
gether with  Christian  charity  from  the  earth. 

Direct,  xxii.  '  Keep  not  strange  to  those  from  whom 
you  differ^  but  be  acquainted  with  them,  and  placidly  hear 
what  they  have  to  say  for  themselves :  or  else  converse 
with  them  in  Christian  love  in  all  those  duties  in  which  you 
are  agreed,  and  this  (if  you  never  talk  of  your  differences) 
will  do  much  to  reconcile  you  in  all  the  rest*.'    It  is  the 
common  way  of  division,  uncharitableness,  yea,  and  cruelty 
at  last,  to.  receive  hard  reports  of  those  that  differ  from  us, 
behind  their  backs,  and  to  believe  and  aggravate  all,  and 
proceed  to  detraction  and  contention  at  a  distance,  and  in 
the  dark,  and  never  be  familiarly  acquainted  with  them  at 
all.    There  is  something  in  the  apprehension  of  places,  and 
persons,  and  things  by  the  eyesight,  which  no  reports  are 
able  to  match :  and  so  there  is  that  satisfaction  about  men 
by  fiuniliar  acquaintance,  which  we  cannot  attain  by  hear- 
say from  any,  how  judicious  soever.     All  factions  com- 
monly converse  together,  and  seek  no  familiar  converse  with 
Qtbexs,  but  believe  them  to  be  any  thing  that  is  naught,  and 
then  report  them  to  be  so,  before  they  ever  knew  the  per- 
sons of  whom  they  speak.     I  am  persuaded  this  is  one  of  the 

*  prince  Frederic  of  Monpelgud  being  instructed  into  a  diitaste  of  the  refiMrm* 
cd  Protestants,  when  he  had  been  at  Geneva  and  Helvetia,  was  wont  to  say, '  Oene- 
rmttki  Helvetia  vidi  molta  de  qutbns  mhS,  paaca  eonun  de  qcnbos  saepe  audivl :  nt 
ToMUHH  ad  Ttwdmm  referaite  Senilelo  In  Conk.  p.  f  6. 


206  CHRISTIAN   DIRSCTOEY.  [PART  III« 

greatest  feeders  of  enmity^  uncharitableness*  contentioiis 
and  slanders  in  the  world.  I  speak  it  upon  great  obsenpaf 
tion  and  experience,  I  have  seldom  heard  any  man  bitterly 
oppose  the  servants  of  Christ,  but  either  the  gprossly  wicked, 
or  those  that  never  had  much  acquaintance  with  them :  and 
I  see  commonly,  how  bitter  soever  men  were  before,  when 
once  they  converse  together,  and  grow  acquainted,  they  are 
more  reconciled.  The  reason  is,  partly  because  they  find 
less  evil  and  more  good  in  one  anoUier  than  before  they  did 
believe  to  be  in  them ;  and  partly  because  uncharitableness 
and  malice,  being  an  ugly  monster,  is  bolder  at  a  distance> 
but  ashamed  of  itself  before  your  face  :  and  therefore  the 
pens  of  the  champions  of  malice,  are  usually  more  bitter 
than  their  tongues  when  they  speak  to  you  fiu^  to  face. 
Of  all  the  furious  adversaries  that  have  n^ed  against  me  in 
the  latter  part  of  my  life,  I  remember  not  one  enemy  that  I 
have  or  ever  had,  that  was  ever  fiuniliar  or  acquainted  with 
me :  and  I  have  myself  heard  ill  reports  of  many,  which  by 
personal  acquaintance  I  have  found  to  be  all  false.  Keep 
together,  and  either  silence  your  diiferences,  or  gently  de- 
bate them ;  yea,  rather  chide  it  out,  than  withdraw  asunder. 
Familiarity  feedeth  love  and  unity. 

Direct,  xxiii.  *  Whenever  you  look  at  any  corruption 
in  the  church,  look  also  at  the  contrary  extreme,  and  see 
and  avoid  the  danger  of  one  as  well  as  of  the  other/'  Be 
nure  every  error  and  church  corruption  hath  its  extreme : 
and  if  you  do  not  see  it,  and  the  danger  of  it,  you  are  the 
more  like  to  run  into  it.  Look  well  on  both  sides  if  you 
would  be  safe. 

Direct,  xxiv.  *  Worship  God  yourselves  in  the  purest 
manner,  and  under  the  most  edifying  ministry  that  lawfully 
you  can  attain ;  but  be  not  too  forward  to  condemn  otheit 
that  reach  not  to  your  measure,  or  attain  not  so  much  hap- 
piness :  and  deny  not  personal  communion  sometimes  with 
churches  that  are  more  blemished,  and  less  fit  for  communion/ 
And  when  you  cannot  join  locally  with  them,  let  tliem  have 
the  communion  of  your  hearts,  in  faith  and  charity,  and 
prayer  for  each  other.  I  fear  not  here  openly  to  tell  the 
world,  that  if  I  were  turned  loose  to  my  own  liberty,  I  would 
ordinarily  worship  Ood  in  that  manner  that  I  thought  most 
pure,  and  agreeable  to  his  will  and  Word ;  but  I  would  some- 


CHAP.  ▼III.]      CHRItTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  SO? 

times  go  to  the  ihurches  of  other  ChristiaDa,  that  were  fit 
for  Christian  communion,  if  there  were  such  about  me>: 
sometimes  to  the  Independents,  sometimes  to  the  moderate 
Anabaptists,  sometimes  to  such  as  had  a  liturgy  as  faulty  as 
that  of  the  Greek  or  the  Ethiopian  churches  ;  to  shew 
by  my  practice,  what  communion  my  heart  hath  with 
them  all. 

Direct,  xxv.  '  Take  heed  that  you  interest  not  religion 
or  the  church  in  civil  differences  *.'  This  error  hath  divided 
and  ruined  many  famous  churches,  and  most  injuriously 
made  the  holy  truth  and  worship  of  God  to  be  a  reproach 
and  infamy  among  selfish,  partial,  carnal  men.  When  prin- 
ces and  states  fall  out  among  themselves,  they  will  needs 
draw  the  ministers  to  their  sides,  and  then  one  side  will  cer- 
tainly condemn  them,  and  call  them  all  that  self-interest  and 
malice  can  invent :  and  commonly  when  the  controversy  is 
only  in  point  of  law  or  politics,  it  is  religion  that  bears  the 
blame  of  all :  and  the  differences  of  lawyers  and  statesmen 
must  be  charged  upon  divines,  that  the  devil  may  be  able  to 
make  them  useless,  as  to  the  good  of  all  that  party  that  is 
against  them,  and  may  make  religion  itself  be  called  rebel- 
lion. And  O  that  God  would  maintain  the  peace  of  king* 
doms  {  and  kings  and  subjects  were  all  lovers  of  peace^  the 
rather  because  the  differences  in  states  do  cause  so  com- 
monly divisions  in  the  church.  It  would  make  a  man  won- 
der, (and  a  lover  of  history  to  lament,)  to  observe  in  the 
differences  between  the  pope  and  Henry  the  fourth,  and 
other  emperors,  how  the  historians  are  divided,  one  half 
commending  him  that  the  other  half  condemnetb :  and  how 
the  bishops  and  churches  were  one  half  for  the  pope,  and 
the  other  for  the  emperor ;  and  one  half  still  accounted  re- 
bds  or  schismatics  by  the  other,  though  they  were  all  of 
one  religion.  It  is  more  to  ruin  the  church,  than  kingdoms, 
that  satan  laboureth  so  much  to  kindle  wars,  and  breed  civil 
differences  in  the  world  :  and  therefore  let  him  that  loveth 
A%  church's  peace,  be  an  obedient  subject,  and  an  enemy  of 
sedition,  and  a  lover  and  defender  of  the  civil  peace  and 
government  in  the  place  that  God  hath  set  him  in :  for  this 
is  pleasing  unto  God. 

•  Siuoe  dM  writiDg  of  thU.  I  bare  pablisbed  a  book  caUed  "The  Core  uf 
Clnreli  Dbmom,"  and  a  "  Defence  of  it :"  whicb  bandle  thete  Uiiogf  more  folljr. 


208  CHRISTIAN  DIRECTORY.         [PART  III. 

I  know  there  are  sorne^  that  with  too  Moody  and  cala« 
mitouB  success,  have  in  most  ages  given  other  Jkind  of  di- 
rections for  the  extirpation  of  error,  heresy,  and  schism^ 
than  I  have  here  given ' :  bat  Gk>d  hath  still  caused  the  most 
wise,  and  holy,  and  charitable,  and  experienced  Christians 
to  bear  their  testimony  against  them.  And  he  hath  ever 
caused  their  way  of  cruelty  to  turn  to  their  own  shame : 
and  though  (like  treasons  and  robberies)  it  seem  for  the  time 
present  to  serve  their  turn,  it  is  bitterness  in  the  end,  and 
leaveth  a  stinking  memorial  of  their  names  and  actions  to 
posterity.  And  the  treatises  of  reconcilers,  (such  ias  our 
Halls,  Ushers,  Bergius,  Burroughs,  and  many  other,)  by  the 
delectable  savour  of  unity  and  charity,  are  sweet  and  accep- 
table to  prudent  and  peaceable  persons,  though  usually  un- 
successful with  the  violent  that  needed  them. 

Besides  the  forecited  witness  of  Sir  Francis  Bacon,  ftc., 
I  will  here  add  one  of  the  most  ancient,  and  one  or  two  of 
this  age,  whom  the  contrary  minded  do  mention  with  the 
greatest  honour.  Justin  Martyr  Dial,  cum  Trjrph.  doth  at 
large  give  his  judgment,  that  a  Judaizing  Christian,  who 
thinketh  it  best  to  be  circumcised  and  keep  the  law  of 
Moses,  be  suffered  in  his  opinion  and  practice,  and  admitted 
to  the  communion  and  privileges  of  the  church,  and  loved  as 
one  that  may  be  saved  in  that  way,  so  be  it  he  do  not  make 
it  his  business  to  persuade  others  to  his  way,  and  teach  it 
as  necessary  to  salvation  or  communion ;  for  such  he  doth 
condemn. 

King  James  by  the  pen  of  Is.  Casaubon  telleth  Cardinal 
du  Perron,  that  *  His  Majesty  thinketh,  that  for  concord 
there  is  no  nearer  way,  than  diligently  to  separate  things  ne- 
cessary from  the  unnecessary,  and  to  bestow  all  our  labour 
that  we  may  agree  in  the  things  necessary,  and  that  in  things 
unnecessary  there  may  be  place  given  for  Christian  liberty. 
The  King  calleth  these  things  simply  necessary,  which 
either  the  Word  of  God  expressly  commandeth  to  be  be- 
lieved or  done,  or  which  the  ancient  church  did  gather  from 
the  Word  of  God  by  necessary  consequence. ' 

Grotius  Annot.  in  Matt.  xiii.  41.  is  so  frill  and  large 

f  Beda  Hist.  Eccles.  lib.  i.  c  26.  Didicerat  enim  (R«x  Edilberth)  et  i  doe- 
turibQi,  anctoribuaque  suae  saloCis,  senritium  Cbristi  Tolantariam,  noo  ooactitnni  de* 
bereene. 


,  CHAP.  VIII.]      CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  209 

upon  it,  that  I  must  entreat  the  reader  to  peruse  his  own 
words ;  where  by  arguments  and  authority  he  vehemently 
rebuketh  the  spirit  of  fury,  oruelty,  and  uncharitableoess, 
which  under  pretence  of  government,  discipline,  and  zeal 
denieth  that  liberty  and  forbearance,  even  to  heretics  and 
offenders,  (much  more  when  to  the  faithful  ministers  of 
Christ)  which  human  frailty  hath  made  necessary,  and 
Christ  hath  commanded  his  servants  to  grant.    Concluding, 
'  Ubi  solitudinem  fecerant,  pacem  appellabant.  (as  TertuL) 
Et  his  omnibus  obtendi  solet  studium  Divini  nominis ;  sed 
plerumque  obtendi  tantum.     Nam  Deus  dedignatur  coacta 
servitia ;  nee  placere  illi  potest  quod  vi  humana  exprimitur* 
Reipsa  solent  qui  id  faciunt  non  nomini  divino,  sed  suis  ho- 
noribuB,  suis  commodis  et  tranquillitati  consulere ;    quod 
8cit  ille  qui  mentes  introspicit.     Atque  ita  fit,  ut  lolium 
evellatur  cum  tritico,  innocentes  cum  nocentibus :  immo  ut 
triticum  ssBpe  sumatur  pro  lolio  :  hon  enim  tarn  bene  agitur 
cum  rebus  humanis,  ut  semper  meliora  pluribus  aut  validiori- 
bus  placeant ;  sed  ut  in  grege  taurus,  ita  inter  homines^  qui 
virtbtts  est  editior,  imbecilliorum  caedit :  et  iidem  srape  quae 
pati  se  quttrebantur,  mox  in  alios  audent.' Lege  ceetera. 

Again,  I  entreat  those  that  would  escape  the  sin  of 
schism,  to  read  seriously  the  foresaid  Treatises  of  peace- 
makers ;  especially  *'  Bishop  HalFs  Peacemaker ;"  ''  Bishop 
Usher's  Sermon  on  Ephes.  iv.  3. ;"  and  "  Mr.  Jeremy  Bur- 
roughs' Irenicum :"  to  which  I  may  add  **  Mr.  Stillingfleet's 
Irenicum,"  for  the  hot  contenders  about  church-govern- 
ment ;  though  I  believe  all  the  substance  of  church  order 
to  be  of  Divine  institution :  and  ''  Jac.  Acontii  Stratag. 
SataiisB.'' 

And  it  must  be  carefully  noted,  that  one  way  by  which 
•atan  tempteth  men  into  church  divisions,  is  by  an  over  ve- 
hement zeal  against  dividers ;  and  so  he  would  draw  the 
mlers  of  the  world,  under  pretence  of  a  zeal  for  unity  and 
peace,  to  raise  persecutions  against  all  that  are  guilty  of  any 
excess  of  scrupulosity  about  church-communion,  or  of  any 
principles  or  practices  which  a  little  swerve  from  true  Ca- 
tholicism :  and  so  by  the  cruelty  of  their  penalties,  silencing 
ministers,  and  vexing  the  people,  they  much  increase  the  di- 
visions which  they  would  heal :  for  when  satan  cannot  do 
liis  work  barefaced  and  directly,  he  useth  to  be  the  most 

¥OL.  v.  P 


810  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

forward  in  seeming  to  do  good,  and  to  take  part  with  Christ, 
and  truth,  and  godliness ;  and  then  his  way  is  to  over-do : 
he  will  be  over-orthodox,  and  over-godly,  and  over-peacea- 
ble, that  he  hng  the  church  and  truth  to  death,  by  his  too 
hard  embracements*  As  in  fSeonilies  and  neighbourhoods, 
some  cross  words  must  be  passed  over  if  we  would  have 
peace :  and  he  that  for  every  provoking,  unpeaceable  word 
of  another,  will  raise  a  storm,  shall  be  himself  the  most  un- 
peaceable. So  is  it  in  the  church  ;  he  that  cannot  bear  with 
the  weaknesses  of  the  younger  sort  of  Christians,  who  are 
too  much  inclined  by  their  zeal  against  sin,  to  dividing 
ways,  but  will  presently  let  fly  at  them  as  schismatics,  and 
make  them  odious,  and  excommunicate  or  punish  them  ac- 
cording to  his  wrath,  shall  increase  the  zeal  and  the  number 
of  dividers,  and  prove  himself  the  greatest  divider. 

And  by  this  violence  and  destroying  zeal  of  orthodox 
rulers,  against  the  real  faults  and  infirmities  of  some  sepa- 
rating, well-meaning  men,  a  far  greater  number  of  heterodox 
rulers,  are  encouraged  to  persecute  the  most  learned,  sober, 
and  peaceable  ministers,  and  the  most  godly  and  faithful  of 
their  subjects,  who  dare  not  conform  to  all  tlieir  unrighteous 
edicts,  and  ecclesiastical  laws,  in  things  forbidden  by  the 
law  of  Christ :  and  all  this  is  done  upon  pretence  of  pro- 
moting unity  and  peace,  and  suppressing  heresy  and  schism. 
And  so  persecution  becometh  the  deviUs  engine  to  keep  oat 
the  Gospel  and  godliness  from  the  infidel  world,  and  to  keep 
them  under  in  the  Christian  world. 

'  Sed  tamen  sive  illud  (Origenis  de  Redemptione  futnra 
diabolorum)  En*or  est,  ut  ego  sentio  ;  sive  Heeresis  ut  puta- 
tur,  non  solum  reprimi  non  potuit  multis  animadversionibns 
sacerdotum,  sed  nequaquam  tam  late  se  potuisset  effundere, 
nisi  contentione  crevisset :'  inquit  Posthumianus  in  Sulp. 
Severi  Dialog,  i. 

'  Sed  non  fuit  animus  ibi  consistere,  ubi  recens  fratems 
cladis  fervebat  invidia.  Nam  etsi  fortasse  videantur  parere 
episcopis  debuisse,  non  ob  banc  tamen  causam  multitudinem 
tantam  sub  Christi  confessione  viventem,  prsesertim  ab 
episcopis  oportuisset  affligi.'  Id.  ibid.  Speaking  of  the 
bishops  provoking  the  secular  power  td  afflict  the  monks  of 
Alexandria  for  defending  Origen. 

When  the  Emperor  Constantius  would  by  violence  force 


CHAP,  VIII.]      CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  211 

the  orthodox  to  hold  communion  with  the  Arians,  he  did 
but  make  the  breach  the  wider.  Read  Lucifer  Calaritanus 
de  Don  conveniendo  cum  heereticis,  (in  Biblioth.  Patr.  Tom. 
iz.  p.  1046.  8cc.)  The  Emperor  saith,  that  the  '  orthodox 
were  enemies  to  peace,  and  unity,  and  brotherly  love,  and 
that  he  was  resolved  to  have  unity  and  peace  in  his  domi- 
nions :  therefore  he  imprisoned  the  orthodox  and  banished 
them/  '  Propterea  odis  nos,  quia  concilium  vestrum  ma- 
lignantium  execremur ;  propterea  in  exilio  sumus  ;  propterea 
in  carcere  necamur;  propterea  nobis  solis  prohibetur  con- 
spectus; idcirco  reclusi  in  tenebras  custodimur  ingenti 
custodia :  hujus  rei  causa  nuUus  ad  nos  visendos  admittitur 
hominum ;  quia  videlicet  noluerimus  vobiscum  impiis  sacri- 
legis'uUam  scelerum  vestrorum  habere  societatem.'  Ibid. 
1050.  Which  stirred  up  this  bishop  in  particular  to  go  too 
tar  from  free  communion  even  with  the  penitent  Arians,  and 
heap  up  more  Scriptures  against  that  communion  which  the 
Emperor  commanded,  than  any  had  done  before.  '  Nobis 
dicebas,  Pacem  volo  fieri ;  et  in  corde  tuo  manens  adver- 
sarins  religionis  nostrse,  cogitabat  per  te  facere  nos  idolo- 
latras.  Sic.'  p.  1051.  '  Consilia  vestra  contra  suam  prolata 
ecclesiam  reprobat  Deus  :  nee  enim  potest  odire  populum 
suum,  hsreditatem  suam,  et  amare  vos  filios  pestilentiee,  vos 
persecntores  servorum  suorum  :  dixisti,  Facite  pacem  cum 
episcopis  sectsB  mese  Arrianis,  et  estote  in  unum ;  et  dicit 
Dei  Spiritus,  vias  impiorum  noli  exequi,  neque  eemuleris 

yiam  iniquorum,  8cc. Dulce  quibusdam  videtur,  quo 

tibi  regi  in  amicitias  jungantur  suscipiendo  heeresin  tuam : 
sed  amarius  felle  sensuri  cum  tecum  in  perpetuum  cceperint 
in  perpetua  gehenna  sentire,  qui  tecum  esse  deligerunt,  tunc 
dicturi,  Vse  nobis,  qui  Constantium  Imperatorem  Deo  prse- 
posnerimus.'  Abundance  more  he  writeth  to  prove  that  the 
Emperor  being  a  heretic,  they  must  have  no  communion 
with  him  or  his  bishops.  And  when  the  Emperor  com- 
plained hereupon,  that  they  wronged  and  dishonoured  him 
whom  they  should  honour,  the  said  Lucifer  wrote  his  next 
book, '  de  non  parcendo  in  Deum  delinquentibus ;'  which 
beginneth, '  Superatum  te,  Imperator,  k  Dei  servis  ex  omni 
com  conspexisses  parte,  dixisti  passum  te  ac  pati  h  nobis 
contra  monita  sacrarum  Scripturarum  contumeliam :  dicis 
nos  insolentes  extitinse,  circa  te  quern  honorari  decuerit, 


212  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

Si  quisquam  Dei  cultorum  pepercit  apostatis,  sini  vera  qme 
dicis  de  nobis ; '  and  so  he  heapeth  up  as  many  texts  for 
rough  dealing  with  offending  kings ;  I  give  this  one  in- 
stance to  shew  the  fruits  of  violence,  as  pretended  for  peace 
and  unity. 

Of  the  persecutions  of  the  faithful  in  most  ages,  even  by 
professed  Christians  themselves,  and  God's  disowning  thiAt 
spirit  of  cruelty  by  his  special  providences,  all  church  his- 
tory maketh  mention :  and  how  the  names  of  such  persecu- 
ting hypocrites  have  stunk  in  the  nostrils  of  all  sober  men 
when  their  tragedy  was  fully  acted  and  understood.  Espe- 
cially the  poor  churches  called  Waldenses,  Picards,  and 
Albigenses,  have  felt  the  most  grievous  effects  of  this  ty- 
ranny, and  yet  have  the  testimony  of  the  best  and  wisest  men, 
to  have  been  the  purest  and  nearest  to  the  apostolic  simpli- 
city in  the  world ;  and  the  memory  of  their  enemies  and  per- 
secutors is  an  fibhorrence  to  the  sons  of  charity  and  peace. 
Read  Lasitius  and  Commenius  of  their  discipline,  and 
Bishop  Usher  de  Eccles.  succes.  et  statu.  I  will  recite  one 
notable  passage  mentioned  by  Thuanus  and  Commenius, 
the  one  Hist.  lib.  xxxvi.  the  other  de  bono  Unit,  et  Ord. 
Discipl.  p.  59.  Maximilian  thatgood  and  moderate  empefor, 
being  one  day  in  the  coach  with  Job*.  Crato  only  (his  chief  phy- 
sician and  a  learned  Protestant)  lamenting  the  divisions  of 
Christians,  asked  Crato,  which  sort  he  thought  came  nearest 
to  the  apostolic  simplicity  :  he  answered, '  He  thought  that 
honour  l3elonged  to  the  brethren  called  Picards.'  The  em- 
peror said,  *  He  thought  so  too : '  which  Crato  acquainting 
them  with,  encouraged  them  to.  dedicate  to  him  a  book  of 
part -of  their  devotions;  for  the  year  before,  God  had  thus 
marvellously  saved  him  from  having  a  hand  in  their  blood. 
Joachimus  k  Nova  Domo,  Chancellor  of  Bohemia,  went  to 
Vienna,  and  gave  the  emperor  no  rest,  till  he  had  procured 
him  to  subscribe  a  mandate  for  the  reviving  of  a  former  per- 
secuting mandate  against  them ;  having  got  his  conmtussion, 
and  passing  just  out  at  the  gates  of  Vienna,  as  he  was  tiip- 
on  the  bridge  over  the  Danube,  the  bridge  brake  under  him, 
and  he  and  all  his  rednue  fell  into  that  great  and  terrible  wa- 
ter ;  and  all  were  drowned  except  six  horsemen,  and  one 
young  nobleman,  who  seeing  his  lord  in  the  waves,  caught 
hold  of  his  gold  chain,  and  held  him  till  some  fishermen 


CHAP.  VIII.]       CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  213 

came  in  boats,  but  found  him  dead,  and  his  box  with  the 
commission  sunk  past  recovery :  this  nobleman  who  sur- 
vived, was  sensible  of  God*s  judgment,  and  turned  to  the 
brethren  in  religion,  and  the  mandate  was  no  further  prose- 
cuted. (Such  another  story  Bishop  Usher  was  wont  to  tell, 
how  Ireland  was  saved  from  persecution  in  Queen  Mary's 
days.) 

But  it  is  the  most  heinous  cruelty,  when,  as  in  Daniel's 
case,  there  are  laws  of  impiety  or  iniquity,  made  of  purpose 
to  entrap  the  innocent,  by  them  that  confess, '  We  shall  find 
no  fault  against  this  Daniel,  except  it  be  concerning  the  law 
of  his  God : '  and  then  men  must  be  taken  in  these  spider's 
webs,  and  accused  as  lAshismatical,  or  what  the  contrivers 
please.  And  especially  when  it  is  real  holiness  which  is  ha- 
ted, and  order,  unity,  concord,  peace  of  obedience  to  our 
pastors,  is  made  the  pretence,  for  the  malicious  oppression 
of  it.  Gildas  and  Salvian^  have  told  church  governors  of 
this  at  large  :  and  many  of  the  persecuted  Protestants  have 
more  largely  told  the  Roman  clergy  of  it. 

It  is  a  smart  complaint  of  him  that  wrote  the  Epist.  de 
malis  Doctoribus,  ascribed  to  Pope  Sixtus  III.  '  Hujus 
doctrinsB  causa  (pro  sanctitate  scilicet)  paucos  amicos  con- 
quirunt,  et  plures  inimicos ;  necesse  est  enim  eos  qui  pec- 
catorum  vitia  condemnant,  tantos  habere  contraries,  quan- 
tos  exercere  vitia  delectat:  Inde  est  etiam. quod  iniquis  et 
impiis  factionibus  opprimuntur  :  quod  criminibus  falsis  ap- 
petuntur,  quod  haeresis  etiam  perfunduntur  infamia :  quod 
hie  omnis  inimicorum  suorum  sermo  ab  ipsorum  sumit  ob- 
trectatione  materiam.  Sed  quid  mirum  ut  flagitiosis  heBre- 
818  videatur  doctrina  justitise?  Quibus  tamen  haeresis? 
Ipsorum  secretum  patet  tantum  inimicis  ;  cum  si  fides  dic- 
tis  inesset,  amici  illud  potius  scire  potuissent,  8lc.' 

The  cause  is,  saith  Prosper  de  vit.  contempl.  lib.  i.  cap. 
20.  etexeo  HilitgariusCamarac.  lib*,  v.  cap.  19.  'Sednos 
pnesentibus  delectati,  dum  in  hac  vita  commoda  nostra  et 
honores  inquirimu^,  non  ut  meliores  sed  ut  ditiores,  non  ut 
sanctiores,  sed  ut  honoratiores  simus,  cseteris  festinamus. 
Nee  gregem  domini  qui  nobis  pascendus,  tuendusque  com- 
miBgus  est,  sed  nostras  voluntates,  dominationem,  divitias, 
et  csBtera  blandimenta  carnaliter  cogitamus.  Pastores  dici 
volamuB,  nee  tamen  esse  contendimus.     Officii  non  vitamus 


214  CHRISTIAN  DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

laborem,  appetimus  dignitatem;  immundorum  spirituum 
feras  &  grege  dilacerando  non  pellimus ;  et  quod  eis  reman- 
serat,  ipsi  consumimus  :  quando  peccantes  divites  vel  po- 
tentes  non  solum  non  arguimus,  sed  etiam  veneramur ;  ne 
nobis  aut  munera  solita  offensi  non  dirigant,  aut  obseqnim 
desiderata  subducant:  ac  sic  muneribus  eorumet  obaequiis 
capti,  immo  per  heec  illis  addicti,  loqui  eis  de  peccato  suo 
aut  de  futuro  judicio  formidamus :  ad  hoc  tantum  potentes 
effecti,  ut  nobis  in  subjectos  dominationem  tyrannicam  yin- 
dicemus  ;  non  ut  afflictos  contra  violentiam  potentum  qui 
in  eos  ferarum  more  sseviunt,  defendamus.  Inde  est  quod 
tarn  &  Potentibus  hujus  mundi,  quam  k  nobis,  quod  pejus 
est,  nonnulli  graviter  fatigati  depereunt,  quos  se  de  manu 
nostra  Dominus  requisiturum  terribiliter  comminatur 

Sulp.  Severus  also  toucheth  the  sore  when  he  saith. 
Hist.  lib.  ii.  '  Certatim  gloriosa  in  certamina  ruebatur,  mul- 
toque  avidius  turn  martyria  gloriosis  mortibus  quserebantur, 
quam  nunc  episcopatus  pravis  ambitionibus  appetuntur.'  . 

But  when  he  saith  ibid,  after  Constantine's  delivery  of 
the  church, '  Neque  ulterius  persecutionem  fore  credimus, 
nisi  earn  quam  sub  fine  jam  ssculi  antichristus  exercebit/ 
either  he  was  very  grossly  mistaken,  or  else  those  are  the 
instruments  of  antichrist  that  are  not  thought  so. 

It  is  a  most  notable  instance  to  our  purpose  which  Ser- 
erus  ends  his  history  with,  of  the  mischievous  zeal  of  ortho- 
dox Itbacius  and  Idacius  against  Priscillian  and  his  Gnos- 
tics; and  worthy  of  the  study  of  the  prelates  of  the  church: 
'  Idacius  sine  modo  et  ultra  quam  oportuit  Istantium  socios- 
que  ejus  lacessens,  facem  nascenti  incendio  subdidit :  ut 
exasperavit  malos  potius  quam  compresserit.'  In  sum, 
they  got  the  magistrate  to  interpose  and  banish  the  Gnos- 
tics, who  quickly  learned  by  bribing  court  officers  to  turn 
the  emperor  against  the  orthodox  for  themselves ;  till  the 
zeal  of  Idacius  and  Ithacius  grew  so  hot  as  to  accuse  even 
the  best  men,  yea,  St.  Martin  himself  of  favoring  the  Gnos- 
tics: and  at  last  got  another  tyrannical  emperor  to  put 
Priscillian  and  many  other  Gnostics  to  death,  though  they 
withdrew  from  the  accusation,  as  tending  to  their  own  con- 
fusion. And  Severus  saith, 'Certe  Ithacium  nihil  pensi, 
nihil  sancti  habuisse  definio :  fuit  enim  audax,  loquax,  im- 
pudens,  sumptuosus,  veneri  et  gulae  plurimum  impertinens. 


CHAP.  IX.]        CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  215 

Hie  stultitiflB  eo  usque  processerat,  ut  omnes  etiaxn  sanctos 
viroB,  quibuB  aut  studium  inerat  lectionis,  aut  propositum 
erat  certare  jejuniis,  tanquam  Priscilliani  socios  et  discip- 
uloB,  in  crimen  arcesseret.  Aubub  etiam  miBer  est,  Marti- 
no  episcopo,  viro  plane  apostolis  conferendo,  paiam  objec- 

tare  faseresis  infamiam : quia  non  desinebat  increpare 

Ithacium,  ut  ab  accusatione  desisteret.'  And  when  the 
leaders  were  put  to  death,  the  heresy  increased  more,  and  ' 
honoured  Priscillian  as  a  martyr,  and  reproached  the  or- 
thodox as  wicked  persecutors :  and  the  end  was,  that  the 
church  was  filled  by  it  with  divisions  and  manifold  mis- 
chiefs, and  all  the  most  godly  made  the  common  scorn. 
'  Inter  haec  plebs  Dei  et  optimus  quisque,  probro  atque  lu- 
dibrio  habebatur/  They  are  the  last  words  of  Severus's 
History ;  and  changing  die  names  are  calculated  for  another 
meridian,  and  for  later  years. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


Haw  to  behave  ourselves  in  the  Public  Assemblies,  and  the 
Worship  there  performed,  and  after  them. 

1  HAVE  purposely  given  such  particular  Directions  in  Part 
ii,  on  this  subject,  and  written  so  many  books  about  it*,  and 
8idd  so  much  also  in  the  Cased  of  Conscience,  that  I  shall 
here  only  cast  in  a  few  common  Directions,  lest  the  reader 
think  I  make  a  balk. 

Direct,  i.  '  Let  your  preparations  in  secret  and  in  your 
family  on  the  beginning  of  the  Load's  days,  be  such  as  con- 
duce to  fit  you  for  the  public  worship.'  Run  not  to  church 
as  ungodly  people  do,  with  a  carnal  heart,  that  never  sought 
God  before  you  went,  nor  considered  what  you  go  about ; 
as  if  all  your  religion  were  to  make  up  the  number  of  the 
auditors ;  and  you  thought  God  must  not  be  worshipped 
and  obeyed  at  home,  but  only  in  the  church.  God  may  in 
mercy  meet  with  an  unprepared  heart,  and  open  his  eyes 
and  heart,  and  save  him ;  but  he  hath  made  no  promise  of 
it  to  any  such.  He  that  goeth  to  worship  that  God  at  church, 
whom  he  forgetteth  and  despiseth  in  his  heart  and  house, 

•  Sec  my  «*  TremUseof  the  Lord's  Dijr/'  and  my  **  Care  of  Church  Pivuimik'' 


216  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  in* 

may  expect  to  be  despised  by  him.  O  consider  whAt  it  im 
for  a  sinner  that  must  shortly  die,  to  go  with  the  senranta  of 
God  to  worship  him  j  to  pray  for  his  salvation,  and  to  hear 
what  God  hath  to  say  to  him  by  his  minister,  for  the  life  of 
his  inmiortal  sonl ! 

Dirtei.  ii.  *  Enter  not  into  the  holy  assembly  either  sik 
perstitiously  or  irreverently /.  Not  as  if  the  bending  of  the 
knee,  and  mnmbling  over  a  few  words  with  a  careless,  ig* 
norant  mind,  and  spending  an  hour  there  as  carelessly, 
would  save  your  souls  :  nor  yet  as  if  the  relation  which  the 
worship,  the  worshippers  and  the  dedicated  place  have  onto 
God,  deserved  not  a  special  honour  and  regard.  Though 
God  be  ever  with  us,  every  where  ;  yet  every  time,  and 
place,  and  person,  and  business  is  not  equally  rdated  ta 
God.  And  holiness  is  no  unfit  attribution,  for  that  comp»* 
ny  or  that  place,  which  is  related  to  God,  though  but  by 
the  lawful  separation  and  dedication  of  man.  To  be  un- 
covered in  those  countries  where  uncovering  signifieth  re- 
verence, is  very  well  becoming  a  reverent  soul;  except 
when  the  danger  of  cold  forbids  it.  It  is  an  unhappy  effect 
of  our  contentions,  that  many  that  seem  most  reverent  and 
holy,  in  their  high  regard  of  holy  things,  do  yet  carry  them- 
selves with  more  irreverent  depoHment,  dian  those  that 
themselves  account  profane.  God  is  the  God  of  soul  and 
body,  and  must  be  worshipped  by  both :  and  while  they  are 
united,  the  actions  of  one  are  helpful  to  the  other*  aji  well 
as  due  and  decent. 

Direct,  iii.  '  If  you  can,  come  at  the  beginning,  that  yon 
may  shew  your  attendance  upon  God,  and  your  esteem  of 
all  his  worship.'  Especially  in  our  assemblies,  where  so 
great  a  part  of  the  duty,  (as  confession,  praises,  reading  the 
Scriptures,)  are  all  at  the  beginning.  And  it  is  meet  that 
you  thereby  shew  that  you  prefer  public  worship  before  pri* 
vate,  and  that  needless  businesses  keep  you  not  away. 

Direct,  iv.  If  you  are  free,  and  can  do  it  lawfully,  chooM 
the  most  able,  holy  teacher  that  you  can  have,  and  be  ooi 
indifferent  whom  you  hear.'  For  O  how  great  is  the  differ* 
ence ;  and  how  bad  are  our  heai'ts ;  and  how  great  oar  n^ 
cessity  of  the  clearest  doctrine,  and  the  liveliest  helps ! 
Nor  be  you  indifferent  what  manner  of  people  you  join  with, 
nor  what  manner  of  worship  is  there  performed ;  but  in  all 


CHAP«  IXv]         CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  217 

choose  die  best  whea  you  are  free.  But  when  you  are  not 
free,  or  can  have  no  better,  refuse  not  to  make  use  of  weaker 
teachers,  or  to  communicate  with  faulty  congregations  in  a 
defectiTe,  faulty  manner  of  worship^  so  be  it»  you  are  not 
compelled  to  sin.  And  think  not  that  all  the  faults  of  the 
prayers,  or  communicants  are  imputed  to  all  that  join  with 
them  in  that  worship ;  for  then  we  should  join  with  none  in 
all  the  world. 

Dtrec^.  V.  '  When  the  minister  is  weak,  be  the  more 
watchful  against  prejudice  and  sluggishness  of  heart,  lest 
you  lose  all.'  Maik  that  word  of  God  which  he  readeth  to 
you,  and  reverence,  and  love,  and  lay  up  that.  It  was  the 
Law,  read  and  meditated  on,  which  David  saith  the  godly 
do  delist  in.  The  sacred  Scriptures  are  not  so  obscure 
and  usdless  as  the  Papists  do  pretend,  but  convert  the  soul, 
and  are  able  to  make  us  wise  unto  salvation.  Christ  went 
ordinarily  to  the  synagogues  where  even  bad  men  did  read 
Moses  and  the  prophets  every  sabbath  day.  There  are 
thousands  that  cannot  read  themselves,  who  must  come  to 
the  assembly  to  hear  that  Word  read,  which  they  cannot 
read  or  hear  at  home.  Every  sentence  of  Scripture  hath  a 
Divine  excellency,  and  therefore  had  we  nothing  but  the 
reading  of  it,  and  that  by  a  bad  man,  a  holy  soul  may  profit 
by  it 

Direct,  vi.  '  Mind  not  so  much  the  case  of  others  pre- 
sent as  yourselves :  and  think  not  so  much  how  bad  such 
and  such  a  one  is,  and  unworthy  to  be  there,  as  how  bad 
you  are  yourselves,  and  unworthy  of  communion  with  the 
people  of  the  Lord,  and  what  a  mercy  it  is  that  you  have 
admittance,  and  are  not  cast  out  from  those  holy  opportuni- 
tiea. 

Dif:ect.  vii.  '  Take  heed  of  a  peevish,  quarrelsome  hn-^ 
nMMir,  that  disposeth  you  to  carp  at  all  that  is  said  and 
done,  and  to  find  fault  with  every  mode  and  circumstance, 
and  to  affect  a  causeless  singularity,  as  thinking  that  your 
owft  ways,  and  words,  and  orders  are  far  more  excellent  than 
otker  mens'.  Think  ill  of  nothing  out  of  a  quarrelsome  dis- 
position, but  only  as  evidence  constraineth  you  to  dissent. 
And  then  remember  that  we  are  all  imperfect,  and  faulty  m\en 
must  needs  perform  a  faulty  worship,  if  any,  for  it  cannot 
be  better  than  the  agent. 


218  CHRISTIAN   DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

Direct,  viii.  '  When  you  meet  with  a  word  in  a  sermon 
or  prayer,  which  you  do  not  like,  let  it  not  stop  you,  and 
hinder  your  fervent  and  peaceable  proceeding- in  the  rest; 
as  if  you  must  not  join  in  that  which  is  good,  if  there  be 
any  ihulty  mixture  in  it.  But  go  on  in  that  which  you  ap- 
prove, and  thank  God  that  pardoneth  the  infirmities  of 
others  as  well  as  your  own/ 

Direct,  ix.  *  Conform  yourselves  to  all  the  lawful  ges- 
tures and  customs  of  the  church  with  which  you  join/ 
You  come  not  thither  proudly  to  shew  the  congregation, 
that  you  are  wiser  in  the  circumstances  of  worship  than  they, 
nor  needlessly  to  differ  from  them,  much  less  to  harden  men 
into  a  scorn  of  strictness,  by  seeing  you  place  religion  in 
singularities  in  lawful  and  indifferent  things.  But  you 
come  to  exercise  love,  peace,  and  concord,  and  with  one 
mind  and  mouth  to  glorify  God.  Stand  when  the  church 
standeth;  sit  when  the  church  sitteth;  kneel  when  the 
church  kneeleth,  in  cases  where  God  doth  not  forbid  it. 

Direct,  x.  '  Take  heed  of  a  customary,  formal,  senseless 
heart,  that  tolerateth  itself  from  day  to  day,  to  do  holy 
things  in  a  common  manner,  and  with  a  common,  dull,  and 
careless  mind ;  for  that  is  to  profane  them.'  Call  in  your 
thoughts  when  they  attempt  to  wander ;  stir  up  your  hearts 
when  you  feel  them  dull.  Remember  what  you  are  about, 
and  with  whom  it  is  that  you  have  to  do,  and  that  you 
tread  on  the  dust  of  them  who  had  such  opportunities  before 
you  which  are  now  all  gone,  and  so  will  yours.  You  hear 
and  pray  for  more  than  your  lives ;  therefore  do  it  not  as  in 
jest  or  as  asleep. 

Direct,  xi.  'Do  all  in  faith  and  hope.  Believe  what 
you  may  get  of  God  in  prayer,  and  by  an  obedient  hearing 
of  his  Word.'  Would  you  not  go  cheerfully  to  the  king,  if 
he  had  promised  you  to  grant  whatever  you  ask  ?  Hath 
not  God  promised  you  more  than  kings  can  give  you  ?  Oh 
it  is  an  unbelieving  and  a  despairing  heart,  that  tumeth  all 
into  dead  formality !  Did  you  but  hope  that  God  would  do 
all  that  for  you  which  he  hath  told  you  he  will  do,  and  that 
you  might  get  more  by  prayer  than  by  your  trades,  or  pro- 
jects, or  all  your  friends,  you  would  go  to  God  with  more 
earnestness  and  more  delight. 

Direct,  xii.  '  Apply  all  the  Word  of  God  to  yourselves 


CHAP.  IX.]        CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  219 

according  to  its  usefulness.'  Ask  as  you  go,  '  How  doth 
this  concern  me  ?  this  reptoof,  this  mark,  this  counsel,  this 
comfort,  this  exhortation,  this  direction?'  Remember  as 
much  as  you  can ;  but  especially  the  most  practical,  useful 
parts.  Oet  it  home  so  deep  upon  your  hearts,  that  it  may 
not  easily  slide  away.  Root  it  by  close  application  as  you 
go,  that  affection  may  constrain  you  to  remember  it. 

Direct,  xiii.  Above  all,  '  Resolve  to  obey  what  God 
shall  make  known  to  be  his  will :  take  heed  lest  any  wilful 
sin  should  escape  the  power  of  the  word  ;  and  should  ordi- 
narily go  away  with  you  as  it  came.'    Careless  hearing  and 
careless  living  tend  most  dangerously  to  a  hardened  heart, 
and  a  forsaken  state.     If  you  regard  iniquity  in  your  heart, 
God  will  not  hear  your  prayers.    The  sacrifice  of  the  wicked 
is  abominable  to  him.    The  foolish  shall  not  stand  in  his 
sight,  he  hateth  all  the  workers  of  iniquity.     He  that  turn- 
eth  away  his  ear  from  hearing  (that  is,  obeying)  the  law, 
even  his  prayer  is  abominable.    To  the  wicked  saith  God, 
What  hast  thou  to  do  to  take  my  covenant  into  thy  mouth, 
seeing  thou  hatest  instruction,  and  hast  cast  my  words  be- 
hind thee?     Obedience  is  better  than  sacrifice.     He  that 
nameih  the  name  of  Christ  must  depart  from  iniquity,  or 
else  God  will  not  find  his  mark  upon  him,  nor  take  him  to 
be  one  of  his.     Christ's  sheep  know  his  voice  and  follow 
him,  and  to  them  he  will  give  eternal  life.     But  if  you  had 
preached  or  done  miracles  in  his  name,  he  will  say  to  you, 
"  Depart  from  me,  I  know  you  not,'*  if  ye  be  workers  of 
iniquity.     Look  therefore  to  your  foot  (to  your  heart  and 
life)  when  you  go  to  the  house  of  God,  and  be  more  ready 
to  hear  (his  law  that  must  govern  you,  that  you  may  know 
his  will  and  do  it)  than  to  offer  the  sacrifice  of  fools,  (that 
is  disobedient  sinners,)  that  think  by  sacrifices  and  outside 
worship  to  get  pardon  for  an  unholy  life,  and  to  reconcile 
God  to  them  in  their  sins,  not  knowing  that  thus  they  add 
sin  to  sin.     If  you  seek  God  daily,  and  delight  to  know  his 
ways,  as  a  nation  that  did  righteousness  and  forsook  not 
the  ordinance  of  their  God  ;  if  you  ask  of  him  the  ordinan- 
ces of  justice  (sound  doctrine,  regular  worship,  strict  dis- 
cipline), and  take  delight  in  approaching  to  God ;  if  you 
humble  your  souls  with  frequent  fasts ;  and  yet  live  in  a 
course  of  wilful  disobedience,  you  labour  in  vain,  and  ag- 


220  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART   Illir 

gravate  your  sins,  and  preachers  had  need  to  lift  up  their 
voices  and  be  louder  trumpets  to  tell  you  of  your  sins,  than 
to  other  men.  But  if  ye  will  wash  you,  and  make  you  clean^ 
and  put  away  the  evil  of  your  doings,  cease  to  do  eril,  learn, 
to  do  well,  seek  judgment,  relieve  the  oppressed^  &c. ;  you 
may  then  come  with  boldness  and  confidence  unto  God. 
Otherwise  to  what  purpose  is  the  multitude  of  your  sacri- 
fices ?  your  oblations  will  be  vain,  and  your  incense  abomi- 
nable. If  ye  be  willing  and  obedient,  you  shall  be  blessed ; 
but  if  ye  refuse  and  rebel  ye  shall  be  destroyed,  for  the 
mouth  of  the  Lord  hath  spoken  it.  If  you  do  well  shall 
you,  not  be  accepted  ?  but  if  ye  do  evil,  sin  Ueth  at  tha 
door.  Let  your  profession  be  never  so  great,  and  your 
parts  and  expressions  never  so  seraphical,  sin  is  a  reproach 
to  any  people:  and  if  you  would  hide  yourselves  from 
justice  in  the  purest  church,  among  the  holiest  peopk,  and 
the  most  numerous  and  longest  prayers,  be  sure  that  your 
sin  will  find  you  out.  Your  secret  lust,  your  covetous  over- 
reaching, your  secret  gluttony  or  tippling,  much  more  your 
crimson  sins  will  surely  find  you  out. 

Alas !  what  then  will  those  miscreants  do,  whose  sins, 
are  scarlet,  bloody  persecutions,  under  pretence  of  promot- 
ing unity,  and  obedience,  and  the  Catholic  church,  while 
the  cloak  or  cover  of  it  is  but  the  thin,  transparent  spider- 
web  of  human  traditions,  and  numerous  ceremonies,  ami 
childish  complimenting  with  Ood  ;  and  when  they  have  no- 
thing but  the  prayers  of  a  long  liturgy,  to  cover  the  effects 
of  their  earthly,  sensual,  and  diabolical  zeal  and  wisdom 
(as  St.  James  calls  it^),  and  to  concoct  the  widows  houses 
which  they  devour,  and  to  put  a  reverence  upon  the  office 
and  work,  which  they  labour  all  the  week  to  render  re^ 
proachful,  by  a  sensual,  luxurious,  idle  life,  and  by  perfi* 
dious  making  merchandize  of  souls. 

As  ever  you  care  what  becometh  of  your  souls,  take  heed 
lest  sin  grow  bold  under  prayers,  and  grow  .familiar  aii4 
contemptuous  of  sermons  and  holy  speeches,  and  lest  you 
keep  a  custom  of  religious  exercises  and  wilful  sins.  For 
oh,  how  doth  this  harden  now,  and  wound  hereafter  !  He 
is  the  best  hearer,  that  is  the  holiest  liver,  and  most  faith- 
ful obeyer. 

^  James  iii.  I5f  16. 


'    CHAP.  IX.]         CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  441 

Direct,  xiv.  '  Be  not  a  bare  hearer  of  the  prayers  of  the 
pastor^  whether  it  be  by  a  liturgy  or  without.*  For  that  is 
but  hypocrisy,  and  a  sin  of  omission  :  you  come  not  thither 
only  to  hear  prayers,  but  to  pray :  and  kneeling  is  not  pray- 
ing ;  but  it  is  a  profession  that  you  pray.  And  will  you  be 
•  prayerless  even  in  the  house  of  prayer,  and  when  you  pro- 
fess and  seem  to  pray,  and  so  add  hypocrisy  to  impiety  ? 
I  fear  many  that  seem  religious  and  would  have  those  kept 
from  the  sacrament  that  pray  not  in  their  families,  do  very 
ordinarily  tolerate  themselves  in  this  gross  omission,  and 
mocking  of  Ood,  and  are  prayerless  themselves  even  when 
they  seem  to  pray. 

Direct,  xv.  *  Stir  up  your  hearts  in  an  especial  manner 
to  the  greatest  alacrity  and  joy.  in  speaking  and  singing  the 
praities  of  God.'     The  Lord's  day  is  a  day  of  joy  and 
thanksgiving,  and  the  praises  of  God  are  the  highest  and 
holiest  employment  upon  earth.     And  if  ever  you  should 
do  any  tlung  with  all  your  might,  and  with  a  joyful  and 
triumphing  frame  of  soul,  it  is  this.     Be  glad  that  you  liiay 
join  with  the  sacred  assemblies,  in  heart  and  voice,  in  so 
heavenly  a  work.     And  do  not  as  some  humoursome,  peevish 
persons  (that  know  not  the  danger  of  that  proud  disease) 
fall  to  quarrelling  with  David's  psalms,  as  unsuitable  to 
some  of  the  hearers,  or  to  nauseate  every  failing  in  the 
metre,  bo  as  to  turn  so  holy  a  duty  into  neglect  or  scorn 
(for  alas !  such  there  are  near  me  where  I  dwell) ;  nor  let 
prejudice  against  melody,  or  church-music  (if  you  dwell 
where  it  is  used)  possess  you  with  a  splenetic  disgust  of 
that  which  should  be  your  most  joyful  work.     And  if  you 
know  how  much  the  incorporate  soul  must  make  use  of  the 
body  in  harmony,  and  in  the  joyful  praises  of  Jehovah,  do 
not  then  quarrel  with  lawful  helps,  because  they  are  sensi- 
ble and  corporeal. 

Direct,  xvi.  '  Be  very  considerate  and  serious  in  sacra- 
mental renewings  of  your  covenant  vrith  God  "".*  O  think 
what  great  things  you  come  thither  to  receive !  And  think 
what  a  holy  work  you  have  to  do  !  And  think  what  a  life 
it  is  that  you  must  promise  !  So  solemn  a  covenanting  with 
God,  and  of  so  great  impoi'tance,  requireth  a  most  holy,  re- 
verent, and  serious  frame  of  soul.     But  yet  let  not  the  un- 

«  See  Bfr.  Rawlef s  book  of  SacrameDtal  Coveoantiiig. 


332  CHRISTIAN    DIRBCTOfiY.        [PART  llf« 

warrantable  differencing  this  ordinance  from  Ood's  praiseB 
and  the  rest,  seduce  you  into  the  common  errors  of  the 
times :  I  mean,  1.  Of  those  that  hence  are  brought  to  think 
that  the  sacrament  should  never  be  received  vnthout  a  pre- 
paratory day  of  humiliation^  above  the  preparation  for  an 
ordinary  Lord's  day's  work.  2.  And  therefore  receive  it  sel- 
dom ;  whereas  the  primitive  churches  never  spent  a  Lord's 
day  together  without  it.  3.  Those  that  turn  it  into  a  per- 
plexing terrifying  thing,  for  fear  of  being  unprepared,  when 
it  should  be  their  greatest  comfort,  and  when  they  are  not 
so  perplexed  about  their  unpreparedness  to  any  other  duty. 
4.  Those  that  make  so  great  a  difference  betwixt  this  and 
church-prayers,  pi*aises,  and  other  church-worship,  as  that 
they  take  this  sacrament  only  for  the  proper  work  and  pri- 
vilege of  church-members ;  and  thereupon  turn  it  into  an 
occasion  of  our  great  contentions  and  divisions,  while, they 
fly  from  sacramental  communion  with  others,  more  than 
from  communion  in  the  other  church-worship.  O  what  hath 
our  subtle  enemy  done  against  the  love,  peace^  and  unity  of 
Christians,  especially  in  England,  under  pretence  of  sacra- 
mental purity ! 

Direct,  xvii.  '  Perform  all  your  worship  to  God,  as  in 
heart-communion  with  all  Christ's  churches  upon  earth; 
even  those  that  are  faulty,  though  not  with  their  faults.' 
Though  you  can  be  present  but  with  one,  yet  consent  as 
present  in  spirit  with  all,  and  separate  not  in  heart,  from 
any  one,  any  further  than  they  separate  from  Christ. 

Direct,  xviii.  '  Accordingly  let  the  interest  of  the 
church  of  Christ  be  very  much  upon  your  heart,  and  pray  as 
hard  for  it  as  for  yourself.' 

Direct,  xix.  '  Yea,  remember  in  all,  what  relation  you 
have  to  the  heavenly  society  and  choir,  and  think  how  they 
worship  God  in  heaven,  that  you  may  strive  to  imitate  them 
in  your  degree.'     Of  which  more  anon. 

Direct,  xx.  '  Let  your  whole  course  of  life  after,  savour 
of  a  church-frame ;  live  as  the  servants  of  that  God  whom 
you  worship,  and  as  ever  before  him.'  Live  in  the  love  of 
those  Christians  with  whom  you  have  communion,  and  do 
not  quarrel  with  them  at  home ;  nor  despise,  nor  persecute 
them  with  whom  you  join  in  the  worshipping  of  God.  And 
do  not  needlessly  open  the  weaknesses  of  the  minister  to 


CHAP.  X.]  CHRISTIAN  ECCLE8IA8TICS.  22i3 

prejudice  others  against  him  and  the  worship.  And  be  not 
religious  at  the  church  alone,  for  then  you  are  not  truly  re- 
ligious at  all. 


CHAPTER  X. 


Directions  abotU  our  Communion  with  Holy  Souk  Departed, 

and  now  with  Christ. 

The  oversight  and  neglect  of  our  duty  concerning  the  souls 
of  the  blessed,  now  with  Christ,  doth  much  harden  the 
Papists  in  their  erroneous  excesses  here  about  *.  And  if  we 
will  ever  reduce  them,  or  rightly  confute  them,  it  must  be  by 
a  judicious  asseiting  of  the  truth,  and  observing  so  much 
with  them  as  is  our  duty,  and  commending  that  in  them 
which  is  to  be  commended,  and  not  by  running  away  from 
truth  and  duty  that  we  may  get  far  enough  from  them  and 
error ;  for  error  is  an  ill  way  of  confuting  error.  The  prac- 
tical truth  lieth  in  these  following  precepts. 

Direct,  i.  *  Remember  that  the  departed  souls  in  heaven 
are  part,  and  the  noblest  part  of  the  body  of  Christ  and  fa- 
mily of  Ood,  of  which  you  are  inferior  members ;  and  there- 
fore that  you  owe  them  greater  love  and  honour,  than  you 
owe  to  any  saints  on  earth.'  "  The  whole  family  in  heaven 
and  earth  is  named  of  Christ  **."  Those  are  the  happiest 
and  noblest  parts,  that  are  most  pure  and  perfect,  and  dwell 
in  the  highest  and  most  glorious  habitations,  nearest  unto 
Christ,  yea,  with  him.  If  holiness  be  lovely,  the  most  holy 
are  the  most  lovely  :  we  have  many  obligations  therefore,  to 
love  them  more  than  the  saints  on  earth :  they  are  more  ex- 
cellent and  amiable,  and  Christ  loveth  them  more.  And  if 
any  be  honourable,  it  must  especially  be  those  spirits  that 
are  of  greatest  excellencies  and  perfections,  and  advanced 
to  the  greatest  glory  and  nearness  to  their  Lord.  Make 
conscience  therefore  of  this  as  your  duty,  not  only  to  love 
and  honour  blessed  souls,  but  to  love  and  honour  them 
more  than  those  that  are  yet  on  earth.  And  as  every  duty 
is  attended  with  benefit,  so  we  shall  find  this  exceeding 

*  I  have  said  more  of  thb  since  in  my  "  Life  of  Faith." 
»  Ephet.  m.  15. 


224  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

gi'eat  benefit  in  the  performance  of  this  duty,  diat  it  will  in- 
cline our  hearts  to  be  the  more  heavenly,  and  draw  up  our 
desires  to  the  society  which  we  so  much  love  and  honour. 

Direct,  ii.  '  Remember  that  it  is  a  part  of  the  life  of 
faith,  to  see  by  it  the  heavenly  society  of  the  blessed,  and  a 
part  of  your  heavenly  conversation,  to  have  frequent, 
serious,  and  delightful  thoughts  of  those  crowned  souls  that 
are  with  Christ.' 

Otherwise  God  would  never  have  given  us  such  descrip- 
tions of  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  and  told  us  so  much  of  the 
Jiosts  of  God  that  must  inhabit  it  for  ever ;  that  must  come 
from  the  ''  east  and  from  the  west,  and  sit  down  with  Abra- 
ham, Isaac,  and  Jacob  in  the  kingdom  of  God/'  *  When  it 
is  said  that  our  conversation  (iroXcrai^a)  is  in  heaven,  the 
meaning  extendeth  both  to  our  relation,  privileges,  and  con- 
verse :  we  are  denizens  or  citizens  of  the  heavenly  society ; 
and  our  title  to  their  happiness  is  our  highest  privilege  and 
honour ;  and  therefore  our  daily  business  is  there,  and  our 
sweetest  and  most  serious  converse  ^s  with  Christ  and  all 
those  blessed  spirits.  Whatever  we  are  doing  here,  our  eye 
and  heart  should  still  be  there  :  for  we  '*  look  not  at  the 
temporal  things  which  are  seen,  but  at  the  eternal  things 
which  are  not  seen*"."  A  wise  Christian  that  hath  forsaken 
the  kingdom  of  darkness,  will  be  desirous  to  know  what  the 
kingdom  of  Christ  is  into  which  be  is  translated,  and  who 
are  his  fellow  subjects,  and  what  are  their  several  ranks  and 
dignities,  so  far  as  tendeth  to  his  congruous  converse  with 
them  alU  And  how  should  it  affect  us  to  find  that  "  we  are 
come  unto  Mount  Zion,  and  unto  the  city  of  the  living  God, 
the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  and  to  an  innumerable  company  of 
angels,  to  the  general  assembly  and  church  of  the  firstborn, 
which  are  written  in  heaven,  and  to  God  the  Judge  of  all, 
and  to  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect,  and  to  Jesus 
the  Mediator  of  the  new  covenant^?"  Live  then  as  the 
members  of  this  society,  and  exclude  not  the  chief  mem- 
bers from  your  thoughts  and  converse ;  though  our  local, 
visible  communion  be  only  with  these  rural,  inferior  inha- 
bitants, and  not  with  the  courtiers  of  the  king  of  heaven, 
yet  our  mental  communion  may  be  much  with  them.     If 

«  2  Cor.i?.  18.  <i  Ueb.  xu.2S— S4. 


CHAP.  Z.]        CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  226 

our  home  and  treasure  be  there  with  them,  our  hearts  will 
be  there  also. 

Direct,  iii.  '  It  is  the  will  of  Ood  that  the  memory  of  the 
saints  be  honoured  on  earth  when  they  are  dead.'  It  is 
some  part  of  his  jhvour  which  he  hath  promised  to  them. 
"  The  memory  of  the  just  is  blessed:  but  the  name  of  the 
wicked  shall  rot'."  "  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  wheresoever 
this  Gospel  shall  be  preached  in  the  whole  world,  there 
shall  also  this  that  this  woman  hath  done,  be  told  for  a  me- 
morial of  her '."  The  history  of  the  Scripture  recordeth 
the  lives  of  the  saints  to  their  perpetual  honour.  And  God 
will  have  it  so  also  for  the  Sake  of  his  abused  servants  upon 
earth,  that  they  may  see  that  the  slanders  of  malicious 
tongues,  shall  not  be  able  to  obscure  the  glory  of  his  grace, 
and  that  the  lies  of  the  ungodly  prevail  but  for  a  moment. 
And  Ood  will  have  it  so  for  the  sake  of  the  ungodly,  that 
they  may  be  ashamed  of  their  malicious  enmity  and  lies 
against  the  godly,  while  they  perceive  that  the  departed 
saints  do  leave  behind  them  a  surviving  testimony  of  their 
sanctity  and  innocency,  sufficient  to  confound  the  veno- 
mous cedunmies  of  the  serpent's  seed.  Yea,  God  will  have 
the  names  of  his  eminent  servants  to  be  honoured  upon 
earth,  for  the  honour  of  their  Head,  and  of  his  grace  and 
Gospel :  so  that  while  malice  would  cast  dishonour  upon 
Christ,  from  the  meanness  and  failings  of  his  servants  that 
are  alive,  the  memory  of  the  dead,  (who  were  once  as  much 
despised  and  slandered,)  shall  rise  up  against  them  to  his 
honour  and  their  shame.  And  it  is  very  observable  how 
God  oonstraineth  the  bitter  enemies  of  holiness  to  bear  this 
testimony  for  the  honour  of  holiness  against  themselves ! 
that  many  who  are  the  cruellest  persecutors  and  murderers 
of  the  living  saints,  do  honour  the  dead  even  to  excess  <. 
How  zealous  are  the  Papists  for  the  multitude  of  their  holi- 
days, and  the  honouring  of  their  names  and  relics,  and  pre- 
tending many  miracles  to  be  wrought  by  a  very  touch  of 
their  shrines  or  bones,  whilst  they  revile  and  murder  those 
that  imitate  them,  and  deprive  temporal  lords  of  their  domi- 
nions that  will  not  exterminate  them.  Yea,  while  they  bum 
the  living  saints,  they  make  it  part  of  their  crime  or  heresy, 

•  Prow.  X.  7.  '  Matt.  xxvi.  13. 

*  CoDcil.  Later,  sub  Innoc.  III.  Cau.  3. 
VOL.  V.  Q 


S26  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

thmt  they  honour  not  the  days  and  relics  of  the  dead,  so 
much  as  they :  to  shew  us  that  the  things  that  have  been 
shall  be,  and  that  wickedness  is  the  same  in  all  generations. 
''  Woe  unto  you  scribes  and  pharisees,  hypocrites !  because 
ye  build  the  tombs  of  the  prophets,  and  garnish  the  sepul- 
chres of  the  righteous,  and  say.  If  we  had  been  in  the  days  of 
our  fathers,  we  would  not  have  been  partakers  with  them  in 
the  blood  of  the  prophets.  Wherefore  ye  be  witnesses  unto 
yourselves  that  ye  are  the  children  of  them  which  killed  the 
prophets.  Fill  ye  up  then  the  measure  of  ydur  fathers. 
Ye  serpents,  ye  generation  of  vipers,  how  can  ye  escape  the 
damnation  of  hell ''  ?"  I  know  that  neither  did  the  phari- 
sees,  nor  do  the  Papists^  believe  that  those  whom  they  mur- 
dered were  saints,  but  deceivers  and  heretics,  and  the  trou- 
blers  of  the  world  :  but  if  charity  be  the  grace  most  neces- 
sary to  salvation,  then  sure  it  will  not  keep  any  man  frofti 
damnation,  that  he  had  malice  and  unoharitableness  suffi- 
cient to  persuade  him,  that  the  members  of  Christ  were 
children  of  the  devil.  But  thus  God  will  force  even  the 
persecutors  and  haters  of  his  saints  to  honour  them*  And 
if  he  constrain  his  enemies  to  it,  his  servants  should  not  be 
backward  to  do  it  according  to  his  will. 

Direct,  iv.  '  Only  such  honour  must  be  given  to  departed 
saints,  as  subserveth  the  honour  of  Ood  ;  and  nothing  must 
be  ascribed  to  them  that  is  his  prerogative.'  All  that  of  Gk>d 
which  was  communicated  to  them  and  appeared  in  them, 
must  be  acknpwledged :  but  so  that  God  must  still  be  ac- 
knowledged the  spring  of  all ;  and  no  honour  given  ulti- 
mately to  them  ;  but  it  is  God  in  them  that  we  must  behold 
and  love,  admire  and  honour. 

Direct,  v.  'The  honour  of  the  saints  departed  must  be 
only  such  as  tendeth  to  the  promoting  of  holiness  among 
the  living.'  It  is  a  most  horrid  aggravation  of  those  men's 
sins,  who  make  their  honouring  of  the  saints  departed  a 
cover  for  their  hating  and  persecuting  their  followers ;  or 
that  make  it  an  engine  for  the  carrying  on  of  some  base  de- 
sign. Some  make  it  a  device  for  the  advancing  of  their 
parties  and  peculiar  opinions.  The  Papists  make  it  a  very 
great  means  for  the  maintaining  the  usurped  power  of  the 
pope,  giving  him  the  power  of  canonizing  saints,  and  assur- 

l>  MBtMxiii.f9— 55. 


CHAK  j:«}:     christian  bcclssiastict:  32f 

ing  the  woiM  what  souls  af«  in  heaven.  A  pope  that  by 
the  testuBonj  of  a  General  Coancil  (as  Job.  23.  Etftgemns, 
tto.y  is  a  heretic,  and  a  wichedi  wvetcb,  ondi  never  Kke  to 
eome  t^  heaven  himself,  can  assure  tiie  world  of  a  very  laf  ge 
eatalogve  of  persons  that  are  there.  And  he  that  by  the 
Papists  is  confessed  fallible  in  matters  of  igct,  pretendeth 
to  know  so  certainly  who  were  saints,  as  to  appoint  theai 
holidays,  and  command  the  church  to  pray  to  them.  And 
be  that  teaebeth  men  that  they  cannot  be  certain  t&emselves 
of  their  salvation,  pretendeth  when  they  are  dead  that  he  is 
certain  that  they  are  saved.  To  pretend  the  veneration  of 
saints  for  such  carnal,  ambitious  designs,  and  cheats,  and 
emelties,  is  a  sin  unfit  for  any  that  mentionetb  a  samt.  So 
is  it  when  men  pretend  that  saints  are  some  rare,  extraordi- 
nary persons  among  the  living  members  of  the  church :  to 
make  men  believe  that  honouring  them  will  serve  instead  of 
mitating  them ;  and  that  all  are  not  saints  that  go  to  hea* 
ven.  '  G>od  forbid,'  say  they, '  that  none  but  holy  persons 
should  be  saved :  we  confess  it  is  good  to  be  saints,  and 
tiMy  are  the  chief  in  heaven ;  but  we  hope  those  that  are  no 
saints  may  be  saved  for  all  that.'  But  God  saith,  that  w4di- 
out  holiness  none  shall  see  him  ^"  Heaven  is  the  inherit 
tanoe  of  none  but  saints  ^.  He  that  extolleth  saints  to  make 
■sen  beKeve  that  those  that  are  no  saints  may  be  saved,  doth 
serve  the  devil  by  honouring  the  saints.  The  same  I  may 
say  of  those  that  give  them  Divine  honour,  ascribing  to 
eaoh  a  power  to  hear  and  help  all  throughout  the  worM 
Aatput  up  prayers  to  them. 

IHrtct.  VI.  '  Look  up  to  the  blessedness  of  departed 
soqIs,  as  members  of  the  same  body,  rejoicing  with  them, 
flHid  praising  God  that  hath  so  exalted  them.'  This  is  the 
benefit  of  holy  love  and  Christian  unity,  t^at  it  maketh  onr 
iMTsAren's  happiness  to  be  unto  us,  in  a  manner  as  if  it  were 
oar  own.  "  That  there  should  be  no  schism  in  the  body, 
Irat  that  the  members  should  have  the  same  care  one  for 
asKytber— that  if  one  member  be  honoured  all  the  membern 
fsjoios  with  it^-'  So  far  as  selfishness  is  overcome,  and 
tamed  into  the  uniting  love  of  saints,  so  far  are  all  the  joys 
of  the  biased  souls  in  heaven  become  the  joys  of  all  that 
tmly  love  them  upon  earth.     How  happy  then  is  the  state 

i  Heb.  xH.  14.  ^  AcU  ixvi.  18.    Col.  u  U.  >  1  Gor.  xii.  f 5,  96. 


9M  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART    III. 

of  all  true  believers,  that  have  so  many  to  rejoice  with! 
Deny  not  God  that  thanks  for  the  saving  of  so  many  souls, 
which  you  would  not  deny  him,  if  he  saved  but  your  friends, 
estates,  or  lives.  Especially  when  afflictions  or  temptations 
would  deprive  you  of  the  joy  which  you  should  have  in  God's 
mercies  to  yourselves,  then  comfort  yourselves  with  the  re- 
membrance of  your  brethren's  joy.  What  an  incongruous, 
indecent  thing  is  it  for  that  man  to  pine  away  in  sorrows 
upon  earth,  who  hath  so  many  thousand  friends  in  heaven, 
in  joy  and  blessedness,  whose  joys  should  all  be  to  him  as 
his  own ! 

Direct,  vii.  '  When  you  feel  a  cooling  of  your  love  to 
God,  or  of  your  zeal,  or  reverence,  or  other  graces,  think 
then  of  the  temper  of  those  holy  souls,  that  see  his  glory !' 

0  think,  with  what  fervour  do  they  love  their  God !  with 
what  transporting  sweetness  do  they  delight  in  him !  with 
what  reverence  do  they  all  behold  him !  And  am  not  I  his 
servant,  and  a  member  of  his  family  as  well  as  they  ?  shaU 

1  be  like  the  strangers  of  this  frozen  worlds  when  I  should 
be  like  my  fellow  citizens  above  ?  As  it  will  dispose  a  man 
to  weep  to  see  the  tears  and  grief  of  others ;  and  as  it  will 
dispose  a  man  to  mirth  and  joy  to  see  the  mirth  and  joy  of 
others  ;  so  is  it  a  potent  help  to  raise  the  soul  to  the  love  of 
God,  and  delight  in  his  service,  to  think  believingly  of  the 
love  and  delight  of  such  a  world  of  blessed  spirits. 

Direct,  viii.  *  When  you  draw  near  to  God  in  his  holy 
worship,  remember  that  you  are  part  of  the  same  society 
with  those  blessed  spirits  that  are  praising  him  in  perfec- 
tion/ Remember  that  you  are  members  of  the  same  choir, 
and  your  part  must  go  to  make  up  the  melody ;  and  there- 
fore you  should  be  as  little  discordant  from  them  as  possi- 
bly you  can.  The  quality  of  those  that  we  join  with  in  God's 
service,  is  apt  either  to  dull  or  quicken  us,  to  depress  or 
elevate  us ;  and  we  move  heavenward  most  easily  and  swift- 
ly in  that  company  which  is  going  thither  on  the  swiftest 
pace.  A  believing  thought  that  we  are  worshipping  God 
in  concert  with  the  heavenly  choir,  and  of  the  high  and  holy 
raptures  of  those  spirits,  in  the  continual  praise  of  their 
great  Creator,  is  an  excellent  means  to  warm  and  quicken 
us,  and  raise  us  as  near  their  holy  frame,  as  here  on  earth 
may  be  expected. 


CHAP.  X.]         CHRISTIAN   ECCLESIASTICS.  229 

Direct,  ix,  '  When  you  would  poesess  your  hearts  with 
a  lively  sense  of  the  odiousness  of  sin^  and  would  resist  all 
temptations  which  would  draw  you  to  it,  think  then  how 
the  blessed  souls  with  God  do  judge  of  sin,  and  how  they 
would  entertain  such  a  temptation,  if  the  motion  were  made 
to  them !'  What  think  they  of  covetousness,  pride,  or  lust? 
What  think  they  of  malice,  cruelty,  or  lying  ?  How  would 
they  entertain  it,  if  lands  and  lordships,  pleasure  or  prefer- 
ment were  offered  them  to  entice  their  hearts  from  God  ? 
Would  they  venture  upon  damnation  for  a  whore,  or  for 
their  games,  or  to  please  their  appetites  ?  Do  they  set  as 
light  by  God  and  their  salvation  as  the  ungodly  world  doth  ? 
O  with  what  scorn  and  holy  indignation  would  they  refuse 
a  world,  if  it  were  offered  them  instead  of  God !  with  what 
detestation  would  they  reject  the  motion  to  any  sin  ! 

Direct,  x.  'When  you  would  revive  in  your  minds  a 
right  apprehension  and  estimation  of  all  earthly  things,  as 
riches,  and  honours,  and  greatness,  and  command,  and  full 
provisions  for  the  flesh,  bethink  you  then  how  the  blessed 
souls  with  Christ  esteem  them/  How  little  do  they  set  by 
all  those  things,  that  worldlings  make  so  great  a  stir  for,  and 
for  which  they  sell  their  God  and  their  salvation !  How 
contemptible  are  crowns  and  kingdoms  in  their  eyes !  Their 
judgment  h  more  like  to  God's  than  ours  is.  "  That  which 
is  highly  esteemed  among  men  is  abomination  in  the  sight 
of  God/'  All  the  world  would  not  hire  a  saint  in  heaven 
to  tell  one  lie,  or  take  the  name  of  God  in  vain,  or  to  forget 
God,  or  be  estranged  from  him  for  one  hour. 

Direct,  xi.  '  When  you  see  the  godly  under  the  contempt 
of  sinners  here,  accounted  as  the  filth  of  the  world,  and  the 
offscooring  of  all  things,  defamed,  reviled,  hated  and  perse- 
cated,  look  up  then  to  the  saints  with  Christ,  and  think  how 
they  are  esteemed  and  used.'  And  when  you  would  truly 
know  what  a  believer  is,  think  not  how  they  are  esteemed 
and  used  by  men,  but  how  they  are  esteemed  and  used  by 
Christ.  Judge  not  of  them  by  their  short  aflSictions,  nor  by 
tlieir  meanness  in  the  flesh,  but  by  their  endless  happiness 
and  their  glory  above.  Look  up  to  the  home  and'  world  of 
saints,  if  you  would  know  what  saints  are,  and  not  t6  the 
few,  scattered,  imperfect  passengers  in  this  world,  that  art 
not  worthy  of  them. 


^S30  CHRISTIAtN    DIRECTOmY.        [PASLT    lil^ 

DireU.  xii.  '  When  you  are  tempted  to  thiak  meaaty  of 
tbe  kingdom  of  Chriit^  as  if  fais  flock  were  so  tmall^  'and 
poor,  and  «infal  as  to  be  mconsiderable»  look  up  to  tilie 
worid  of  blessed  souls  which  dwell  aboye/  And  there  yoa 
shaU  see  no  such  paucity,  or  iinperfection»»  or  blemiahieB,  as 
are  here  below.  The  subjects  there  are  such  as  dishosuwr 
not  their  king.  Christ's  kingdom  is  not  of  this  wcNrkL*. 
If  you  would  know  it  in  its  glory,  look  up  to  the  wcnid  where 
it  is  glorious.  If  when  you  hear  men  contemn  the  king- 
dom  of  the  saints  of  Christ,  and -at  the  same  time  did  hot 
see,  (as  Stephen  did,)  a  glimpse  into  that  kingdom,  and  aU 
the  glory  of  the  blessed  there,  what  thoughts  would  yov 
have  of  the  woids  which  did  dishonour  it? 

Direct,  xiii.  '  When  you  hear  sinners  boast  of  the  ¥fis- 
dom  or  numbers  of  their  party,  and  appealing  to  the  learned 
or  great  ones  of  the  world,  look  up  to  the  blessed  souls  with 
Christ,  and  ask  whether  they  are  not  more  wise  and  nume- 
0QUS  than  all  the  sinners  upon  earth.'  The  greatest  doctors 
are  ignorant  and  unlearned  in  comparison  of  the  meanest 
soul  with  Christ :  the  greatest  monarchs  are  but  worms  in 
comparison  of  the  glorified  spirits  with  God.  If  they  say  to 
you.  Are  you  wiser  than  so  many  and  so  wise  and  learned 
men  ?  ask  them.  Are  you,  or  all  the  ungodly,  wiser  thaa  all 
the  blessed  souls  with  Christ?     Let  the  wiser  party  carry  it. 

Direct,  xiv.  '  When  you  are  tempted  to  be  weary  of  a 
holy  life»  or  to  think  all  your  labour  is  vain,  look  up  to  the 
blessed  souls  with  Christ,  and  there  you  will  see  the  end  of 
holiness.'  There  you  will  see  that  of  all  the  labour  of  your 
lives,  there  is  none  that  you  are  sure  to  gain  by ;  and  that  in 
'*  due  time  you  shall  reap,  if  you  faiat  not ;  and  if  you  sow 
to  the  Spirit,  of  the  Spirit  you  shall  reap  everlasting  life^ ;'' 
and  that  when  you  have  "done  the  will  of  -God/'  if  you 
''  have  but  patience,  you  shall  inherit  the  promise^."  A«k 
yourselves,  whether  any  of  those  blessed  souls  repent  now 
of  the  holiness  of  their  lives  on  earth  ?  or  their  mortifying 
the  flesh,  and  denyihg  themselves  the  delights  of  sin  ? 

Direct,  xv.  '  When  you  are  tempted  to  turn  back  in  the 
day  of  trial,  and  to  forsake  Christ  or  his  cause  when  perae* 
cution  ariseth,  then  look  to  the  blessed  souls  above,  and  see 
what  is  th^  end  of  suffering  for  the  sake  of  Christ  uid 

>  John  xviii.  36.  «  Gal.  vi.  8,  9.  P  Hcb.  x.  M. 


CHAP.  X.]  CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  281 

righieoiuinefiv.'  To  foresee  the  great  reward  in  heaven,  will 
convince  you  that  instead  of  being  terrified  by  sufieringSy 
you  abofild  ''rejoice  and  be  exceeding  glad."  Are  you  to 
lie  in  prison,  or  to  burn  in  the  flames?  so  did  many  thou- 
sands that  are  now  in  heaven.  And  do  you  think  that  they 
repent  it  now?  Ignatius,  Polycarp,  Cyprian,  and  many 
such  holy  men,  were  once  used  as  hardly  as  you  are  now, 
and  put  to  death  by  cruel  men.  Rogers,  Bradford,  Hooper, 
Olover,  and  multitudes  with  them,  were  once  in  prison  and 
burnt  in  the  flames ;  but  where  are  they  now,  and  what  is  the 
end  of  all  their  pains  ?  Now  whether  do  you  think  the  case 
of  Bonner  or  Bradford  to  be  best?  Now  had  you  rather  be 
Gardiner  or  Philpot?  Now  which  think  you  doth  most  re* 
pent;  the  poor  Waldenses  that  were  murdered  by  thou-, 
sands  ;  or  Uie  popes  and  persecutors  that  murdered  them  ? 

Direct,  xvi.  '  When  you  are  dismayed  under  the  burden 
of  your  sins,  the  greatness  of  your  corruptions,  the  weak- 
ness of  your  graces,  the  imperfection  of  your  duties,  look 
up  to  the  blessed  souls  with  Christ,  and  remember  that  all 
those  glorified  spirits,  were  once  in  flesh  ad  you  now  are, 
and  once  they  lay  at  the  feet  of  God,  in  tears,  and  groans^ 
and  cries  as  you  do  :  they  were  once  fain  to  cry  out  of  the 
burden  of  their  sins,  and  mourn  under  the  weakness  of 
their  graces,  as  you  now  do.'  They  were  once  as  much 
clogged  with  flesh  as  you  are ;  and  once  as  low  in  doubts 
and  fears,  and  bruised  under  the  sense  of  God's  displeasure. 
They  once  were  as  violently  assaulted  with  temptations,  and 
had  the  same  corruptions  to  lament  and  strive  against  as 
you  have.  They  were  once  as  much  afflicted  by  God  and 
man ;  but  is  there  any  of  the  smart  of  this  remaining  ? 

IKrect.  xvii.  '  When  you  are  deterred  from  the  presence 
of  the  dreadful  God,  and  think  he  will  not  accept  such 
worms  as  you,  look  up  to  the  blessed  souls  with  Christ ; 
and' remember  how  many  millions  of  your  brethren  are 
there  accepted  to  greater  familiarity  than  that  which  you 
here  desire.'  Remember  that  those  souls  were  once  as 
dark  and  distant  from  God,  and  unworthy  of  his  acceptance 
as  you  now  are.  A  fearful  child  receiveth  boldness,  to  see 
his  brethren  in  his  father's  arms. 

Direct,  xviii.  '  When  you  are  afraid  of  satan  lest  he 
should  prevail  against  you  and  devour  you,  look  up  to  the 


232  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.         [PART  III. 

blessed  souls  with  Christ ;  and  see  how  many  millions  are 
there  safely  landed,  that  once  were  in  as  dangerous  a  station 
as  you  are/  Through  many  tribulations  and  temptations 
they  are  arrived  at  the  heavenly  rest :  satan  once  did  his 
worst  against  them :  they  were  tossed  on  the  seas  of  ibis 
tempestuous  world ;  but  they  were  kept  by  the  power  of 
.4od«  through  faith  unto  salvation^  and  so  may  you. 

Direct.  XIX.  '  When  you  would  duly  value  all  your  pre- 
sent means  and  mercies,  and  see  whither  they  tend»  look  up 
then  to  the  souls  with  Christ,  and  see  whither  the  like 
mercy  hath  conducted  them.'  The  poorest  cottage  and  the 
hardest  fare  are  great  mercies,  as  they  tend  to  endless 
blessedness.  This  now  and  heaven  after,  is  great ;  though 
the  thing  in  itself  be  never  so  small.  Heaven  puts  the  va- 
lue and  signification  upon  all  your  mercies.  The  wicked 
make  cyphers  of  their  greatest  blessings,  by  separating 
them  in  their  esteem  and  use,  from  God  and  heaven^  which 
is  the  measure  of  their  estimate. 

Direct,  xx.  '  When  you  see  divisions  among  believers, 
and  hear  one  for  this  party,  and  another  for  that,  and  hear 
them  bitterly  censuring  each  other,  look  up  then  to  the 
saints  with  Christ,  and  think  what  perfect  love,  and  peace, 
and  concord  is  among  them.'  Consider  how  unlike  our 
factions  and  schisms  are  to  their  fervent  love  and  unity. 
And  how  unlike  our  jarring  strifes  and  quarrels  are  to  their 
harmonious  praise  of  God.  Remember  in  what  work  it  ia 
that  they  are  so  happily  united,  even  love  and  praise  incessant 
to  Jehovah  :  and  then  think,  whether  it  would  not  unite  the 
saints  on  earth,  to  lay  by  their  contendings  for  the  preemi- 
nence in  knowledge,  (covered  with  the  gilded  name  of  zeal  for 
the  truth  of  God,)  and  to  employ  themselves  in  love  and  praise, 
and  to  shew  their  emulation  here,  in  striving  who  shall  love 
God  and  each  other  with  the  more  pure  heart  and  fervent 
love,  and  who  shall  praise  him  v^ith  the  most  heavenly 
alacrity  and  delight.  Consider  whether  this  work  of  blessed 
souls  be  not  like  to  be  more  desirable  and  excellent,  than 
the  work  of  self-<;onceited,  wrangling  sophisters.  And  whe- 
ther there  be  any  danger  of  falling  into  sects  and  factions, 
or  falling  out  by  emulations  or  contentions,  while  we  make 
this  work  of  love  and  praise  the  matter  of  our  religious  eon- 
verse.     And  consider  whether  almost  all  the  schisms  that 


CHAP*  X.]  CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  233 

ever  vexed  the  church  of  Ood,  did  not  arise,  either  by  the 
pastors  striving  "  who  should  be  the  greatest  *»/'  or  by  the 
rising  up  of  some  sciolist  or  gnostic,  proudly  pretending  to 
know  more  than  others,  and  to  vindicate  or  bring  to  light 
some  excellent  truth  which  others  know  not,  or  oppose. 
And  when  you  see  the  hot  contendings  of  each  party,  about 
their  pretended  orthodoxness  or  wisdom  (which  James  iii. 
is  purposely  written  against),  remember  how  the  concord  of 
those  btessed  souls  doth  shame  this  work,  and  should  make 
it  odious  to  the  heirs  of  heaven. 

Direct,  xxi,  'When  you  are  afraid  of  death  or  would 
find  more  willingness  to  die,  look  up  to  the  blessed  souls 
with  Christ,  and  think  that  you  are  but  to  pass  that  way, 
which  all  those  souls  have  gone  before  you ;  and  to  go  from 
a  world  of  enmity  and  vanity,  to  the  company  of  all  those 
blessed  spirits/     And  is  not  their  blessed  state  more  de- 
sirable than  such  a  vain,  vexatious  life  as  this  ?     There  is 
no  malice,  nor  slandering,  nor  cruel  persecuting;  no  uncha* 
ritable  censures,  contentions,  or  divisions ;  no  ignorance, 
nor  unbelief,  nor  strangeness  unto  God  ;  nothing  but  holy, 
amiable,  and  delightful.     Join  yourselves  daily  to  that  ce- 
lestial  society:    suppose    yourselves  spectators   of  their 
order,  purity,  and  glory,  and  auditors  of  their  harmonious 
praises  of  Jehovah.     Live  by  faith  in  a  daily  familiarity  with 
them :  say  not  that  you  want  company  or  are  alone,  when 
you  may  walk  in  the  streets  of  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  and 
there  converse  with  the  prophets  and  apostles,  and  all  the 
glorious  hosts  of  heaven.     Converse   thus  with  them  in 
your  life,  and  it  will  overcome  the  fear  of  death,  and  make 
yoQ  long  to  be  there  with  them :  like  one  that  stands  by 
the  river  side,  and  seeth  his  friends  on  the  further  side,  in  a 
place  of  pleasure,  while  his  enemies  are  pursuing  him  at  his 
back,  how  gladly  would  he  be  over  with  them  ?     And  it  will 
embolden  him  to  venture  on  the  passage,  which  all  they 
have  safely  passed  before  him.     Thus  death  will  be  to  us 
as  the  Red  sea,  to  pass  us  safe  to  the  land  of  promise,  while 
our  pursuers  are  there  overthrown  and  perish.    We  should 
not  be  so  strange  to  the  world  above,  if  we  thus  by  faith  con- 
versed with  the  blessed  ones. 

Direct,  xxii.  'When  you  are   overmuch  troubled  for 

n  Luke  xxii.  «4.  86. 


234  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  11I« 

the  death  of  your  godly  firiendB^  look  ap  to  that  world  of 
blessed  souls^  to  which  they  are  translated,  and  think 
whether  it  be  not  better  for  them  to  be  there  than  here ;  and 
whether  you  are  not  bound  by  the  law  of  lore,  to  rejoice 
with  them  that  are  thus  exalted.'  Had  we  but  a  sightixf  tbe 
world  that  they  are  in»  and  the  compaagr  that  they  are  gone 
to»  we  ahonld  be  less  displeased  with  the  will  of  God,  in 
disposing  of  his  own  into  so  glorious  a  state. 

All  these  improvements  may  be  made  by  a  believer,  of 
his  daily  converse  with  the  souls  above.  This  is  the  com- 
munion with  them  which  we  must  hold  on  earth ;  not  by 
praying  to  them,  which  God  hath  never  encouraged  us  to 
do  ;  nor  by  praying  for  them :  (for  though  it  be  lawful  to 
pray  for  the  resurrection  of  their  bodies,  and  the  perfecting 
of  their  blessedness  thereby,  yet  it  being  a  thing  of  abso- 
lute certainty  as  the  day  of  judgment  is,  we  must  be  very 
cautious  in  tJie  manner  of  our  doing  this  lawful  act;  it  being 
a  thing  that  their  happiness  doth  not  at  all  depend  on,  and 
a  thing  which  will-worshippers  hath  shewed  themselves  so 
forward  to  abuse,  by  stepping  further  into  that  whidi  is  un- 
lawful ;  as  the  horrid  abuses  of  the  names,  and  days,  and 
shrines,  and  relics,  of  real  or  supposed  saints,  in  the  papal 
kingdom  sadly  testifieth).  But  the  necessary  part  of  our 
communion  with  the  saints  in  heaven,  being  of  so  great  im- 
portance to  the  church  on  earth,  I  commend  it  to  the  due 
consideration  of  the  faithful,  whether  our  forgetfulness  of  it 
16  not  to  be  much  repented  of,  and  whether  it  be  not  a  work 
to  be  more  seriously  minded  for  the  time  to  come. 

And  I  must  confess  I  know  not  why  it  should  be  thought 
unlawful  to  celebrate  the  memorial  of  the  life  or  martyrdom 
of  any  extraordinary  servant  of  God,  by  an  annivefseoy  so- 
lemnity, or  a  set,  appropriate  day :  it  is  but  to  keep  tlie 
thankftil  remembrance  of  God's  mercy  to  the  church :  and 
sure  the  life  and  death  of  such,  is  not  the  smallest  of  the 
church's  mercies  here  on  earth.  If  it  be  lawful  on  Novesi- 
ber  the  fifth  to  celebrate  the  memorial  of  our  deliverance 
from  the  Powder-plot,  I  know  not  why  it  should  be  thought 
unlawful  to  do  the  like  in  this  case  also :  provided,  1.  That 
it  be  not  terminated  in  the  honour  of  a  saint,  but  of  the  God 
of  saints  for  giving  so  great  a  mercy  to  his  church.  2.  That 
it  be  not  to  honour  a  saint  merely  as  a  saint,  but  to  some 


CMAF.  XI«]  CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  235 

extHMMrdiiutty,  -eminent  saints :  otberwise  all  that  go  to 
heaven  must  hare  festivals  kept  in  remembrance  of  them ; 
and  so  we  nught  hvrt  a  aofllion  lor  a  day.  3.  That  it  be 
not  made  eqnal  with  the  Lord's  day^bnt  keptinsach  a  sub- 
ordination to  that  day«  as  the  life  or  death  of  saints  is  of  in- 
ferior and  subordinate  respect,  (to  the  work  of  Chciet  in 
man's  redemption.  4.  And  tif  it  be  kept  in  a  spiritual 
manner,  to  invite  men  to  imitate  the  holiness  of  the  saints, 
and  the  constancy  of  the  martyrs,  and  not  to  encourage  sen- 
suality and  sloth. 


CHAPTER  XI. 


Directions  about  our  Communion  with  the  Holy  Angeb. 

Direct,  i.  ^Be  satisfied  in  knowing  so  much  of  angels  as 
God  in  nature  and  Scripture  hath  revealed ;  but  presume 
not  to  inquire  further,  much  less  to  determine  of  unrevealed 
things.'  That  there  are  angels,  and  that  they  are  holy 
spirits^  is  past  dispute  ;  but  what  number  they  are,  and  of 
how  many  worlds,  and  of  what  orders  and  different  dignities 
and  degrees,  and  when  they  were  created,  and  what  locality 
belongeth  to  them,  and  how  iar  they  excel  or  differ  from  the 
souls  of  men,  these  and  many  other  such  unnecessary  ques- 
tions, neither  nature  or  Scripture  will  teach  us  how  infal- 
libly to  resolve.  Almost  all  the  heretics  in  the  first  ages  of 
the  church,  did  make  their  doctrines  of  angels  the  first  and 
chief  part  df  their  heresies  ;  arrogantly  intruding  into  un- 
revesded  things,  and  boasting  of  their  acquaintance  with  the 
orders  and  inhabitants  of  the  higher  worlds.  These  being 
risen  in  the  apostles'  days,  occasioned  Paul  to  say,  "  Let  no 
man  beguile  you  of  your  reward  in  a  voluntary  humility, 
and  worshipping  of  angels,  intruding  into  those  things 
which  he  hath  not  seen,  vainly  puffed  up  by  his  fleshly 
mind  • . "" 

IHrect,  II.  '  Understand  so  much  of  the  ministry  of  an- 
gels as  God  hath  revealed,  and  so  far  take  notice  of  your 

*  Col.  ii.  18. 


236  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III» 

communion  with  them;  but  affect  not  any  other  sort  of 
communion  V 

I  shall  here  shew  how  much  of  the  ministry  of  angels  is 
revealed  to  us  in  Scripture. 

1.  It  is  part  of  the  appointed  work  of  angels,  to  be  mi- 
nistering spirits  for  the  heirs  of  salvation  \  Not  ministers 
or  servants  of  the  godly,  but  ministers  of  Ood  for  the  godly : 
as  the  shepherd  is  not  a  servant  of  the  sheep,  but  for  the 
sheep.  It  is  not  an  accidental  or  occasional  work  which 
they  do  extraordinarily ;  but  it  is  their  undertaken  office  to 
which  they  are  sent  forth.  And  this  their  ministry  is  about 
the  ordinary  concernments  of  our  lives,  and  not  only  about 
some  great  or  unusual  cases  or  exigents  ^. 

2.  It  is  not  some,  but  all  the  angels  that  are  appointed 
by  God  to  this  ministration,  "  Are  they  not  all  ministering 
spirits  sent  forth  *."  Mark  here,  that  if  you  inquire  whether 
God  have  any  higher  spirits,  that  are  not  employed  in  so 
low  an  office,  but  govern  these  angels,  or  if  you  inquire 
whether  only  this  world  be  the  angels'  charge,  or  whether 
they  have  many  other  worlds  also  (of  viators)  to  take  care 
of;  neither  nature  nor  Scripture  doth  give  you  the  determi- 
nation of  any  of  these  questions ;  and  therefore  you  must 
leave  them  as  unrevealed  things :  (with  abundance  more 
with  which  the  old  heretics  and  the  Popish  schoolmen, 
have  diverted  men's  minds  from  plain  and  necessary  things). 
But  that  all  the  angels  minister  for  us,  are  the  express 
words  of  Scripture. 

3.  The  work  of  this  office  is  not  left  promiscuously 
among  them,  but  several  angels  have  their  several  works 
and  charge ;  therefore  Scripture  telletb  us  of  some  sent  of 
one  message,  and  some  on  another ;  and  tells  us  that  the 
meanest  of  Christ's  members  on  earth  have  their  angels  be- 
fore God  in  heaven, ''  I  say  unto  you,  that  in  heaven  their 
angels  do  always  behold  the  face  of  my  Father  which  is  in 
heaven  ^"  Whether  each  true  believer  hath  one  or  more 
angels  ?  and  whether  one  angel  look  to  more  than  one  be- 
liever l  are  questions  which  God  hath  not  resolved  us  of, 
either  in  nature  or  Scripture ;  but  that  each  true  Chris- 
tian hath  his  angel,  is  here  asserted  by  our  Lord. 

^  Angelonim  vocabulum  iioinen  cat  officii,  iion  naturae :  iiani  saocti  illi  ooBlestis 
patria  spiritus,  semper  sunt  spiritusi  scd  semper  vucari  angeii  noii  possimt.     Gregor. 
e  Heb.i.  14.  ^  Psal.  xxxiv.  6,  7.    xci.  11. 1«. 

•  Heb,  L  1.  4.  ^  M%tt.  xviii.  10. 


CHAP.  XI.]  CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  237 

4.  In  this  office  of  ministration  they  are  servants  of 
Christ  as  the  Head  of  the  church,  and  the  Mediator  between 
God  and  man,  to  promote  the  ends  of  his  superior  office  in 
man's  redemption ;  *'  All  power  is  given  to  me  in  heaven 
and  earth  */'  "  And  set  him  at  his  right  hand  in  the  celes- 
tials^ far  above  all  principality,  and  power,  and  might,  and 
dominion,  and  every  name  that  is  named,  not  only  in  this 
world,  but  also  in  that  which  is  to  come,  and  hath  put  all 
things  under  his  feet,  and  gave  him  to  be  head  over  all 
things  to  the  church  ^"  "  I  Jesus  have  sent  mine  angel  to 
testify  unto  you  these  things  in  the  churches  ^."  Whether 
the  angels  were  appointed  about  the  service  of  Adam  in  in- 
nocency ;  or  only  began  their  office  with  Christ  the  Me- 
diator as  his  ministers,  is  a  thing  that  God  hath  not  revealed  ; 
but  that  they  serve  under  Christ  for  his  church  is  plain. 

5.  This  care  of  the  angels  for  us  is  exercised  throughout 
our  lives,  for  the  saving  of  us  from  all  our  dangers,  and  de- 
livering *us  out  of  all  our  troubles.  "  This  poor  man  cried, 
and  the  Lord  heard  him,  and  saved  him  out  of  all  his  trou- 
bles :  the  angel  of  the  Lord  eilcampeth  about  them  that 
fear  him,  and  delivereth  them  ^.  "  For  he  shall  give  his  an- 
gels charge  over  thee  to  keep  thee  in  all  thy  ways :  they 
shall  bear  thee  up  in  their  hand,  lest  thou  dash  thy  foot 
against  a  stoned"  In  all  our  ways  (that  are  good)  and  in 
every  step  we  tread,  we  have  the  care  and  ministry  of  tutelar 
angels.     They  are  our  ordinary  defence  and  guard. 

6.  In  all  this  ministry  they  perfectly  obey  the  will  of  God, 
and  do  nothing  but  by  his  command  ^,  being  his  messengers 
to  man. 

7.  Much  of  their  work  is  to  oppose  the  malice  of  evil 
spirits  that  seek  our  hurt,  and  to  defend  us  from  them : 
against  whom  they  are  engaged  under  Christ  in  daily  war 
or  conflict  ^ 

8.  In  this  their  ministration  they  are  ordered  into  differ- 
ent degrees  of  superiority  and  inferiority,  and  are  not  equal 
among  themselves  °^. 

•  Bfatt.  xzTiii.  18.    John  xHi.  3.        '  Ephes.  i.  SO— 9«.        ff  Rev.  xxiii.  16. 
k  Pnl.zxxiT.  6, 7.  *  Psal  xcL  11,  19. 

k  Pnl.  ciii.  10.    Zech.  i.  8.  10.     Matt,  xriii.  10. 
1  ReT.  xil  7.  9.     Ftel.  IztuL  17.     Ixxviii.  49.     Matt.  iv.  11. 
■  1  Tbets.  IT.  16.      Jode  9.      Dao.  z.  13.  90,  tl.     ,£ph.  i.  tl.     Col.  ii.  10. 
Epb.  iii.  10.     vi.  It.     Col.  i.  16.     Zech.  iv.  10.     Rev.  iv.  5.     ▼.  6. 


338  CHRISTIAN  DiRseroRY.        [part  lit. 

9.  Angels  are  employed  not  only  about  our  bodies,  but 
our  souls,  by  furthering  the  means  of  our  salvation :  they 
preached  the  Gospel  themselves,  (as  they  delivered  the  law"). 
Especially  they  deliver  particular  messages,  which  suppose 
the  sufficiency  of  the  laws  of  Christ,  and  only  help  to  the 
obedience  of  it. 

10.  They  are  sometimes  QoA*b  instruments  to  eoafirm, 
and  warn,  and  comfort,  and  excite  the  soul,  and  to  work 
upon  the  mind,  and  will,  and  affections ;  that  they  do  this 
persuasively,  and  have  as  much  access  and  power  to  do  us 
good,  as  satan  hath  to  do  us  evil,  is  very  clear :  good  angels 
have  as  much  power  and  access  to  the  soul,  to  move  to  duly, 
as  devils  have  to  tempt  to  sin.  As  God  hath  sent  them  oft 
upon  monitory  and  coAsolatory  messages  to  his  servasta  m 
visible  shapes,  so  doth  he  send  them  on  the  like  messages 
invisibly*.  An  angel  from  heaven  is  sent  to  strengthen 
Christ  himself  in  his  agony. 

11.  They  persecute  and  chase  the  enemies  of  the 
church,  and  sometimes  destroy  them?:  and  hinder  them 
from  doing  hurt  ^. 

12.  They  are  a  convoy  for  the  departing  souls  of  the 
godly,  to  bring  them  to  the  place  of  their  felicity ',  thou^ 
how  they  do  it  we  cannot  understand. 

13.  They  are  the  attendants  of  Christ  at  his  coming  to 
judgment,  and  his  ministers  to  gather  his  elect,  and 
the  wicked  from  the  just,  in  order  to  their  endless 
ment  or  joy.  "The  Lord  himself  shall  descend  from  hea- 
ven with  a  shout,  with  the  voice  of  the  archangel,  and  with 
the  trumpet  of  God,  and  the  dead  in  Christ  shall  rise  Arst : 
then  we  which  are  alive  and  remain  shall  be  caught  up  */*  &c. 
**  The  Son  of  man  shall  send  forth  his  angels,  and  they  ukail 
gather  out  of  his  kingdom  all  offences  or  scandals,  and  them 
which  do  iniquity ;  and  shall  cast  them  into  a  ftimaee  of 
fire«  At  the  end  of  the  world,  the  angels  shall  come  fbrth, 
and  sever  the  wicked  from  among  the  just,  and  shall  cast 
them  into  the  furnace  of  fire  *,"  &c. 

"  Lake  ii.  9, 10.  i.  11,  &c.  Heb.  ii.  «.  Oal.  !ii.  19.  Acts  z.  4.  Dbo.  viu 
16.       vui.  15—17.     he.  «1,  n.     Luke  i.  $9.     ii.  19. 

«  Judges  V.  23.     Matt.  i.  SO.     Psal.  civ.  4.     LokexziL49. 
P  Psal.  xxzT.  5,  6.     t  Kings  xix.  35.      Isa.  xxxrii.  36. 
^  .Norob.  xxii.  f4.  '  Lake  xtI.  «*. 

•  I  Tbeai.  !▼.  16.  *  Matt,  xiii  41.  49. 


CHAP.  XI*]        CHRISTIAN  KCCLESIASTICS.  HM 


^  III.  'Understand  our  near  affimty  or  relation  to 
the  aogeb,  and  how  they  and  we  are  concerned  in  each 
others  condition  and  affidrs.'    As  to  our  nature  our  immor-* 
tal  souls  are  kin  or  like  unto  the  angels,  though  our  bodies 
are  but  like  the  brutes.    Those  souls  that  are  created  after 
the  image  of  Qod,  in  their  very  natural  essence  (as  rational 
and  free  agents)  besides  his  moral  image  of  sanctity  ^,  may 
well  be  said  to  be  like  the  angels :  "  He  made  us  little  lower 
than  the  angels '/'    And  Ood  hath  made  us  their  charge 
and  care ;  and  therefore  no  doubt  hath  given  them  a  special 
love  onto  us,  to  fit  them  to  the  due  performance  of  their 
trusti    As  ministers  have  a  special  paternal  love  to  their 
flocks,  and  aa  Christians  are  to  have  a  special  love  to  one 
another  to  enable  and  engage  them  to  the  duties  appointed 
them  by  Ood  towards  each  other ;  so  these  excellent  spirits 
hare  no  doubt  a  far  purer  and  greater  love,  to  the  image  of 
God  upon  the  saints,  and  to  the   saints  for  the  image  and 
sake  of  Ood»  than  the  dearest  friends  and  holiest  persons  on 
earth  can  luve.    For  they  are  more  holy,  and  they  are  more 
perfectly  conformed  to  the  mind  of  God,  and  they  love  Qod 
himself  more  perfectly  than  we,  and  therefore  for  his  sake 
do  love  his  people  much  more  perfectly  than  we.    And 
therefore  they  are  more  to  be  loved  by  us  than  any  mortals 
are ;  both  because  they  are  more  excellent,  pure  and  amia- 
ble»  and  because  they  have  more  love  to  us.     Moreover  the 
angels  are  servants  of  the  same  God,  and  members  of  the 
same  society  which  we  belong  to.    They  are  the  inhabi- 
tants of  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  of  which  we  are  heirs : 
they  have  possession,  and  we  have  title,  and  shall  in  time 
possess  it.    We  are  called  to  much  of  the  same  employ- 
mend  with  them ;  we  must  love  the  same  God,  and  glorify 
Uakby  obedience,  thanks  and  praise,  and  so  do  they:  there- 
fore they  are  ministers  for  our  good,  and  rejoice  in  the  suc- 
cess of  their  labours,  as  the  ministers  of  Christ  on  earth 
do  '«    There  is  not  a  sinner  converted,  but  it  is  the  angels' 
joj't  which  sheweth  how  much  they  attend  that  work. 
"  We  are  come  to  Mount  Zion,  and  unto  the  city  of  the 
living  God,  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  and  to  myriads  of  an- 
gels \'*  tuc*    They  are  especially  present  and  attendant  on 

"  GeiL  is.  6.  '  Psal.  riil  5.  '  Heb.  i.  14. 

*  Lolw  zv.  10.  •  Htb.  Ill  Sf-^4. 


240  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.     "       [PART   III« 

US  in  our  holy  assemblies  and  services  of  God ;  and  there- 
fore we  are  admonished  to  reverence  their  presence,  and  do 
nothing  before  them  that  is  sinful  or  unseemly^.  The  pre- 
sence of  God,  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  elect  an- 
gels, must  continually  awe  us  into  exact  obedience  *".  With 
the  church  they  pry  into  the  mystery  of  the  diBpensatioUA 
of  the  Spirit  to  the  church*^.  And  so  "by  the  church,"' 
that  is,  by  God's  dealings  with  the  church,  is  "  made  known 
the  manifold  wisdom  of  God,*'  even  to  these  "heavenly 
principalities  and  powers  *."  In  conclusion,  Christ  telleth 
us  that  in  our  state  of  blessedness  we  shall  be  "  equal  to  the 
angels  ^''  and  so  shall  live  with  them  for  ever. 

Direct,  iv.  *  When  your  thoughts  of  heaven  are  stagger- 
ing or  strange,  and  when  you  are  tempted  to  doubt  whether 
indeed  there  is  such  a  life  of  glory  for  the  saints,  it  may  be  a 
great  help  to  your  faith,  to  think  of  the  world  of  angels  that 
already  do  possess  it.'  That  there  are  such  excellent  and 
happy  inhabitants  of  the  superior  orbs,  besides  what  Scrip- 
ture saith,  even  reason  will  strongly  persuade  any  rational 
man  :  1.  When  we  consider  that  sea,  and  land,  and  air,  and 
all  places  of  this  lower,  baser  part  of  the  world,  are  replen- 
ished with  inhabitants  suitable*  to  their  natures ;  and  there* 
fore  that  the  incomparably  more  great  and  excellent  orbs 
and  regions  should  all  be  uninhabited,  is  irrational  to 
imagine.  2.  And  as  we  see  the  rational  creatures  are  made 
to  govern  the  brutes  in  this  inferior  world,  so  reason  telleth 
us  it  is  improbable  that  the  higher  reason  of  the  inhabitants 
of  the  higher  regions  should  have  no  hand  in  the  govern- 
ment of  man.  And  yet  God  hath  further  condescended  to 
satisfy  us  herein,  by  some  unquestionable  apparitions  of 
good  angels,  and  many  more  of  evil  spirits,  which  puts  the 
matter  past  all  doubt,  that  there  are  inhabitants  of  the  unr 
seen  world.  And  when  we  know  that  such  there  are,  it 
maketh  it  the  more  easy  to  us  to  believe  that  such  we  may 
be,  either  numbered  with  the  happy  or  unhappy  spirits: 
considering  the  affinity  which  there  is  between  the  nature  of 
our  souls  and  them ;  to  conquer  senseless  Sadducism  is  a 
good  step  to  the  conquest  of  irreligiousness ;  he  that  is 
well  persuaded  that  there  are  angels  and  spirits,  is  much  bet- 

b  1  Cor.  xi.  10.    Eccles.  v.  6.  «  1  Tim.  ▼.  91. 

a  1  Pet.i.  1«.  «  Eph.  iii.  10.  f  Luke  xx.  36. 


CHAP.  XI.]         CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS^  241 

ter  prepared  than  a  Sadducee  to  believe  the  immortality  of 
the  soul ;  and  because  the  infinite  distance  between  God 
and  man^  is  apt  to  make  the  thoughts  of  our  approaching 
his  glory  either  dubious  or  very  terrible,  the  remembrance 
of  those  myriads  of  blessed  spirits  that  dwell  now  in  the 
presence  of  that  glory,  doth  much  embolden  and  confirm 
our  thoughts.  As  he  that  would  be  afiraid  whether  he 
should  have  access  to  and  acceptance  with  the  king,  would 
be  much  encouraged  if  he  saw  a  multitude  as  mean  as  him- 
self, or  not  much  unlike  him,  to  be  familiar  attendants  on 
him.  I  must  confess  such  is  my  own  weakness,  that  I  fii^d 
a  frequent  need  of  remembering  the  holy  hosts  of  saints  and 
angels,  that  are  with  God,  to  embolden  my  soul,  and  make 
the  thoughts  of  heaven  more  familiar  and  sweet,  by  abating 
my  strangeness,  amazedness  and  fears;  and  thus  far  to  make 
them  the  media  (that  I  say  not  the  mediators)  of  my 
thoughts,  in  their  approaches  to  the  Most  High  and  Holy 
Ood :  (thdugh  the  remembrance  of  Christ  the  true  Mediator 
is  my  chief  encouragement).  Especially  when  we  consider 
how  fervently  those  holy  spirits  do  love  every  holy  person 
upon  earth,  and  so  that  all  those  that  dwell  with  God,  are 
dearer  friends  to  us,  than  our  fathers  or  mothers  here  on 
earth  are,  (as  is  briefly  proved  before,)  this  will  embolden 
OS  yet  much  more. 

Direct,  v.  '  Make  use  of  the  thoughts  of  the  angelical 
hosts,  when  you  would  see  the  glory  and  majesty  of  Christ.' 
If  you  think  it  a  small  matter  that  he  is  the  Head  of  the 
church  on  earth,  a  handful  of  people  contemned  by  the  sa- 
tanical  part  of  the  world,  yet  think  what  it  is  to  be  ''  Head 
over  all  things,  far  above  all  principality,  and  power,  and 
might,  and  dominion,  and  every  name  that  is  named,  not 
only  in  this  world,  but  also  in  that  which  is  to  come,"  (that 
ii>,  gave  him  a  power,  dignity  and  name,  greater  than  any 
power,  dignity  or  name  of  men  or  angels,)  "  and  hath  put 
all  things  under  his  feet  ^.*'  "  Being  made  so  much  better 
than  the  angels,  as  he  hath  by  inheritance  obtained  a  more 
excellent  name  than  they :"  of  him  it  is  said,  "  Let'all  the 
angels  of  God  worship  him,"  Heb.  i.  4.  6.  Read  the  whole 
chapter.     Our  Head  is  the  Lord  of  all  these  hosts. 

Direct.  v\.  'Make  use  of  the  remembrance  of  the  glo- 

t  £ph.  i.  21,3«. 
VOL.    V.  R 


t242  CHRISTIAN  DIReerOKY.  [fart  III. 

rioas  angels,  to  acquaiht  ycm  whh  the  dignity  of  h^nan  na- 
ture, and  the  special  dignity' of  the  serttats  of  Gk>d,  ttnd  so 
to  nuse  up  year  hearts  in  tliankfbliiow  td  youf  Cte^tor  9toi 
Redeemer  who  hath  thtis  adnmced  yoa^'  t.  What  »  dig^ 
nity  is  it  that  these  holy  angels  should  be  all  numtering 
spirits  sent  for  our  good  f  that  they  shotild  Irrre  ns,  and  eon* 
cern  themselves  so  much  for  us,  as  to  rejoice  m  heAren  at 
our  conyersion !  ^*  Lord,  what  is  man,  that  thou  art  mind- 
fbl  of  him,  and  the  son  of  man  that  thou  tisitest  him  T  For 
thou  hast  made  him  a  little  lower  than  the  angels,  and  bast 
crowned  him  with  glory  and  honour*."  2.  But  yet  it  rs  a 
higher  di&claration  of  our  dignity,  that  we  should  m  hear^n 
be  equal  with  them,  and  so  be  numbered  into  their  society, 
and  join  with  them  everiastingly  in  the  praise  of  omr  Cre- 
ator. 3.  And  it  is  yet  a  greater  honour  to  us,  that  our  na- 
tures are  assumed  into  union  of  person  with  the  Son  of  CM, 
and  BO  advanced  above  the  angels.  **  F6i  he  took  not  on 
him  the  nature  of  angels,  but  the  seed  of  Abraham  :^  not 
hath  he  put  the  world  to  come  in  subjection  to  Ae  angels''. 
This  is  the  Lord's  doing,  and  it  is  wondrous  in  onr  tjts. 

Direct,  vii.  '  When  you  Would  admini  the  work»  of  Gsid 
and  his  government,  look  specially  to  the  angeb^  pitit/  tf 
God  would  be  glorified  in  his  worics,  then  especinJty  in  the 
most  glorious  parts :  if  he  take  delight  to  wotk  by  inttni- 
ments,  and  to  communicate  such  excellency  and  hfOttolur  to 
them  as  may  conduce  to  the  hononr  of  the  principal  canaie, 
we  must  not  overlook  their  excellency  and  homntf,  tifileBs 
we  will  deny  Ood  the  honour  which  is  due  to  hittk  As  lie 
that  will  see  the  excellent  woricmanship  of  a  waiefa  or  any 
other  engine,  must  not  orerlook  the  chiefest  psert»,  tKfr  thefar 
operation  on  the  rest :  so  he  that  will  see  Ike  exeellemt  or- 
der of  the  works  and  government  of  Ood,  must  not  cnw- 
look  the  angelff,  nor  their  offices  in  the  govemmemt,  aitd 
preservation  of  the  inferior  creatures,  so  far  as  Ood  h«th  M- 
vealed  it  unto  us.  We  spoil  the  music  if  we  leave  ont  thMe 
strings.  It  is  a  great  part  of  the  glory  of  the  works  otGM, 
that  all  the  parts  in  heaven  and  earth  are  so 


^  Magna  dignitas  fidenum  animarom  at  aiiaquaeqiie  babeat  ab  orta  oativitetit  in 
custodian  sui  angelum  deputatum :  imoplures.    Hieron.     Lukezx.  36. 
<  Psal.  viii.  4, 5.  ^  Heb.  ii.  5. 16. 


CHAP.  XI.]        CHRirriAM  ECCLBSIASTI08.  043 

joined  and  jointed  as  they  are ;  and  each  in  their  ptaces 
eontribnte  to  the  beauty  and  harmony  of  the  whole. 

Direct,  viii.  'When  you  wonid  be  apprehensive  of  the 
excellency  of  lore  and  humility,  and  exact  obedience  to  Ae 
will  of  God»  look  up  to  the  angels,  and  see  the  hmtre  of  all 
these  virtues  as -they  shine  in  them.*  How  perfectly  do 
they  love  God  and  M  his  saints  !  Even  the  weakest  and 
meanest  of  the  members  of  Christ !  With  what  Immility 
do  they  condescend  to  minister  for  the  heirs  of  salvation ; 
how  readily  and  perfectly  do  they  obey  their  Maker! 
Though  our  chiefest  pattern  is  Christ  himself,  who  came 
nearer  to  us,  and  appeared  in  flesh,  to  give  us  the  example 
of  all  such  duties,  yet  under  him  the  example  of  angels  is 
also  to  be  observed,  and  with  pleasure  to  be  imitated.  And 
ask  die  enemies  of  holiness,  who  urge  you  with  the  exam- 
ples of  the  great  and  learned,  whether  they  are  wiser  than 
all  the  angels  of  God  ? 

Direct,  ix.  '  When  you  are  tempted  to  desire  any  inot- 
dinate  communion  with  angels,  as  visibly  appearing  or  af- 
fecting yont  senses,  or  to  give  them  any  part  of  the  office  or 
honour  of  Jesus  Christ,  then  think  how  suitable  that  office 
Is  to  your  safety  and  benefit  which  God  hath  assigned 
them,  and  how  much  they  themselves  abhor  aspiring  to,  6r 
nsurpation  of,  the  office  or  honour  of  their  Lord :  and  con- 
sider how  much  more  suitable  to  your  benefit  tMs  spiritual 
ministration  of  the  angels  is,  than  if  they  appeared  to  us  in 
bodily  shapes  ^'  In  this  spiritual  communion  they  act  ac- 
cording to  their  spiritual  nature,  without  deceit ;  and  they 
ierre  us  without  any  terrible  appearances ;  and  without  any 
danger  of  drawing  us  to  sensitive,  gross  apprehensions  of 
them,  or  enticing  us  to  an  unmeet  adhesion  to  them,  or  ho- 
nonring  of  them :  whereas  rf  they  appeared  to  us  in  visible 
Aapes,  we  might  easily  be  affirighted,  confounded  and  left 
hk  doubt,  whether  they  were  good  angels  indeed  or  not.  H 
is  out  communion  with  God  himself  that  is  our  happiness ; 
mmi  ooauEnuiikMi  with  angels  or  saints  is  desirable  but  in 
orAer  onto  this :  that  kind  of  communion  with  angels  there- 
fore is  the  best,  which  most  advanceth  Us  to  communion 
with  God ;  and  that  reception  of  his  mercy  by  instruments 

*  Tfanet  «n|;elaB  Adoimri  ab  InmiftDa  natant,  qaain  videt  in  Deo  foUioMtafli, 


244  CHRISTIAN    DIHKCTQRY.*^         [PAHT  ill. 

is  best,  which  least  endangereth  oar  inordinate  adhesion  to 
the  instruments,  and  our  neglect  of  God.  We  know  not  so 
well  as  God,  what  w^y  is  best  and  safest  for  us  ;  as  it  is  dan- 
gerous desiring  to  mend  his  Word  by  any  fiBincies  of  our 
own,  which  we  suppose  more  fit;  so  it  is  dangerous  to  de- 
sire to  amend  his  government,  and  providence,  and  order, 
and  to  think  that  another  way  than  that  which  in  nature  he 
hath  stated  and  appointed,  is  more  to  our  benefit.  It  is 
dangerous  wishing  God  to  go  out  of  his  way,  and  to  deal 
with  us,  and  conduct  us  in  by-wa^s  of  our  own ;  in  which 
we  are  ourselves  unskilled,  and  ot  which  we  little  know  the 

issue. 

Direct,  x.  '  When  you  are  apt  to  be  terrified  with  the 
fear  of  devils,  think  then  of  the  guard  of  angels,  and  how 
much  greater  strength  is  for  you  than  against  you.'  Though 
God  be  our  only  fundamental  security,  and  our  chiefest 
confidence  must  be  in  him,  yet  experience  telleth  us  how 
apt  we  are  to  look  to  instruments,  and  to  be  a£Fected  as  se- 
cond causes  do  appear  to  make  for  us  or  against  us ;  there- 
fore when  appearing  dangers  terrify  us,  appearing  or  secon- 
dary helps  should  be  observed  to  comfort  and  encourage  us. 

Direct,  xi.  'Labour  to  answer  the  great  and  holy  love  of 
angels  with  such  great  and  holy  love  to  them,  as  maj  help 
you  against  your  unwillingness  to  die,  and  make  you  long 
for  the  company  of  them  whom  you  so  much  love.  And 
when  death  seemeth  terrible  to  you  because  the  world  to 
come  seems  strange,  remember  that  you  are  going  to  the  so- 
ciety of  those  angels,  that  rejoiced  in  your  conversion,  and 
ministered  for  you  here  on  earth,  and  are  ready  to  convoy 
your  souls  to  Christ  °'.'  Though  the  thoughts  of  God  and 
our  blessed  Mediator  should  be  the  only  final  object  to  at- 
tract our  love,  and  make  us  long  to  be  in  heaven,  yet  under 
Christ,  the  love  and  company  of  saints  and  angels  must  be 
thought  on  to  further  our  desires  and  delight:  for  even  in 
heaven  God  will  not  so  be  all  to  us,  as  to  use  no  creature 

"■  Siraos  deroti,  simas  grati  tantis  ctutodiboa:  redaroemns  eos  qoantom  pown 
inaft,  quantum  debemus  effectuoae,  &c.  Bernard.  Vs  nobb  si  qnando  promcad 
sancti  angeJi  peccatia  et  negligentiis,  indignos  oos  judicavennt  prsaentia  et  ▼isitatiaBe 
sua»  &c.  Cavenda  est  nobis  eorum  offensa,  et  in  hb  roaxime  exercendum,  qaibas  eot 
novimus  oblectari :  hsc  autein  placent  eis  quie  in  nobis  invenire  delectat,  at  est  90- 
bfrietas,  oistitas,  &c.  In  quovis  anguio  reTerentiam  ezhibe  aagelo,  ne  aodcas  iUo 
pTBtente,  quod  me  ridentc  non  auderes.    Bernard. 


CHAP.  XI.]  CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  245 

for  our  comfort ;  otherwise  the  glorified  humanity  of  Christ 
would  be  DO  means  of  our  comfort  there :  and  the  heavenly 
Jerusalem  would  not  then  have  been  set  out  to  us  by  its  cre- 
ated excellencies  as  it  is  Rev.  xxi.  xxii.  Nor  would  it  be 
any  comfort  to  us  in  the  kingdom  of  God,  that  we  shall  be 
with  Abraham,  Isaac  and  Jacob  °. 

Direct,  xii.  '  Pray  for  the  protection  and  help  of  angels, 
as  part  of  the  benefits  procured  for  the  saints  by  Christ ; 
and  be  thankful  for  it  as  a  privilege  of  believers,  excelling 
all  the  dignities  of  the  ungodly.  And  walk  with  a  reverence 
of  their  presence,  especially  in  the  worshipping  of  God.'  It 
is  not  fit  such  a  mercy  should  be  undervalued  or  iinthank- 
fuUy  received :  nor  that  so  ordinary  a  means  of  our  preser- 
vation should  be  overlooked,  and  not  be  sought  of  God  by 
prayer.  But  the  way  to  keep  the  love  of  angels,  is  to  keep 
up  the  love  of  God :  and'  the  way  to  please  them,  is  to  please 
him ;  for  his  will  is  theirs. 

Direct.  XIII.  '  In  all  the  worship  you  perform  to  God, 
remember  that  you  join  with  the  angels  of  heaven,  and  bear 
your  part  to  make  up  the  concert.'  Do  it  therefore  with 
that  holiness,  and  reverence,  and  affection,  as  remembering 
not  only  to  whom  you  speak,  but  also  what  companions 
you  have ;  and  let  there  not  be  too  great  a  discord  either  in 
your  hearts  or  praises.  O  think  with  what  lively,  joyAiI 
minds  they  praise  their  glorious  Creator ;  and  how  unwea- 
ried they  are  in  their  most  blessed  work !  And  labour  to  be 
like  them  in  love  and  praise,  that  you  may  come  to  be  equal 
them  in  their  glory  ^. 

■  Lukexiii.  $8.    Matt,  ▼iii,  11.  "  Lake  xx.  36. 


CASES 


or 


CONSCIENCE, 


ABOUT 


MATTERS  BCCLESIASTICAL. 


Reader, 

I  HAV^  something  to  say  to  thee  of  the  number  of  these 
cases,  somewhat  of  the  order,  and  somewhat  of  the  manner 
of  handling  and  resolving  them.  I.  That  there  are  so  manv 
is  becai^e  there  are  really  so  many  difficulties  which  all 
men  are  not  able  to  resolve.  That  they  are  no  more,  is 
partly  because  I  could  not  remember  then  any  more  that 
were  necessarily  to  be  handled,  and  I  was  not  willing  to  in- 
crease #0  great  a  book  with  things  unnecessary. 

II.  As  to  the  order,  I  have  some  reasons  for  t^e  order 
of  most  of  them,  which  would  be  too  tedious  to  open  to 
you.  But  some  of  them  are  placed  out  of  order,  because, 
1.  I  could  not  remember  them  in  due  place.  2.  And  great 
haste  allowed  me  not  time  to  transpose  them.  If  you  say 
that  in  such  a  work  I  should  take  time,  I  answer.  You  are 
no  competent  judges,  unless  you  knew  me  and  the  rest  of 
my  work,  and  Uie  likelihood  that  my  time  will  be  but  shorts 
They  that  had  rather  take  my  writings  with  such  defeets 
which  are  the  effects  of  haste,  than  have  none  of  them,  may 
use  them,  and  the  rest  are  free  to  despise  them  and  neglect 
them.  Two  or  three  questions  about  the  Scripture,  I  would 
have  put  nearer  the  beginning  if  I  could  have  time ;  but 
seeing  I  cannot,  it  is  easy  for  you  to  transpose  them  in  tbA 
readingi^ 


OP«ST.  I.]         CH](IBT)Ay  £CCLESlAiiTIC8.  24? 

III.  Th^  rfesolution  of  these  Cases  so  much  AToideth  all 
the  extremes^  that  I  look  they  should  be  displeasing  to  all 
that  vast  number  of  Christians^  who  involve  themselves  in 
the  opinions  and  interests  of  their  several  septs  as  such ; 
aod  Uiat  hold  the  faith  of  our  J^ord  Jesus  Christ  with  res- 
pect of  persons*  But  there  wil(  be  still  ^  certain  number  of 
tridy  Catholic,  impartial  readers,  whose  favourable  accep* 
tance  I  coofideniiy  prognosticate ;  and  wbo^  being  out  of 
tbft  dust,  and  imhab,  and  passions  of  contending  sides  and 
parties,  SAd  their  interests,  wiU  see  a  self-evidencing  light 
in  those  solutions,  which  are  put  off  here  briefly,  without 
the  pomp  of  formal  argumentation,  or  persuading  oratory. 
The  eternal  Light  reveal  himself  to  us,  by  Christ  who  is  th^ 
Light  of  the  world,  and  by  the  illumination  of  the  Spirit  and 
Wotrd  of  Light;  that  we  may  walk  in  the  Light,  as  the 
children  of  Light,  till  we  come  to  the  world  of  glorious, 
eyerlasting  l4ght.  And  what  other  defect  soever  our  know- 
ledge IfJkwe,  if  any  mon  hath  knowledge  enough  to  kindle  in 
lujai  the  loF,e  of  God,  the  same  is  known  of  Him,  and  there- 
lore  is  balored  by  Him,  and  shall  be  blessed  with  and  i^ 
for  ever. 


Quest.  X.  Haw  to  know  wh 
fretmien,  thqf  a  Christt 
imi  eommiamn. 


I  m^y^  written  so  much  of  this  already  in  four  books,  (yi^ 
one  called, ''  The  Safe  Religion,"  another  called,  "  A  Key 
tof  Catholics,"  another  called,  "The  Visibility  of  the 
Ctiiurch^''  another  called,  "  A  True  Catholic,  and  the  Cath- 
olic Church  described/')  that  I  shall  say  now  buit  a  little, 
Hiul  yet  enough  to  an  impartial,  considerate  reader, 

Ttie  terms  must  first  be  opened:  1.  By  |l  church  is 
maaoi^  a  society  of  Christians  as  such.  And  it  is  son^- 
tiiaea  ta]pen  narrowly,  for  the  body  or  members  as  distinct 
firom  the  head,  as  the  word  kingdom  is  taken  for  the  sub- 
'  jects  only  as  distinct  from  the  king ;  and  sometimes  more 
fully  and  properly  for  the  whole  political  society,  as  con- 


248  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  111. 

stituted  of  its  head  and  body,  or  the  '  Pars  imperans  et  pars 
subdita/ 

2.  The  word  church  thus  taken,  signifieth  sometimes 
the  uniyersal  church  Called  Catholic;  which  consisteth  of 
Christ  and  his  body  politic,  or  mystical ;  and  sometimes 
some  part  only  of  the  universal  church.  And  so  itis4aken 
either  for  a  subordinate,  political  part,  or  for  a  community, 
or  a  part  considered  as  consociate,  but  not  political ;  or  as 
many  particular,  political  churches  agreeing  and  holding 
concord  and  communion  without  any  common  -head,  save 
the  universal  Head. 

3.  Such  political  churches,  are  either  of  divine  constitu- 
tion and  policy,  or  only  of  human. 

2.  By  Christians,  I  mean  such  as  profess  the  essentials 
of  the  Christian  religion.  For  we  speak  of  the  church  as 
visible. 

3.  By '  true,'  may  be  meant,  either  reality  of  essence, 
opposite  to  that  which  is  not  really  a  church  in  this  une- 
quivocal acceptation ;  or  else  sound  and  orthodox,  in  the 
integrals,  as  opposite  to  erroneous  and  defiled  with  much 
enormity.     And  now  I  thus  decide  that  question. 

Prop*  1.  The  true  Catholic  church  consisteth  of  Christ 
the  Head,  and  all  Christians  as  his  body,  or  the  members. 
As  the  kingdom  consisteth  of  the  king  and  his  subjects  *. 

Prop,  n.  As  all  the  sincere  heart-covenanters  make  up 
the  church  as  regenerate,  and  mystical  or  invisible ;  so  all 
that  are  christened,  that  is,  baptized,  and  profess  consent 
to  all  the  essentials  of  the  baptismal  covenant,  not  having 
apostatized,  nor  being  by  lawful  power  excommunicated, 
are  Christians,  and  make  up  the  church  as  visible  **. 

Prop,  III.  Therefore  there  is  but  one  universal  church, 
because  it  containeth  all  Christians;  and  so  leaveth  out 
none  to  be  the  matter  of  another,  ^ 

Prop.  IV.  It  is  not  ignorance  or  error  about  the  mere 
integrals  of  Christianity,  which  maketh  them  no  Christians 
who  hold  the  essentials,  that  is,  the  baptisndal  covenant*". 

Prop.  V.  That  the  baptismal  covenant  might  be  rightly 

»  1  CcM-.  si.  3,     1  Cor.  xii.  12.    Eph.  i.  2«,  9S      1  Cor.  vi.  15.     1  Cor.  xiL  f7. 

i>  £ph.  IT.  4, 5.     Matt,  xxriii.  19,  SO. 

c  £ph.  ir.  4,  5.     1  Cor.  xii.  If.     Mark  xv'i  16. 

^  Ronu  xiv.  1.  6,  7.     xv.  1.  3, 4. 


QVEST.  I.]  CHRISTIAN   ECCLESIASTICS.  249 

anderstood  and  professed,  the  churches  have  still  used  the 
creed  as  the  explication  of  the  covenant,  in  point  of  faith  ; 
and  taken  it  for  the  symbol  of  the  Christiaabelief.  And  no 
further  profession  of  faith  was  or  is  to  be  required,  as  ne- 
cessary to  the  being  of  Christianity '. 

Prop.  VI.  If  proud  usurpers  or  censurers  take  on  them  to 
excommunicate,  or  unchristian,  or  unchurch  others,  without 
authority  and  cause,  this  maketh  them  not  to  be  no  Chris- 
tians, or  no  churches,  that  are  so  used  ^ 

Prop.  VII.  Therefore  to  know  which  is  the  true  catholic 
or  universal  church  is  but  to  know  who  are  baptized,  pro- 
fessed Christians  K 

Prop.  VIII.  The  reformed  churches,  the  Lutherans,  the 
Abassines,  the  Coptics,  the  Syrians,  the  Armenians,  the  Ja- 
cobites, the  Georgians,  the  Maronites,  the  Greeks,  the  Mos- 
covites,  and  the  Romanists,  do  all  receive  baptism  in  all  its 
Yisible  essentials,  and  profess  all  the  essentials  of  the  Chris- 
tian religion,  though  not  with  the  same  integrity  *". 

Prop.  IX.  He  that  denieth  any  one  essential  part,  in  it- 
self, is  so  a  heretic  as  to  be  no  Christian,  nor  true  member 
of  the  church,  if  it  be  justly  proved  or  notorious  ;  that  is, 
none  ought  to  take  him  for  a  visible  Christian,  who  know 
the  proof  of  his  denying  that  essential  part  of  Christianity, 
or  to  whom  it  is  notorious '. 

Prop.  X.  He  that  holdeth  th^  essentials  primarily,  and 
with  them  holdeth  some  error  which  by  unseen  consequence 
sabverteth  some  essential  point,  but  holdeth  the  essentials 
so  much  faster,  that  he  would  forsake  his  error  if  he  saw  the 
inconsistence,  is  a  Christian  notwithstanding :  and  if  the 
name  heretic  be  applicable  to  him,  it  is  but  in  such  a  sense, 
as  ia consistent  with  Christianity''. 

Prop.  XI.  He  that  is  judged  a  heretic  and  no  Christian 
justly  by  others,  must  be  lawfully  cited,  and  heard  plead 
his  cause,  and  be  judged  upon  sufficient,  and  not  unheard, 
or  upon  rash  presumption^. 

Prop,  XII.  Christianity  and  heresy  being  personal  qua- 
lities, and  no  where  found  but  in  individuals,  nor  one  man 


«    I  Cor.  zv.  1,  2,  &c.     Matt,  xxviii.  19,  tO.  '  Rom.  xiv.  3,  4. 

f  RoiD.  vi.  1,  'i,  &c.  ■*  Kphes.  iv.  4,  5.  '  Tit.  iii.  10.    3  Juiiu. 

k  James  iii.  2.    Phil.  iii.  15i  16.     Hcb.  v.  1,2.         '  Tit.  iii.  10. 


2<K>  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTOKY.  [P4RT  l|(p 

guilty  of  soother's  erroxa,  it  foUoweth  that  it  is  siogk  per* 
sooB  upon  pereoo^l  guilt  that  must  be  JQdge4  ^» 

Prop.  XIII.  Any  man  may  j  udge  another  to  be  a  ChrU- 
tian  or  heretic,  by  a  private  judgment  of  diBceming,  or  tim 
reason  which  guideth  aU  human  actions :  but  only  church^ 
rulers  may  judge  him  by  that  public  judgment*  which 
giyeth  or  denieth  him  his  public  priFileges  am}  oof^ 
munion  \ 

Prop.  XIV.  If  by  notorious  injustice  church-ruiera  cc»|« 
demn  Christians  as  no  Christians,  though  they  may  thereby 
deny  them  communion  with  those  public  assemblies  which 
they  govern,  yet  do  they  not  oblige  the  people  to  take  such 
injured  persons  for  no  Christians.  Else  they  might  oblige 
all  to  believe  a  lie,  to  consent  to  malicious  injuries*  and 
might  disoblige  the  people  from  truths  righteousoQas^  md 
charity  ®. 

Pr(^.  XV.  There  is  no  one  natural  or  collective  head  aad 
governor  of  all  the  churches  in  the  world  (the  iwiversal 
church)  but  Jesus  Christ ;  aod  therefore  there  is  oone  that 
by  such  governing  power,  can  ej^commnoicate  any  naan  out 
of  the  universal  church :  and  such  usurpation  wouU  be 
treason  agaiost  Christ,  whose  prerogative  it  is  ^. 

Prop.  XVI.  Yet  he  that  deserveth  to  be  excomnwaicated 
from  one  church,  deserveth  to  be  excommunicated  by  and 
from  all,  it  it  be  upon  a  cause  common  to  all ;  or  thst  nul* 
Ufied  his  Christianity  \ 

Prop.  XVII.  And  where  neighbour  churches  are  eoMi>- 
ciate  and  live  in  order  and  concord,  he  that  is  orderly  exr 
communicate  from  one  churchy  end  it  be  notified  to  the  rest* 
should  not  be  taken  into  the  communion  of  any  of  the  nestf 
till  he  be  cleared,  or  become  fit  for  their  commuoion'. .  B«t 
this  obligation  ariseth  but  from  the  concord  of  consociate 
churches*  and  not  from  the  power  of  one  over  the  rest :  and 
it  cannot  reach  all  the  world,  where  the  person  cometh  not* 
nor  was  ever  known ;  but  only  to  those  who  through  iMsi^- 

»  £aek.  zviii.  17.     Ood.  xviii.  45-Ht6. 

»  1  Cor.  X.  15»     Acts  i.  19.     1  Cor.  v,  3—5.    xi.  3, 

o  Matt.  V.  11,  12.    John  xvi.  2. 

p  1  Cor.  xii.   27—29.      Ephts.  iv.  ft-^.      i  Cor.  i.  If,  15.     li.  22.  i% 

Epbes.  ▼.  29.    !▼.  Id.    Col.  i.  18.    ii.  19. 

4  S  John.  '  Kpbet«v.  it.    1  Cor.  v.  11* 


QUflST.i^]  CHRIIITIAN  £CCL.K6IA6TICS.  351 

bourhood  ajre  ci4|>able  of  just  notice,  and  of  giving  or  deny- 
ing conununion  to  that  person. 

Prop»  XVIII,  From  all  this  it  is  clear,  that  it  is  not  either 
Papista^ alone,  or  Greeks  alone,  or  Protestants  alone,  or  any 
party  of  Chriatians,  who  are  the  universal  church,  seeing 
that  church  containeth  all  Christians ".  And  that  rieviling 
others  (yea,  whole  nations)  a9  heretics,  schismatics^  and  no 
Chriiiiiaiia  or  churches,  wilL  no  more  prove  the  revilers  to 
be  the  ottly  church  or  Christians,  than  want  of  love  will 
pfove  a  flMui  to  be  one  of  Christ's  disciples,  who  by  love  are 
knows  to  all  men  to  be  his. 

Pmy.  SIX.  It  is  therefore  the  shameful  language  of  dis* 
traoted  men,  to  cry  out  against  other  Christian  nations, '  It 
is  not  you»  but  we  that  are  the  Catholic  or  universal  church.' 
And  our  shameful  controversy,  which  of  them  is  the  Ca*- 
tbolie,  is  no  wiser  than  to  question.  Whether  it  be  this 
house  or  that  which  is  the  street  ?  Or  this  street  or  that 
which  is  the  city  ?  Or  whether  it  be  the  kitchen,  or  the 
hail,  or  the  parlour  which  is  the  house  ?  Or  the  hand,  or 
foot,  or  eyie  which  is  the  man  ?  O  when  will  God  bring 
4i«tmoAing  teachers  to  repentance,  and  distracted  people  to 
tfaeirwitsM 

Pfijp*  XX.  There  is  a  great  difference  in  the  purity  or 
soundness  of  the  several  parts  of  the  universal  church ; 
•<NDe  beii^  more  orthodox  and  holy,  and  some  defiled  with 
ao  many  errors  and  sins,  as  to  make  it  difficult  to  discern 
iriiether  they  do  not  deny  the  very  essentials  "» 

Projl^  XXI.  The  refoimed  churches  are  the  soundest  and 
fmnmt  that  we  know  in  the  world,  and  therefore  their  privi-^ 
lege  exceeding  great,  though  they  are  not  all  the  universal 
dinrob. 

Pn$p.  XXI4.  Particular  churches  consisting  of  lawiiil 
fttiiofB  -asd  Christiaa  people,  associated  for  personal  com-^ 
muAMm  in  worship  and  holy  living,  are  societies  or  true 
oborohos  of  Ghriat's  institution,  wd  the  chief  parts  of  the 
imiveraal  <Bhurch:  0^  cities  and  corporations  are  of  the 
luBgdom'. 

•  I  Cor.  xii.  12.    Jolm  xiii.  35.     1  Cor.  xui.  1,  J,  flee 
«  1  Cor.  xU.  It.     vi.  17.    «.  17.     ^phca.  iv.  3,  flee.  ••  Gal.  iv.  11,  l». 

«  Rev.  ui.  8—12.    ii.  10,  11.     Acts  xW.  22.    TiU  U  5.    Bon.  xti.  4.  16. 
tCQr.vij.17.     xi.16.     xiv.  33. 34.    STbeu.  i.4.    Rey.JL23. 


2d2  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

Prop,  XXI II.  There  are  thousands  of  these  in  the  world, 
and  a  man  may  be  saved  in  one,  as  well  as  in  another  ;  only 
the  purest  give  him  the  best  advantages  for  his  salvation ; 
and  therefore  should  be  preferred  by  all  that  are  wise  and 
love  their  souls,  so  far  as  they  are  free  to  choose  their 
communion. 

Prop.  XXIV.  The  case  then  being  easily  resolved,  (which 
is  the  true  church  ?)  viz.  All  Christians  as  Christians  are 
the  Catholic  or  universal  church  ^ ;  and  all  congregations 
afore  described,  of  true  pastors  and  Christians  being  parti* 
cular  true  churches,  diifering  only  in  degi*ees  of  purity,  he 
is  to  be  suspected  as  a  designing  deceiver  and  troubler  of 
the  world,  that  pretending  to  be  a  learned  man  and  a 
teacher,  doth  still  perplex  the  consciences  of  the  ignorant 
with  this  frivolous  question,  and  would  muddy  and  obscure 
this  clear  state  of  the  case,  lest  the- people  should  rest  in  the 
discerned  truth. 

Prop.  XXV.  The  Papal  church  as  such,  being  no  true 
church  of  Christ's  institution  (of  which  by  itself  anon)  it 
followeth  that  a  Papist  as  a  Papist  is  no  member  of  the 
church  of  Christ,  that  is,  no  Christian '.  But  yet,  whether 
the  same  person  may  not  be  a  Papist  and  a  Christian, 
and  so  a  member  of  the  Catholic  church,  we  shall  anon 
inquire. 

Prop.  XXVI.  There  are  many  things  which  go  to  make 
up  the  fitness  and  desirableness  of  that  particular  church, 
which  we  should  prefer  or  choose  for  our  ordinary  perscH- 
nal  communion  * :  as,  1.  That  it  be  the  church  of  that  place 
where  we  dwell ;  if  that  place  be  so  happy  as  to  have  no 
divided  churches,  that  it  be  the  sole  church  there ;  how- 
ever that  it  be  so  near  as  to  be  fit  for  our  communion.  2. 
That  it  be  a  church  which  holdeth  communion  with  other 
neighbour  churches,  and  is  not  singular  or  divided  from 
them ;  or  at  least  not  from  the  generality  of  the  churches  of 
Christ ;  nor  differeth  in  any  great  matters  from  those  that 
are  most  pure.  3.  That  it  be  under  the  reputation -of 
soundness  with  the  other  churches  aforesaid,  and  not  under 
the  scandal  of  heresy,  schism,  or  gross  corruption  among 

y  1  Cor.  i.  13.      Rom.  xvi.  17.      Acls  %x.30. 

'  Acl»  ii.  44.     I  Cor.  i,  10.     I  Thcss.  v.  1  J,  13. 

»  Heb.  X.  ^.5.      1  Tim.  Ui.  7.      3  .Tohn  it.  ... 


QUEST.  I.]  CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  2*53 

those  that  live  about  ^.    4.  That  it  be  under  the  counte- 
nance and  encouraging  favour  of  the  Christian  magistrate. 
5.  That  it  be  the  same  church  of  which  the  rest  of  the  fa- 
mily which  we  are  of,  be  members ;  that  husband  and  wife, 
parents  and  children,  masters  and  servants  be  not  of  seve- 
ral churches.     6.  That  the  pastors  be  able  teachers,  pru- 
dent guides,  and  of  holy  lives,  and  diligent  in  their  office. 
7.  That  the  pastors  be  regularly  called  to  their  office.     8. 
That  the  members  be  intelligent,  peaceable,  and  of  holy, 
temperate,  and  righteous  lives.     But  when  all  these  cannot 
be  had  together,  we  must  choose  that  church  which  hath 
those  qualifications  which  are  most  needful,  and  bear  with 
tolerable  imperfections.     The  most  needful  are  the  first,  se- 
cond, and  sixth  of  these  qualifications. 

Prop.  XX VII.  He  that  is  free,  should  choose  that  church 
which  is  the  fittest  for  his  own  edification ;  that  is,  the  best 
pastors,  people  and  administrations. 

Prop,  xxviii.  A  man's  freedom  is  many  ways  restrained 
herein.  As,  1.  When  it  will  tend  to  a  greater  public  hurt, 
by  disorder,  ill  example,  division,  discouragement,  8cc.  2. 
When  superiors  forbid  it ;  as  husbands,  parents,  masters, 
magistrates.  3.  By  some  scandal.  4.  By  the  distance  or 
inconvenience  of  our  dwelling.  5.  By  differences  of  judg- 
ment, and  other  causes  of  contention  in  the  said  churches : 
and  many  other  ways  ^. 

Prop.  XXIX.  A  fi'ee  man  who  removeth  from  one  church 
to  another  for  his  edification,  is  not  therefore  a  separatist 
or  schismatic ;  but  it  must  not  be  done  by  one  that  is  not 
free,  but  upon  such  necessity  as  freeth  him. 

Prop.  XXX.  It  is  schism  or  sinful  separation  to  separate 
firom,  1.  A  true  church  as  no  true  church.  2.  From  lawful 
worship  and  communion,  as  lawful ;  but  of  this  more  in 
its  proper  place. 

^  Acts  zvi.  3t.  34.     z.  t.  tS.     zTiii.  8.    Col.  iv.  15. 

«  Of  these  things  I  have  said  ao  mach  in  injr  "  Care  of  Charch-diviaions/'  and 
iBtlw  **  Defence"  of  it,  and  in  the  end  of  my  "Reasons  of  Christian  Religion/' 
CoDMct.  i.  ii.  that  I  pass  them  over  here  with  the  more  brevity. 


2&4  CHRISTIAN   DIRECTOMY.  [PART  Itl. 

Qaest.  11.  Whether  we  must  esteem  the  ekmreh  of  Rmite  a  tfwe 
church?  And  in  what  sense  §ame  divmee  i^rm  it,  andeome 
dengit* 

Want  of  some  easy  distmguishing  hath  made  that  seem 
a  ccmtroveTBy  here,  which  is  so  plain,  that  it  can  hafdl j  be 
any  at  all  to  Protestants,  if  the  qoestion  had  been  but  troly 
stated  ^. 

Remember  therefore  that  by  a  chcrreh  is  meurt,  not  a 
itnere  company  of  Christians,  any  how  related  to  each  other; 
but  a  society  consisting  of  an  ecclesiastical  head  and  body^ 
anch  as  we  call  a  political  society.  2.  And  that  we  spedi 
not  of  an  accidental  head  (soch  as  the  king  is,  because  he 
govefneth  them  *  sao^  modo'  by  the  sword) ;  for  that  is  not 
an  essential  constitative  part ;  but  of  a  constitntiTe  eccle- 
siastical head  and  body.  3.  That  the  question  is  not* 
Whether  the  chnrch  of  Rome  be  a  part  of  the  churcb,  bat 
whether  it  be  a  true  church  ?    And  now  I  answer, 

1.  To  affirm  the  chnrch  of  Rome  to  be  the  CMhetie  dr 
universal  church,  is  more  than  to  affirm  it  to  be  a  true  Ca- 
tholic church,  that  is,  a  true  part  of  the  Catholic  cAurfc^; 
acid  is  as  much  as  to  say  that  it  is  the  whole  and  only 
church,  and  that  there  is  no  other ;  which  is  odious  fSdse- 
hood  and  usurpation,  and  slander  against  all  other  drarches. 

2.  The  church  of  Rome,  is  so  called  in  die  question,  as 
it  is  a  policy  or  church  in  a  general  sense ;  and  die  meaning 
of  the  question  is.  Whether  it  be  a  dirine,  or  a  human  et 
diabolical  policy ;  a  lawful  church. 

3.r  The  church  of  Rome  is  considered,  1.  Formsilly,  as  a 
^urch  or  poHcy.  2.  Materially,  as  the  singidar  persons 
ate  qualified.  It  is  the  form  that  denominated.  Therefore 
the  question  must  be  taken  of  the  Roman  policy.  Of  of  the 
church  of  Rome  as  such ;  that  is,  as  it  is  one  ruler  pretend- 
ing to  be  the  vicarious,  constitutive,  governing  head  of  all 
Christ's  visible  church  on  earthy  and  the  body  which  ownath 
him  in  this  relation. 

4.  Therefore  I  conclude  (and  so  do  all  Protestants)  that 
this  policy  or  church  of  Rome  is  no  true  church  of  Christ's 
instituting  or  approbation,  but  a  human,  sinful  policy  formed 

<>  See  Mr.  Barton's  and  Bp.  Hairn  contest  hereaboats. 


ODBST.  II.]        CHUlSTlAVr   fiCCLEStAEKTlCS.  26$ 

by  tb«  tfmptetion  of  satan  the  prince  of  pnde,  deceit,  and 
darkness.  The  proof  of  which  is  the  matter  of  whole  loads 
of  Protestant  writings.  And  indeed  the  proof  of  their  po- 
licy being  incumbent  on  themseWe^,  they  fkil  in  it,  and  are 
still  fktii  to  lly  to  pretended,  false  tradition  for  proof,  in 
which  the  sophisters  know  that  either  they  must  be  judges 
themselves,  and  it  must  go  for  truth  because  they  say  it ;  or 
•tot  tiiit  if  tbey  can  carry  the  controversy  into  a  thioket  or 
wood  of  ftilh^rs  and  church  history,  at  least  they  can  con- 
fb«nd  the  igtmrant,  and  evade  themselves.  Of  this  see 
isy  '*  Dispttt.  with  Johnson,''  and  my  **  Key  for  Catho* 
lies,''  &c. 

b.  The  bishop  of  the  English  Papists,  Smith  called 
biabop  of  Cbalcedon,  in  his  Survey^  cap.  v.  saith,  '  To  us  it 
•ttlicetb  that  the  bishop  of  Rome  is  St.  Peter's  successor ; 
imd  Ibis  all  the  fethers  testify,  and  all  the  Catholic  church 
bebevetb ;  but  whether  it  be  'jure  divino'  or  'humano'  is  no 
point  of  (kith.'  The  like  hath  Davenport  *,  called  Fransc.  i 
Sancta  Clar&  more  largely.  By  this  let  the  reader  judge  whe-* 
tilerwiiMednore  wonds  to  prove  their  church  to  be  such  as 
ObffUt  n^vtr  instituted,  when  the  belief  of  their  divine  right, 
i«  no  pitft  of  tbetr  own  fiiith. 

0»  If  tbe  church  of  Rome  in  its  formal  policy  be  but  of 
hnttaii  institution,  it  is,  1 .  Unnecessary  to  salvation.  2. 
Vnlttwfel ;  because  th^y  that  first  instituted  it  had  no  au* 
ttoricy  80  to  do,  and  were  usurpers.  For  either  the  makers 
^  it  irere  themselves  a  church  or  no  church.  If  no  church, 
fbey  could  not  lawfully  make  a  church :  infidels  or  heathens 
IM  not  to  be  our  church  makers.  If  a  church,  then  there 
WIS  n  church  before  the  church  of  Rome,  aoid  that  of  another 
fiMM.  And  if  that  former  form  were  of  Christ's  institution, 
HMKi  migbt  not  chuge  it ;  if  not,  who  made  that  form  ?  and 
M«n% 

7.  Our  divines  therefore  that  say  diat  the  church  of 
ttowe  is  a  true  church,  though  corrupt,  do  not  speak  of  it 
IbrmaMy  as  to  the  Papal  policy  or  headship,  but  materially. 
1.  Thttt  all  Papists  that  are  visible  Christians  are  visible 
puts  of  the  universal  church.  2.  That  their  particular  con- 
gMgutioau  considered  abstrttctedly  from  the  Romim  head- 
ship may  be  true  particular  churches,  though  corrupt; 

«  Syttein.  Fidei. 


256  CHRISTIAN    DIR£CTORY.  [PART  III« 

which  yet  being  the  only  difficulty  shall  be  the  matter  of 

our  next  inquiry. 

». 

Quest.  III.  Whether  we  must  take  the  RanUsk  clergy  for  true 
ministers  of  Christ  ?  Afid  whether  their  baptism  and  ordi- 
nation be  nullities. 

I  join  these  two  distinct  Questions  together  for  brevity. 

I.  As  trub  signifieth  regularly  called,  so  they  are  com- 
monly irregular  and  not  true  ministers.  But  as  true  sig- 
nifieth real  opposed  to  a  nullity,  so  it  is  now  to  be  further 
considered. 

The  doubt  lieth  either  of  the  sufficiency  of  his  call,  or 
of  somewhat  that  is  supposed  to  destroy  it  by  contradiction 
or  redundancy.  1 .  Whether  he  want  any  thing  of  absolute 
necessity  to  the  office,  who  is  called  in  the  church  of 
Rome,  or  2.  Whether  there  be  any  thing  in  his  office  or  en- 
trance, which  nuUifieth  or  invalidateth  that  which  else  would 
be  sufficient. 

For  the  first  doubt,  it  is  not  agreed  on  among  Papists  or 
Protestants  what  is  of  necessity  to  the  being  of  the  office. 
Some  think  real  godliness  in  the  person  is  necessaiy ;  but 
most  think  not.  Some  think  that  visible,  that  is,  seeming, 
professed  godliness,  not  disproved  by  mortal  sin  is  necessary ; 
and  some  think  not.  Some  think  the  people's  election  is 
necessary,  and  that  ordination  is  but  'ad  bene  esse;'  and 
some  think  ordination  necessary  *  ad  esse,'  and  election  '  ad 
bene  esse,'  or  not  at  all ;  and  some  think  both  necessary 
*  ad  esse,'  and  some  neither.  Some  think  the  election  of 
the  people  is  necessary,  and  some  think  only  their  consent 
is  necessary,  though  after  their  election  by  others :  some 
think  it  must  be  the  consent  of  all  the  flock  or  near  all ;  and 
some  only  of  the  major  part ;  and  some  of  the  better  part* 
though  the  minor.  Some  think  the  ordination  of  a  dioce- 
san bishop  necessary  '  ad  esse/  and  some  not.  Some  think 
the  truth  of  the  ordainers  calling,  or  power,  to  be  necessary 
to  the  validity  of  his  ordination,  and  some  not.  Some  think 
the  number  of  two,  or  three,  or  more  ordainers  to  be  neces- 
sary, and  some  not.  Some  think  it  necessary  to  the  validity 
of  the  ministry  that  it  come  down  from  the  apostles  by  an 
uninterrupted   succession  of  truly  ordained  bishops,  and 


^ QUEST.  III.j       CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  257 

• 

some  think  not.  Some  few  think  that  the  magistrate's  com- 
mand or  licence  is  necessary,  and  only  it,  and  most  deny 
both.  Johnson,  alias  Terret,  the  Papist,  in  his  Disputa- 
tion against  me,  maintaineth  that  consecration  is  not  neces- 
sary '  ad  esse/  nor  any  one  way  of  election,  by  these  or 
those,  but  only  the  church's  reception  upon  such  an  elec^ 
tion  as  may  give  them  notice,  and  which  may  be  different, 
according  to  different  times,  places,  and  other  circum- 
stances. 

In  the  midst  of  these  confusions,  what  is  to  be  held  ? 
I  have  opened  the  case  as  fully  and  plainly  as  I  can,  in  my 
second  "  Disput.  of  Church  Government,"  about  ordination, 
to  which  I  must  refer  the  reader :  only  here  briefly  touching 
upon  the  sum. 

1.  There  are  some  personal  qualifications  necessary  to 
the  being  of  the  office  (of  which  anon),  and  some  only  to 
the  well-being'. 

2."  The  efficient  conveying  cause  of  power  or  office, 
is  God's  will  signified  in  his  own  established  law  ;  in  which 
he  determineth  that  such  persons  so  called  shall  receive 
from  him  such  power,  and  be  obliged  to  such  office-admi- 
nistrations *. 

3.  Any  providence  of  God  which  infallibly  or  satisfac- 
torily notifieth  to  the  church,  who  these  persons  are,  that 
receive  such  power  from  God,  doth  oblige  them  to  submit 
to  them  as  so  empowered. 

4.  God's  ordinary  established  way  of  regular  designa- 
tion of  the  person,  is  by  the  church's  consent,  and  the  se- 
nior pastor's  ordination. 

6.  By  these  actions  they  are  not  the  proper  donors  or 
efficients  of  the  power,  or  office  given,  but  the  consent  of 
the  people  and  the  ordination  do  determine  of  the  recipient, 
and  so  are  regularly  *  causa  sine  qua  non'  of  his  reception. 
And  the  ordination  is  moreover  a  solemn  investiture  in  the 
office  :  as  when  a  servant  is  sent  by  delivering  a  key  to  de- 
liver possession  of  a  house,  by  his  master's  consent,  to  him 
that  had  before  the  owner's  grant ;  and  so  it  ceremoniously 
entereth  him  into  visible  possession ;  like  the  solemnizing 
of  marriage,  or  the  listing  of  a  soldier,  &c. 

'  Epbes.iT.  6— 11. 

9  Matt.  uvin.  11.  fO.     Tit.  i.  5.    Acts  xs.  S8.     xiv.  S5.     1  Pet.  v.  t. 

▼  O  L.  V.  S 


358  CHRISTIAN  DIRECTORY.  [PART    III. 

6.  The  people's  consent  (before  or  after)  is  not  only  by 
institution,  but  naturally  necessary,  that  a  man  become  a 
pastor  to  those  persons  (for  no  man  can  leam,  obey.  Sic. 
without  consent) :  but  it  is  not  of  necessity  to  the  being  of 
the  ministry  in  general,  or  in  the  first  instant :  a  man  with- 
out it  may  be  authorized  as  a  minister  to  go  preach  the  Gos- 
pel for  Qpnversion,  and  baptize  and  gather  churches,  though 
not  to  be  their  stated  pastor. 

7.  When  death,  distance,  corruption,  heresy  or  malignity 
of  pastors  within  reach,  maketh  it  impossible  to  have  ordina- 
tion, God's  choice  of  the  person  may  be  notified  without  it ; 
as  by  1.  Eminent  qualifications.  2.  The  people's  real  ne- 
cessities. 3.  And  the  removal  of  impediments,  and  a  con- 
currence of  inviting  opportunities  and  advantages.  4.  And 
sometimes  the  people's  desire.  5.  And  sometimes  the  ma- 
gistrate's commission  or  consent ;  which  though  not  abso- 
lutely necessary  in  themselves  ;  yet  may  serve  to  design  the 
person  and  invest  him,  when  the  ordinary  way  faileth ; 
which  is  all  that  is  left  to  man  to  do,  to  the  conveyance  of 
the  power. 

The  case  being  thus  stated,  as  to  what  is  necessary  to 
give  the  power  or  office,  we  may  next  inquire  whether  any 
Papist  priest  have  such  power,  by  such  means. 

And,  1.  We  have  sufficient  reason  to  judge  that  many 
of  them  have  all  the  personal  qualifications  which  are  essen- 
tially necessary.  2.  Many  among  them  have  the  consent  of 
a  sober  Christian  people  (of  which  more  anon).  And  Mr. 
Jacob  who  was  against  bishops  and  their  ordination,  provetb 
at  large,  that  by  election  or  consent  of  the  people  alone,  t 
man  may  be  a  true  pastor,  either  without  such  ordination, 
or  notwithstanding  both  the  vanity  and  error  of  it.  3.  Many 
of  them  have  ordination  by  able  and  sober  bishops  ;  if  that 
also  be  necessary.  4.  In  that  ordination,  they  ar^  invested 
in  all  that  is  essential  to  the  pastoral  office. 

So  that  I  see  not  that  their  calling  is  a  nullity  through  de- 
fect of  any  thing  of  absolute  necessity  to  its  being  and  vtli- 
dity ;  though  it  be  many  ways  irregular  and  sinful. 

II.  We  are  next  therefore  to  inquire  whether  any  con- 
tradicting additions  make  null  that  which  else  would  be  no 
nullity.  And  this  is  the  great  difficulty.  For  as  we  ac- 
cuse not  their  religion  for  being  too  little,  but  too  much,  so 
this  is  our  chief  doubt  about  their  ministry. 


QURST.  III.]       CHRISTIAN   ECCLESIASTICS.  259 

And  1.  It  is  doubted,  as  to  the  office  itself,  whether  a 
inm8B<-priest  be  a  true  minister,  as  having  another  work  to 
do,  even  to  make  his  maker,  and  to  give  Christ's  real  fleah 
with  his  hands  to  the  people ;  and  to  preach  the  unsound 
doctrines  of  their  church  ;  and  these  seem  to  be  essential 
parts  of  his  function. 

The  case  is  very  bad  and  sad ;  but  that  which  I  said 
about  the  heresies  or  errors  which  may  consist  with  Chris- 
tianity, when  they  overthrow  it  but  by  an  undiscemed  con- 
sequence, must  be  here  also  considered.  The  prime  part  of 
their  office  is  that  (as  to  the  essentials)  which  Christ  ordain- 
ed :  this  they  receive,  and  to  this  they  sew  a  filthy  rag  of 
man's  devising;  but  if  they  knew  this  to  be  inconsistent 
with  Christianity  or  the  essentials  of  thle  ministry,  we  may 
well  presume  (of  many  of  them)  they  would  not  receive  it. 
Therefore  as  an  error  which  consequentially  contradicteth 
some  essential  article  of  faith,  nuUifieth  not  his  Christianity 
who  first  and  fastest  holdeth  the  faith,  and  would  cast  away 
the  error  if  he  saw  the  contradiction,  (as  Davenant,  Morton, 
and  Hall  have  shewed,  Epist.  Conciliat ).  So  it  is  to  be 
said  as  to  practical  error  in  the  present  case.  They  are 
their  grievous  errors  and  sins,  but  for  ought  I  see,  do  not 
nullify  their  office  to  the  church.  As  a  mass-priest,  he  is 
no  minister  of  Christ,  (as  an  anabaptist  is  not  as  a  re-bap- 
tizer,  nor  a  separatist  as  a  separater,  nor  an  antinomian,  or 
any  erroneous  person  as  a  preacher  of  that  error) ;  but  as  a 
Christian  pastor  ordained  to  preach  the  Gospel,  baptize,  ad- 
miniater  the  Lord's  supper,  pray,  praise  Ood,  guide  the 
chnrch,  he  may  be. 

The  same  answer  serveth  to  the  objection  as  it  extend- 
eth  to  the  erroneous  doctrines  which  they  preach,  which 

but  by  consequence  against  the  essentials  of  religion. 

2.  But  it  is  a  greater  doubt.  Whether  any  power  of  the 

listrycan  be  conveyed  by  antichrist,  or  from  him?  And 
whether  God  will  own  any  of  antichrist's  administrations  ? 
Therefore  seeing  they  profess  themselves  to  have  no  office 
but  what  they  receive  from  the  pope,  and  Christ  disowning 
him  Qsnrpation,  the  same  man  cannot  be  the  minister  of  Christ 
and  antichrist ;  as  the  same  man  cannot  be  an  officer  in  the 
king's  army  and  his  enemies. 

But  this  will  have  the  same  solution  as  the  former.     If 


260  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

this  antichrist  were  the  open,  professed  enemy  to  Christ, 
then  all  this  were  true:  because  their  corrupt  additions 
would  not  by  dark  consequences,  but  so  directly  contain 
the  denial  of  Christianity  or  the  true  ministry,  that  it  were 
not  possible  to  hold  both.  But  (as  our  divines  commonly 
note)  antichrist  is  to  sit  in  the  temple  of  God,  and  the  pope's 
treason  is  under  pretence  of  the  greatest  service  and  friend- 
ship to  Christ,  making  himself  his  vicar  general  without  his 
commission.  So  that  they  that  receive  power  from  him,  do 
think  him  to  be  Christ's  vicar  indeed,  and  so  renounce  not 
Christ,  but  profess  their  first  and  chief  relation  to  be  to  him, 
and  dependance  on  him,  and  that  they  would  have  nothing 
to  do  with  the  pope,  if  they  knew  him  to  be  against  Christ. 
And  some  of  them  write,  that  the  power  or  office  is  imme- 
diately from  Christ,  and  that  the  pope,  ordainers,  and  elec- 
tors do  but  design  the  person  that  shall  receive  it ;  (because 
else  they  know  not  what  to  say  of  the  election  and  conse- 
cration of  the  pope  himself,  who  hath  no  superior).  And 
the  Spanish  bishops  in  the  council  of  Trent  held  so  close  to 
this,  that  the  rest  were  fain  to  leave  it  undetermined ;  so  that 
it  is  no  part  of  their  religion,  but  a  doubtful  opinion.  Whe- 
ther the  power  of  bishops  be  derived  from  the  pope,  though 
they  be  governed  by  him. 

But  as  to  the  other,  the  case  seemeth  like  this  :  if  a  sub- 
ject in  Ireland  usurp  the  lieutenancy,  and  tell  all  the  people 
that  he  hath  the  king's  commission  to  be  his  lieutenant,  and 
command  all  to  submit  to  him,  and  receive  their  places  from 
him,  and  obey  him ;  and  the  king  declareth  him  a  traitor, 
(antecedently  only  by  the  description  of  his  laws,)  and  mak- 
eth  it  the  duty  of  the  subjects  to  renounce  him  :  those  that 
now  know  the  king's  will,  and  yet  adhere  to  the  usurper, 
though  they  know  that  the  king  is  against  it,  are  traitors 
with  him :  but  those  from  whom  he  keepeth  the  knowledge 
of  the  laws,  and  who  for  want  of  full  information,  believe 
him  to  be  really  the  king's  lieutenant,  (and  specially  living 
where  all  believe  it,)  but  yet  would  renounce  him  if  they 
knew  that  he  had  not  the  king's  commission ;  these  are  the 
king's  subjects,  though  in  ignorance  they  obey  an  usurper. 
And  on  this  account  it  is  that  Archbishop  Usher  concluded, 
that  '  an  ignorant  Papist  might  be  saved,  but  the  learned 
hardly.'    But  when  the  learned,  through  the  disadvantages 


QUEST.   III.]      CHRISTIAN   ECCLESIASTICS.  261 

of  their  education,  are  under  the  same  ignorance,  being 

teamed  but  on  one  side  to  their  greater  seduction,  the  case 

may  be  the  same. 

The  same  man  therefore  may  receive  an  office    from 

Christ,  who  yet  ignorantly  submitteth  to  the  pope,  and  re- 

ceiveth  corrupt  additions  from  him. 

But  suppose  I  be  mistaken  in  all  this,  yet  to  come  to  the 
second  question, 

III.  Whether  baptism  and  ordination  given  by  them  be 

nullities?     I  answer,  no;  on  a  further  account,  1.  Because 
that  the  ministry  which  is  a  nullity  to  the  receiver,  (that  is, 
Ood  will  punish  him  as  an  usurper,)  may  yet  perform  those 
ministerial  acts  which  are  no  nullities  to  the  church  ^«     Else 
how  confused  a  case  would  all  churches  be  in  ?     For  it  is 
hard  ever  to  know  whether  ministers  have  all  things  essen- 
tial to  their  office.     Suppose  a  man  be  ignorant,  or  an  here- 
tic against  some  essential  article  of  faith ;  or  suppose  that 
he  feigned  orders  of  ordination  when  he  had  none  ;  or  that 
he  was  ordained  by  such  as  really  had  no  power  to  do  it ; 
or  suppose  he  pretended  the  consent  of  the  majority  of  the 
people,  when  really  the  greater  part  were  for  another :  if  all 
this  be  unknown,  his  baptizing  and  other  administrations 
are  not  thereby  made  nullities  to  the  church,  though  they  be 
sins  in  him.     The  reason  is,  because  that  the  church  shall 
not  suffer,  nor  lose  her  right  for  another  man's  sin !     When 
the  fault  is  not  theirs,  the  loss  and  punishment  shall  not  be 
theirs.     He  that  is  found  in  possession  of  the  place,  per- 
formeth  valid  administration  to  them   that  know  not  his 
usurpation,  and  are  not  guilty  of  it.     Otherwise  we  should 
never  have  done  re-baptizing,  nor  know  easily  when  we  re- 
ceive any  valid  administrations,  while  we  are  so  disagreed 
about  the  necessaries   of  the  office  and  call;,  and  when 
it  is  BO  hard  in  all  things  to  judge  of  the  call  of  all  other 
men. 

2.  And  as  the  Papists  say,  that  a  private  man  or  woman 
may  baptize  in  extremity,  so  many  learned  Protestants  think, 
that  though  a  private  man's  baptism  be  a  sin,  yet  it  is  no 
nullity,  though  he  were  known  tq  be  no  minister. 

And  what  is  said  of  baptism,  to  avoid  tediousness,  you 
may  suppose  said  of  ordination,  which  will  carry  the  first  case 

i>  Matt.  ▼ii.  «5— 25.     Phil.i.  15—17.     Mark  ix.  40. 


262  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

far,  as  to  the  validity  of  the  ministry  received  by  Papist's 
ordination,  as  well  as  of  baptism  and  visible  Christianity  re- 
ceived by  them.  For  my  part,  God  used  Parson's  "  Book  of 
Resolution  Corrected/'  so  much  to  my  good,  and  I  have 
known  so  many  eminent  Christians,  and  some  ministers 
converted  by  it,  that  I  am  glad  that  I  hear  none  make  a  con- 
troversy of  it,  whether  the  conversion,  faith,  or  love  to  God 
be  valid,  which  we  receive  by  the  books  or  means  of  any 
Papist ! 

Quest.  IV.   Whether  it  be  necessary  to  believe  that  the  pope  is 
the  antichrist? 

It  is  one  question,  whether  he  be  antichrist,  and  ano- 
ther, whether  it  be  necessary  to  believe  it?  To  the  first  I 
say/  I.  There  are  many  antichrists :  and  we  must  remove 
the  ambiguity  of  the  name,  before  we  can  resolve  the  ques- 
tion. If  by  antichrist  be  meant,  '  One  that  usurps  the  of- 
fice of  a  universal  vicar  of  Christ,  and  constitutive  and  go- 
verning head  of  the  whole  visible  church,  and  hereby  layeth 
the  ground  of  schisms,  and  contentions,  and  bloodshed  in 
the  world,  and  would  rob  Christ  of  all  his  members,  who  are 
not  of  the  pope's  kingdom,  and  that  form  a  multifarious  mi- 
nistry for  this  service,  and  corrupteth  much  of  the  doctrine, 
worship,  and  discipline  of  the  church;'  in  this  sense  no 
doubt  but  the  pope  is  antichrist. 

But  if  by  antichrist  be  meant  him  particularly  described 
in  the  Apocalypse  and  Thessalonians,  then  the  controversy 
'  de  re/  is  about  the  exposition  of  those  dark  prophecies. 
Of  which  I  can  say  no  more  but  this,  1.  That  if  the  pope  be 
not  he ;  he  had  ill  luck  to  be  so  like  him.  2.  That  Dr. 
More's  moral  arguments,  and  Bishop  Downham's  and  many 
others'  expository  arguments,  are  such  as  I  cannot  answer. 
3.  But  yet  my  skill  is  not  so  great  in  interpreting  those  ob* 
scure  prophecies,  as  that  I  can  say  I  am  sure  that  it  is  the 
pope  they  speak  of,  and  that  Lyra,  learned  Zanchy,  and 
others  that  think  it  is  Mahomet,  or  others  that  otherwise  in* 
terpret  them,  were  mistaken. 

II.  But  to  the  second  question,  I  more  boldly  say,  1. 
That  every  one  that  indeed  knoweth  this  to  be  the  sense  of 
those  texts,  is  bound  to  believe  it. 


QUEST,  v.]       CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  203 

2.  Bdt  that  Ood  who  hath  not  made  it  of  necessity  to 
salration  to  understand  many  hundred  plainer  texts,  nor  abso- 
lutely to  understand  more  than  the  articles  and  fundamentals 
of  our  religion,  hath  much  less  made  it  necessary  to  salvation 
to  understand  the  darkest  prophecies. 

3.  And  that  as  the  suspicion  should  make  all  Christians 
cautious,  what  they  receive  from  Rome,  so  the  obscurity 
should  make  all  Christians  take  heed,  that  they  draw  from 
it  no  consequences  destructive  to  love,  or  order,  or  any 
truth,  or  Christian  duty.  And  this  is  the  advice  I  give  to 
all. 

Quest  V.   Whether  we  must  hold  that  a  Papist  may  be  saved? 

This  question  may  be  resolved  easily  from  what  is  said 
before. 

1.  A  Papist  as  a  Papist,  that  is,  by  popery,  will  never 
be  saved,  no  more  than  a  man's  life  by  a  leprosy. 

2.  If,  a  Papist  be  saved,  he  must  be  saved  against,  and 
from  popery,  either  by  turning  from  the  opinion,  and  then 
he  is  no  Papist,  or  by  preserving  his  heart  from  the  power  of 
his  0¥m  opinions  *.  And  the  same  we  may  say  of  every  error 
and  sin.  He  that  is  saved,  must  be  saved  from  it,  at  least 
from  the  power  of  it  on  the  heart,  and  from  the  guilt  of  it 
by  forgiveness. 

3.  Every  one  that  is  a  true,  sincere  Christian  in  faith, 
love,  and  true  obedience  shall  be  saved,  what  error  soever 
he  hold  that  doth  consist  with  these. 

4.  As  many  Antinomians  and  other  erroneous  persons, 
do  hold  things  which  by  consequence  subvert  Christianity ; 
and  yet  not  seeing  the  inconsistence,  do  hold  Christianity 
first  and  faster,  in  heart  and  sincere  practice,  and  would  re- 
noance  their  error  if  they  saw  the  inconsistence,  so  is  it 
with  many  Papists.  And  that  which  they  hold  first,  and 
ftstest,  and  practically,  doth  save  them  from  the  power^ 
operations,  and  poison  of  their  own  opinions  :  as  an  anti- 
dote or  the  strength  of  nature  may  save  a  man  from  a  small 
quantity  of  poison. 

6.  Moreover  we  have  cause  to  judge  that  there  are  mil- 

»  Vid.  Hon.  EccLRom.  non  est  Christiana:  and  Perkins.  A  Papist  cannot  go 
bcjood  a  reprobate. 


264  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART    III. 

lions  among  the  Papists,  corrupted  with  many  of  their  lesser 
errors,  who  yet  hold  not  their  greater ;  that  believe  not  that 
none  are  Christians  but  the  pope's  subjects,  and  that  Christ's 
kingdom  and  the  pope's  are  of  the  same  extent,  or  that  he 
can  remit  men's  pains  in  another  world,  or  that  the  bread 
and  wine  are  no  bread  and  wine,  or  that  men  merit  of  God 
in  point  of  commutative  justice,  or  that  we  must  adore  or 
worship  the  bread,  or  yet  the  cross  or  image  itself,  &c.,  or 
-that  consent  to  abundance  of  the  clergy's  tyrannical  usur- 
pations and  abuses :  and  so  being  not  properly  Papists, 
maybe  saved,  if  a  Papist  might  not.  And  we  the  less  know 
how  many  or  few  among  them  are  really  of  the  clergy's  reli- 
gion and  mind,  because  by  terror  they  restrain  men  from 
manifesting  their  judgment,  and  compel  them  to  comply  in 
outward  things. 

6.  But  as  fewer  that  have  leprosies,  or  plagues,  or  that 
take  poison  escape,  than  of  other  men,  so  we  have  great 
cause  to  believe,  that  much  fewer  Papists  are  saved,  than 
such  as  escape  their  errors.  And  therefore  all  that  lo?e 
their  souls  should  avoid  them. 

7.  And  the  trick  of  the  priests  who  persuade  people  that 
theirs  is  the  safest  religion,  because  we  say  that  a  Papist 
luay  be  saved,  and  they  say  that  a  Protestant  cannot,  is  so 
palpable  a  cheat,  that  it  should  rather  deter  men  from  their 
way.  For  God  is  love ;  and  he  that  dwelleth  ip  love  dwell- 
eth  in  God :  and  all  men  must  know  us  to  be  Christ's  dis^ 
ciples,  by  loving  one  another  :  and  he  that  saith  he  loveth 
God,  and  loveth  not  his  brother,  is  a  liar :  and  charity  be- 
lieveth  all  things  credible.  That  religion  is  likest  to  be  of 
God  which  is  most  charitable,  and  not  that  which  is  most 
uncharitable,  and  malicious,  and  like  to  satan. 

To  conclude,  no  man  shall  be  saved  for  being  no  Papist, 
much  less  for  being  a  Papist.  And  all  that  are  truly  holy, 
heavenly,  humble  lovers  of  God,  and  of  those  that  are  his 
servants,  shall  be  saved.  But  how  many  such  are  among 
the  Papists,  God  only  knoweth  who  is  their  Judge. 

The  questions  whether  the  Greeks,  Abassines,  Nesto- 
rians,  Eutychians,  Antinomians,  Anabaptists,  &c.  may  be 
saved,  must  be  all  resolved  as  this  of  the  Papists,  allowing 
for  the  different  degrees  of  their  corruption.     And  therefore 


QUEST.  VI.]      CHRISTIAN   ECCLESIASTICS.  2tt5 

I  must  desire  the  reader  to  take  up  with  this  answer  for  all, 
and  excuse  me  from  unnecessary  repetition. 

As  for  such  disputers  as  my  antagonist  Mr.  Johnson^ 
who  insisteth  oh  that  of  Tit.  iii.  10.  "  A  man  that  is  an  here- 
tic  is  condemned  of  himself;"   when  he   hath  proved 

that  the  word  heretic  hath  but  one  signification,  1  will  say 
as  he  doth.  Till  then,  if  he  will  try  who  shall  be  damned  by 
bare  equivocal  words,  without  the  definition,  let  him  take 
his  course,  for  I  will  be  none  of  his  imitaltors. 

Quest,  vi.  Whether  those  that  are  in  the  church  of  Rome,  are 
bound  to  separate  from  it  ?  And  whether  it  be  lawful  to  go 
to  their  mass  or  other  worship. 

These  two  also  for  brevity  I  join  together. 

1.  To  the  first,  we  must  distinguish  of  separation  :  1 .  It 
is  one  thing  to  judge  that  evil  which  is  evil,  and  separate 
from  it  in  judgment.  2.  It  is  another  thing  to  express  this 
by  forbearing  to  subscribe,  swear,  or  otherwise  approve  that 
evil.  3.  And  another  thing  to  forbear  communion  with 
them  in  the  mass  and  image-worship,  and  gross  or  known 
sins.  4.  And  another  thing  to  forbear  all  communion  with 
them,  even  as  to  baptism  and  other  lawful  things.  5u  And 
another  thing  to  use  some  open  detestations  or  protestations 
against  them. 

2.  And  we  must  distinguish  much  of  persons,  whether 
they  be  ministers  or  people,  free  or  bound,  as  wives,  chil- 
dren, &c.  And  now  I  answer. 

1.  There  is  no  question  but  it  is  a  duty  to  judge  all  that- 
evil  which  is  evil  among  the  Papists  or  any  other. 

2.  It  is  the  duty  of  all  to  forbear  subscribing,  swearing 
to,  or  otherwise  approving  evil. 

3.  It  is  the  duty  of  all  mass-priests  to  renounce  that  part 
of  their  calling,  and  not  to  administer  their  mass,  or  any 
other  unlawful  thing. 

4.  It  is  the  duty  of  aJl  private  Christians  to  forbear  com- 
munion in  the  mass,  because  it  is  a  kind  of  idolatry,  while 
they  worship  a  piece  of  bread  as  God :  as  also  image-wor- 
ship, and  all  other  parts  of  their  religion,  in  which  they  are 
put  upon  sin  themselves,  or  that  which  is  notorious  scandal 


266  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.         [PART  111. 

and  symbolizing  with  them  in  their  bread-worship,  or  other 
corruptions  of  the  substance  of  God's  ordinances. 

5.  It  is  their  duty  who  have  fit  opportunity,  (when  it  is 
like  to  do  more  good  than  harm,)  to  protest  against  the  pa- 
pal corruptions  where  they  are,  and  to  declare  their  detesta- 
tion of  them. 

6.  It  is  the  duty  of  those  that  hare  children  to  be 
baptized  or  catechized,  to  make  use  of  more  lawful  and 
sound  ministers,  when  they  may  be  had,  rather  than  of  a  Pa- 
pist priest. 

7.  But  in  case  they  cannot  remove,  or  enjoy  better,  I 
think  it  is  lawful,  1.  To  let  such  baptize  their  children,  ra- 
ther than  leave  them  unbaptized.  2.  To  let  their  children 
be  taught  by  them  to  read,  or  in  arts  and  sciences,  or  the 
catechism,  and  common  principles  of  religion,  so  they  will 
mix  no  dangerous  errors.  3.  And  to  hear  those  of  them 
preach,  who  preach  soundly  and  piously,  (such  as  were 
Gerrhard,  Zutphaniensis,  Thaulerus,  Ferns,  and  many 
more).  4.  And  to  read  such  good  books  as  these  now  men- 
tioned have  written.  5.  And  to  join  with  them  in  such 
prayers  as  are  sound  and  pious,  so  they  go  no  further. 

8.  And  wives,  children,  and  such  other  as  are  bound, 
and  cannot  lawfully  remove,  may  stay  among  them,  and  take 
up  with  these  helps,  dealing  faithfully  in  abstaining  from 
the  rest. 

II.  The  second  question  is  answered  in  this.  Only  I 
add,  that  it  is  one  thing  to  be  present  as  Elias  was,  in  a  way 
of  opposition  to  them ;  or  as  disputants  are,  that  open  their 
errors ;  or  as  a  wise  man  may  go  to  hear  or  see  what  they 
do,  without  compliance,  as  we  read  their  books ;  and  it  is 
another  thing  to  join  with  them  in  their  sinful  worship,  or 
scandalously  to  encourage  them  in  it  by  seeming  so  to  do. 
See  Calv.  contr.  Nicod.  &c. 

Quest.  VI I.   Whether  the  true  calling  of  the  minister  by  ardimh 
tioH  or  election^  6^c,,  be  necessary  to  the  essence  of  the  church  ? 

By  a  church  here  we  mean  a  political  society  of  Chris- 
tians, and  not  any  assembly  or  community.  And  no  doubt 
pastor  and  flock  are  the  constitutive  parts  of  such  a  church ; 
and  where  either  of  them  are  notoriously  wanting,  it  is  noto- 


QUEST.  VII.]      CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  267 

riooB  that  there  is  no  true  church.  Therefore  all  the  doubt 
is,  whether  such  parts  of  his  call  be  necessary  to  the  being 
of  the  ministry,  or  not  ?  And  here  we  must  conclude,  that 
the  word  '  ministry'  and  '  church'  are  ambiguous.  By  a 
minister  or  pastor  is  meant  either  one  that  God  so  far  owneth 
as  to  accept  and  justify  his  administrations  as  for  himself, 
even  his  own  good  and  salvation ;  or  one  whose  administra- 
tions Ood  will  own,  accept,  and  bless  to  the  people. 

L  In  the  former  sense,  1.  He  is  no  true  minister  that 
wanteth  the  essential  qualifications  of  a  minister,  viz.  that 
hath  not  (1.)  The  understanding  and  belief  of  all  the  arti* 
cles  of  ftdth,  without  heresy.  (2.)  Tolerable  ability  to  teach 
these  to  the  people,  and  perform  the  other  essentials  of  his 
o£Sce.  (3  )  Sincere  godliness,  to  do  all  this  in  love  and 
obedience  to  God  as  his  servant,  in  order  to  life  eternal. 
2.  And  he  is  thus  no  true  pastor  as  to  God's  acceptance  of 
himself, who  hath  not  a  lawful  calling;  that  is,  (1.)  Ordina- 
tion, when  it  may  be  had.  (2.)  The  consent  or  reception  of 
that  church  of  which  he  pretendeth  to  be  pastor,  which  is 
still  necessary,  and  must  be  had,  if  ordination  cannot. 

11.  But  in  the  second  sense,  he  is  a  pastor  so  far  as'that 
God  will  own  his  administrations  as  to  the  people's  good, 
who,  L  Hath  possession.  2.  And  seemeth  to  them  to  have 
necessary  qualifications,  and  a  lawful  call,  though  it  prove 
otherwise,  so  be  it,  it  be  not  through  th^ir  wilful  fault,  that 
he  is  ciilpable^or  they  mistaken  in  him.  If  he  be  not  a  true 
believer,  but  an  infidel,  or  heretic,  he  is  no  minister  as  to 
himself,  that  is,  Ood  will  use  him  as  an  usurper  that  hath  no 
title  ^ :  but  if  he  profess  to  be  a  believer  when  he  i&  not,  he 
is  a  true  pastor  visibly  to  the  people  ;  otherwise  they  could 
never  know  when  they  have  a  pastor :  even  as  real  faith 
makes  a  real  Christian,  and  professed  faith  makes  a  visible 
Christian,  so  is  it  as  to  the  ministry.  If  he  seem  to  under-' 
stand  the  articles  of  faith,  and  do  not,  or  if  he  seem  to  have 
d«e  ordination  when  he  hath  not,  if  he  be  upon  this  mistake 
accepted  by  the  people,  he  is  a  true  visible  pastor  as  to 
them,  that  is,  as  to  their  duty  and  benefit,  though  not  as  to 
himself.  Yea,  the  people's  consent  to  his  entrance  is  not 
neosssary  '  ad  esse,'  nor  to  his  relation  neither,  so  far  as  to 
justify  himself,  but  to  his  administrations  and  to  his  rela- 

^  Acts  Mr.     Matt.  vii.  ««. 


268  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [pART  III. 

lion,  80  far  as  their  own  right  and  benefit  are  interested  in  it. 
So  that  two  things  are  necessary  to  such  a  visible  pastor  as 
shall  perform  valid  administrations  to  the  church,  1.  Seem- 
ing necessary  qualifications  and  calling  to  it.  2.  Possession^ 
by  the  people's  reception  or  consent  to  his  administratiohs 
and  relation  so  far  as  to  their  benefit. 

And  III.  Thus  also  we  must  distinguish  of  the  word 
'  church.'  It  is,  1.  Such  an  entire  Christian  society  as  hath 
a  minister  or  pastor  whose  office  is  valid  as  to  himself  and 
them ;  or  it  is  such  a  society  only  as  hath  a  pastor  whose 
office  is  valid  to  them  but  not  to  himself.  Let  us  not  con- 
found the  question  '  de  re'  and  '  de  nomine.'  These  socie- 
ties differ  as  is  said.     Both  may  fitly  be  called  true  churches. 

As  it  is  with  a  kingdom  which  hath  a  rightful  prince, 
and  one  that  hath  an  usurper,  so  it  is  here.  1.  If  it  have 
a  rightful  king  accepted,  it  is  a  kingdom  in  the  fullest  sense. 

2.  If  it  have  an  usurper  accepted,  it  is  a  kingdom,  but  faulty. 

3.  If  the  usurper  be  only  so  far  accepted  as  that  the  people 
consent  not  to  his  entrance,  no,  nor  his  relation  so  as  to  jus- 
tify his  title,  but  wish  him  cast  out  if  they  could  procure  it; 
but  yet  consent  to  receive  that  protection  and  justice  which 
is  their  own  due  from  the  possessor,  and  consent  to  his  re- 
lation only  thus  far,  this  is  a  kingdom  truly,  but  more  de- 
fective or  maimed  than  the  first.  4.  But  if  the  people  do 
not  so  much  as  receive  him,  nor  submit  to  his  administra- 
tions, he  is  but  a  conqueror,  and  not  a  king,  and  it  is  (in 
respect  to  him)  no  kingdom,  (though  in  respect  to  some 
other  that  hath  title  and  consent,  without  actual  possession 
of  the  administration,  it  may  be  a  kingdom).  And  this  is 
the  true  and  plain  solution  of  this  question,  which  want  of 
distinction  doth  obscure. 

Quest.  VIII.  Whether  sincere  faith  and  godliness  be  necessary 
to  the  being  of  the  ministry  ?  And  whether  it  be  lawj\il  to 
hear  a  wicked  man,  or  take  the  sacrametU  from  him,  or  take 
him  for  a  minister  ? 

This  question  receiveth  the  very  same  solution  with  the 
last  foregoing,  and  ther^ore  I  need  not  say  much  more 
to  it. 

1.  The  first  part  is  too  oft  resolved  mistakingly  on  both 


QUEST.  VIII.]      CHRISTIAN   ECCLESIASTICS.  269 

extremes.  Some  absolutely  saying  that  godliness  or  faith 
is  not  necessary  to  the  being  of  the  ministry ;  and  some 
that  it  is  necessary.  Whereas  the  true  solution  is  as  afore«- 
said ;  sincere  faith  and  godliness  are  necessary  to  make  a  man 
a  minister  so  far  as  that  God  will  own  and  justify  him  as  sent 
by  himself,  as  to  his  own  duty  and  benefit :  for  he  cannot  be 
internally  and  heartily  a  Christian  pastor  that  is  no  Chris- 
tian, nor  a  minister  of  God,  who  is  not  godly,  that  is.  Is  not 
truly  resigned  to  God,  obeyeth  him  not  and  loveth  him  not 
as  God.  But  yet  the  reality  of  these  are  not  necessary  to 
make  him  a  visible  pastor,  as  to  the  people's  duty  and  be- 
nefit. 

2.  But  the  profession  of  true  faith  and  godliness  is  ne- 
cessary so  far,  as  that  without  it  the  people  ought  not  to 
take  him  for  a  visible  minister,  (as  the  profession  of  Chris- 
tianity is  to  a  visible  Christian.) 

3.  And  in  their  choice  they  ought  to  prefer  him  '  ceeteris 
paribus/  whose  profession  is  most  credible. 

Obj.  *  That  which  maketh  a  minister  is  gifts  and  a  call- 
ing, which  are  distinct  from  grace  and  real  Christianity.' 
Anxw.  Every  minister  is  a  Christian,  though  every  Chris- 
tian be  not  a  minister  or  pastor :  therefore  he  that  is  a  visi- 
ble pastor  must  visibly  or  in  profession  have  both. 

Obj,  '  But  a  man  may  be  a  Christian,  without  saving 
grace  or  godliness.'  Aiisw,  As  much  as  he  may  be  godly 
without  godliness.  That  is,  he  may  be  visibly  a  Christian 
and  godly,  without  sincere  faith  and  godliness,  but  not 
without  the  profession  of  both.  It  is  not  possible  that  the 
profession  of  Christianity  in  the  essentials,  can  be  without 
the  profession  of  godliness  ;  for  it  includeth  it. 

II.  To  the  other  question  I  answer,  1.  A  man  that  pro- 
fessetfa  infidelity  or  impiety,  yea,  that  professeth  not  faith 
and  godliness,  is  not  to  be  taken  for  a  minister,  or  heard  as 
such. 

2.  Every  one  that  professeth  to  stand  to  his  baptismal 
covenant  professeth  faith  and  godliness. 

3.  He  that  by  a  vicious  life  or  bad  application  of  doc- 
trine contradicteth  his  profession,  is  to  be  lawfully  accused 
of  it«  and  heard  speak  for  himself,  and  to  be  cast  out  by  true 
church-justice,  and  not  by  the  private  censure  of  a  private 
person. 


270  CHRISTIAN  DIRECTORY.  [PABT  HI. 

4.  Till  thifi  be  done,  though  a  particular  private  member 
of  the  church  be  not  bound  to  thiuk  that  the  minister  i« 
worthy,  nor  that  the  church  which  suffereth  and  raceiveth 
him  doth  well,  yet  they  are  bound  to  judge  him  one  who  by 
the  church's  reception  is  in  possession ;  and  therefore  a  vi- 

'  sible  pastor,  and  to  submit  to  his  public  administrations ; 
because  it  is  not  in  a  private  man's  power,  but  the  church's, 
to  determine  who  shall  be  the  pastor. 

5.  But  if  the  case  be  past  controversy  and  notorious, 
that  the  man  is  not  only  scandalous,  but  weak,  and  dull,  and 
negligent,  but  also  either,  1.  Intolerably  unable;  2.  Or  an 
infidel,  or  gross  heretic  ;  3.  Or  certainly  ungodly,  a  private 
man  should  admonish  the  church  and  him,  and  in  case  that 
they  proceed  in  impenitency,  should  remove  himself  to  a 
better  church  and  ministry.  And  the  church  itself  should 
disown  such  a  man,  and  commit  their  souls  to  one  that  is 
fitter  for  the  trust. 

6.  And  that  church  or  person  who  needlessly  ownetb 
such  a  pastor,  or  preferreth  him  before  a  fitter,  doth  thereby 
harden  him  in  his  usurpation,  and  is  guilty  of  the  hurt  of 
the  people's  souls,  and  of  his  own,  and  of  the  dishonour 
done  to  God. 

Quest.  IX.  Whether  the  people  are  bound  to  receive  or  ctmsent 
to  an  utigodly,  intolerable,  heretical  pastor,  yea,  op  one  far 
less  Jit  and  worthy  than  a  competitor,  if  the  magistrate  com* 
mand  it, or  the  bishop  impose  him? 

For  the  deciding  of  this,  take  these  propositions. 

1 .  The  magistrate  is  authorized  by  God  to  govern  mi* 
nisters  and  churches,  according  to  the  orders  and  laws  of 
Christ,  (and  not  against  them  :)  but  not  to  ordain  or  de« 
grade,  nor  to  make  ministers  or  unmake  them,  nor  to  de« 
prive  the  church  of  the  liberty  settled  on  it  by  the  laws  of 
Christ>' 

2.  The  bishops  or  ordainers  are  authorized  by  Christ,  to 
judge  of  the  fitness  of  the  person  to  the  office  in  general, 
and  solemnly  to  invest  him  in  it,  but  not  to  deprive  the  peo- 
ple of  their  freedom,  and  exercise  of  the  natural  care  of  their 
own  salvation,  or  of  any  liberty  given  them  by  Christ. 

3.  The  people's   liberty  in  choosing  or  consenting  to 


QUEST.  IX.]      CHRISTIAN   ECCLESIASTICS.  271 

their  own  pastors,  to  whom  they  must  commit  the  care  of 
their  souls,  is  partly  founded  in  nature,  (it  being  they  that 
must  have  the  benefit  or  loss,  and  no  man  being  authorized 
to  damn  or  hazard  men's  souls,  at  least  against  their  wills  ;) 
and  partly  settled  by  Scripture,  and  continued  in  the  church 
above  a  thousand  years  after  Christ,  at  least  in  very  many 
parts  of  it^  See  Blondel's  "  Full  Proof  de  jure  plebis  in 
regim.  Eccles.  Hildebertus  Caenoman.  (alias  Turonensis)" 
even  in  his  time  sheweth,  that  though  the  clergy  were  to 
lead,  and  the  people  to  follow,  yet  no  man  was  to  be  made  a 
bishop,  or  put  upon  the  people  without  their  own  consent : 
Epist.  12.  Bibl.  Pet.  To.  iii.  p.  179.  Filesacus  will  direct 
you  to  more  such  testimonies.  But  the  thing  is  past  con- 
troversy. I  need  not  cite  to  the  learned  the  commonly 
cited  testimony  of  Cyprian, '  Plebs  maximam  habet  potesta- 
tem  indignos  recusandi,  8cc.'  And  indeed  in  the  nature  of 
the  thing  it  cannot  be :  for  though  you  may  drench  a  mad 
man's  body  by  force,  when  you  give  him  physic,  you  cannot 
80  drench  men's  souls,  nor  cure  them  against  their  wills. 

4.  Not  that  the  people's  consent  is  necessary  to  the  ge- 
neral office  of  a  Gospel  minister,  to  preach  and  baptize ; 
but  only  to  the  appropriation  or  relation  of  a  minister  to 
themselves ;  that  is,  to  the  being  of  a  pastor  gf  a  particular 
church  as  such,  but  not  of  a  minister  of  Christ  as  such. 

5.  A  man's  soul  is  of  so  great  value  above  all  the  favour 
of  man,  or  treasures  of  this  world,  that  no  man  should  be 
indifferent,  to  what  man's  care  he  doth  commit  it;  nor 
should  he  hazard  it  upon  the  danger  of  everlasting  misery, 
for  fear  of  displeasing  man,  or  being  accused  of  schism  or 
disorder. 

6.  There  is  as  great  difference  between  an  able,  learned, 
judicious,  orthodox,  godly,  diligent,  lively  teacher,  and  an 
ignorant,  heretical,  ungodly,  dull,  and  slothful  man,  as  there 
is  between  a  skilful  and  an  ignorant  pilot  at  sea ;  or  be- 
tween an  able,  experienced,  faithful  physician,  and  an  ig- 
Borant,  rash,  and  treacherous  one,  as  to  the  saving  men's 
lives.  And  he  that  would  not  take  a  sot  or  empiric  for  his 
l^ysician,  who  were  like  to  kill  him,  and  refuse  the  counsel 

*  Id  the  time  of  the  Arian  emperors  the  chorcbes  refused  the  bishops  whom  (be 
cmpefors  imposed  on  them,  and  stuck  to  their  own  orthodox  bishops ;  especially  at 
Alexandria  aud  Ceiarea,  after  the  greyest  uigencj  for  their  obedience* 


272  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  111. 

of  an  able  physician^  in  obedience  to  a  magistrate  or  bishop, 
hath  as  little  reason  to  do  the  like  by  his  soul ;  nor  should 
he  set  less  by  that  than  by  his  life  ™.  And  if  Paul  said,  we 
have  this  power  for  edification  and  not  for  destruction,  we 
may  say  so  of  all  magistrates  and  bishops.  Sober  divines 
have  lately  shewed  their  error  who  teach  men  that  they 
must  be  ready  to  submit  to  damnation  if  God  require  it,  or 
to  suppose  that  his  glory  and  our  salvation  are  separable 
ends ;  because  damnation  is  a  thing  which  nature  necessi- 
tateth  man  not  to  desire  or  intend !  And  shall  we  ascribe 
more  to  a  magistrate  than  to  God?  and  say  that  we  must 
cast  our  souls  on  a  likelihood  of  damnation  to  keep  order 
and  in  obedience  to  man  ?  No  man  can  be  saved  without 
knowledge  and  holiness  :  an  ignorant,  dead,  ungodly  minis** 
ter  is  far  less  likely  to  help  us  to  knowledge  and  holiness, 
than  an  able,  holy  man.  To  say  God  can  work  by  the  un- 
fittest  instrument  is  nothing  to  the  purpose  ;  till  you  prove 
that  God  would  have  us  take  him  for  his  instrument,  and 
that  he  useth  equally  to  work  by  such,  as  well  as  by  the  fit 
and  worthy,  or  that  we  expect  wonders  from  God,  and  that 
ordinarily  without  tempting  him !  Yea,  when  such  an  usur- 
per of  the  ministry  is  like  to  damn  himself,  as  well  as  the 
people. 

And  here  to  lenify  the  minds  of  Ithacian  prelates  to* 
wards  those  that  seek  their  own  edification,  in  such  a  case 
as  this,  or  that  refuse  unworthy  pastors  of  their  imposing,  I 
will  intreat  them  to  censure  those  near  them  no  more  sharps 
ly  than  they  do  the  persons  in  these  following  instances. 
Yea,  if  a  separatist  go  too  far,  use  him  no  more  uncharitably, 
than  you  would  do  these  men. 

(1.)  GildasBrit.  is  called  Sapiens,  and  our  eldest  writer; 
and  yet  he  calleth  the  multitude  of  the  lewd  British  clergy 
whom  he  reprehendeth  in  his  "  Acris  Correptio,"  traitors 
and  no  priests ;  and  concludeth  seriously,  that  he  that  call- 
eth them  priests,  is  not '  eximius  Christianus,'  any  excellent 
Christian.  Yet  those  few  that  were  pious  he  excepteth 
and  commendeth.  Shall  he  account  them  no  priests,  for 
their  sinfulness,  and  will  you  force  others,  not  only  to  call 
them  priests,  but  to  commit  their  souls  to  such  men's  con- 
duct ?     When  Christ  hath  said,  "  If  the  blind  lead  the  blinds 

■  Matt.  xv\,  26.    Prov.  i.  if.     xix.  8.     Luke  xii*  4. 


QUEST.  IX.]       CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  273 

both  will  fall  into  the  ditch  ?"  And  Paul,  *'  Take  heed  unto 
thyself  and  unto  the  doctrine;  for  in  so  doing,  thou  shalt 
both  save  thyself  and  them  that  hear  thee  "^  V* 

The  second  is  our  second  (and  first  English)  historian 
Beda,  and  in  him  the  famous  Johannes  Episc.  Hagulstaden- 
sis  Eccles.,  who,  as  he  reporteth,  wrought  many  very  great 
miracles,  as  Eccles.  Hist.  lib.  v.  cap.  2 — 5.  is  to  be  read. 
This  man  had  one  Herebaldus  in  his  clergy,  afterwards  an 
abbot;  who  himself  told  Beda  as  foUoweth  :— *  That  this  Jo- 
hannes Ep.  cured  him  miraculously  of  a  perilous  hurt,  taken 
by  disobedient  horsemanship ;  and  when  he  recovered,  he 
asked  him,  whether  he  were  sure  that  he  was  baptized?  who 
answered.  That  he  knew  it  past  doubt,  and  named  the  pres- 
byter that  baptized  him.  The  bishop  answered.  If  thou 
wast  baptized  by  that  priest,  thou  art  not  rightly  baptized : 
for  I  know  him,  and  that  when  he  was  ordained  presbyter, 
he  was  so  dull  of  wit,  that  he  could  not  learn  the  ministry 
of  catechizing  and  baptizing.  Wherefore  I  commancled  him 
altogether  to  give  over  the  presumption  of  this  ministry, 
which  he  could  not  regularly  fulfiL  And  having  thus  said, 
he  himself  took  care  to  catechize  me  the  same  hour :  and — 
being  cured — '  vitali  etiam  unda  perfusus  sum/  I  was  bap- 
tized.' 

I  commend  not  this  example  of  re-baptizing,  the  rather 
because  it  seems  the  priest  was  not  deposed  till  after  he  had 
baptized  Herebaldus ;  but  if  he  went  so  far  as  to  rebaptize, 
and  account  the  baptism  a  nullity,  which  was  done  by  an 
unable,  insufficient  presbyter,  though  rightly  ordained, 
judge  but  as  favourably  of  men  that  avoid  such  presbyters 
in  our  age. 

The  third  instance  shcdl  be  that  of  Cyprian  and  all  the 
worthy  bishops  in  the  councils  of  Carthage  in  his  time,  who 
re-baptized  those  baptized  by  heretics.  And  consider  with- 
al that  in  those  times  many  were  called  heretics  whom  we 
call  but  schismatics,  that  drew  disciples  after  them  into  se 
parated  bodies  and  parties,  speaking  perverse  things,  though 
not  contrary  to  the  very  essentials  of  religion  '*.  I  justify 
not  their  opinion :  but  if  so  many  holy  bishops  counted  the 

■  Matt.  XV.  14.     1  Tim.  iv.  6.  16.     Matt.  xvi.  16.     xxiv.  4.     Mark  W.  S4. 
Liriw  tSL  18.     Matt,  xxiii.  16. 
•  Aou  XX.  90. 
VOL.  V.  T  . 


274  CHRISTIAN  DIRECTOIT.  [PART  III. 

Tery  baptism  of  such  a  nullity,  be  not  too  serere  and  cenao^ 
rious  against  those  that  i^o  not  also  (blt  from  an  inanfficieal 
or  ungodly,  or  grossly  scandalous  man,  for  the  mere  preser- 
vation of  their  own  souls. 

To  these  I  will  add  the  saying  of  one  of  the  honester 
sort  of  Jesuits,  Acosta ;  and  in  him  of  a  more  ancient  than 
he :  lib.  iv:  c.  1.  p.  364.  de  reb.  Indie.  He  extolleth  the 
words  of  Dionysius  Epist.  viii.  ad  Demoph.  which  are  '  Si 
igitur  quee  illuminat  sacerdotum  est  sancta  distinctio,  pro- 
culdubio  ille  k  sacerdotali  ordine  et  virtute  onmino  prolap- 
sus est,  qui  illuminans  non  est,  multoque  sane  magis  qui 
neque  illuminatus  est.  Atque  mihi  quidem  yidetur  audaz 
nimium  hujusmodi  est,  si  sacerdotalia  munia  sibi  aaaumit ; 
neque  metuit,  neque  veretur  ea  quee  sunt  Diyina  pnaeterme- 
ritum  persequi ;  putatque  ea  latere  Deum,  quorum  sibi  ipee 
conscius  sit ;  et  se  Deum  fallere  existimat,  quern  fidso  no- 
mine appellat  patrem  ;  audetque  scelestas  blasphemias  suas 
(neque  enim  preces  dixerim)  sacris  aris  inferre ;  eaeqne  su- 
per signa  ilia  Divina,  ad  Christi  similitudinem  dicere.  Non 
est  iste  sacerdos  ;  non  est ;  sed  infestus,  atrox,  dolosus,  il- 
lusor  sui,  et  lupus  in  dominicam  gregem  ovina  pelle  arma- 
tus.  His  plura  aut  majora  de  eyangelici  ministerii  et  cul- 
mine  et  praecipitio  qui  expectat,  cuique  ad  resipiscendum 
non  ista  sufficiunt,  infatuatum  se  juxta  Domini  sententiam, 
et  nuUo  unquam  sate  saHri  posse  demonstrat.'  I  will  not 
English  it,  lest  those  take  encouragement  by  it  who  are  bent 
to  the  other  extreme. 

7.  Yet  it  will  be  a  great  oifence,  if  any  censorious,  self- 
conceited  person,  shall  on  this  pretence  set  up  his  judgment 
of  men's  parts,  to  the  contempt  of  authority,  or  to  Uie  n- 
lifying  of  worthy  men  ;  and  especially  if  he  thereby  make 
a  stir  and  schism  in  the  church,  instead  of  seeking  his  own 
edification. 

8.  Yea,  if  a  minister  be  weaker,  yea,  and  colder  and 
worse  than  another,  yet  if  his  ministry  be  competently  fitted 
to  edification,  he  that  cannot  leave  him  and  go  to  a  better, 
without  apparent  hurt  to  the  church,  and  the  souls  of  olfaen, 
by  division,  or  exasperating  rulers,  or  breaking  family  order, 
or  violating  relative  duties,  must  take  himself  to  be  at  pre- 
sent denied  the  greater  helps  that  others  have,  and  may  trust 
God  in  the  use  of  those  weaker  means,  to  accept  and  bless 


QUEST.  X.]  CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  275 

him;  becaase  he  is  in  the  station  where  he  hath  set 
him.  This  case  therefore  must  be  resolved  by  a  prudent 
comparing  of  the  good  or  hurt  which  is  like  to  follow, 
and  of  the  accidents  or  circumstances  whence  that  must 
be  discerned. 

Qnest.  X.  What  if  the  magistrate  command  the  peopk  to  re- 
ceive  one  pastor,  and  the  bi$hops  or  ordainers  another,  which 
of  them  miust  be  obeyed  ? 

1.  The  magistrate,  and  not  the  bishop  or  people,  (un-» 
less  under  him)  hath  the  power  and  disposal  of  the  circum-^ 
stantials  or  accidents  of  the  church ;  I  mean  of  the  temple, 
the  pulpit,  the  tithes,  &c.  And  he  is  to  determine  what  mi- 
nisters are  fit  either  for  his  own  countenance  or  toleration, 
and  what  not.  In  these  therefore  he  is  to  be  obeyed  before 
the  bishops  or  others. 

2.  If  a  pope  or  prelate  of  a  foreign  church,  or  any  that 
hath  no  lawful  jurisdiction  or  government  over  the  church 
that  wanteth  a  pastor,  shall  command  them  to  receive  one, 
their  command  is  null,  and  to  be  contemned. 

3.  Neither  magistrate  or  bishop,  as  is  said,  may  deny 
the  church  or  people  any  liberty  which  God  in  nature,  or 
Christ  in  the  Gospel  hath  settled  on  them,  as  to  the  recep- 
tion of  their  proper  pastors. 

4.  No  bishop,  but  only  the  magistrates  can  compel  by 
the  sword,  the  obedience  of  his  commands. 

6.  If  one  of  them  command  the  reception  of  a  worthy 
person,  and  the  other  of  an  intolerable  one,  the  former 
must  prevail,  because  of  obedience  to  Christ,  and  care  of 
our  souls. 

6.  But  if  the  persons  be  equal,  or  both  fit,  the  magistrate 
18  to  be  obeyed,  if  he  be  peremptory  in  his  commands,  and 
decide  the  case  in  order  to  the  peace  oi^'protection  of  the 
church ;  both  because  it  is  a  lawful  thing,  and  because  else 
h€  win  permit  no  other. 

7.  And  the  rather  because  the  magistratie^s  power  is  mote 
past  controversy,  than,  whether  any  bishop,  pastor,  or  synod, 
can  any  further  than  by  counsel  and  persuasion,  oblige  the 
people  to  receive  a  pastor. 


276  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 


Quest.  XI.  Whether  an  uninterrupted  succession  either  of  right 
ordination  or  of  conveyance  by  jurisdiction,  be  necessary  to 
the  being  of  the  ministry,  or  of  a  true  church  ? 

The  Papists  have  hitherto  insisted  on  the  necessity  of 
successive  right  ordination ;  but  Voetius  '  de  desperata 
Causa  Papatus'  hath  in  this  so  handled  them^  and  confuted 
Jansenius,  as  hath  indeed  shewed  the  desperateness  of  that 
cause  :  and  they  perceive  that  the  papacy  itself  cannot  be 
upheld  by  that  way ;  and  therefore  Johnson,  alias  Terret,  in 
his  rejoinder  against  me,  now  concludeth,  that  it  is  not  for 
want  of  a  successive  consecration  that  they  condenm  the 
church  of  England,  but  for  want  of  true  jurisdiction,  be- 
cause other  bishops  had  title  to  the  places  whilst  they  were 
put  in  :  and  that  successive  consecration  (which  we  teke  to 
include  ordination)  is  not  necessary  to  the  being  of  ministry 
or  church.  And  it  is  most  certain  to  any  man  acquainted 
in  church  history,  that  their  popes  have  hsid  a  succession  of 
neither.  Their  way  of  election  hath  been  frequently  chang- 
ed, sometimes  being  by  the  people,  sometimes  by  the  clergy, 
sometimes  by  the  emperors,  and  lastly  by  the  cardinals 
alone.  Ordination  they  have  sometimes  wanted,  and  a 
layman  been  chosen  ;  and  oft  the  ordination  hath  been  by 
such  as  had  no  power  according  to  their  own  laws.  And 
frequent  intercisions  have  been  made,  sometimes  by  many 
years'  vacancy,  when  they  had  no  church,  (and  so  there  was 
none  on  earth,  if  the  pope  be  the  constitutive  head)  for  want 
of  a  pope ;  sometimes  by  long  schisms,  when  of  two  or 
three  popes,  no  one  could  be  known  to  have  more  right  than 
another,  nor  did  they  otherwise  carry  it,  them  by  power  at 
last  4  sometimes  by  the  utter  incapacity  of  the  possessors, 
some  being  laymen,  some  heretics  and  infidels,  so  judged  by 
councils  at  Rome,  Constance,  Basil ;  and  Eugenius  the 
fourth  continued  after  he  was  so  censured,  and  condemned, 
and  deposed  by  the  general  council.  I  have  proved  all  this 
at  large  elsewhere. 

And  he  that  will  not  be  cheated  with  a  bare  sound  of 
words,  but  will  ask  them,  whether  by  a  succession  of  juris- 
diction, they  mean  efficient,  conveying  jurisdiction  in  the 
causers  of  his  call,  or  received  jurisdiction  in  the  office  re- 


QUEST.  XI.]  CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  277 

ceived,  will  find  that  they  do  but  hide  their  desperate  cause 
in  confusion  and  an  insignificant  noise.  For  they  maintain 
that  none  on  earth  have  an  efficient  jurisdiction  in  making 
popes.  For  the  former  pope  doth  not  make  his  successor ; 
and  both  electors,  ordainers,  and  consecrators,  yea,  and  the 
people  receiving,  they  hold  to  be  subjects  of  the  pope  when 
made,  and  therefore  make  him  not  by  jurisdiction  giving 
him  the  power.  Therefore  Johnson  tells  me,  that  Christ 
only,  and  not  man,  doth  give  the  power,  and  they  must 
needs  hold  that  men  have  nothing  to  do  but  design  the  per- 
son recipient  by  election  and  reception,  and  to  invest  him 
ceremoniously  in  the  possession.  So  that  no  efficient  ju- 
risdiction is  here  used  at  all  by  man.  And  for  received  ju- 
risdiction, 1.  No  one  questioneth  but  when  that  office  is  re- 
ceived which  is  essentially  governing,  he  that  receiveth  it 
receiveth  a  governing  power,  or  else  he  did  not  receive  the 
office.  If  the  question  be  only,  whether  the  office  of  a 
bishop  be  an  office  of  jurisdiction,  or  contain  essentially  a 
governing  power,  they  make  no  question  of  this  themselves. 
So  that  the  noise  of  successive  jurisdiction  is  vanished  into 
nothing.  2.  And  with  them  that  deny  any  jurisdiction  to 
belong  to  presbyters,  this  will  be  nothing  as  to  their  case, 
who  have  nothing  but  orders  to  receive. 

They  have  nothing  of  sense  left  them  to  say  but  this, 
*  That  though  the  efficient  jurisdiction  which  maketh  popes 
be  only  in  Christ,  because  no  men  are  their  superiors,  yet 
bishops  and  presbyters  who  have  superiors,  cannot  receive 
their  power  but  by  an  efficient  power  of  man,  which  must 
come  down  by  uninterrupted  succession.'. 

Answ.  1.  And  so  if  ever  the  Papal  office  have  an  inter- 
cision,  (as  I  have  proved  it  hath  had  as  to  lawful  popes)  the 
whole  Catholic  church  is  nullified ;  and  it  is  impossible  to 
give  it  a  new  being,  but  by  a  new  pope. 

But  the  best  is,  that  by  their  doctrine  indeed  they  need 
not  to  plead  for  an  uninterrupted  successioneither  of  popes, 
bishops,  or  presbyters,  but  that  they  think  it  a  useful  cheat 
to  perplex  all  that  are  not  their  subjects.  For  if  the  Papacy 
were  extinct  a  hundred  years,  Christ  is  still  alive;  and 
seeing  it  is  no  matter  '  ad  esse'  who  be  the  electors  or  con- 
secraters,  so  it  be  but  made  known  conveniently  to  the  peo- 
ple, and  men  only  elect  and  receive  the  person,  and  Christ 


878  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

only  giveth  tha  power  (by  his  stated  law)  what  hindereth 
after  the  longest  extioction  or  intercision,  but  that  some- 
body, or  som^  sort  of  person  may  choose  a  pope  again,  and 
SQ  Christ  make  him  pope  ?     And  thus  the  Catholic  church 
may  die  and  live  again  by  a  new  creation,  many  times  over. 
And  when  the  pope  hath  a  resurrection  after  the  longest 
intercision,  so  may  all  the  bishops  and  priests  in  the  world, 
because  a  new  pope  can  make  new  bishops,  and  new  bishops 
can  inake  new  priests.    And  where  then  is  there  any  shew 
of  necessity  of  an  interrupted  succession  of  any  of  them? 
All  that  will  follow  is,  that  the  particular  churches  die  till  a 
resurrection ;  and  so  doth  the  whole  church  on  earth  every 
time  the  pope  dieth,  till  another  be  made,  if  he  be  the  con- 
stitutive head. 

2.  But  as  they  say  that  Christ  only  efficiently  giveth  the 
power  to  the  pope,  so  say  we  to  the  bishops  or  pastors  of 
the  church.  For  there  is  no  act  of  Christ's  collation  to  be 
proved,  but  the  Scripture  law  or  grant :  and  if  that  standing 
law  give  power  to  the  pope,  when  men  have  but  designed 
the  person,  the  same  law  will  do  the  same  to  bishops  and 
pastora;  for  it  e&tabliaheth  their  office  in  the  same  sort. 
Or  rather  in  truth  there  is  no  word,  that  giveth  power  to 
any  such  officer  as  an  universal  head  or  pope,  but  the  law 
for  the  pastoral  office  is  uncontrovertible. 

And  what  the  Spanish  bishops  at  Trent  thought  of  the 
Divine  right  of  the  bishop's  office,  I  need  not  mention. 

I  shall  therefore  thus  truly  resolve  the  question. 

1.  In  all  ordinations  and  elections,  man  doth  but  first 
choose  the  recipient  person.  2.  And  ceremoniously  and 
ministerially  invest  him  in  the  possession  when  God  hath 
given  him  the  power ;  but  the  efficient  collation  or  grant  of 
the  power  is  done  only  by  Christ,  by  the  instrumentality  of 
his  law  or  institution.  As  when  the  king  by  a  charter  saith, 
'  Whoever  the  city  shall  choose,  shall  be  their  mayor^  and 
have  such  and  such  power,  and  be  invested  in  it  by  the  re- 
corder or  steward :'  here  the  person  elected  receiveth  all 
his  power  from  the  king  by  his  charter,  (which  is  a  standing 
efficient,  conveying  it  to  the  capable  chosen  person,)  and 
not  ifrom  the  choosers  or  recorder ;  only  the  last  is  as  a  ser- 
vant to  deliver  possession.     So  is  it  in  this  case. 

2«  The  regular  way  of  entrance  appointed  by  Christ  to 


QUEST.  XI.]        CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  .379 

make  a  person  capable,  is  the  said  election  and  ordination. 
And  for  order  sake  where  tliat  may  be  had,  the  unordained 
are  not  to  be  received  as  pastors. 

3.  If  any  get  possession,  by  false,  pretended  ordination 
or  mission,  and  be  received  by  the  church,  I  have  before 
told  you  that  he  is  a  pastor  as  to  the  church's  use  and  be- 
nefit, though  not  to  his  own.  And  so  the  church  is  not  ex- 
tinct by  every  fraudulent  usurpation  or  mistake^  and  so  not 
by  want  of  a  true  ordination  or  mission. 

4.  If  the  way  of  regular  ordination  fail,  God  may  other- 
wise (by  the  church's  necessity,  and  the  notorious  aptitude 
of  the  person)  notify  his  will  to  the  church,  what  person  they 
shall  receive :  (as  if  a  layman  were  cast  on  the  Indian  shore 
and  converted  thousands,  who  could  have  no  ordination :) 
and  upon  the  people's  reception  or  consent,  that  man  will 
be  a  true  pastor. 

And  seeing  the  Papists  in  the  conclusion  (as  Johnson 
'  ubi  supra')  are  fain  to  cast  all  their  cause  on  the  church's 
reception  of  the  pope,  they  cannot  deny  reasonably  but  *  ad 
ease'  the  church's  reception  may  serve  also  for  another  offi- 
cer ;  and  indeed  much  better  than  for  a  pope.  For  L  The 
anirersal  chfirch  is  so  great,  that  no  man  can  know  when 
the  greater  part  receiveth  him,  and  when  not,  except  in  some 
notorious  declarations.  2.  And  it  is  now  known,  that  the 
fiur  greater  part  of  the  universal  church  (the  Greeks,  Arme- 
nians, Abassines,  Coptics,  Protestants,  &c.)  do  not  receive 
the  Roman  head.  3.  And  when  one  part  of  Europe  received 
one  pope,  and  another  part  another  pope  for  above  forty 
years  together,  who  could  tell  which  of  the  parties  was  to 
bt  accounted  the  church  ?  It  was  not  then  known,  and  is 
not  known  yet  to  this  day  ;  and  no  Papist  can  prove  it,  who 
affiimeth  it. 

Asa  church  e.g.  Constantinople  may  be  gathered,  or 
'  oriri  de  novo'  where  there  is  none  before,  so  may  it  be  res- 
tored where  it  is  extinct.  And  possibly  a  layman  (as  Fru- 
mentius  and  Edesius  in  the  Indies)  may  be  the  instrument 
of  mens'  conversion.  And  if  so,  they  may  by  consent  be- 
come their  pastors,  when  regular  ordination  cannot  be  had. 

I  have  said  more  of  this  in  my  "  Disputations  of  Church- 
government,"  Disput.  ii.  The  truth  is,  this  pretence  of  a 
necessity  of  uninterrupted,  successive  ordination,  mission. 


280  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTOBY.  [PART  III. 

or  juriftdictional  collation  'ad  esse/  to  the  being  of  ministry 
or  churchy  is  but  a  cheat  of  men  that  haye  an  interest  of 
their  own  which  requireth  such  a  plea,  when  they  may  easily 
know,  that  it  would  overthrow  themseWes. 

Quest.  XII.  Whether  there  be,  or  ever  was  such  a  thing  in  the 
world,  as  one  Catholic  church,  constituted  by  am/  h^ad  be- 
sides  or  under  Christ  ? 

The  greatest  and  first  controversy  between  us  and  the 
Papists,  is  not  what  man  or  politic  person,  is  the  head  of 
the  whole  visible  church  ;  but,  whether  there  be  any  such 
head  at  all,  either  personal,  or  collective,  monarchical,  aris* 
tocratical,  or  democratical  under  Christ,  of  his  appointm^it 
or  allowance  ?  Or  any  such  thing  as  a  Catholic  chvrch  so 
headed  or  constituted  ?  Which  they  affirm  and  we  deny. 
That  neither  pope  nor  general  council  is  such  a  head,  I  have 
proved  so  fully  in  my  *'  Key  for  Catholics''  and  other  books, 
that  I  will  not  here  stay  to  make  repetition  of  it.  That  the 
pope  is  no  such  head,  we  may  take  for  granted,  I.  Because 
they  bring  no  proof  of  it,  whatever  they  vainly  pretend.  2. 
Because  our  divines  have  copiously  disproved  h,  to  whom  I 
refer  you.  3.  Because  the  universal  church  never  received 
such  a  head,  as  I  have  proved  against  Johnson.  4.  And 
whether  it  be  the  pope,  their  bishop  of  Calcedon,  'ubi 
supra,'  et  Sancta  Clara  "  System,  fid."  say  is  not '  de  fide.' 

That  a  council  is  no  such  head  I  have  largely  proved  as 
aforesaid.  Part  ii.  "  Key  for  Catholics."  And  1.  The  use 
of  it  being  but  for  concord  proveth  iU  2.  Most  Papists 
confess  it.  3.  Else  there  should  be  seldom  any  church  in 
the  world  for  want  of  a  head,  yea,  never  any. 

For  I  have  proved  there  and  to  Johnson,  that  there  never 
was  a  true  general  council  of  the  universal  church  ;  but  only 
imperial  councils  of  the  churches  under  one  emperor^s 
power,  and  those  that  having  been  under  it,  had  been  used 
to  such  councils :  and  that  it  is  not  a  thing  ever  to  be  atr 
tempted  or  expected,  as  being  unlawful  and  morally  im- 
possible ®. 

<*  Sec  also  in  my  "  Reasons  of  Christian  Religiuo/'  Con$.  ii.  or  the  iuterest  of 
the  church. 


QUEST.  XIII.]   CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  281 

Quest.  XIII.  Whether  there  be  such  a  thing  as  a  visibk  Catho- 
lic church  ?     And  what  it  is? 

The  ancients  differently  used  the  terms  '  A  Catholic 
church'  and  '  The  Cathplic  church.'  By  the  first  they  mean 
any  particular  church  which  was  part  of  the  universal ;  by 
the  second  they  meant  the  universal  church  itself  p.  And 
this  is  it  that  we  now  mean.  And  I  answer  affirmatively, 
*  There  is  a  visible  universal  church,  not  only  as  a  commu- 
nity, or  as  a  kingdom  distinct  from  the  king,  but  as  a  po- 
litical society. 

2.  This  church  is  the  universality  of  baptized  visible 
Christians  headed  by  Jesus  Christ  himself  "i. 

There  is  this,  and  there  is  no  other  upon  earth.  The 
Papists  say,  that  this  is  no  visible  church  because  the  head 
is  not  visible. 

I  answer,  1.  It  is  not  necessary  that  he  be  seen,  but  vi- 
sible :  and  is  not  Christ  a  visible  person  ? 

2.  This  church  consisteth  of  two  parts,  the  triumphant 
part  in  glory,  and  the  militant  part ;  and  Christ  is  not  only 
visible  but  seen  by  the  triumphant  part.  As  the  king  is  not 
seen  by  the  ten  thousandth  part  of  his  kingdoms,  but  by 
his  courtiers  and  those  about  him,  and  yet  he  is  king  of  all. 

3.  Christ  was  seen  on  earth  for  above  thirty  years ;  and 
the  kingdom  may  be  called  visible,  in  that  the  king  was 
once  visible  on  earth,  and  is  how  visible  in  heaven.  .  As  if 
the  king  would  shew  himself  to  his  people  but  one  year  to- 
gether in  all  his  life. 

4.  It  ill  becometh  the  Papists  of  any  men,  to  say  that 
Christ  is  not  visible,  who  make  him,  see  him^  taste  him, 
handle  him,  eat  him,  drink  him,  digest  him  in  every  church, 
in  every  mass  throughout  the  year,  and  throughout  the 
world :  and  this  is  not  as  divided,  but  as  whole  Christ. 

Object.  But  this  is  not '  quatenus '  regent. 

Answ.  If  you  see  him  that  is  regent,  and  see  his  laws  and 
Gospel  which  are  his  governing  instruments,  together  with 
his  ministers  who  are  his  officers,  it  is  enough  to  denominate 
his  kingdom  visible. 

5.  The  church  might  be  fitly  denominated  visible  '  se- 

9  1  Cor*  xii.  IS.  and  througbout  <i  Epbes.  if.  1.  5—7.  16. 


282  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART    III. 

cundum  quid/  if  Christ  himself  were  invisible ;  because  the 
politic  body  is  visible,  the  dispersed  officers,  assemblies,  and 
laws  are  visible.  But  sure  all  these  together  may  well  serve 
for  the  denomination. 

Quest.  XIV.  Wh€U  is  it  that  maketh  a  visible  member  of  the 
universal  church  ?     And  who  are  to  be  accounted  such  ? 

1.  Baptism  maketh  a  visible  member  of  the  universal 
church ;  and  the  baptized,  (as  to  entrance,  unless  they  go 
out  again)  are  to  be  accounted  such '. 

2.  By  baptism  we  mean,  open  devotion  or  dedication  to 
God  by  the  baptismal  covenant,  in  which  the  adult  for  them- 
selves, and  parents  for  their  infants,  do  profess  consent  to 
the  covenant  of  grace  ;  which  includeth  a  belief  of  ail  the 
essential  articles  of  the  faith,  and  a  resolution  for  sincere 
obedience  ;  and  a  consent  to  the  relations  between  God  and 
us,  viz.  that  he  be  our  reconciled  Father,  our  Sa?ioar,  and 

our  Sanctifier. 

3.  The  continuance  of  this  consent  is  necessary  to  the 

continuance  of  our  visible  membership. 

4.  He  that  through  ignorance,  or  incapacity  for  want  of 
water,  or  a  minis cer,  is  not  baptized,  and  yet  is  solemnly  or 
notoriously  dedicated  and  devoted  to  God  the  Father,  Son, 
and  Holy  Ghost,  in  the  same  covenant,  though  without  the 
outward  sign,  and  profesaeth  openly  the  same  religion,  is  a 
visible  Christian,  though  not  by  a  complete  and  regular  vi- 
sibility ;  as  a  soldier  not  listed  nor  taking  his  colours*  or  a 
marriage  not  regularly  solemnized,  &c. 

5.  He  that  forsaketh  his  covenant  by  apostacy,  or  is  to- 
tally and  duly  excommunicated,  ceaseth  to  be  a  visible  mem- 
ber of  the  church. 

Quest.  XV.  Whether  besides  the  profession  of  Christiamiiy, 
either  testimony  or  evidence  of  conversion  or  practical  godH- 
ness  be  necessary  to  prove  a  man  a  member  of  the  universal 
visible' church  ? 

1.  As  the  Mediator  is  the  way  to  the  Father,  sent  to  re- 
cover  us   to   God,  so  Christianity   includeth  godliness; 

r  Matt,  xxviii.  19.     Mark  svi.  16. 


QU£ST.  XV.]       CHKISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  283 

and  he  professeth  not  Christianity,  who  professeth  not  god- 
liness *. 

2.  He  that  professeth  the  baptismal  covenant,  professeth 
Christianity,  and  godliness,  and  true  conversion.  And 
therefore  cannot  be  rejected  for  want  of  a  profession  of  con- 
version or  godliness. 

3.  But  he  that  is  justly  suspected  not  to  understand  his 
own  profession,  but  to  speak  general  words,  without  the 
sense,  may  and  ought  to  be  examined  by  him  that  is  to  bap- 
tize him ;  and  therefore  though  the  apostles  among  the 
Jews  who  had  been  bred  up  among  the  oracles  of  Ood,  did 
justly  presume  of  so  much  understanding,  as  that  they  bap- 
tized men  the  same  day  that  they  professed  to  believe  in 
Christ;   but  when  they  baptized  converted  Gentiles,  we 
have  reason  to  think,  that  they  first  received  a  particular 
account  of  their  converts,  that  they  understood  the  three 
essential  articles  of  the  covenant  ^     1.  Because  the  creed  is 
fitted  to  that  use,  and  hath  been  ever  used  thereunto  by  the 
churches,  as  by  tradition  from  the  apostles'  practice.    2. 
Because  the  church  in  all  ages,  as  far  as  church  history 
leadeth  us  upward,  hath  used  catechising  before  baptizing ; 
yea,  and  to  keep  men  as  catechumens  some  time  for  prepa- 
ration.    3.    Because  common  experience  telleth  us,  tiiat 
multitudes  can  say  the  creed  that  understand  it  not. 

If  any  yet  urge  the  apostles'  example,  I  will  grant  that 
it  obligeth  us  when  the  case  is  the  like  :  (and  I  will  not  fly 
to  any  conceit  of  their  heart-searching,  or  discerning  men's 
sincerity).  When  you  bring  us  to  a  people  that  before  were 
the  visible  church  of  God,  and  were  all  their  lifetime 
trained  up  in  the  knowledge  of  God,  of  sin,  of  duty,  of  the 
promised  Messiah,  according  to  all  the  law  and  prophets^ 
and  want  nothing,  but  to  know  the  Son  and  the  Holy  Ghost, 
that  this  Jesus  is  the  Christ,  who  will  reconcile  us  to  God,, 
and  give  us  the  sanctifying  Spirit,  then  we  will  also  baptize 
men  the  same  day  that  they  profess  to  believe  in  Jesus 
Christ,  and  in  the  Father  as  reconciled  by  Jhim,  and  the 
Holy  Ghost  as  given  by  him.  But  if  we  have  those  to  deal 
with  who  know  not  God,  or  sin,  or  misery,  or  Scripture  pro- 
phecies, no  nor  natural  verities,  we  know  no  proof  that  the 
apostles  so  hastily  baptized  such. 

•  John  xiv.  6.     I  Tim.  iit.  16.     vi.  9.  1 1.     2  Pet.  i.  3.  ^  Acti  ii.  38, 99. 


284  CHRISTIAN  DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

Of  this  I  have  largely  spoken  in  my  "  Treatise  of  Con- 
firmation." 

4.  It  is  not  necessary  to  a  man's  baptism  and  first 
church-membership,  that  he  give  any  testimony  of  an  ante- 
cedent godly  life;  because  it  is  repentance  and  future 
obedience  professed  that  is  his  title  ;  and  we  must  not  keep 
men  from  covenanting,  till  we  first  see  whether  they  will 
keep  the  covenant  which  they  are  to  make.  For  covenant- 
ing goeth  before  covenant-keeping ;  and  it  is  any,  the  most 
impious  sinner,  who  repenteth,  that  is  to  be  wadied  and  jus- 
tified as  soon  as  he  becometh  a  believer. 

5.  Yet  if  any  that  professeth  faith  and  repentance, 
should  commit  whoredom,  drunkenness,  murder,  blasphemy, 
or  any  mortal  sin,  before  he  is  baptized,  we  have  reason  to 
make  a  stop  of  that  man's  baptism,  because  he  contradicteth 
his  own  profession,  and  giveth  us  cause  to  take  it  for  hypo- 
critical, till  he  give  us  better  evidence  that  he  is  penitent 
indeed  ". 

6.  Heart-covenanting  maketh  an  invisible  church-mem- 
ber, and  verbal-covenanting  and  baptism  make  a  visible 
church-member.  And  he  that  maketh  a  profession  of 
Christianity,  so  far  as  to  declare  that  he  believeth  all  the  ar- 
ticles of  the  creed  particularly  and  understandingly  (with 
some  tolerable  understanding,  though  not  distinct  enough 
and  full)  and  that  he  openly  devoteth  himself  to  Ood  the 
Father,  Son,  and  Spirit,  in  the  vow  and  covenant  of  baptism, 
doth  produce  a  sufficient  title  to  the  relation  of  a  Christian 
and  church-member;  and  no  minister  may  reject  him,  for 
want  of  telling  when,  and  by  what  arguments,  means,  order, 
or  degrees  he  was  converted. 

7.  They  that  forsake  these  terms  of  church-entrance, 
left  us  by  Christ  and  his  apostles,  and  used  by  all  the 
churches  in  the  world,  and  reject  those  that  shew  the  title 
of  such  a  profession,  for  want  of  something  more,  and  set 
up  other,  stricter  terms  of  their  own,  as  necessary  to  disco- 
ver men's  conversion  and  sincerity,  are  guilty  of  church- 
tyranny  against  men,  and  usurpation  against  Christ ;  and  of 
making  engines  to  divide  the  churches,  seeing  there  will 
never  be  agreement  on  any  human  devised  terms,  but  some 

0  1  Cor.  vj.  9»  10.    TiL  in.  3—5.     Epbes.  iL  1—3.     AcU  it.  37,  .38. 


QUEST.  XVI.]    CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  285 

will  be  of  one  side,  and  some  of  another^  when  they  forsake 
the  tenns  of  Christ. 

8.  Yet  if  the  pastor  shall  see  cause  upon  suspicion  of 
hypocrisy,  *  ad  melius  esse/  to  put  divers  questions  to  one 
man  more  than  to  another,  and  to  desire  further  satisfaction, 
the  catechumens  ought  in  conscience  to  answer  him,  and  en- 
deavour his  satisfaction.  For  a  minister  is  not  tied  up  to 
speak  only  such  or  such  words  to  the  penitent ;  and  he  that 
should  say,  *  I  will  answer  you  no  further  than  to  repeat 
the  Creed,'  doth  give  a  man  reason  to  suppose  him  either 
ignorant  or  proud,  and  to  suspend  the  reception  of  him, 
though  not  to  deny  it.  But  still  '  ad  esse  '  no  terms  must 
be  imposed  as  necessary  on  the  church,  but  what  the  Holy 
Ghost  by  the  apostles  hath  established. 

Quest.  XVI.  What  is  rtecessary  to  a  man's  reception  into  mem- 
bership  in  a  particular  church,  over  and  above  his  aforesaid 
title  1     Whether  any  other  trials,  or  covenant,  or  what  ? 

1.  A  particular  church  is  a  regular  part  of  the  universal,* 
as  a  city  of  a  kingdom,  or  a  troop  of  an  army. 

2.  Every  man  that  is  a  member  of  the  particular  church, 
is  a  member  of  the  universal ;  but  every  one  that  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  universal  church,  is  not  a  member  of  a  particular. 

3.  Every  particular  church  hath  its  own  particular  pas- 
tor (one  or  more),  and  its  own  particular  place  or  bounds  of 
habitation  or  residence  ;  therefore  he  that  will  be  a  member 
of  a  particular  church,  1 .  Must  co-habit,  or  live  in  a  proxi- 
mity capable  of  communion.  2.  And  must  consent  to  be  a 
member  of  that  particular  church,  and  to  be  under  the  gui- 
dance of  its  particular  pastor,  in  their  office  work.  For  he 
cannot  be  made  a  member  without  his  own  consent  and 
will;  nor  can  he  be  a  member,  that  subjecteth  not  himself 
to  the  governor  or  guide. 

4.  He  therefore  that  will  intrude  into  their  communion 
mud  privileges  without  expressing  his  consent  beforehand 
to  be  a  member,  and  to  submit  to  the  pastoral  oversight,  is 
to  be  taken  for  an  invader. 

6.  But  no  other  personal  qualification  is  to  be  exacted 
from  him  as  necessary,  but  that  he  be  a  member  of  the 
church  universal.     As  he  is  not  to  be  baptized  again,  so 


286  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART   III. 

neither  to  give  again  all  that  account  of  his  faith  and  repen- 
tance particularly  which  he  gave  at  baptism ;  muchrleeaany 
higher  proofs  of  his  sincerity  ;  but  if  he  continue  in  the  co- 
venant and  church-state  which  he  was  baptized  into>  he  ui 
capable  thereby  of  reception  into  any  particular  church 
upon  particular  consent.  Nor  is  there  any  Scripture  proof 
of  any  new  examinations  about  their  conversion  or  sincerity, 
at  their  removals  or  entrance  into  a  particular  church. 

6.  But  yet  because  he  is  not  row  looked  on  only  as  a 
covenant-maker,  as  he  was  at  baptism,  but  also  as  a  cove- 
nant-keeper or  performer,  therefore  if  any  can  prove  that  he 
is  false  to  his  baptismal  covenant,  by  apostacy,  heresy,  or  a 
wicked  life,  he  is  to  be  refused  till  he  be  absolved  upon  his 
renewed  repentance. 

7.  He  that  oft  professeth  to  repent,  and  by  oft  revolting 
into  mortal  sin,  (that  is,  sin  which  sheweth  a  state  of  death,) 
doth  shew  that  he  was  not  sincere,  must  afterward  shew  his 
repentance  by  actual  amendment,  before  he  can  say,  it  is  his 
due  to  be  believed. 

8.  Whether  you  will  call  this  consent  to  particular 
church  relation  and  duty,  by  the  name  of  a  covenant  or  not, 
is  but '  lis  de  nomine :'  it  is  more  than  mutual  consent  that 
is  necessary  to  be  expressed :  and  mutual  consent  expressed 
may  be  called  a  covenant. 

9.  '  Ad  melius  esse,'  the  more  express  the  consent  or  co- 
venant is,  the  better :  for  in  so  great  matters  men  should 
know  what  they  do,  and  deal  above  board :  especially  when 
experience  telleth  us,  that  ignorance  and  imagery  is  ready 
to  eat  out  the  heart  of  religion  in  almost  all  the  churches  in 
the  world.  But  yet '  ad  esse'  churches  must  see  that  they 
feign  or  make  no  more  covenants  necessary  than  Ood  hath 
made ;  because  human,  unnecessary  inventions  have  so  long 
distracted  and  laid  waste  the  churches  of  Christ. 

10.  The  pastor's  consent  must  concur  with  the  persons 
to  be  received  :  for  it  must  be  mutual  consent :  and  as  none 
can  be  a  member,  so  none  may  be  a  pastor  against  his  will*. 
And  though  he  be  under  Christ's  laws  what  persons  to  re- 
ceive, and  is  not  arbitrary  to  do  what  he  list,  yet  he  is  the 
guide  of  the  church,  and  the  discemer  of  his  own  duty. 
And  a  pastor  may  have  reasons  to  refuse  to  take  a  man  into 

<  Matt,  xxviii.19,  fO,     Heb.  xiii  7. 17.     1  These  ▼.  If,  IS.     1  Hm.  ▼.  17. 


QUEST^  XVII.]     CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  287 

his  particular  charge,  without  rejecting  him  ^us  unworthy. 
Perhaps  he  may  already  have  more  in  number  than  he  can 
well  take  care  of.     And  other  such  reasons  may  fall  out. 

11.  In  those  countries  where  the  magistrate's  laws  and 
common  consent,  do  take  every  unqualified  person  for  a , 
member  of  that  church  where  his  habitation  is,  (called  a  pa-* 
rish,)  and  to  which  he  ordinarily  resorteth,  the  pastor  that 
undertaketh  that  charge,  doth  diereby  seem  to  consent  to 
be  pastor  to  all  such  persons  in  that  parish.  And  there  co- 
habitation and  ordinary  conjunction  with  the  church,  may 
go  for  a  signification  of  consent,  and  instead  of  more  parti- 
cular contract  or  covenant,  by  virtue  of  the  exposition  of  the 
said  laws  and  customs.  Yet  so,  that  a  man  is  not  therefore 
to  be  taken  for  a  member  of  the  church,  merely  because  he 
liveth  in  the  parish ;  for  so  atheists,  infidels,  heretics  and 
papists  may  do:  but  because  he  is,  1.  A  parishioner,  2.  Qua- 
lified, 3.  Joining  with  the  church,  and  actually  submitting 
to  the  ministry. 

12.  Where  there  is  this  much  only,  it  is  a  sinful  slander 
to  say  that  such  a  parish  is  no  true  church  of  Christ;  how- 
ever there  may  be  many  desirable  orders  wanting  to  its  better 
being.  Who  hath  the  power  of  trying  and  receiving  we  shall 
shew  anon. 

Quest.    XVII.    Wherein  doth  the  ministerial  office  essentially 

consist  ? 

The  office  of  the  sacred  ministry  is  a  mixed  relation,  (not 
a  simple  0*  I*  As  the  minister  is  related  to  Christ'he  is  his 
servant  or  minister  by  office :  that  is,  one  commissioned  by 
him  for  that  sacred  work :  where  there  is,  1.  The  commission 
itself,  (which  is  not  particular,  but  general,  in  a  general  law, 
applicable  to  each  singular  person  when  qualified).  2.  The 
determination  of  the  individual  person  who  is  to  receive  it : 
which  consisteth  in  the  call,  which  I  have  opened  before 
send  therefore  repeat  not.  Only  note  again,  1.  That  by 
virtue  of  the  general  commission  or  institution  of  the  office 
in  specie,  the  power  is  conveyed  from  Christ  to  the  indivi- 
dual person,  and  that  the  church  (electors  or  ordainers)  are 
not  the  donors,  authorizers,  or  obligers,  but  only  instru- 

'  John  XX.  SI.     xiii.  SO.     Lakex.  3.     Rom.  x.  15.     Acts  xx.  98. 


288  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III4 

ments  of  designing  an  apt  recipient,  and  delivering  him  pos- 
session. 2.  That  by  virtue  of  this  institution,  charter,  or 
law  commission,  it  is  that  the  acts  of  a  man  seemingly  or 
visibly  called,  are  valid  to  the  church,  though  really  he  were 
not  ordained  or  truly  called,  but  deceived  them  by  hypo- 
critical intrusion '. 

2.  The  causation  or  efficiency  of  Christ  in  the  making 
any  one  a  minister,  is,  1.  Dispositive,  making  him  a  quali- 
fied, fit  recipient ;  2.  Then  applying  the  general  commission 
to  him,  or  giving  him  the  function  itself*. 

L  The  dispositive  acts  of  Christ  are,  1.  Giving  him 
competent  knowledge  for  a  minister.  2.  Giving  him  com- 
petent goodness ;  that  is,  love  to  God,  truth,  and  souls,  and 
willingness  for  the  work.  3.  Giving  him  competent  power 
and  abilities  for  execution,  which  is  principally  in  utte- 
rance ;  and  so  qualifying  his  intellect,  will,  and  executive 
power  **. 

2.  The  immediate  conveyance  or  act  of  collation,  is, 
1.  An  obligation  laid  on  the  person  to  do  the  work.  2.  Au- 
thority given  him  to  warrant  him,  and  to  oblige  others  :  that 
is,  a  '  jus  docendi,  gubemandi,'  &c. 

3.  The  form  of  the  relation  is  denominated,  1.  From  the 
reception  of  these  efficiencies  in  general.  2.  From  the  sub- 
ordination which  hereby  they  are  placed  in  to  Christ,  as  their, 
relation  is  denominated  '  k  termino.' 

1.  Formally  the  office  consisteth  in,  1.  An  obligation  to 
do  the  work  of  the  office.  2.  Authority  to  do  it,  and  to  ob- 
lige others  to  submit  to  it. 

2.  These  make  up  an  office  which  being  denominated 
also  from  the  *  terminus,'  is  considered,  1.  As  to  the  near- 
est term,  which  is  the  work  to  be  done.  2.  The  remote, 
which  is  the  object  of  that  work. 

The  work  is  1.  Teaching:  2.  Ruling:  3.  Worshipping^ 
And  so  it  is  essentially  '  An  obligation  and  power  of  minis- 
terial teaching,  ruling,  and  worshipping  God.' 

2.  As  to  the  object  it  is,  1.  The  world  to  be  converted. 

*  Phil.  i.  15—17.     Mutt.  vii.  Si.     Rom.  xt.  14. 

»  Eph.  W.  7,  8.     2  Tim.  ii.  «.     i.5.  7.     Eph.  vi.  19.     Col.  W.  3.     f  Cor. 

i.4t5. 

b  Tit.  i.  «.     «  Cor.  iii.  6.     1  Cor.  iv.  1.  «.    Tit.  i.7. 

«:  t  Tim.  ii.  2.     ill.  t.     iv.  It.     vi.  %,  S.     1  Thes».  ▼.  It,  IS. 


QUEST.  XVlII.]    CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  289 

2.  The  converted  to  be  baptized,  and  congregated  or  ordered 
into  particular  societies,  (so  far  as  may  be).  3.  The  bap^ 
tized  and  congregate  to  be,  (1.)  Taught;  (2.)  Ruled;  (3.) 
Guided  in  worship  ^. 

From  all  which  resulteth  an  office  which  is  ministerially 
subordinate  to  Christ,  1.  The  prophet  or  teacher ;  2.  The 
Ruler ;  3.  The  Highpriest  and  Lover  of  his  church  :  and  it 
may  be  aptly  called  both  a  teaching  ministry,  a  ruling  minis- 
tiy,  (not  by  the  sword,  but  by  the  Word,)  and  a  priesthood 
or  priestly  ministry*. 

II.  As  the  pastor  is  related  to  the  church,  he  is,  1 .  A  con- 
stitutive part  of  particular  political  churches.  2.  He  is 
Christ's  minister  for  the  church  and  for  Christ ;  that  is,  to 
teach,  rule,  and  worship  with  the  church.  He  is  above  the 
church,  and  greater  than  it,  as  to  order  and  power,  and  not 
the  minister  of  the  church  as  the  efficient  of  the  ministry : 
but  he  is  less  and  worse  than  the  church  finally  and  mate- 
rially ;'  and  is  finally  the  church's  minister,  as  the  physician 
is  the  patient's  physician ;  not  made  a  physician  by  him, 
bat  chosen  and  used  as  his  physician  for  his  cure :  so  that 
to  speak  properly,  he  is  not  from  them,  but  for  them.  He 
is  Christ's  minister  for  their  good ;  as  the  shepherd  is  his 
master's  servant,  for  his  flock,  and  so  finally  only  the  ser- 
vant of  the  sheep  ^ 

The  whole  uncontrovertible  work  of  the  office  is  laid 
dovm  in  my  small  book  called  "  Universal  Concord,"  to 
which  I  must  refer  you. 

Quest.  XV III.  Whether  the  people* s  choice  or  consent  is  neces^ 
sary  to  the  office  of  a  minister  in  hisjirst  work,  as  he  is  to 
concert  infideh,  and  baptize  them  ?  And  whether  this  be  a 
work  of  office?     And  what  call  is  necessary  to  it  ^ 

I  conjoin  these  three  distinct  questions  for  expedition. 

I.  That  it  is  part  of  the  minister's  office-work  to  teach, 
convert,  and  baptize  men,  to  bring  them  out  of  the  world 
into  the  church,  is  undeniable ;  1 .  In  Christ's  express  com- 
mission. Matt,  xxviii.  19,  20.  "  Go  disciple  me  all  nations, 
baptizing  them — "     2.  In  the  execution  of  this  commission. 

*  Hcb.  xiii.  7.  17.     AcU  vi.  4.     ix.  40.     xx.  36.     Mai.  ii.  7.     Heb.  x.  1 1. 
«  Rev.  i.  6.     ▼.  10.     XX.  6.     I  Pet.  ii.  5,  6. 

'  Rom.  i.  1.     Col.  iv.  12.     2  Pet.  xi.  1.     1  Cor.  iv.  1,  J.     iii.5.    2  Cor.  iiU 
i    VL  4.    xi.  tS.     Mmtt.  xxiv.  45,  46.  48.     1  Cor.  ix.  19. 
VOL.  V.  U 


25K)  CHRISTIAN    DIRi£CTORY.  [PART   III. 

2.  That  this  was  not  peculiar  to  the  apostles  or  their  age 
is  proved,  1.  Because  not  an  exti-aordinary  work/ like  mi- 
racles, 8cc.  but  the  first  great  business  of  the  Gospel  and 
ministry  in  the  world.  2.  Because  others  as  well  as  the 
apostles  did  it  in  that  age,  and  ever  since.  3.  Because  the 
promise  is  annexed  to  the  office  thus  described  *'  I  am  with 
you  alway  to  the  end  of  the  world/'  Or  if  you  translate  it 
"  age/'  it  is  the  age  of  the  church  of  the  Messiah  incarnate, 
which  is  all  one.  4.  Because  it  was  a  small  part  of  the  world 
comparatively  that  heard  the  Gospel  in  the  apostles'  days. 
And  the  far  greatest  part  of  the  world  is  without  it  at  this  day, 
when  yet  God  our  Saviour  would  have  all  men  to  be  saved, 
and  to  come  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth.  5.  Even  where 
the  Gospel  hath  long  continued,  for  the  most  part  there  are 
many  still  that  are  in  infidelity.  And  so  great  a  work  is 
not  left  without  an  appointed,  suitable  means  for  its  per- 
formance. And  if  an  office  was  necessary  for  it  in  the  first 
age,  it  is  not  credible  that  it  is  left  to  private  men's  charity 
ever  since.  6.  Especially  considering  that  private  men  are 
to  be  supposed  insufficient ;  (1.)  Because  they  are  not  edu- 
cated purposely  for  it,  but  usually  for  something  else.  (2.) 
Because  that  they  have  other  callings  to  take  them  up.  (3.) 
Because  they  have  no  special  obligation.  And  that  which 
is  no  man's  peculiar  work,  is  usually  left  undone  by  all. 

II.  The  people's  call  or  consent  is  not  necessary  to  a 
minister's  reception  of  his  office  in  general,  nor  for  this  part 
of  his  work  in  special :  but  only  to  his  pastoral  relation  to 
themselves. 

1.  It  is  so  in  other  functions  that  are  exercised  by  skill. 
The  patients  or  people  make  not  a  man  a  physician  or  law- 
yer, but  only  choose  what  physician  shall  be  their  physician, 
and  what  lawyer  shall  be  their  counsellor. 

2.  If  the  people's  call  or  consent  be  necessary,  it  is  ei- 
ther the  infidels  or  the  churches.  Not  the  infidels  to  whom 
he  is  to  preach  :  for  1.  He  is  authorized  to  preach  to  them 
(as  the  apostles  were)  before  he  goeth  to  them.  2.  Their 
consent  is  but  a  natural  consequent  requisite  for  the  recep- 
tion and  success  of  their  teaching,  but  not  to  the  ^thority 
which  is  prerequisite.  3.  Infidels  cannot  do  so  much  to- 
wards the  making  of  a  minister  of  Christ.  4.  Else  Christ 
would  have  few  such  ministers.  5.  If  it  be  infidels,  either 
all  or  some?    If  some,  why  those  rather  than  others?    Or 


gUEST.  XYIII.]   CURIftTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS*  291 

is  a  man  made  a  minister  by  every  infidel  auditory  thai  hear- 

eth  him  ? 

2.  Nor  is  it  Christian  people  that  must  do  this  much  \o 

the  making  of  a  general  minister ;  for,  L  They  have  no  such 

power  given  for  it,  in  nature  or  the  Word  of  God.     2.  They 

are  generally  unqualified  and  unable  for  such  a  work.     3. 

They  are  no  where  obliged  to  it,  nor  can  fitly  leave  their 

callings  for  it ;  much  less  to  get  the  abilities  necessary  to 

judge.    4.  Which  of  the  people  have  this  power?     Is  it  any 

of  them,  or  any  church  of  private  men  ?     Or  some  one  more 

than  the  rest?     Neither  one  nor  all  can  lay  any  claim  to  it. 

There  is  some  reason  why  this  congregation  rather  than 

another  should  choose  their  own  pastors  :  but  there  is  no 

reason  (nor  Scripture)  that  this  congregation  choose  a  mi^ 

aister  to  convert  the  world. 

III.  I  conclude  therefore  that  the  call  of  a  minister  in 
general  doth  consist,  1.  Dispositively  in  the  due  qualifica^^- 
tions  and  enablement  of  the  person.  2.  And  the  necessity 
of  the  peof>le,  with  opportunity,  is  a  providential  part  of  the 
call.  3.  And  the  ordainers  are  the  orderly  electors  and 
determiners  of  the  person  that  shall  receive  the  power  hina 
Christ. 

1.  For  this  is  part  of  the  power  of  the  keys  or  chuxch* 
govermnent.  2.  And  Paul  giveth  this  direction  for  exer- 
cising of  this  power  to  Timothy,  which  sheweth  the  ordinary 
way  of  calling,  2  Tim.  ii.  2.  "  And  the  things  which  thou 
hast  heard  of  me  among  many  witnesses,  the  same  commit 
thou  to  faithful  men,  who  shall  be  able  to  teach  others  also." 

''  There  were  in  the  church  at  Antioch  certain  prophets *- 

As  they  ministered  to  the  Lord,  the  Holy  Ghost  said.  Sepa- 
rate me  Barnabas  and  Saul  for  the  work  whereunto  I  have 
called  them ;  and  when  they  had  fasted  and  prayed,  and 
laid  their  hands  on  them,  they  sent  them  away..  And  they 
being  sent  forth  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  departed."  In  this 
(whether  it  be  to  be  called  an  ordination,  or  rather  a  mis- 
sion) there  is  somewhat  ordinary,  (that  it  be  by  men  in  of- 
ficeO  uid  somewhat  extraordinary,  (that  it  be  by  a  special 
impirationof  the  Holy  Ghost)« 

And  Timothy  received  his  gifts  and  office  by  the  impo- 
sition of  the  hwds  of  Paul  and  of  the  presbytery.  1  Tim. 
iw.  14.  2  Tim4  i.  6.  1  Tim.  v«  22.  ''  Lay  hands  suddenly 
on  no  man." 


292  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART    III. 

These  instances  make  the  case  the  clearer,  1.  Because 
it  is  certain,  that  all  that  governing  power  which  is  given  by 
Christ  to  the  church,  under  the  name  of  the  keys,  is  given 
to  the  pastors.  2.  Because  there  are  no  other  competitors 
to  lay  a  reasonable  claim  to  it. 

Quest.  XIX.  Wherein  consisteth  the  power  and  nature  ofardi- 
nation  ?  And  to  whom  doth  it  belong?  And  is  it  an  act  of 
jurisdiction  ?     And  is  imposition  of  hands  necessary  in  it  f 

1.  This  is  resolved  on  the  by  before.  1.  Ordination  per- 
formeth  two  things:  (1.)  The  designation,  election,  or  de- 
termination of  the  person  who  shall  receive  the  office.  (2.) 
The  ministerial  investiture  of  him  in  that  office :  which  is  a 
ceremonial  delivery  of  possession ;  as  a  servant  doth  deliver 
possession  of  a  house,  by  delivering  him  the  key  who  hath 
before  received  the  power  or  right  from  the  owner. 

2.  The  office  delivered  by  this  election  and  investiture, 
is  the  sacred  ministerial  office  in  general,  to  be  after  exercis- 
ed according  to  particular  calls  and  opportunities :  as  Christ 
called  the  apostles,  and  the  Spirit  called  the  ordinary  general 
teachers  of  those  times,  such  as  Barnabas,  Silas,  Silvanus, 
Timothy,  Epaphroditus,  Apollos,  &c.  And  as  is  before 
cited,  2  Tim.  ii.  2.  As  a  man  is  made  in  general  a  licensed 
physician,  lawyer,  &c. 

3.  This  ordination  is  '  ordinis  gratis,'  necessary  to  or- 
der ;  and  therefore  so  far  necessaiy  as  order  is  necessary : 
which  is  ordinarily,  when  the  greater  interest  of  the  sub- 
stantial duty,  or  of  the  thing  ordered,  is  not  against  it.  As 
Christ  determined  the  case  of  sabbath  keeping,  and  not  eat- 
ing the  shew-bread.  As  '*  the  sabbath  was  made  for  man, 
and  not  man  for  the  sabbath  ;"  and  the  end  is  to  be  prefer- 
red before  the  separable  means:  so  ordination  was  insti- 
tuted for  order,  and  order  for  the  thing  ordered  and  for  the 
work  of  the  Gospel,  and  the  good  of  souls,  and  not  the  Gos- 
pel and  men's  souls  for  that  order.  Therefore  when  1.  The 
death ;  2.  Distance ;  3.  Or  the  malignity  of  the  ordainers 
depriveth  a  man  of  ordination,  these  three  substitutes  may 
notify  to  him  the  will  of  God  that  he  is  by  him  a  person 
called  to  that  office :  1 .  Fitness  for  the  works,  in  under- 
standing, willingness,  and  ability ;  2.  The  necessity  of  souls ; 
3.  Opportunity. 


QUEST.  XIX.]     CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  293 

II.  The  power  of  ordaining  belongeth  not,  1.  To  magis- 
trates ;  2.  Or  to  private  men,  either  single,  or  as  the  body 
of  a  church ;  but,  3.  To  the  senior  pastors  of  the  church 
(whether  bishops  or  presbyters  of  a  distinct  order,  the  rea- 
der must  not  expect  that  I  here  determine). 

For,  1.  The  power  is  by  Christ  given  to  them,  as  is  be- 
fore proved ;  and  in  Tit.  i.  5. 

2.  None  else  are  ordinarily  able  to  discern  aright  the 
abilities  of  a  man  for  the  sacred  ministry.  The  people  may 
discern  a  profitable,  moving  preacher,  but  whether  he  un- 
derstand the  Scripture,  or  the  substance  of  religion,  or  be 
sound  in  the  faith  and  not  heretical,  and  delude  them  not 
with  a  form  of  well-uttered  words,  they  are  not  ordinarily 
able  to  judge. 

3.  None  else  are  fit  to  attend  this  work,  but  pastors  who 
are  separated  to  the  sacred  office  ^,  It  requireth  more  time 
to  get  fitAess  for  it,  and  then  to  perform  it  faithfully,  than 
either  magistrates  or  people  can  ordinarily  bestow. 

4.  The  power  is  no  where  given  by  Christ  to  magistrates 
or  people. 

5.  It  hath  been  exercised  by  pastors  or  church-officers 
only,  both  in  and  ever  since  the  apostles'  days,  in  all  the 
churches  of  the  world.  And  we  have  no  reason  to  think 
that  the  church  hath  been  gathered  from  the  beginning  till 
now,  by  so  great  an  error,  as  a  wrong  conveyance  of  the  mi- 
nisterial power. 

III.  The  word  jurisdiction  as  applied  to  the  church  of- 
ficers, is  no  Scripture  word,  and  in  the  common  sense  sound- 
etb  too  big,  as  signifying  more  power  than  the  servants  of 
all  must  claim ;  for  there  is  "  one  lawgiver  who  is  able  to 
save  and  to  destroy .'*  But  in  a  moderate  sense  it  may  be 
tolerated;  as  jurisdiction  signifieth  in  particular,  1.  Legis- 
lation ;  2.  Or  judicial  process  or  sentence  ;  3.  Or  the  exe^ 
cution  of  such  a  sentence,  strictly  taken,  so  ordination  is  no 
part  of  jurisdiction.  But  as  jurisdiction  signifieth  the  same 
with  the  power  of  government,  'jus  regendi'  in  general,  so 
ordination  is  an  act  of  jurisdiction :  as  the  placing  or  choos- 
ing of  inferior  officers  may  belong  to  the  steward  of  a  family, 
or  as  the  calling  or  authorizing  of  physicians  belongeth  to 
the  college  of  physicians,  and  the  authorizing  of  lawyers  to 

^  Acts  liii.S.    Rom.  i.  1.     I  Tim.  iv.  15. 


294  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  111. 

the  judges'  society,  or  the  authorizing  of  doctors  in  philo- 
sophy, to  the  society  of  philosophers  or  to  particular  rulers. 
Where  note  that  in  the  three  last  instances,  the  learning  or 
fitness  of  the  said  persons  or  societies,  is  but  their  '  dispo* 
sitio  vel  aptitudo  ad  potestatem  exercendam ;'  but  the  ac- 
tual power  of  conveying  authority  to" others,  or  designing 
the  recipient  person,  is  received  from  the  supreme  power 
of  the  land,  and  so  is  properly  an  act  of  authority,  here  call- 
ed jurisdiction. 

So  that  the  common  distinguishing  of  ordination  from 
jurisdiction  or  government,  as  if  they  were  '  tota  specie'  dif- 
ferent, is  unsound. 

IV.  Imposition  of  hands  was  a  sign  (like  the  kiss  of 
peace,  and  the  anointing  of  persons,  and  like  our  kneeling 
in  prayer,  &c.)  which  having  first  somewhat  in  their  nature, 
to  invite  men  to  the  use,  was  become  a  conimon,  significant 
sign  of  a  superior's  benediction  of  an  inferior,  in  those  times 
and  countries.  And  so  was  here  applied  ordinarily  for  its 
antecedent  significancy  and  aptitude  to  this  use ;  and  was 
not  purposely  instituted,  nor  had  its  significancy  newly  gi- 
ven it  by  institution ;  and  so  was  not  like  a  sacrament  ne- 
cessarily and  perpetually  affixed  to  ordination. 

Therefore  we  must  conclude,  1.  That  imposition  of  hands 
in  ordination  is  a  decent,  apt,  significant  sign,  not  to  be 
scrupled  by  any,  nor  to  be  omitted  without  necessity^  as  be- 
ing of  Scripture,  ancient,  and  common  use. 

2.  But  yet  that  it  is  not  essential  to  ordination  ;  which 
may  be  valid  by  any  fit  designation  and  separation  of  the 
person.  And  therefore  if  it  be  omitted,  it  nuUifieth  not  the 
action.  And  if  the  ordairiers  did  it  by  letters  to  a  man  a 
thousand  miles  off,  it  would  be  valid  :  and  some  persons  of 
old  were  ordained  when  they  were  absent. 

V.  I  add  as  to  the  need  of  ordination,  1 .  That  without 
this  key,  the  office  and  church  doors  would  be  cast  open, 
and  every  heretic  or  self-conceited  person  intrude* 

3.  It  is  a  sign  of  a  proud,  unworthy  person,  that  wfll 
judge  himself  fit  for  so  great  a  work,  and  intrude  upon  suoh 
a  conceit,  when  he  may  have  the  judgment  of  tb&  pastors^ 
and  avoideth  it^. 

3.  Those  that  so  do,  should  no  more  be  taken  for  minish 

)>  Act»  xiii.  9.    Heb.  v,  4.  la        'm 


QUEST.  XX.]    CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.       295 

ters  by  the  people,  than  any  should  go  for  Christiana  that 
are  not  baptized,  or  for  married  persons  whose  marriage  is 
not  8olemni2&ed. 

Quest.  XX.  Is  ordination  necessary  to  make  a  man  a  pastor  of  a 
particular  church  as  such  ?  And  is  he  to  be  made  a  general 
minister  and  a  particular  church-elder  or  pastor  at  once,  and 
hf  tme  ordination  ? 

I  hare  proved  that  a  man  may  be  made  a  minister  ia 
general,  yea,  and  sent  to  exercise  it  in  converting  infidels, 
and  baptizing  them,  before  ever  he  is  the  pastor  of  any  par- 
ticular church.  To  which  I  add,  that  in  this  general  minis- 
try, he  is  a  pastor  in  the  universal  church,  as  a  licensed 
physician  that  hath  no  hospital  or  charge,  is  a  physician  in 
the  kingdom. 

And,  1.  As  baptism  is  as  such  our  entrance  into  the 
universal  church,  and  not  into  a  particular ;  so  is  ordina- 
tion to  a  minister  an  entrance  only  on  the  ministry  as  such. 

2.  Yet  a  man  may  at  once  be  made  a  minister  in  general, 
and  the  pastor  of  this  or  that  church  in  particular :  and  in 
kingdoms  wholly  inchurched  and  Christiaji,  it  is  usually  fit- 
test so  to  do :  lest  many  being  ordained  *  sine  titulo,'  idle- 
ness and  poverty  of  supernumeraries,  should  corrupt  and 
dishonour  the  ministry :  which  was  the  cause  of  the  old 
canons  in  this  case. 

3.  But  when  a  man  is  thus  called  to  both  at  once,  it  is 
not  all  done  by  ordination  as  such ;  but  his  complicate  re- 
lation, proceedeth  irom  a  complication  of  causes.  As  he  is 
a  minister,  it  is  by  ordination.  And  as  he  is  the  pastor  of 
this  people,  it  is  by  the  conjunct  causes  of  appropriation  : 
which  are,  1.  Necessarily  the  people's  consent.  2.  Reg- 
ularly#  the  pastor's  approbation  and  recommendation,  and 
reception  of  the  person  into  their  communion.  3.  And 
sometimes  the  muEtgistrate  may  do  much  to  oblige  the  peo- 
ple to  consent. 

4«  But  when  a  man  is  made  a  minister  in  general  before, 
he  needeth  no  proper  ordination  to  fix  him  in  a  particular 
diarge;  but  only  an  approbation,  recommendation,  particu- 
lar investiture,  and  reception.  For  else  a  man  must  be  oft 
ordained,  even  as  oft  as  he  removeth.     But  yet  imposition 


296  CHRISTIAN  DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

of  hands  may  fitly  be  used  in  this  particular  investiture^ 
though  it  be  no  proper  ordination,  that  is,  no  collation 
of  the  office  of  a  minister  in  general,  but  the  fixing  of  one 
that  was  a  minister  before. 

Quest.  XXI.  May  a  man  be  oft  or  twice  ordained? 

It  is  supposed,  that  we  play  not  with  an  ambiguous 
word,  that  we  remember  what  ordination  is.  And  then  you 
will  dee  cause  to  distinguish,  1.  Between  entire,  true  ordi- 
nation, and  the  external  act,  or  words,  or  ceremony  only. 
2.  Between  one  that  was  truly  ordained  before,  and  one 
that  was  not.     And  so  I  answer, 

1.  He  that  seemed  ordained,  and  indeed  was  not,  is  not 
re-ordained  when  he  is  after  ordained. 

2.  It  is  needful  therefore  to  know  the  essentials  of  ordi- 
nation, from  the  integrals  and  accidentals. 

3.  He  that  was  truly  ordained  before,  may  in  some 
cases  receive  again  the  repetition  of  the  bare  words  and 
outward  ceremonies  of  ordination  (as  imposition  of  hands). 
Where  I  will,  I.  Tell  you  in  what  cases.     II.  Why. 

1.  1.  In  case  there  wanted^suffictent  witnesses  of  his  ordi- 
nation ;  and  so  the  church  hath  not  sufficient  means  of  no- 
tice or  satisfaction,  that  ever  he  was  ordained  indeed :  X)r  if 
the  witnesses  die  before  the  notification.  Wliether  the 
church  should  take  his  word  or  not,  in  such  a  case,  is  none 
of  my  question,  but.  Whether  he  should  submit  to  the  repe- 
tition if  they  will  not. 

2.  Especially  in  a  time  and  place  (which  I  have  known) 
when  written  and  sealed  orders  are  often  counterfeited,  and 
so  the  church  called  to  extraordinary  care. 

3.  Or  if  the  church  or  magistrate  be  guilty  of  some 
causeless,  culpable  incredulity,  and  will  not  believe  it  was 
done  till  they  see  it  done  again. 

4.  Or  in  case  that  some  real  or  supposed  integral 
(though  not  essential)  part  was  omitted,  or  is  by  the  church 
or  magistrate  supposed  to  be  omitted ;  and  they  will  not 
permit  or  receive  the  minister  to  exercise  his  office,  unless 
he  repeat  the  whole  action  again,  and  make  up  that  defect. 

5.  Or  if  the  person  himself  do  think  that  his  ordination 
was  insufficient,  and  cannot  exercise  his  ministry  to  the 


QUEST.  XXI.]       CHRISTIAN  ECCLK8IASTICS.  297 

satisfaction  of  his  own  conscience,  till  the  defect  be  re- 
paired. 

In  these    cases    (and  perhaps    such  others)    the  out- 
ward action  may  be  repeated. 

II.  The   reasons  are,  1.  Because  this   is  not  a    being 
twice   ordained.     For  the  word  '  ordination/   signifieth   a 
moral  action,  and  not  a  physical  only  :  as  the  word  '  mar- 
riage' doth,  &c.     And  it  essentially  include th  the  new  de- 
dication and  designation  to  the  sacred  office,  by  a  kind  of 
covenant  between  the  dedicated  person  and  Christ  to  whom 
he  is  consecrated  and  devoted.     And  the  external  words 
are  but  a  part,  and  a  part  only  as  significant  of  the  action 
of  the  mind.     Now  the  oft  expressing  of  the  same  mental 
dedication  doth  not  make  it  to  be  as  many  distinct  dedica- 
tions.    For  1.  If  the  liturgy  or  the  person's  words  were 
tautological,  or  at  the  ordination  should  say  the  same  thing 
often  over  and  over,  or  for  confirmation  should  say  often, 
that  which  else  might  be  said  but  once,  this  doth  not  make 
it  an  often  or  multiplied  ordination :  it  was  but  one  love 
which  Peter  expressed,  when  Christ  made  him  say  thrice, 
that  he  loved  him ;  nor  was  it  a  threefold  ordination  which 
Christ  used,  when  he  said  thrice  to  him,  ''  Feed  my  lambs 
and  sheep." 

2.  And  if  thrice  saying  it  that  hour  make  it  not  three  ordi- 
nations, neither  will  thrice  saying  it,  at  more  hours,  days, 
or  months,  or  years  distance,  in  some  cases  ;  for  the  time 
maketh  not  the  ordinations  to  be  many ;  it  is  but  one  moral 
action.  But  the  common  error  ariseth  from  the  custom  of 
calling  the  outward  action  alone  by  the  name  of  the  whole 
moral  action  (which  is  ordinarily  done  to  the  like  deceit 
in  the  case  of  the  baptismal  covenant,  and  the  Lord's  sup- 
per). 

3.  The  common  judgment  and  custom  of  the  world  con- 
firmeth  what  I  say.  If  persons  that  are  married  should  for 
want  of  witness  or  due  solemnity  be  forced  to  say  and  do 
the  outward  action  all  over  again ;  it  is  by  no  wise  man 
taken  in  the  proper,  moral,  full  sense,  for  a  second  marriage, 
but  for  one  marriage  twice  uttered. 

And  if  you  should  in  witness  bearing  be  put  to  your 
oath,  and  the  magistrate  that  was  absent  should  say, '  Reach 
him  the  book  again,  I  did  not  hear  him  swear,'  the  doing  it 


298  CHRISTIAN    DIRBCrrOKY.  [PART  HI. 

twice  is  not  morally  two  witoessings  or  oaths,  but  one  only 
twice  physically  uttered. 

If  you  bind  your  son  apprentice,  or  if  you  make  any  in- 
dentures or  contract,  and  the  writings  being  lost  or  faulty, 
you  write  and  sign,  and  seal  them  all  again,  this  is  not  mo- 
rally another  contract,  but  the  same  done  better,  or  again 
recorded.     And  so  it  is  plainly  in  this  case. 

4.  But  re-ordination  morally  and  properly  so  called,  is 
unlawful :  for,  (1.)  It  is  (or  implieth)  a  lie,  viz.  that  we 
were  not  truly  dedicated  and  separated  to  this  office  before. 

(2.)  It  is  a  sacrilegious  renunciation  of  our  former  dedi- 
oation  to  God :  whereas  the  ministerial  dedication  and  cof- 
.enaat  is  for  life,  and  not  for  a  trial;  which  is  the  meaning 
of  the  indelible  character,  which  is  a  perpetual  relation  and 
obligation. 

(3.)  It  is  a  taking  the  name  of  God  in  vain,  thus  to  do 
and  undo,  and  do  again :  and  to  promise  and  renounce,  and 
promise  again,  and  to  pretend  to  receive  a  power  which  we 
bad  before. 

(4.)  It  tendeth  to  great  confusions  in  the  church ;  as  lo 
make  the  people  doubt  of  their  baptism,  or  all  the  ministe- 
rial administrations  of  such  as  are  re-ordained,  while  tfiey 
acted  by  the  first  ordination. 

(5.)  It  hath  ever  been  condemned  in  the  churches  of 
Christ,  as  the  canons  called  the  apostles','  and  the  church's 
constant  practice,  testify. 

6.  Though  the  bare  repetition  of  the  outward  action  and 
words  be  not  re-ordination,  yet  he  that  on  any  of  the  fore- 
mentioned  occasions  is  put  to  repeat  the  said  words  and  ac- 
tions, is  obliged  so  to  do  it,  as  that  it  may  not  seem  to  be  a 
re-ordination,  and  so  be  a  scandal  to  the  church.  Or  if  it 
outwardly  seem  so  by  the  action,  he  is  bound  to  declare 
that  it  is  no  such  thing,  for  the  counterpoising  that  appear- 
ance of  evil. 

6.  When  the  ordainers  or  the  common  estimation  of  the 
church,  do  take  the  repetition  of  the  words  and  action  of  a 
rc-ordination,  though  the  receiver  so  intend  it  not,  yet  it 
may  become  unlawful  to  him  by  this  accident,  because  he 
scandalizeth  and  hardeneth  the  erroneous,  by  doing  or  re- 
ceiving that  which  is  interpretative  re-ordinatton. 

7.  Especially  when  the  ordainers  shall  require  this  re- 


QUEST.  XXI.]       CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  !290 

petition  on  notoriously  wicked,  grounds,  and  so  put  that 
sense  on  the  action  by  their  own  doctrines  and  demands-: 
as  for  instance, 

(1.)  If  heretics  should  (as  the  Arians,)  say  that  we  are 
no  ministers,  because  we  are  not  of  their  heresy,  or  ordained 
by  such  as  they. 

(2.)  If  the  pope  or  any  proud  papal  usurpers  shall  say, 
'You  are  no  ministers  of  Christ,  except  we  ordain  you;' 
and  so  do  it  to  establish  a  traitorous,  usurped  regiment  in 
the  church ;  it  is  not  lawful  to  gerve  such  an  usurpation. 
As  if  cardinals  or  archbishops  should  say,  *  None  are  true 
ministers  but  those  that  we  ordain  : '  or  councils  or  synods 
of  bishops  or  presbyters  should  say, '  None  are  true  minis- 
ters but  those  that  we  ordain ; '  or  if  one  presbyter  or  one 
bishop  without  authority  would  thus  make  himself  master 
of  the  rest,  or  of  other  churches,  and  say,'  You  are  no  min- 
asters  unless  I  ordain  you ; '  we  may  not  promote  such  ty- 
ranny and  usurpation. 

(3.)  If  magistrates  would  usurp  the  power  of  the  keys, 
in  ecclesiastical  ordination,  and  say  that  none  but  they  have 
power  to  ordain,  we  may  not  encourage  such  pretences  by 
repetition  of  the  words  and  action. 

(4.)  If  they  would  make  something  necessary  to  ordina- 
tion which  is  not,  as  if  it  were  a  false  oath,  or  false  subscrip- 
tion or  profession,  or  some  unlawful  ceremony  (as  if  it  were 
anointing,  wearing  horns,  or  any  the  like)  and  say, '  You 
are  no  ministers  without  these,  and  therefore  you  must  be 
re-ordained  to  receive  them. 

(5.)  Yea,  if  they  declare  our  former  ministry  causelessly 
to  be  null,  and  say, '  You  are  no  ministers  till  you  are  or- 
dained again,'  and  so  publicly  put  this  sense  upon  our  ac- 
tion, that  we  may  take  it  as  re-ordination  ;  all  these  acci- 
dents make  the  repetition  of  the  words  and  actions  to  be  un- 
lawful, unless  when  greater  accidents  notoriously  prepon- 
derate. 

Quest,  But  if  such  church  tyrants  should  have  so  great 
power^  as  that  without  their  repetition  of  ordination  on  those 
terms,  the  ministry  might  not  be  exercised,  is  it  lawful  so 
to  take  it  in  a  case  of  such  necessity  ? 

Answ,  1 .  Every  seeming  necessity  to  you  is  not  a  neces- 
sity to  the  church.  2.  Either  you  may  publicly  declare 
a  contrary  sense  in  your  receiving  their  new  otdex^  ot  tvqV* 


300  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  111. 

1.  If  you  may  not  as  publicly  declare  that  you  renounce 
not  your  former  ministry  and  dedication  to  God  in  that  of- 
fice, as  the  ordainers  declare  their  sense  of  the  nullity  of  it, 
so  that  your  open  declaration  may  free  you  from  the  guilt  of 
seeming  consent,  I  conceive  it  is  a  sinful  compliance  with 
their  sin.  2.  Yea,  if  you  may  so  declare  it,  yet  if  there  be 
no  necessity  of  your  ministerial  liberty  in  that  place,  I  think 
you  may  not  take  it  on  such  terms.  As,  (1.)  If  there  be 
worthy  men  enough  to  supply  the  church's  wants  there 
without  you.  (2.)  And  if  you  may  serve  God  successfully 
in  a  persecuted  state,  though  to  the  suffering  of  your  flesh. 
(3.)  Or  if  your  imprisonment  for  preaching  be  like  to  be  as 
serviceable  to  the  church  and  Gospel  as  your  continued 
preaching  on  those  scandalous  terms.  (4.)  Or  if  you  may 
remove  and  preach  in  another  country. 

9.  When  any  such  case  doth  fall  out,  in  which  the  repe- 
tition of  the  outward  action  and  words  is  lawful,  it  is  not 
lawful  to  mix  any  false  or  scandalous  expressions  :  as  if  we 
were  required  to  say  falsely,  '  I  accept  this  ordination  as 
confessing  myself  no  minister  of  Christ  till  now  : '  or  any 
such  like. 

10.  In  a  word,  a  peaceable  Christian  may  do  much  as  to 
the  mere  outward  action  and  submission,  for  obedience, 
peace,  order,  or  satisfaction  to  his  own  or  other  men's  con- 
sciences. But,  ( 1 .)  He  may  do  nothing  for  good  ends  which 
is  false  and  injurious  to  the  church  ^  (2.)  And  he  may  not 
do  that  which  otherwise  were  lawful,  when  it  is  for  evil  ends, 
or  tendeth  to  more  hurt  than  good ;  as  to  promote  heresy, 
or  church  tyranny  and  usurpation,  whether  in  pope,  pre- 
lates, presbyters  or  people. 

Quest.  XXII.  How  many  ordainers  are  necessary  to  the  validity 
of  ordination  by  God^s  institution?  whether  one  or  morel 

My  question  is  not  of  the  ancient  canons,  or  any  human 
laws  or  customs,  for  those  are  easily  known ;  but  of  Divine 
right.  Now  either  God  hath  determined  the  case  as  to  the 
number  of  ordainers  necessary,  or  not.  If  not,  either  he 
hath  given  the  church  some  general  rule  to  determine  it  by, 
or  not.   If  not,  then  the  number  is  not  any  pait  of  the  Divine 

I  1  TheM.  V.  S«.    Gal.  ii.  4,  5.  14. 


QUEST,  XXII.]      CHRISTIAN   ECCLESIASTICS.  301 

order  or  law,  and  then,  if  we  suppose  that  he  hath  deteimin- 
ed  the  case  as  to  the  ordaining  office  and  not  to  the  number, 
then  it  will  follow  that  one  may  serve.  The  trutli  I  think 
may  be  thus  explained. 

1 .  There  is  '  Ordo  officialis  primarius/  and  '  Ordo  ordi- 
nis,  vel  exercitii,  vel  secundarius  ;'  an  order  of  office  primary, 
and  an  order  of  exercise  secondary,  in  the  church.  As  to  the 
first,  the  order  of  office,  God  hath  determined  that  the  ordain- 
ing officers  and  no  others,  shall  ordain  officers,  or  give  orders. 
.And  having  not  determined  whether  one  or  more,  it  follow* 
eth  that  the  ordination  of  one  sole  lawful  ordainer  is  no  nul- 
lity on  that  account  because  it  is  but  one,  unless  somewhat 
else  nullify  it. 

2.  God  hath  given  general  rules  to  the  ordainers  for  the 
due  exercise  of  their  office,  though  he  have  not  determined 
of  any  set  number.  Such  as  are  these  :  that  all  things  be 
done  in  judgment,  truth,  love,  concord,  to  the  church's  edi- 
fication,   unity  and  peace,  &c. 

3.  According  to  these  general  laws,  sometimes  the  ordi- 
nation of  one  sole  ordainer,  may  not  only  be  valid  but  regu- 
lar :  as  when  there  are  no  other  to  concur,  or  none  whose 
concurrence  is  needful  to  any  of  the  aforesaid  ends.  And 
sometimes  the  concurrence  of  many  is  needful,  (1.)  To  the 
receiver's  satisfaction.  (2.)  To  the  church's  or  people's  sa- 
tisfaction. (3.)  To  the  concord  of  pastors,  and  of  neigh- 
bour churches,  &c.  And  in  such  cases  such  consent  or 
concourse  is  the  regular  way. 

4.  Where  there  are  many  neighbour  pastors  and  churches' 
so  near,  as  that  he  that  is  ordained  in  one  of  them,  is  like 
oft  to  pass  and  preach,  and  officiate  *  obiter'  in  others,  and 
so  other  churches  must  have  some  communion  with  him,  it 
is  meetest  that  there  be  a  concurrence  in  the  ordination. 

5.  The  ordainer  is  certainly  a  superior  to  the  person 
that  cometh  to  be  ordained  while  he  is  a  private  man ;  and 
therefore  so  far  his  ordination  is  (as  is  said)  an  act  of  juris- 
diction in' the  large  sense,  that  is,  of  government :  but  whe- 
ther he  be  necessarily  his  superior  after  he  is  ordained,  hath 
too  long  been  a  controversy.  It  is  certain  that  the  Papists 
confess,  that  the  pope  is  ordained  such  by  no  superior :  and 
it  is  not  necessary  that  a  bishop  be  ordained  by  one  or  more 
of  any  superior  order  (or  jurisdiction  either).     And  though 


302  CHHirriAN    DlRfiCtOltY.  [PAPT  IIt# 

the  Italian  Papists  hold  that  a  superior  papal  jurisdictioii 
must  needs  be  the  secondary  fountain  of  the  ordaining 
power,  though  the  ordainer  himself  be  but  of  the  same  or^ 
der;  yet  Protestants  hold  no  such  thing.  And  all  acknow** 
ledge  that  as  imposition  of  hands  on  a  layman  to  make  him 
a  minister  of  Christ  or  an  officer,  is  a  kind  of  official  gene«- 
ration  ^  so  the  ordained  as  a  junior  in  office,  is  as  it  were  a 
son  to  the  ordainer,  as  the  convert  is  said  to  be  peculiarly 
to  his  converter ;  and  that  a  proportionable  honour  is  still 
to  be  given  him.  But  whether  he  that  ordaineth  a  presby- 
ter, and  not  he  that  ordaineth  or  consecrateth  a  bishop, 
must  needs  be  of  a  superior  order  or  office,  is  a  question 
which  the  reader  must  not  expect  me  here  to  meddle  with* 

Quest.  X  X 1 1 1 .  What  if  one  bishop  ordain  a  minister,  and  thne, 
or  many,  or  all  the  rest  protest  against  it,  and  declare  him 
no  minister,  or  degrade  him  :  is  he  to  be  received  as  a  true 
minister  or  tiot  ? 

Supposing  that  the  person  want  no  necessary  personal 
qualification  for  the  office,  there  are  two  things  more  in 
question  ;  1 .  His  office,  whether  he  be  a  minister.  2.  His 
regularity,  wliether  he  came  regularly  to  it ;  and  also  hit 
comparative  relation,  whether  this  man  or  another  is  to  be 
preferred.     I  answer  therefore, 

1 .  If  the  person  be  utterly  incapable,  the  one  bishop,  or 
the  many  whosoever  taketh  him  for  incapable,  is  for  the 
truth  sake  to  be  believed  and  obeyed. 

2.  If  the  man  be  excellently  qualified,  and  his  ministry 
greatly  necessary  to  the  church,  whoever  would  deprive  the 
church  of  him  be  it  the  one  or  the  many,  is  to  be  disobeyed, 
and  the  ordainers  preferred. 

Object,  *  But  who  shall  judge?'  Answ»  The  'esse'  is 
before  the  '  scire  :'  the  thing  is  first  true  or  false  before  I 
judge  it  to  be  so ;  and  therefore  whoever  judgeth  falsely  in 
a  case  so  notorious  and  weighty,  as  that  the  welfare  of  the 
church  and  souls  is  (' consideratis  considerandis')  injured 
and  hazarded  by  his  error,  is  not  to  be  believed  nor  obeyed 
on  pretence  of  order  :  because  all  Christians  have  '  judi^um 
discretionis,'  *  a  discerning  judgment.' 

^  Ejuadem  speciei  vel  Inferiorit :  How  then  ii  the  pope  ordained  or  made  f 


QUEST.  XXIII.]     CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  303 

3.  But  if  the  case  be  not  thus  to  be  determined  by  the 
person's  notorious  qualifications,  then  either  it  is^  L  The 
man  ordained.  2.  Or  the  people  that  the  case  is  debated 
by>  whether  they  should  take  him  for  a  minister.  3.  Or  the 
neighbour  ministers. 

1.  The  person  himself  is  '  caeteris  paribus'  more  to  regard 
the  judgment  of  many  concordant  bishops,  than  of  one  sin- 
gular bishop ;  and  therefore  is  not  to  take  orders  from  a  sin- 
gular bishop,  when  the  generality  of  the  wise  and  faithful 
are  against  it ;  unless  he  be  sure  that  it  is  some  notorious 
faction  or  error  that  perverteth  them,  and  that  there  be  no- 
torious necessity  of  his  labour. 

2.  The  auditors  are  either  infidels  to  be  converted,  (and 
these  will  take  no  man  upon  any  of  their  authorities,)  or 
else  Christians  converted.  These  are  either  of  the  particu- 
lar charge  of  the  singular  bishop  who  ordaineth,  or  not ;  if 
they  be^  then  '  pro  tempore'  for  orders  sake,  they  owe  him  a 
peculiar  obedience,  till  some  further  process  or  discovery 
disoblige  them,  (though  the  most  be  on  the  other  side). 
Bat  yet  they  may  be  still  bound  in  reason  most  to  suspect 
the  judgment  of  their  singular  bishop,  while  for  order's  sake 
they  submit  to  it.  But  if  they  are  not  of  his  flock,  then,  I 
suppose  the  judgment  and  act  of  many  is  to  prevail  so  much 
against  the  act  of  a  single  and  singular  person,  as  that  both 
neighbour  ministers  and  people  are  to  disown  such  an  or- 
dained person  as  unfit  for  their  communion  under  the  notion 
of  a  minister,  (because  communion  of  churches  is  maintain- 
ed by  the  concord  of  pastors).  But  whether  the  ordained 
man's  ministry,  be  by  their  contradictory  declaration  or  de- 
gradation, made  an  absolute  nullity,  to  himself  and  those 
that  submit  to  him,  neither  I  will  determine,  nor  should  any 
other  strangers  to  the  particular  case;  for  if  he  be  rejected 
or  degraded  without  such  cause  and  proof  as  may  satisfy 
other  sober  persons,  he  hath  wrong ;  but  if  he  be  so  degrad- 
ed, on  proved  sufficient  cause,  to  them  that  it  is  known  to,  ' 
it  giveth  the  degraders  the  advantaged 

And  us  1.  All  particular  members  are  to  be  obedient  to 
their  proper  pastor* 

2.  And  all  particular  churches  are  to  hold  correspon- 

*  Epbes.  !▼.  S.  1  Cor.  xii.  Rom.  liv.  17.19.  1  Cor.  xiy.  S3.  1  Thes9.  ▼.  12, 13. 
PfaU.  H.  1--S.    Ephtt.  iw.  15, 16.     1  Cor.  i.  10. 


304  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORlr.  [PART   III. 

dency  and  commanion 'according  to  theii'  capacity.  So 
must  men  act  in  this  and  such  like  cases  respectively  ac- 
cording to  the  laws  of  obedience  to  their  pastor,  and  of  con- 
cord of  the  churches* 

Quest.  XXIV.  Hath  one  bishop  power  by  Divine  right  to  or- 
dain, degrade,  or  govern,  or  excommunicate,  or  absolve,  m 
another*s  diocese  or  church,  either  by  his  consent,  or  agamU 
it  ?  And  doth  a  minister  that  officiateth  in  another^ s  church, 
act  as  a  pastor,  and  their  pastor,  or  as  a  private  man  f  And 
doth  the  ministerial  office  cease  when  a  man  removeth  from 
his  flock  f 

I  thrust  these  questions  all  together  for  their  affinity, 
and  for  brevity. 

1.  Every  true  minister  of  Christ,  bishop  or  pastor,  is  re- 
lated to  the  universal  church  by  stronger  obligations  than 
to  his  particular  charge ;  as  the  whole  is  better  than  the 
parts,  and  its  welfare  to  be  preferred. 

2.  He  that  is  no  pastor  of  a  particular  church,  may  be  a 
pastor  in  the  universal,  obliged  as  a  consecrated  person  to 
endeavour  its  good,  by  the  works  of  his  office,  as  he  hath 
particular  opportunity  and  call. 

3.  Yet  he  that  hath  a  particular  charge  is  especially  and 
more  nearly  related  and  obliged  to  that  charge  or  church, 
than  to  any  other  part  of  the  universal  (though  not  than  to 
the  whole) ;  and  consequently  hath  a  peculiar  authority^ 
where  he  hath  a  peculiar  obligation  and  work. 

•  4.  He  that  is  (without  degrading)  removed  from  a  par* 
ticular  church  doth  not  cease  to  be  .a  general  minister  and 
pastor  related  to  the  universal  church ;  as  a  physician  put 
out  of  a  hospital  charge,  is  a  physician  still.  And  therefore 
he  needeth  no  new  ordination,  but  only  a  special  designa- 
tion to  his  next  particular  charge. 

5.  No  man  is  the  bishop  of  a  diocese  as  to  the  measure 
of  ground,  or  the  place,  by  Divine  right,  that  is,  by  any  par- 
ticular law  or  determination  of  God ;  but  only  a  bishop  of 
the  church  or  people  :  for  your  office  essentially  containeth 
a  relation  to  the  people,  but  accidentally  only  to  the  place* 

6.  Yet  natural  convenience,  and  God's  general  laws  of 
order  and  edification  do  make  it  usually  (but  not  always) 


QUEST.  XXIV.]      CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  .1U^ 

best,  and  therefore  a  duty,  to  distinguish  churches  by  the 
people's  habitation :  not  taking  a  man  for  a  member  '  eo 
nomine,'  because  he  liveth  on  that  ground  ;  but  for  order's 
sake  taking  none  for  members  that  live  not  on  that  ground, 
and  not  intruding  causelessly  into  each  other's  bounds. 

7.  He  that  by  the  call  or  consent  of  a  neighbour  pastor 
and  people  doth  officiate  (by  preachings  sacraments,  ezcom- 
munication^  or  absolution)  in  another's  special  charge  for  a 
day,  or  week,  or  month,  or  more,  without  a  fixed  relation  to 
that  flock,  doth  neither  officiate  as  a  layman,  nor  yet  un- 
lawfully or  irregularly  ;  but,  1.  As  a  minister  of  Christ  in 
the  church  universal.  2.  And  as  the  pastor  of  that  church 
for  the  present  time  only,  though  not  statedly ;  even  as  a 
physician  called  to  help  another  in  his  hospital,  or  to  supply 
bis  place  for  the  time,  doth  perform  his  work,  1.  As  a  li- 
censed physician.  2»  And  as  the  physician  of  that  patient 
or  hospital  for  that  time,  though  not  statedly. 

8.  No  man  is  to  intrude  into  another's  charge  without  a 
call ;  much  less  to  claim  a  particular  stated  oversight  and 
authority.  For  though  he  be  not  an  usurper  as  to  the  office 
in  general,  he  is  an  usurper  as  to  that  particular  flock.  It 
is  no  error  in  ordination  to  say,  '  Take  thou  authority  to 
preach  the  Word  of  God,  and  administer  the  holy  sacra- 
ments when  thou  shalt  be  thereto  lawfully  called ;'  that  is, 
when  thou  hast  a  particular  call  to  the  exercise,  and  to  a 
fixed  charge,  as  thou  hast  now  a  call  to  the  office  in  general. 

9.  Yet  every  bishop  or  pastor  by  his  relation  to  the 
church  universal,  and  to  mankind,  and  the  interest  of  Christ, 
is  bound  not  only  as  a  Christian,  but  as  a  pastor,  to  do  his 
best  for  the  common  good ;  and  not  to  cast  wholly  out  of 
his  care,  a  particular  church,  because  another  hath  die  over^ 
sight  of  it.  Therefore  if  an  heretic  get  in,  or  the  church 
fiUl  to  heresy,  or  any  pernicious  error  or  sin,  the  neighbour 
pastors  are  bound  both  by  the  law  of  nature  and  their  office, 
to  interpose  their  counsel  as  ministers  of  Christ,  and  to 
prefer  the  substance  before  pretended  order,  and  to  seek  to 
recover  the  people's  souls»  though  it  be  against  their  proper 
pastor's  will.  And  in  such  a  case  of  necessity,  they  may 
ordain,  degrade,  excommunicate,  and  absolve  in  another's 
icbarge,  .as  if  it  were  a  vacuity. 

10.  Moreover  it  is  one  thing  to  excommunicate  a  man 

VOL.    V.  X 


306  CHRISTIAN  DIRECTORY.  [PART    III. 

out  of  a  particular  church,  and  another  thing  for  many  as- 
sociated churches  or  neighbours  to  renounce  communion 
with  him.  The  special  pastors  of  particular  churches, 
having  the  government  of  those  churches,  are  the  special 
governing  judges,  who  shall  or  shall  not  have  communion 
as  a  member  in  their  churches  ;  but  the  neighbour  pastors 
of  other  churches  have  the  power  of  judging  with  whom 
they  and  their  own  flocks  will  or  will  not  hold  communion. 
As  e.  g.  Athanasius  may  as  governor  of  his  flock  declare 
any  Arian  member  exconmiunicate,  and  require  his  flock  to 
have  no  communion  with  him.  And  all  the  neighbour  pas- 
tors (though  they  excommunicate  not  the  same  man  as  his 
special  governors,  yet)  may  declare  to  all  their  flocks,  that 
if  that  man  come  among  them,  they  will  have  no  communion 
with  him,  and  that  at  distance  they  renounce  that  distant 
communion  which  is  proper  to  Christians  one  with  another, 
and  take  him  for  none  of  the  church  of  Christ  ™. 

Quest.  XXV.   Whether  canons  be  laws  ?    And  pastors  have  a 

kgislative  power  ? 

All  men  are  not  agreed  what  a  law  is,  that  is,  what  is  to 
be  taken  for  the  proper  sense  of  that  word.  Some  wiU  have 
the  name  confined  to  such  common  laws  as  are  stated,  da* 
rable  rules  for  the  subject's  actions :  and  some  will  extend  it 
also  to  personal,  temporary,  verbal  precepts  and  mandates, 
such  as  parents  and  mastera  use  daily  to  the  children  and 
servants  of  their  families.  And  of  tlie  first  sort,  some  will 
confine  the  name  *  laws '  to  those  acts  of  sovereignty  which 
are  about  the  common  matters  of  the  kingdom,  or  which  no 
inferior  officer  may  make  :  and  others  will  extend  it  to  those 
orders  which  by  the  sovereign's  charter,  a  corporation,  or 
college,  or  school  may  make  for  the  subregulation  of  their 
particular  societies  and  afiairs. 

I  have  declared  my  own  opinion  '  de  nomine*  fuUy  else- 
where, 1 .  That  the  definition  of  a  law  in  the  proper  general 
sense,  is  to  be  a  sign  or  signification  of  the  reason  and  will  of 
the  rector  as  such,  to  his  subjects  as  such,  instituting  or  ante- 
cedently deteimining  what  shall  be  due  from  them,  and  to 
them  ;  '  Jus  efficiendo,'  '  regularly  making  right.' 

»  1  Cor.  ▼.    Tit.  iii.  10.    t  Theis.  Ui.  6. 14.    t  John  10.    Rev.  S.  14^  15.  fO. 


QUEST.  XXV.]      CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  307 

2.  That  these  laws  are  many  more  ways  diversified  and 
distinguished  (from  the  efficient,  sign,  subjects,  matter, 
end,  8cc.)  than  is  meet  for  us  here  to  enumerate.  It  is  suffi- 
cient now  to  say,  1.  That  stated  regulating  laws,  as  distinct 
from  temporary  mandates  and  proclamations.  2.  And  laws 
for  kingdoms  and  other  commonwealths,  in  regard  of  laws 
foT  persons,  schools,  families,  &c.  3.  And  laws  mad^  by 
the  supreme  power,  as  distinct  from  those  made  by  the  de- 
rived authority  of  colleges,  corporations,  &c.  csJled  bye- 
laws  or  orders,  (for  I  will  here  say  nothing  of  parents  and 
pastors,  whose  authority  is  directly  or  immediately  from  the 
efficiency  of  nature  in  one,  and  Divine  institution  in  the 
other,  and  not  derived  efficiently  from  the  magistrate  or  any 
man).  4.  That  laws  about  great,  substantial  matters,  dis- 
tinct from  those  about  little  and  mutable  circumstances,  &c. 
I  say  the  first  sort  as  distinct  from  the  second,  are  laws  so 
called  by  excellency  above  other  laws.  But  that  the  rest 
are  unequivocally  to  be  called  laws,  according  to  the  best 
definition  of  the  law  '  in  genere.'  But  if  any  man  will  speak 
otherwise,  let  him  remember  that  it  is  yet  but  '  lis  de  nomi- 
ne,' and  that  he  may  use  his  liberty,  and  I  will  use  mine. 
Now  to  the  question* 

1.  Canons  made  by  virtue  of  the  pastoral  office  and 
God's  general  laws  (in  nature  or  Scripture  for  regulat- 
ing it,  are  a  sort  of  laws  to  the  subjects  or  flocks  of  those 
pastors. 

2.  Canons  made  by  the  votes  of  the  laity  of  the  church, 
or  private  part  of  that  society  as  private,  are  no  laws  at  all, 
bat  agreements ;  because  they  are  not  acts  of  any  govern- 
ing power. 

3.  Canons  made  by  civil  rulers  about  the  circumstantials 
of  the  church,  belonging  to  their  office,  as  orderers  of  such 
things,  are  laws,  and  may  be  urged  by  moderate  and  meet 
civil  or  corporal  penalties,  and  no  otherwise. 

4.  Canons  made  by  princes  or  inferior  magistrates,  ^e 
no  laws  purely  and  formally  ecclesiastical,  which  are  essen- 
tially acts  of  pastoral  power ;  but  only  materially  ecclesias- 
tical, and  formally  magistratical. 

6.  No  church  officers  as  such,  (much  less  the  people) 
can  make  laws  with  a  co-active  or  coercive  sanction ;  that 
is,  to  be  enforced  by  their  authority  with  the  sword  or  any 


308  CHRI.ST1AN    DIRECTORY*.  [PART  III. 

corporal  penalty^  mulcts  or  force ;  this  being  the  sole  pri- 
▼ilege  of  secular  powers,  ciyil,  or  economical,  or  scho- 
lastic. 

6.  There  is  no  obligation  ariseth  to  the  subject  for  par- 
ticular obedience  of  any  law,  which  is  evidently  ieigainst  the 
laws  of  God  (in  nature  or  holy  Scripture^. 

7.  They  are  no  laws  which  pastors  make  to  people  out  of 
their  power :  as  the  popes,  &c. 

8.  There  is  no  power  on  earth  under  Christ,  that  hath 
authority  to  make  universal  laws  ;  to  bind  the  whole 
church  on  all  the  earth ;  or  all  mankind.  Because  there  is 
no  universal  sovereign,  civil  or  spiritual,  personal  or  col- 
lective. 

9.  Therefore  it  is  no  schism,  but  loyalty  to  Christ,  to  re- 
nounce or  separate  from  such  a  society  of  usurpation ;  nor 
any  disobedience  or  rebellion,  to  deny  them  obedience. 

10.  Pastors  may  and  must  be  obeyed  in  things  lawful  as 
magistrates,  if  the  king  make  them  magistrates :  though  I 
think  it  unmeet  for  them  to  accept  a  magistracy  with  the 
sword,  except  in  case  of  some  rare  necessity. 

11.  If  pope,  patriarchs,  or  pastors  shall  usurp  any  of  the 
king's  authority,  loyalty  to  Christ  and  him,  and  the  love  of 
the  church  and  state,  oblige  us  to  take  part  with  Christ  and 
the  king  against  such  usurpation,  but  only  by  lawful  means, 
in  the  compass  of  our  proper  place  and  calling. 

12.  The  canons  made  by  the  councils  of  many  churches, 
have  a  double  nature ;  as  they  are  made  for  the  people  and 
the  subjects  of  the  pastors,  they  are  a  sort  of  laws  :  that  is, 
they  oblige  by  the  derived  authority  of  the  pastors ;  be- 
cause the  pastors  of  several  churches  do  not  lose  any  of 
their  power  by  their  assembling,  but  exercise  it  with  the 
greater  advantage  of  concord.  But  as  they  are  made  only 
to  oblige  the  present  or  absent  pastors  who  sejiaratedly  are 
of  equal  office-power,  so  they  are  no  laws,  except  in  an 
equivocal  sense,  but  only  agreements  or  contracts ''.  So 
Bishop  Usher  professed  his  judgment  to  be:  and  before 
him  the  council  of  Carthage  in  Cyprian's  time ;  but  it  needs 
no  proof,  any  more  than  that  a  convention  of  kings  may 
make  no  laws  to  bind  the  kings  of  England,  but  contracts 
only. 

«  Ontiai  de  Imperio  ram.  pot.  die.  9Ut.  moit  wlidlj  ratolveth  tlib  qoMiioQ. 


QUEST.  XXVI.]      CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  309 

13.  Bat  yet  we  are  '  aliunde '  obliged  even  by  God,  to 
keep  these  agreements  in  things  lawful,  for  the  church's 
peace  and  concord,  when  greater  contrary  reasons, '  k  fine,' 
do  not  disoblige  us.  For  when  God  saith, '  You  shall  keep 
peace  and  concord,  and  keep  lawful  covenants,'  the  canons 
afibrd  us  the  minor,  '  But  these  are  lawful  contracts  or 
agreements,  and  means  of  the  church's  peace  and  concord ;' 
'  Therefore,  (saith  God's  law)  you  shall  observe  tl^On.'  So 
thoQi^  the  contracts  (as  of  husband  and  wife,  buyer  and 
seller,  &c.)  be  not  laws,  yet  that  is  a  law  of  GodVehich  bind- 
eth  us  to  keep  them  ®. 

14.  Seeing  that  even  the  obliging  commands  of  pastors 
may  not  by  them  be  enforced  by  the  sword,  but  work  by  the 
power  of  Divine  authority  or  commission  manifested,  and  by 
holy  reason  and  love,  therefore  it  is.  most  modest  and  fit 
for  pastors  (who  must  not  lord  it  over  God's  heritage,  but  be 
examples  to  all)  to  take  the  lower  name  of  authoritative  di- 
rections and  persuasions,  rather  than  of  laws :  especially  in 
a  time  when  Papal  usurpation  maketh  such  ruinating  use  of 
that  name,  and  civil  magistrates  use  to  UdLe  it  in  the  nobler 
and  narrower  sense. 

The  Questions,  1.  '  If  one  pastor  make  orders  for  his 
church,  and  the  multitudes  or  synods  be  against  them; 
which  must  be  obeyed,'  you  may  gather  from  what  is  said 
before  of  ordination.  And  2.  '  What  are  the  particulars 
proper,  materially,  to  the  magistrate's  decision,  and  what  to 
the  pastor's  V  I  here  pass  by. 

Quest.  XXVI.  Whether  church  canons,  or  pastor^ s  directwe  de^ 
terminations  of  matters  pertinent  to  their  office,  do  bind  the 
conscience 'i    And  what  accidents  will  disoblige  the  people; 

i#  you  may  gather  before  in  the  same  case  about  mt^trate's 
laws,  in  the  political  directions :  as  also  by  an  impinrtial 
transferring  the  case  to  the  precepts  of  parents  and  school- 
moiters  to  children ;  without  respect  to  their  power  of  the 
rod,  (or  supposing  that  they  had  none  such). 

Qaest.  XXVII.  What  are  Christ's  appointed  means  of  the 
unity  and  concord  of  the  universal  church,  and  consequently 

o  1  Pet.  ▼.  t,  S.     t  Cor.  i.  f4. 


'310  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

of  its  preservation,  if  there  be  no  human  universal  head  and 
gwyemor  of  it  upon  earth  f  And  if  Christ  have  instituted 
none  such,  whether  prudence  and  the  law  of  nature  oblige  not 
the  church  to  set  up  and  maintain  an  universal  ecclesioitiaU 
monarchy  or  aristocracy  ?  Seeing  that  which  is  every  nuafs 
tvork,  is  as  no  man*s,  and  omittied  by  all? 

I.  To  the  first  question  I  must  refer  you  in  part  to  two 
small,  popular,  yet  satisfactory  Tractates  ^  written  lo^  ago, 
that  I  do  not  one  thing  too  oft.     Briefly  now. 

1 .  The  unity  of  the  universal  church,  is  founded  in,  and 
maintained  by  their  common  relation  to  Christ  the  head,  (as 
the  kingdom  in  relation  to  the  king). 

2.  A  concord  in  degrees  of  goodness,  and  in  integrals 
and  accidentals  of  Christianity,  will  never  be  obtained  on 
earth,  where  the  church  is  still  imperfect :  and  perfect  holi- 
ness and  wisdom,  are  necessary  to  perfect  harmony  and 
concord. 

3.  Experience  hath  long  taught  the  church,  if  it  will 
learn,  that  the  claim  of  a  Papal  headship  and  goyemment 
over  the  church  universal,  hath  been  the  famous  incendiary 
and  hinderer  of  concord  in  the  Christian  world. 

4.  The  means  to  attain  such  a  measure  of  concord  and 
harmony  which  is  to  be  hoped  for,  or  endeavoured  upon 
earth,  I  have  so  distinctly,  fully,  and  yet  briefly  described 
(with  the  contrary  impediments)  in  my  Treatise  of  the 
*'  Reasons  of  Christian  Religion,"  Part  vii.  Chap.  14.  pp. 
470,  471.  in  about  two  leaves,  that  I  will  not  recite  them. 
If  you  say,  you  axe  not  bound  to  read  the  books  which  I  re- 
fer you  to ;  I  answer, '  Nor  this.' 

II.  To  the  latter  Question  I  answer,  1.  To  set  up  such 
an  universal  head  on  the  supposition  of  natural  reasons  aigl 
human  policy  is,  (1.)  To  cross  Christ's  institution,  and  the 
laws  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  as  hath  been  long  proved  by  Pro- 
testants  from  the  Scripture. 

(2.)  It  is  treason  against  Christ's  sovereign  oflice  to 
usurp  such  a  vicegerency  without  his  commission. 

(3.)  It  is  against  the  notorious  light  of  nature,  which 

?  «<  Cutbolk  Uuily,"  aiid  *<  The  True  Cstholic  «uid  Church  described." 


QUEST.  XXVIII.]   CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  311 

telleth  us  of  the  natural  incapacity  of  mortal  man,  to  be  such 
an  universal  governor  through  the  world. 

(4.)  It  is  to  sin  against  long,  and  dreadful  common  ex- 
perience, and  to  keep  in  that  fire  that  hath  destroyed  em- 
perors, kings,  and  kingdoms,  and  set  the  church's  pastors 
and  Christian  world  in  those  divisions,  which  are  the  great 
and  serviceable  work  of  satan,  and  the  impediment  of  the 
church's  increase,  purity,  and  peace,  and  the  notorious 
shame  of  the  Christian  profession  in  the  eyes  of  the  infidel 
world. 

And  if  so  many  hundred  years  sad  experience,  will  not 
answer  them  that  say,  '  If  the  pope  were  a  good  man,  he 
might  unite  us  all ;'  I  conclude  that  such  deserve  to  be  de- 
ceived *». 

Quest,  xxviii.  Who  is  the  judge  of  controversies  in  the  church  f 
1.  About  the  exposition  of  the  Scripture^  and  doctrinal 
points  in  themselves.  2.  About  either  heresies,  or  wicked 
practices,  as  they  are  charged  on  the  persons  who  are  accused 
of  them;  that  is,  1.  Antecedently  to  our  practice,  by  way  (f 
regulation.  2.  Or  consequentially,  by  judicial  sentence  (and 
execution)  on  offenders. 

I  have  answered  this  question  so  oft,  that  I  can  persuade 
myself  to  no  more  than  this  short,  yet  clear  solution. 

The  Papists  used  to  cheat  poor,  unlearned  persons  that, 
cannot  justly  discern  things  that  difier,  by  puzzling  them 
with  this  confused,  ambiguous  question.  Some  things  they 
cunningly  and  falsely  take  for  granted.  As  that  there  is  such 
a  thing  on  earth,  as  a  political,  universal  church,  headed  by 
any  mortal  governor.  Some  things  they  shuffle  together  in 
equivocal  words.  They  confound,  1.  Public  judgment  of 
decision,  and  private  judgment  of  discerning.  2.  The  ma- 
gistrate's judgment  of  church-controversies,  and  the  pas- 
tor's, and  the  several  cases,  and  ends,  and  effects  of  their 
several  judgments.  3.  Church-judgment  as  directive  to  a 
particular  church,  and  as  a  means  of  the  concord  of  several 
churches.  Which  being  but  distinguished,  a  few  words  will 
serve  to  clear  the  difficulty. 

1.  As  there  is  no  universal  human  church  (constituted 

4  s  Thess.  u.  10— IS. 


312  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.         [PART     111. 

or  governed  by  a  mortal  head)  so  there  is  no  power  set  up 
by  Christ  to  be  an  universal  judge  of  either  sort  of  contro- 
versies, by  decisive  judicial  sentence ;  nor  any  universal 
civil  monarch  of  the  world. 

2.  The  public,  governing,  decisive  judgment^  obliging 
others,  belongeth  to  public  persons,  or  officers  of  God,  and 
not  to  any  private  man. 

3.  The  public  decision  of  doubts  or  controversies  about 
faith  itself,  or  the  true  sense  of  God's  Word  and  laws,  as 
obliging  the  whole  church  on  earth  to  believe  that  decision, 
or  not  gainsay  it,  because  of  the  infallibility  or.  governing 
authority  of  the  deciders,  belongeth  to  no  one  but  Jesos 
Christ ;  because  as  is  said,  he  hath  made  no  universal  go- 
vernor, nor  infallible  expositor '.  It  belongeth  to  the  law- 
giver only  to  make  such  an  universally  obliging  exposition 
of  his  own  laws. 

4.  True  bishops  or  pastors  in  their  own  particular 
churches  are  authorised  teachers  and  guides,  in  expounding 
the  laws  and  Word  of  Christ ;  and  the  people  are  bound  as 
learners  to  reverence  their  teaching,  and  not  contradict  it 
without  true  cause  ;  yea,  and  to  believe  them  '  fide  human&,' 
in  things  pertinent  to  their  office  :  for  '  oportet  discentem 
credere.* 

6.  No  such  pastors  are  to  be  absolutely  believed,  nor  in 
any  case  of  notorious  error  or  heresy,  where  the  Word  of 
God  is  discerned  to  be  against  them. 

6.  For  all  the  people  as  reasonable  creatures,  have  t 
judgment  of  private  discerning  to  judge  what  they  must  re- 
ceive as  truth,  and  to  discern  their  own  duty,  by  the  help  of 
the  Word  of  God,  and  of  their  teachers. 

1.  The  same  power  of  governing-judgment  lawful  synods 
have  over  their  several  flocks,  as  a  pastor  over  his  own,  bot 
with  greater  advantage. 

8«  The  power  of  judging  in  many  consociate  churches, 
who  is  to  be  taken  into  communion  as  orthodox,  and  who 
to  be  refused  by  those  churches  as  heretics,  'in  specie,'  that 
is,  what  doctrine  they  will  judge  sound  or  unsound,  as  it  is 
'judicium  discemendi ;'  belongeth  to  every  one  of  Uie  coun- 
cil singly  :  as  it  is  a  judgment  obliging  themselves  by  con<^ 
tract,  (and  not  of  governing  each  other)  it  is  in  the  con- 

'  Scf  m,v  **  Key  for  CalhoUc*." 


QUEST.  XXVIII.]   CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  313 

traders  and  consenters :  and  for  peace  and  order  usually 
in  the  major  vote  ;  but  with  the  limitations  before  ex- 
pressed. 

9.  Every  true  Christian  believeth  all  the  essentials  of 
Christianity,  with  a  divine  faith,  and  not  by  a  mere  human 
belief  of  his  teachers,  though  by  their  help  and  teaching  his 
faith  is  generated,  and  confirmed,  and  preserved.  There- 
fore no  essential  article  of  Christianity  is  left  to  any  oblig- 
ing decision  of  any  church,  but  only  to  a  subservient  oblig- 
ing teaching :  as  whether  there  be  a  God,  a  Christ,  a  heaven, 
a  hell,  an  immortality  of  souls  ;  whether  God  be  to  be  be- 
lieved, loved,  feared,  obeyed  before  man?  Whether  the 
Scripture  be  God's  Word,  and  true  ?  Whether  those  that 
contradict  it  are  to  be  believed  therein  ?  Whether  pastors, 
assemblies,  public  worship,  baptism,  sacrament  of  the  Lord*s 
8Upper>  be  Divine  institutions  ?  And  the  same  I  may  say  of 
any  known  Word  of  God :  no  mortals  may  judge  '  in  partem 
utramlibet,'  but  the  pastors  are  only  authorized  teachers  and 
helpers  of  the  people's  faith.  (And  so  they  be  partly  to 
one  another.) 

10.  If  the  pope  or  his  council,  were  the  infallible,  or  the 
governing  expositors  of  all  God's  laws  and  Scriptures,  1. 
God  would  have  enabled  them  to  do  it  by  an  universal  com- 
mentary which  all  men  should  be  obliged  to  believe,  or  at 
least  not  to  contradict.  For  there  is  no  authority  and  obli- 
gation given  to  men  (yea,  to  so  many  successively)  to  do 
that  (for  the  needful  decision  of  controversies^  which  they 
never  have  ability  given  them  to  do.  For  that  were  to 
oblige  them  to  things  impossible.  2.  And  the  pope  and 
his  council  would  be  the  most  treacherous  miscreants  on 
earth,  that  in  so  many  hundred  years,  would  never  write 
such  an  infallible,  nor  governing  conimentary,  to  end  the 
differences  of  the  Christian  world.  Indeed  they  have 
jtidged  (with  others)  against  Arius,  that  Christ  is  true  God, 
and  one  with  the  Father  in  substance,  &c.  But  if  they  had 
said  the  contrary,  must  we  have  taken  it  for  God's  truth,  or 
have  believed  them  ? 

11.  To  judge,  who  for  heresy  or  scandal,  shall  be  punish- 
ed by  the  sword,  belongeth  to  none  but  the  magistrate  in 
his  own  dominions :  as  to  judge  who  shall  have  communion 
or  be  excommunicated  from  the  church,  belongeth,  as  afore*^ 


314  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  IIU 

saidv  to  the  pastors.  And  the  said  magistrate  hath  first  as 
a  man  his  own  judgment  of  discerning  what  is  heresy,  and 
who  of  his  subjects  are  guilty  of  it,  in  order  to  his  public 
governing  judgment. 

12.  The  civil,  supreme  ruler  may  antecedently  exercise 
this  judgment  of  discerning  (by  the  teaching  of  their  proper 
teachers)  in  order  to  his  consequent  sentences  on  ofienders: 
and  so  in  his  laws  may  tell  the  subjects,  what  doctrines  and 
practices  he  will  either  tolerate  or  punish.  And  thns  may 
the  church  pastors  do  in  their  canons  to  their  several  flocks, 
in  relation  to  communion  or  non-communion. 

13.  He  that  will  condemn  particular  persons  as  heretics 
or  offenders,  must  allow  them  to  speak  for  themselves,  and 
hear  the  proofs,  and  give  them  that  which  justice  reqoireth, 
&,c.  And  if  the  pope  can  do  so  at  the  antipodes,  and  in  all 
the  world  either  *  per  se,'  or  '  per  alium '  without  giving  that 
other  his  essential  claimed  power,  let  him  prove  it  by  better 
experience  than  we  have  had. 

14.  As  the  prime  and  sole  universal  legislation  belongeth 
to  Jesus  Christ,  so  the  final  judgment,  universal  and  parti- 
cular, belongeth  to  him,  which  only  will  end  all  controver- 
sies and  firom  which  there  is  no  appeal. 

Quest.  XXIX.   Whether  a  parentis  power  over  his  children,  or  a 
pastor,  or  many  pastors  or  bishops  over  the  same  children,  as 
parts  of  their  Jlock,  be  greater,  or  more  obliging  in  matters 
*   of  religion  and  public  worship  f 

This  being  touched  on  somewhere  else,  I  only  now  say, 
1.  That  if  the  case  were  my  own,  I  would  (1.)  Labour  to 
know  their  different  powers,  as  to  the  matter  commanded, 
and  obey  each  in  that  which  is  proper  to  its  place. 

(2.)  If  I  were  young  and  ignorant,  natural  necessity,  and 
natural  obligation  together,  would  give  my  parents  with 
whom  I  lived  such  an  advantage  above  the  minister  (whom  I 
seldom  see  or  understand)  as  would  determine  the  case  '  de 
eventu,'  and  much  *  de  jure.' 

(3.)  If  my  parents  command  me  to  hear  a  teacher  who 
is  against  ceremonies  or  certain  forms,  and  to  hear  none 
that  are  for  them,  natural  necessity  here  also  (^ordinarily) 
would  make  it  my  duty  first  to  hear  and  obey  my  parents ; 


QUEST.  XXX.]         CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  315 

and  in  many  other  cases,  till  I  came  to  understand  the 
greater  power  of  the  pastors,  in  their  own  place  and  work. 

(4.)  But  when  I  come  to  church,  to  know  that  the  judg- 
ment of  all  concordant  godly  pastors,  condemneth  such  a 
thing  as  damnable  heresy  or  sin,  which  my  father  command- 
eth  me  to  receive  and  profess,  I  would  more  believe  and  fol- 
low the  judgment  of  the  pastors  and  churches. 

Quest.  XXX.  May  an  office  teacher  or  pastor  be  at  once,  in  a 
stated  relation  of  a  pastor  and  a  disciple  to  some  other 
pastor? 

1.  That  Timothy  was  still  Paul's  son  in  point  of  learn- 
ing, and  his  disciple,  and  so  that  under  apostles  the  same 
persons  might  be  stated  in  both  relations  at  once,  seemeth 
evident  in  Scripture. 

2.  But  the  same  that  is  a  pastor  is  not  at  once  a  mere 
layman. 

3.  That  men  in  the  same  office  may  so  diffejr  in  age,  ex- 
perience, and  degrees  of  knowledge,  as  that  young  pastors 
may,  and  often  ought,  many  years  to  continue,  not  only  in 
occasional  reception  of  their  help,  but  also  in  an  ordinary 
stated  way  of  receiving  it,  and  so  be  related  to  them  as  their 
ordinary  teachers,  by  such  gradual  advantages  is  past  all 
doubt.  And  that  all  juniors  and  novices  owe  a  certain 
reverence  and  audience,  and  some  obedience  to  the  elder 
and  wiser. 

4.  But  this  is  not  to  be  a  disciple  to  him  as  in  lower  or- 
der or  office,  but  as  of  lower  gifts  and  grace. 

6«  It  is  lawful  and  very  good  for  the  church,  that  some 
ordained  persons  continue  long  as  pupils  to  their  tutors  in 
achoolB  or  academies,  (e.  g.  to  learn  the  holy  languages,  if 
they  have  them  not,  &.c.)  But  this  is  a  relation  left  to  vo- 
luntary contractors. 

6.  In  the  ancient  churches  the  particular  churches  had 
one  bishop  and  some  presbyters  and  deacons,  usually  of 
mnch  lower  parts,  who  lived  all  together  (single  or  chaste) 
in  the  bishop's  or  church  house,  which  was  as  a  college, 
where  he  daily  edified  them  by  doctrine  and  example. 

7.  The  controversy  about  different  orders  by  Divine  in- 
stitution, belongeth  not  to  me  here  to  meddle  with :  but  as 


3i6  CHRISTIAN   DIRECTORY.        [PART  III. 

to  the  natural  and  acquired  imparity  of  age  and  gifts,  and 
the  unspeakable  benefit  to  the  jumom  and  the  charchas, 
that  it  is  desirable  that  there  were  such  a  way  of  their  edu- 
cation and  edification,  I  take  to  be  discernible  to  any  that 
are  impartial  and  judicious. 

Ambrose  was  at  once  a  teacher  and  a  learner :  Beda 
Eccl.  Hist,  mentioneth  one  in  England,  that  was  at  once  t 
pastor  and  a  disciple.  And  in  Scotland  some  that  became 
bishops  were  still  to  be  under  the  government  of  the  abbot 
of  their  monasteries  according  to  their  first  devotion,  though 
the  abbot  was  but  a  presbyter. 

8.  Whether  a  settled,  private  charch-member,  may  not 
at  once  continue  his  very  formal  relation,  to  the  pastor  of 
that  church,  and  yet  be  of  the  same  order  with  him  in 
another  church,  as  their  pastor,  at  the  same  time,  (as  he 
may  in  case  of  necessity  continue  his  apprenticeship  or 
civil  service,)  is  a  case  that  I  will  not  determine.  But  he 
that  denieth  it,  must  prove  his  opinion,  (or  affirmation  of  its 
unlawfulness)  by  sufficient  evidence  from  Scripture  or  na- 
ture ;  whicli  is  hard. 

Quest.  XXXI.   Who  hath  the  power  of  making  church  canonsf 

This  is  sufficiently  resolved  before.  1.  The  magistrate 
only  hath  the  power  of  making  such  canons  or  laws  for 
church  matters  as  shall  be  enforced  by  the  sword. 

2.  Every  pastor  hath  power  to  make  canons  for  his  own 
congregation ;  that  is,  to  determine  what  hour  or  at  what 
place  they  shall  meet;  what  translation  of  Scripture,  or 
version  of  Psalms  shall  be  used  in  his  church  :  what  chap- 
ter shall  be  read  :  what  psalm  shall  be  sung,  &c.  Except 
the  magistrate  contradict  him,  and  determine  it  otherwise, 
in  such  points  as  are  not  proper  to  the  ministerial  office. 

3.  Councils  or  assemblies  of  pastors  have  the  power  of 
making  such  canons  for  many  churches,  as  shall  be  laws  to 
the  people,  and  agreements  to  themselves. 

4.  None  have  power  to  make  church  laws  or  canons, 
about  any  thing,  save,  (1.)  To  put  God's  own  laws  in  exe- 
cution. (2.)  To  determine  to  that  end,  of  such  circosi- 
stances  as  God  hath  left  undetermined  in  his  Woid. 

5.  Canon-making  under  pretence  of  order  aikl  oonoonl, 


QU£ST.  XXXI.]      CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  317 

hath  done  a  great  deal  of  mischief  to  the  churches  ;  whilst 
clergymen  have  grown  up  from  agreements,  to  tyrannical 
usurpations  and  impositions,  and  from  concord  about  need- 
ful accidents  of  worship,  to  frame  new  worship  ordinances, 
and  to  force  them  on  all  others ;  but  especially,  (1.)  By  en- 
croaching on  the  power  of  kings,  and  telling  them  that  they 
are  bound  in  conscience  to  put  all  their  canons  into  execu- 
tion by  force.  (2.)  And  by  laying  the  union  of  the  churches 
and  the  communion  of  Christians  upon  things  needless  and 
doubtful,  yea,  and  at  last  on  many  sinful  things ;  whereby 
the  churches  have  been  most  effectually  divided,  and  the 
Christian  world  set  together  by  the  ears ;  and  schisms^  yea, 
and  wars  have  been  raised  :  and  these  maladies  cannot  pos- 
sibly be  hcfaled,  till  the  tormenting,  tearing  engines  be  bro- 
ken and  cast  away,  and  the  voluminous  canons  of  nume- 
rous councils,  (which  themselves  also  are  matter  of  unde- 
terminable controversy)  be  turned  into  the  primitive  sim- 
plicity; and  a  few  necessary  things  made  the  terms  of  con- 
cord. Doubtless  if  every  pastor  were  left  wholly  to  him- 
self for  the  ordering  of  worship  circumstances  and  accidents 
in  his  own  church,  without  any  common  canons,  save  the 
Scriptures^  and  the  laws  of  the  land,  there  would  have  been 
much  less  division,  than  that  is,  which  these  numerous 
canons  of  all  the  councils,  obtruded  on  the  church,  have 
made. 

Quest.  XXXII.  Doth  baptism  as  such  enter  the  baptized  into  the 
universal  church,  or  into  a  particular  church,  or  both  ?  And 
is  bigftism  the  particular  church  covenant  as  such? 

Answ.  1.  Baptism  as  such  doth  enter  us  into  the  univer- 
sal church,  and  into  it  alone ;  and  is  no  particular  church 
covenant,  but  the  solemnizing  of  the  great  Christian  cove- 
nant of  grace,  between  Ood,  and  a  believer  and  his  seed. 

For,  (1.)  There  is  not  essentially  any  mention  of  a  par- 
ticular church  in  it. 

(2.)  A  man  may  be  baptized  by  a  general  unfixed  minis- 
ter, who  is  not  the  pastor  of  any  particular  church :  and  he 
may  be  baptiMd  in  solitude,  where  there  is  no  particular 
church.  ^^Thm  mmuch.  Acts  viii.  was  not  baptized  into  any 
particdBiP  church. 


318  CHRISTIAN    OIKECTORY.         [PART  IIL 

(3.)  Baptism  doth  but  make  us  Christians,  but  a  man 
may  be  a  Christian  who  is  no  member  of  any  particular 
church. 

(4.)  Otherwise  baptism  should  oblige  us  necessarily  to 
a  man,  and  be  a  covenant  between  the  baptized  and  the 
pastor  and  church  into  which  he  is  baptized  :  but  it  is  only 
our  covenant  with  Christ. 

(5.)  We  may  frequently  change  our  particular  church 
relation;  without  being  baptized  again.  But  we  nerer 
change  our  relation  to  the  church  which  we  are  baptized 
into,  unless  by  apostacy. 

2.  Yet  the  same  person  at  the  same  time  that  he  is  bap- 
tized may  be  entered  into  the  universal  church,  and  into  a 
particular ;  and  ordinarily  it  ought  to  be  so  where  it  can  be 
had; 

3.  And  the  covenant  which  we  make  in  baptism  with 
Christ,  doth  oblige  us  to  obey  him,  and  consequently  to 
use  his  instituted  means,  and  so  to  hear  his  ministers,  and 
hold  due  communion  with  his  churches. 

4.  But  this  doth  no  more  enter  us  into  a  particular 
church,  than  into  a  particular  family.  For  we  as  well 
oblige  ourselves  to  obey  him  in  family  relations  as  in  church 
relations. 

5.  When  the  baptized  therefore  is  at  once  entered  into 
the  universal  and  particular  church,  it  is  done  by  a  double 
consent,  to  the  double  relation.  By  baptism  he  professeth 
his  consent  to  be  a  member  of  Christ  and  his  universal 
church ;  and  additionally  he  consenteth  to  be  guided  by 
that  particular  pastor  in  that  particular  church ;  which  is 
another  covenant  or  consent 

Quest.  XXX I II.  Whether  infatits  should  be  baptized,  I  have 
answered  long  ago  in  a  Treatise  on  that  subject. 

Also  what  infants  should  be  baptized  ?  And  who  have  right 
to  sacraments  ?  And  whether  hypocrites  are  unequivocal^ 
or  equivocally  Christians  and  church-members,  I  have  re* 
solved  in  my  '*  Disptit.  of  Right  to  Sacraments/* 

Quest.  XXXI  v.  Whether  an  unbaptized  person  who  yet  nutheih 
a  public  profession  of  Christianity,  be  a  member  of  the  wi* 
hie  church  f    And  so  of  the  infants  of  believers  unU^ptixed, 


QU£8T^  XXXT.]   CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  319 

Amw.  L  Such  persons  have  a  certain  imperfect,  irregu- 
lar kind  of  profession,  and  so  of  membership  ;  their  visibility 
or  visible  Christianity  is  not  such  as  Christ  hath  appointed. 
As  those  that  are  married,  but  not  by  legal  celebration,  and 
as  those  that  in  cases  of  necessity  are  ministers  without  or- 
dination ;  so  are  such  Christians  as  Constantine  and  many 
of  old  without  baptism. 

2.  Such  persons  ordinarily  are  not  to  be  admitted  to  the 
rights  and  communion  of  the  visible  church,  because  we 
must  know  Christ's  dheep  by  his  own  mark ;  but  yet  they 
are  so  far  visible  Christians,  as  that  we  may  be  persuaded 
nevertheless  of  their  salvation.  As  to  visible  communion, 
they  have  but  a  remote  and  incomplete  'jus  ad  rem,'  and  no 
'jus  in  re,'  or  legal  investiture  and  possession. 

3.  The  same  is  the  case  of  unbaptized  infants  of  believ- 
erSf  because  they  are  not  of  the  church  merely  as  they  are 
their  natural  seed  ;  but  because  it  is  supposed  that  a  per- 
son himself  devoted  to  God,  doth  also  devote  his  children 
to  God :  therefore  not  nature  only,  but  this  supposition  ari- 
sing from  the  true  nature  of  his  own  dedication  to  God,  is 
the  reason  why  believers'  children  have  their  right  to  bap- 
tism :  therefore  till  he  hath  actually  devoted  them  to  God  in 
baptism,  they  are  not  legally  members  of  the  visible  church, 
but  only  in  '  fieri'  and  imperfectly  as  is  said.  Of  which 
more  anon. 

Quest.  XXXV.  hit  certain  by  the  Word  of  God  that  all  in- 
Jants  baptized,  atid  dying  before  actual  sin,  are  undoubtedly 
saved:  or  what  infants  may  we  say  so  of? 

Answ.  I.  1.  We  must  distinguish  between  certainty  ob- 
jective and  subjective,  or  more  plainly,  the  reality  or  truth 
of  the  thing,  and  the  certain  apprehension  of  it  *. 

2.  And  this  certainty  of  apprehension,  sometimes  signi- 
fieth  only  the  truth  of  that  apprehension,  when  a  man  indeed 
is  not  deceived,  or  more  usually  that  clearness  of  apprehen- 
sion joined  with  truth,  which  fully  quieteth  the  mind  and 
excludeth  doubting. 

*  Since  the  writing  of  this,  there  is  come  forth,  an  excellent  book  for  Infant  Bap  - 
tiun  bj  Mr.  Joseph  Wbiston,  in  which  the  gronnds  of  my  present  solations  are  no- 
tably cleared. 


320  CHRIStlAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  Ilti 

3.  We  must  distinguish  of  infants  as  baptized  lawfully 
upon  just  title,  or  unlawfully  without  title. 

4.  And  also  of  title  before  Ood,  which  maketh  a  lawful 
claim  and  reception  at  his  bar;  and  title  before  the  church, 
which  maketh  only  the  administration  lawful  before  God, 
and  the  reception  lawful  only  '  in  foro  ecclesia/  or  '  extemo/ 

5.  The  word  '  baptism'  signifieth  either  the  external 
part  only,  consisting  in  the  words  and  outward  action,  or 
the  internal  covenanting  of  the  heart  also. 

6.  And  that  internal  covenant  is  either  sincere  which 
giveth  right  to  the  benefits  of  God's  covenant,  or  only  par- 
tial, reserved,  and  unsound,  such  as  is  common  to  hypo- 
crites. 

Conclus.  1 .  God  hath  been  pleased  to  speak  so  little  in 
Scripture  of  the  case  of  infants,  that  modest  men  will  use 
the  words,  '  certainly'  and  '  undoubtedly,'  about  their  case 
with  very  great  caution.  And  many  great  divines  have 
maintained  that  their  very  baptism  itself,  cannot  be  cer- 
tainly and  undoubtedly  proved  by  the  Word  of  God  but  by 
tradition :  though  I  have  endeavoured  to  prove  the  contrary 
in  a  special  Treatise  on  that  point. 

2.  No  man  can  tell  what  is  objectively  certain  or  reveal- 
ed in  God's  Word,  who  hath  not  subjective  certainty  or 
knowledge  of  it. 

3.  A  man's  apprehension  may  be  true,  when  it  is  but  a 
wavering  opinion,  with  the  greatest  doubtfulness.  There- 
fore we  do  not  usually  by  a  certain  apprehension,  mean  on- 
ly a  true  apprehension,  but  a  clear  and  quieting  one. 

4.  It  is  possible  to  baptize  infants  unlawfully,  or  with- 
out any  right,  so  that  their  reception  and  baptizing  shall  be 
a  great  sin,  as  is  the  misapplying  of  other  ordinances.  For 
instance  :  one  in  America  where  there  is  neither  church  to 
receive  them,  nor  Christian  parents,  nor  sponsors,  may  take 
up  the  Indians'  children  and  baptize  them  against  the  pa- 
rents' wills  ;  or  if  the  parents  consent  to  have  their  children 
outwardly  baptized,  and  not  themselves,  as  not  knowing 
what  baptizing  meaneth,  or  desire  it  only  for  outward  ad- 
vantages to  their  children  :  or  if  they  offer  them  to  be  bap- 
tized only  in  open  derision  and  scorn  of  Christ ;  such  chil- 
dren have  no  right  to  be  received.  And  many  other  in* 
stances  nearer  may  be  given. 


QUEST.  XXXV.]  CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  321 

5.  It  is  possible  the  person  may  h^ve  no  authority  at  all 
from  Christ  who  doth  baptize  them.  And  Christ's  part  in 
reception  of  the  person,  and  collation  and  investiture  in  his 
benefits^  must  be  done  by  his  commission,  or  else  how  can 
we  say  that  Christ  doth  it  ?  But  open  infidels,  women, 
children,  madmen,  scorners,  may  do  it  that  have  none  of  his 
commission. 

6.  That  all  infants  baptized  without  title  or  right  by 
misapplication,  and  so  dying,  are  not  undoubtedly  saved, 
nor  any  Word  of  God  doth  certainly  say  so,  we  have  reason 
to  believe  on  these  following  grounds. 

1.  Because  we  can  find  no  such  text,  nor  could  ever 
prevail  with  them  that  say  so,  to  shew  us  such  an  ascertain- 
ing Word  of  God. 

2.  Because  else  gross  sin  would  certainly  be  the  way  to 
salvation*     For  such  misapplication  of  baptism,  by  the  de- 
manders  at  least,  would  certainly  be  gross  sin,  as  well  as  ' 
misapplying  the  Lord's  supper. 

3.  Because  it  is  clean  contrary  to  the  tenor  of  the  new 
covenant  which  promiseth  salvation  to  none  but  penitent 
believers  and  their  seed  :  what  God  may  do  for  others  un- 
known to  us,  we  have  nothing  to  do  with :  but  his  covenant 
hath  ihade  no  other  promise  that  I  can  find ;  and  we  are 
certain  of  no  man's  salvation  by  baptism,  to  whom  God 
never  made  a  promise  of  it.  If  by  the  children  of  the  faith- 
ful, be  meant  not  only  their  natural  seed,  but  the  adopted 
or  bought  also  of  which  they  are  true  proprietors,  yet  that 
is  nothing  to  all  others. 

4.  To  add  to  God's  words,  especially  to  his  very  pro- 
mise or  covenant,  is  so  terrible  a  presumption,  as  we  dare 
not  be  guilty  of. 

6.  Because  this  tieth  grace  or  salvation  so  to  the  out- 
ward washing  of  the  body,  or  '  opus  operatum,'  as  is  con- 
trary to  the  nature  of  God's  ordinances,  and  to  the  tenor 
of  Scripture,  and  the  judgment  of  the  Protestant  divines. 

6.  Because  this  would  make  a  strange  disparity  between 
the  two  sacraments  of  the  same  covenant  of  grace :  when  a 
man  receiveth  the  Lord's  supper  unworthily  (in  scorn,  in 
dmnkenness,  or  impenitency)  much  more  without  any  right 
(as  infidels,)  he  doth  eat  and  drink  damnation  or  judgment  to 
himself,  and  maketh  his  sin  greater ;  therefore  he  that  gets  a 

VOL.    V.  Y 


324  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

child  baptizeci  unworthily  and  without  rights  doth  not  there- 
fore infallibly  procure  his  salvation. 

7.  Because  the  apostle  saith,  1  Cor.  vii.  14.  "  Else  wer? 
your  children  unclean,  but  now  are  they  holy;"  and  the 
Scripture  giveth  this  privilege  to  the  children  of  the  (aitikr 
ful  above  others :  whereas  the  contrary  opinion  levelleth 
them  with  the  seed  of  infidels  and  heathens,  as  if  these  had 
right  to  salvation  by  mere  baptism,  as  well  as  the  others. 

8.  Because  else  it  would  be  the  greatest  act  of  charity 
in  the  world,  to  send  soldiers  to  catch  up  all  heathen's  and 
infidels' children,  and  baptize  them;  which  no  Christians 
ever  yet  thought  their  duty.  Yea,  it  would  be  too  strong  a 
temptation  to  them  to  kill  them  when  they  had  done,  that 
they  might  be  all  undoubtedly  saved. 

Ob;.  *  But  that  were  to  do  evil  that  good  might  come  by 
it.'  Amw.  But  God  is  not  to  be  dishonoured  as  to  het  sup- 
posed to  make  such  laws,  as  shall  forbid  men  the  greatest 
good  in  the  world,  and  then  to  tempt  them  by  the  greatness 
of  the  benefit  to  take  it  to  be  no  evil :  as  if  he  said« '  If  sol- 
diers would  go  take  up  a  million  of  heathen's  children  and 
baptize  them,  it  will  put  them  into  an  undoubted  state  of 
salvation :  but  yet  I  forbid  them  doing  it :  and  if  they  pre- 
sently kill  them,  lest  they  sin  after,  they  shall  undoubtedly 
be  saved ;  but  yet  I  forbid  them  doing  it.'  I  need  not  ag- 
gravate this  temptation  to  them  that  know  the  power  of  the 
law  of  nature,  which  is  the  law  of  love  and  good  works,  and 
how  God  that  is  most  good  is  pleased  in  our  doing  good. 
Though  he  tried  Abraham's  obedience  once,  as  if  he  shoald 
have  killed  his  son,  yet  he  stopt  him  before  the  execution. 
And  doth  he  ordinarily  exercise  men's  obedience,  by  for- 
bidding them  to  save  the  souls  of  others,  when  it  is  easily  in 
their  power  ?  Especially  when  with  the  adult  the  greatest 
labour  and  most  powerful  preaching,  is  frequently  so  frustraie, 
that  not  one  of  many  is  converted  by  it. 

9.  Because  else  God  should  deal  with  unaccountaUs 
disparity  with  infants  and  the  adult  in  the  same  ordinance 
of  baptism.  It  is  certain  that  all  adult  persons  baptized,  if 
they  died  immediately,  should  not  be  saved.  Even  noot 
that  had  no  right  to  the  covenant  and  to  baptism ;  such  as 
infidels,  heathens,  impenitent  persons,  hypocrites,  that  have 
not  true  repentance  and  faith.     And  why  should  baptism 


QUEST.   jfXXV.]   CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  323 

sate  an  infant  without  title,  any  more  than  the  adult  without 
title  ?  I  still  suppose  that  some  infants  have  no  title,  and 
that  now  1  speak  of  them  alone. 

Obj.  *  But  the  church  giveth  them  all  right  by  receiving 
them/ 

Amw.  This  is  to  be  farther  examined  anon.  If  you  mean 
a  particular  church,  perhaps  they  are  baptized  into  none 
such.  Baptism  as  such  is  a  reception  only  into  the  univet- 
tnX  church,  as  in  the  eunuch's  case.  Acts  viii.  appeareth.  If 
you  mean  the  universal  church,  it  may  be  but  one  single  ig- 
norant man  in  an  infidel  country  that  baptizeth,  and  he  is 
not  the  universal  church  !  Yea,  perhaps  is  not  a  lawfully 
called  minister  of  that  church !  However  this  is  but  to  say, 
that  baptism  giveth  right  to  baptism.  For  this  receiving  is 
nothing  but  baptizing.  But  there  must  be  a  right  to  this 
reception,  if  baptism  be  a  distinguishing  ordinance,  and  all 
the  world  have  not  right  to  it.  Christ  saith.  Matt,  xxviii. 
19.  ''  Disciple  me  all  nations,  baptizing  them —  :"  they 
must  be  initially  made  disciples  first,  by  consent,  and  then 
be  invested  in  the  visible  state  of  Christianity  by  baptism. 

10.  If  the  children  of  heathens  have  right  to  baptism, 
and  salvation  thereby,  it  is  either,  1.  As  they  are  men,  and 
all  have  right ;  or  2.  Because  the  parents  give  them  right ; 
3.  Or  because  remote  ancestors  give  them  right ;  4.  Or  be- 
cause the  universal  church  gives  them  right ;  5.  Or  because 
m  particular  church  giveth  them  right ;  6.  Or  because  the 
sponsors  give  them  right ;  7.  Or  the  magistrate ;  8.  Or  the 
baptizer.     But  it  is  none  of  all  these,  as  shall  anon  be  proved. 

11.  But  as  to  the  second  question,  I  answer,  1.  It  will 
help  us  to  understand  the  case  the  better,  if  we  prepare  the 
way  by  opening  the  case  of  the  adult,  because  in  Scripture 
times,  (hey  were  the  most  famous  subjects.of  baptism.  And 
it  is  certain  of  such,-  1.  That  every  one  outwardly  baptized 
is  not  in  a  state  of  salvation.  That  no  hypocrite  that  is  not 
tt  true  penitent  believer  is  in  such  a  state.  2.  That  every 
tme  penitent  believer  is  before  Ood  in  a  state  of  salvatiott, 
•s  soon^M  he  is  such ;  and  before  the  church  as  soon  as  he  is 
baptized.  3.  That  we  are  not  to  use  the  word  baptism  as  a 
physical  term  only,  but  as  a  moral,  theological  term.  Be- 
oimse  words  (as  in  law,  physic,  8ic.)  are  to  be  understood 
secording  to  the  art  or  science  in  which  they  are  treated  of. 


324  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PAKT  III. 

And  baptism  taken  theologically  doth  as  essentially  include 
the  will's  consent  or  heart-covenanting  with  God,  as  matri- 
mony includeth  marriage  consent,  and  as  a  man  containeth 
.  the  soul  as  well  as  the  body.  And  thus  it  is  certain  that 
all  truly  baptized  persons  are  in  a  state  of  salvation; 
.  that  is,  all  that  sincerely  consent  to  the  baptismal  covenant 
when  they  profess  consent  by  baptism  (but  not  hypocrites). 
4.  And  in  this  sense  all  the  ancient  pastors  of  the  churches, 
did  concur  that  baptism  did  wash  away  all  sin,  and  put  the 
baptized  into  a  present  right  to  life  eternal ;  as  he  that  ex- 
amineth  their  writings  will  perceive :  not  the  outward  wash- 
ing and  words  alone,  but  when  the  inward  and  outward  parts 
concur,  or  when  by  true  faith  and  repentance,  the  receiver 
hath  right  to  the  covenant  of  God.  5.  In  this  sense  it  is 
no  unfit  language  to  imitate  the  fathers,  and  to  say  that  the 
truly  baptized  are  in  a  state  of  j  ustification,  adoption,  ai^d 
salvation,  unless  when  men's  misunderstanding  maketh  it 
unsafe.  6.  The  sober  Papists  themselves  say  the  same 
thing,  and  when  they  have  said  that  even  '  ex  opere  operate' 
baptism  saveth,  they  add,  that  it  is  only  the  meet  receiver; 
that  is,  the  penitent  believer,  and  no  other  of  the  adult.  So 
that  hitherto  there  is  no  difference. 

2.  Now  let  us  by  this  try  the  case  of  infants  ^  concern- 
ing which  there  are  all  these  several  opinions  among  di- 
vines. 

(1.)  Some  think  that  all  infants  (baptized  or  not)  are 
saved  from  hell,  and  positive  punishment,  but  are  not  brought 
to  heaven,  as  being  not  capable  of  such  joys. 

(2.)  Some  think  that  all  infants  (dying  such)  are  saved 
as  others  are,  by >  actual  felicity  in  heaven,  though  in  a 
lower  degree.  Both  these  sorts  suppose  that  Christ's  death 
saveth  all  that  reject  it  not,  and  that  infants  reject  it  not. 

(3.)  Some  think  that  all  unbaptized  infants  do  suffer  the 
'  poenam  damni'  and  are  shut  out  of  heaven  and  happiness, 
but  not  sensibly  punished  or  cast  into  hell.  For  this  Jan- 
senius  hath  wrote  a  treatise ;  and  many  other  Papists  think  so. 

.(4.)  Some  think  that  all  the  children  of  sincere  believers 
dying  in  infancy  are  saved,  (that  is,  glorified,)  whether  bap- 
tized or  not ;  and  no  others. 

(5.)  Some^think  that  God  hath  not  at  all  revealed  what 
he  will  do  with  any  infants. 


QUEST.  XXXV.]   CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  325 

(6.)  Some  think  that  he  hath  promised  salvation  as 
aforesaid  to  believers  and  their  seed,  but  hath  not  at  all  re- 
vealed to  us  what  he  will  do  with  all  the  rest. 

(7.)  Some  think  that  only  the  baptized  children  of  true 
believers  are  certainly  (by  promise)  saved. 

(8.)  Some  think  that  all  the  adopted  and  bought  chil- 
dren of  true  Christians,  as  well  as  the  natural,  are  saved  (if 
baptized,  say  some;  or  if  not,  say  others). 

(9.)4k>me  think  that  elect  infants  are  saved,  and  no 
other,  but  no  man  can  know  who  those  are.  And  of  these, 
1.  Some  deny  infant  baptism.  2.  Most  say  that  they  are 
to  be  baptized,  and  that  thereby  the  non-elect  are  only  re- 
ceived into  the  visible  church  and  its  privileges,  but  not  to 
any  promise  or  certainty  of  justification,  or  a  state  of  salva- 
tion. 

(10.)  Some  think  that  all  that  are  baptized  by  the  dedi- 
cation of  Christian  sponsors  are  saved. 

(11.)  Some  think  that  all  that  the  pastor  dedicateth  to 
Ood  are  saved,  (because  so  dedicated  by  him  say  some ;  or 
because  baptized  '  ex  opere  operato'  say  others).  And  so 
all  baptized  infants  are  in  a  state  of  salvation. 

(12.)  Some  think  that  this  is  to  be  limited  to  all  that 
have  right  to  baptism  '  coram  Deo ;'  which  some  think  the 
church's  reception  giveth  them,  of  which  anon. 

(13.)  And  some  think  it  is  to  be  limited  to  those  that 
have  right  '  coram  ecclesia,'  or  are  rightfully  baptized  '  ex 
parte  ministrantis,'  where  some  make  the  magistrate's  com- 
Boand  sufficient,  and  some  the  bishops  and  some  the  bapti- 
xer^s  will. 

Of  the  title  to  baptism  I  shall  speak  anon.  Of  the  sal- 
vation of  infants,  it  is  too  tedious  to  confute  all  that  I  dis- 
sent from :  not  presuming  in  such  darkness  and  diversity  of 
opndons  to  be  peremptory,  nor  to  say,  I  am  certain  by  the 
Word  of  God  who  are  undoubtedly  saved,  nor  yet  to  deny 
the  mdottbted  certainty  of  wiser  men,  who  may  know  that 
which  such  as  I  do  doubt  of,  but  submitting  what  I  say  to 
the  judgment  of  the  church  of  God  and  my  superiors,  I  hum- 
bly lay  down  my  own  thoughts  as  folio  we  th. 

1 .  I  think  that  there  can  no  promise  or  proof  be  produced 
that  all  ttnbaptized  infants  are  saved,  either  from  the  '  pcena 
li'  or  '  sensus'  or  both. 


326  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART    Iff. 

2.  I  think  that  no  man  can  prove  that  all  unbaptized  in- 
fants are  damned,  ox  denied  heaven.  Nay,  I  think  I  can 
prove  a  promise  of  the  contrary. 

3.  All  that  are  rightfully  baptized  '  in  foro  externo'  are 
visible  church-members,  and  have  ecclesiastical  right  to  the 

.  pifivileges  of  the  visible  church. 

4.  1  think  Christ  never  instituted  baptism  for  the  coUa* 
tion  of  these  outward  privileges  alone,  unless  as  on  siippo* 

^  ^tion  that  persons  culpably  fail  of  the  better  ends. 

6.  I  think  baptism  is  a -solemn  mutual  contract  or  cove- 
nant between  Christ  and  the  baptized  person.  And  that  it 
is  but  one  covenant,  even  the  covenant  of  grace  which  is  the 
^um  of  the  Gospel,  which  is  sealed  and  received  in  baptism; 
and  that  this  covenant  essentially  containeth  our  saving  re- 
lation to  God  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  and  oar  par- 
don^ justification,  and  adoption  or  right  to  life  everlasting: 
and  that  God  never  made  any  distinct  covenant  of  outward 
privileges  alone,  to  be  sealed  by  baptism.  But  that  out- 
ward mercies  are  the  second  and  lesser  gift  of  the  same  cove- 
nant which  giveth  first  the  great  and  saving  blesainga. 

6.  And  therefore  that  \vhoever  hath  right  before  God, 
to  claim  and  receive  baptism,  hath  right  also  to  the  benefits 
of  the  covent^it  of  God,  and  that  is,  to  salvation :  though  I 
say  not  so  of  every  one  that  hath  such  right  before  the 
cl^urch,  as  that  God  doth  require  the  minister  to  baptize 
him.  For  by  right  before  God,  or  '  in  foro  coeli'  I  mean 
such  a  right  as  will  justify  the  claim  before  God  immediate- 
ly, the  person  being  one  whom  he  conunandeth  in  that  pre- 
sent state  to  claim  and  receive  baptism.  For  many  a  one 
hath  no  such  right  before  God  to  claim  or  receive  it,  when 
yet  the  minister  hath  right  to  give  it  them  if  they  do  claim  it. 

The  case  stands  thus.  God  saith  in  his  covenant, '  He 
that  believeth  shall  be  saved,  and  ought  to  be  baptized*  to 
profess  that  belief,  and  be  invested  in  the  benefits  of  the  co- 
venant ;  and  he  that  professeth  to  believe,  (whether  he  do 
or  not,)  is  by  the  church  to  be  taken  for  a  visible  believer, 
and.  by  baptism  to  be  received  into  the  visible  Qhurch.' 
Here  God  calleth  none  but  true  believers  (ai^d.  their  seed)  to- 
bp  baptized,  nor  maketh  an  actual  promise  or  covenant  with 
Wy  other ;  and  so  I  say  that  none  other  have  right  *  in  fofO 
cceli.'     But  yet  the  church  knowetb  npt  men's, heturta,  and. 


QUEST.  XXXV.]    CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  337 

must  take  a  serious  profession  for  a  credible  sign  of  the 
faith  professed,  and  for  that  outward  title  upon  which  it  is 
a  duty  of  the  pastor  to  baptize  the  claimer  ^  So  that  the 
most  malignant,  scornful  hypocrite,  that  maketh  a  seeming- 
ly serious  profession,  hath  right  '  coram  ecclesia,'  but  not 
'  coram  Deo,^  save  in  this  sense,  that  God  would  have  the 
minister  baptize  him.  But  this  I  have  more  largely  opened 
in  my  **  Disputations  of  Right  to  Sacraments.'' 

7.  I  think  therefore  that  all  the  children  of  true  Chris- 
tians, do  by  baptism  receive  a  public  investiture  by  God's 
appointment  into  a  state  of  remission,  adoption,  and  right 
to  salvation  at  the  present :  though  I  dare  not  say  I  am  un- 
doubtedly certain  of  it,  as  knowing  how  much  is  said  against 
it.  But  I  say  as  the  synod  of  Dort,  art.  1.  *  That  believing 
parents  have  no  cause  to  doubt  of  the  salvation  of  their 
children  that  die  in  infancy,  before  they  commit  actual  sin  ;' 
lhatis»  not  to  trouble  themselves  with  fears  about  it. 

The  reasons  that  move  me  to  be  of  this  judgment  (though 
not  without  doubting  and  hesitancy)  are  these ;  1.  Because 
whoever  hath  right  to  the  present  investiture,  delivery  and 
po8ses«on  of  the  first  and  great  benefits  of  God's  covenant 
made  with  man  in  baptism,  hath  right  to  pardon,  and  adop- 
tion, and  everlasting  life  :  but  the  infants  of  true  Christians 
have  right  to  the  present  investiture,  delivery  and  posses- 
sion of  the  first  and  great  benefits  of  God's  covenant  made 
with  man  in  baptism.  Therefore  they  have  right  to  pardon 
and  e^iMdasting  life. 

Either  infants  are  in  the  same  covenant  (that  is,  are  sub- 
jects of  the  same  promise  of  God)  with  their  believing  pa- 
mts,  or  in  some  other  covenant,  or  in  no  covenant.  If  they 
bo  under  no  covenant  (or  promise),  or  under  some  other 
jjpromise  or  covenant  only,  and  not  the  same,  they  are  not  to 
bo  baptized.  For  baptism  is  a  mutual  covenanting ;  where 
tbo  minister  by  Christ's  commission  in  his  name  acteth  his 
part,  and  the  believer  his  own  and  his  infant's  part :  and  God 
hath  but  one  covenant,  which  is  to  be  made,  sealed,  and  de- 
in  baptism.  Baptism  is  not  an  equivocal  word,  so 
to  signify  divers  covenants  of  God. 


«  Mark  xvi.  16.  Acts  ii.  37,  38.  xxii.  16.  1  Cor.  vi.  11.  Tit.  Hi.  3.  5, 6. 
Hcb.  X.  2«.  Eph.  T.  26.  Ron.  vi.  1.  4.  Col.  ii.  \9.  1  Pet.  iii.  21,  2S.  Epb. 
BV.5.     Acts  Till.  IS,  13.  16.  36.  38.    ix.  18.     xvK  15.33.    xix.  5.     Gal.  iii.  97. 


328  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PABT    III. 

Obj.  *  But  the  same  covenant  of  God  hath  divers  sorts 
of  benefits ;  the  special  God  giveth  to  the  sincere,  and  the 
coounon  to  the  common  and  hypocritical  receiver. 

Amw.  1.  God  indeed  requireth  the  minister  to  take  pro- 
fession for  the  visible  church-title ;  and  so  it  being  the  mi- 
nister's duty  so  far  to  believe  a  liar,  and  to  receive  dissem- 
blers who  had  no  right  to  lay  that  claim,  you  may  say  that 
God  indirectly  and  improperly  giveth  them  church-privi- 
leges :  but  properly,  that  is,  by  his  promise  or  covenant-deed 
of  gift,  he  giveth  them  nothing  at  all ;  for  his  covenant  is  one 
and  undivided  in  its  action,  though  it  give  several  benefits, 
and  though  providence  may  give  one  and  not  another,  yet 
the  covenant  giveth  all  or  none.  God  saith  that  godliness 
hath  the  promise  of  this  life  and  of  that  to  come :  but  he 
never  said,  (that  I  know  of,)  '  To  the  hypocrite  or  unsound 
believer  I  promise  or  give  right  to  common  mercies.* 

2.  But  suppose  it  were  otherwise,  yet  either  the  chil- 
dren of  true  believers  have  the  true  condition  of  right  to  the 
special  blessings  of  the  covenant,  or  they  have  not  the  con- 
dition of  any  at  all.  For  there  can  no  more  be  required  of 
an  infant,  as  to  any  special  blessings  of  the  covenant,  than 
that  he  be  the  child  of  believing  parents  and  by  them  dedi- 
cated to  God.  Either  this  condition  entitleth  them  to  all 
the  covenant  promises  which  the  adult  believer  is  entitled 
to,  (as  far  as  their  natures  are  capable,)  or  it  entitleth  them 
to  none  at  all.  Nor  are  they  to  be  baptized :  for  God  hath 
in  Scripture  instituted  but  one  baptism,  (to  profess  one 
faith,)  and  that  one  is  ever  for  the  remission  of  sins :  "  he 
that  believethand  is  baptized  shall  be  saved"." 

3.  Or  if  all  the  rest  were  granted  you,  yet  it  would  follow 
that  all  infants  in  the  world,  even  of  true  believers,  are  left 
out  of  God's  covenant  of  grace,  that  is,  the  covenant  or  pro- 
mise of  pardon  and  life ;  and  are  only  taken  into  the  cove- 
nant of  church-privileges.  And  so  1.  You  will  make  two 
covenants,  (which  you  denied.)  and  not  only  two  sorts  of 
benefits  of  one  covenant.  2.  And  two  species  of  baptism; 
while  all  in&nts  in  the  world  are  only  under  a  covenant  of 
outward  privileges,  and  have  no  baptism,  but  the  seal  of 
that  covenant,  while  believers  have  the  covenant,  promise, 
and  seal  of  pardon  and  life. 

«  Mark  xvi.  16. 


QUEST.  XXXV.]    CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  329 

2.  And  ibis  is  my  second  reason :  because  then  we  have 
na  promise  or  certainty,  or  ground  of  faith,  for  the  pardon 
and  salvation  of  any  individual  infants  in  the  World.  And 
so  parents  are  left  to  little  comfort  for  their  children.  And 
if  there  be  no  promise  there  is  no  faith  of  it,  nor  any  baptism 
to  seal  it;  and  so  we  still  make  antipeedobaptism  unavoida-. 
ble.  For  who  dare  set  Qod's  seal  to  such  as  have  no  pro- 
mise ?  or  pretend  to  invest  any  in  a  near  and  saving  relation 
to  God  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  (which  is  the  very 
nature  of  baptism,)  when  God  hath  given  no  such' commis- 
sion ? 

Obf.  *  Yes :  baptism  and  the  covenant  of  special  pro- 
mises are  for  all  the  elect,  though  we  know  not  who  they 
are/ 

Aruw.  1.  I  deny  not  God's  eternal,  antecedent  election; 
but  I  deny  that  the  Scripture  ever  mentioneth  his  pardon- 
ing or  glorifying  any,  upon  the  account  of  election  only, 
without  certain  spiritual  conditions,  which  may  be  given  as 
the  reason  of  the  difference  in  judgment.  God  may  freely 
give  the  Gospel  to  whom  he  will,  and  also  faith  or  the  first 
grace  by  the  Gospel,  without  any  previous  condition  in  man, 
but  according  to  his  free  election  only :  but  he  giveth  par- 
don and  heaven  as  a  rector  by  his  equal  laws  and  judgment ; 
and  always  rendereth  a  reason  of  the  difference,  from  the 
qualifications  of  man. 

2.  And  if  this  were  as  you  say,  it  would  still  overthrow 
infant  baptism.  For  either  we  must  baptize  all  indifferent- 
ly, or  none,  or  else  know  how  to  make  a  difference.  All 
must  not  be  baptized  indifferently :  and  election  is  a  secret 
tiling  tcvus,  and  by  it  no  minister  in  the  world  can  tell  whom 
to .  Iraptize :  therefore  he  must  baptize  none,  if  there  be  no 
other  differencing  note  to  know  them  by. 

Obj,  *  God  hath  more  elect  ones  among  the  infants  of 
tme .  believers  than  among  others :  and  therefore  they  are 
all  to  be  baptized.' 

Amsw.  1.  It  will  be  hard  to  prove  that  much  (that  he 
hath  more)  if  there  be  no  promise  to  them  all  as  such.  2. 
If  he  have  more,  yet  no  man  knoweth  how  many,  and  whe- 
ther the  elect  be  one  of  ten,  twenty,  forty,  or  an  hundred  in 
comparison  of  the  non-elect :  for  Scripture  tells  it  not.  So 
that  no  minister  of  a  church  is  sure  that  any  one  infant  that 


330  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  IIL 

he  ever  baptized  U  elect.  3.  And  €k>d  hath  giTen  no  such 
rule  for  sealing  and  delivering  his  covenant  with  the  benefits 
as  to  cast  it  hap  hazard  among  all,  because  it  is  possible  or 
probable  it  may  belong  to  some. 

Obf.  *  You  have  no  certainty  what  adult  professor  is  sin- 
cere, nor  to  which  of  them  the  special  benefits  belong;  no, 
not  of  any  one  in  a  church.  And  yet  because  there  is  a 
probability  that  among  many  there  are  some  sincere,  you 
baptize  them  all.  Take  then  the  birth  privilege  but  as  equal 
to  the  profession  of  the  adult. 

Answ.  This  partly  satisfied  me  sometimes :  but  I  cannot 
forget  that  a  visible,  false,  or  hypocritical  profession  is  not 
the  condition  of  God's  own  covenant  of  grace,  nor  that  which 
he  requireth  in  us,  to  make  us  partakers  of  his  covenant- 
benefits;  nay,  he  never  at  all  commandeth  it;  but  only 
commandeth  that  profession  of  consent,  which  followeth 
the  real  consent  of  the  heart ;  he  that  condemneth  lying, 
oiaketh  it  neither  the  condition  of  our  church-membenhip, 
as  his  gift  by  promise,  nor  yet  our  duty* 

And  mark  well,  that  it  is  a  professed  consent  to  the  whok 
covenant  that  QoA  requireth,  as  the  condition  of  evr  tme 
right  to  any  part  or  benefit  of  it.  He  that  shall  only  say, 
*  I  consent  to  be  a  visible  church-member,'  doth  thereby  ac- 
quire no  right  to  that  membership ;  no,  not  in  '  foro  ecde- 
siae  :'  but  he  must  also  profess  that  he  consenteth  to  have 
Ood  for  his  God,  and  Christ  for  his  Lord  and  Saviour,  and 
til^  Holy  Spirit  for  his  Sanctifier.  So  that  he^ma8tbea 
Kar,  or  a  sound  believer  that  maketh  this  profession. 

But  for  an  infant  to  be  bom  of  true  believers,  and  sin- 
cerely by  them  dedicated  in  covenant  to  God,  is  all  the  coft- 
d^ion  that  ever  God  required  to  an  infant-title  to  his  cove- 
nant ;  and  it  is  not  the  failure  of  the  true  condition  as  a 
iilse  profession  is. 

Indeed  if  the  proposition  were  thus  laid,  it  would  hold 
good  :  '  As  we  know  not  who  sincerely  covenanteth  for  him- 
self,  and  yet  we  must  baptize  all  that  soberly  profess  it;  so 
we  know  not  who  doth  sincerely  covenant  for  his  infant, 
and  yet  we  must  baptize  all  whom  the  parents  bring  with 
such  a  profession,  for  themselves  and  them.' 

But  if  the  sincere  dedication  of  a  sound  believer,  shall 
be  accounted  but  equal  to  the  lying  profession  of  Che  aduh. 


iODfi^T.  XXXV.]     C  HR18TIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  3^1 

which  is  neither  commanded,  nor  hath  any  promise,  then 
infants  are  not  in  the  covenant  of  grace,  nor  is  the  sincerest 
dedication  to  God  either  commanded  or  hath  any  promise. 

if  I  were  but  sure  that  the  profession  of  the  aduH  for 
himself  were  sincere,  I  were  sure  thai  he  were  in  a  state  of 
grace.  And  if  I  am  not  sure  of  the  same  concerning  the  par 
rent's  dedication  of  his  infant,  I  must  conclude  that  this  is 
mot  a  condition  of  the  same  covenant,  and  therefore  that  he 
is  not  in  the  same  covenant  (or  conditional  promise  of  Qod) 
unless  there  be  some  other  condition  required  in  him  or  for 
him ;  but  there  is  no  other  that  can  be  devised. 

Object.  Election  is  the  condition. 

An$w.  Election  is  God's  act  and  not  man's ;  and  there* 
fore  may  be  an  antecedent,  but  no  condition  required  of  us. 
And  man  is  not  called  to  make  profession  that  he  is  elected', 
as  he  is  to  make  profession  of  his  faith  and  consent  to  the 
covenant.  And  God  only  knoweth  who  are  his  by  election, 
and  therefore  God  only  can  baptize  on  this  account. 

And  what  is  the  probability  which  the  objecters  meaa^ 
that  many  of  the  infants  of  the  faithful  are  elected  ?  EitheFr 
tl  is  a  promise,  or  but  a  prediction ;  if  no  promise  it  is  not> 
to  be  sealed  by  baptism  :  if  a  promise,  it  is  absolute  or  con- 
•  ditional.  If  any  absolute  promise,  as,  I  will  save  many  chil- 
dren of  believers,  1.  This  terminateth  not  on  any  singular 
person,  as  baptism  doth,  and  2.  It  is  not  the  absolute  pro- 
mise that  baptism  is  appointed  by  Christ  to  seal.  This  is 
apparent  in  Mark  xvi.  16.  and  in  the  case  of  the  adult*  And 
it  is  not  one  covenant  which  is  sealed  to  the  adult  by  bap- 
tism, and  another  to  infants.  Else  baptism  also  should  not 
be  the  same.  But  if  it  be  any  conditional  covenant,  what 
is  it,  and  what  is  the  condition  ? 

And  what  is  it  that  baptism  giveth  to  the  seed  of  belie*, 
vers,  if  they  be  not  justified  by  it  from  original  sin?  You 
will  not  say,  that  it  conveyeth  inherent  sanctifying  grace,  no 
not  into  all  the  elect  themselves,  which  many  are  many 
jbears  after  without.  And  you  cannot  say,  that  it  sealeth  to 
Uiem  any  promise,  so  much  as  of  visible  church  privileges. 
Fob  God  may  suffer  them  presently  to  be  made  janizaries, 
and  violently  taken  from  their  parents,  and  become  stran- 
gers and  despisers  of  church  privileges,  as  is  ordinary  with 
the  Greek's  children  among  the  Turks.     Now  God  either 


332  CHRISTIAN  DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

promised  such  church  privileges  absolutely,  or  conditionally, 
or  not  at  alF.  Not  absolutely,  for  then  they  would  possess 
them.  If  conditionally,  what  is  the  condition  ?  If  not  at 
all,  what  promise  then  doth  baptism  seal  to  such,  and  what 
benefit  doth  it  secure  ?  God  hath  instituted  no  baptism, 
which  is  a  mere  present  delivery  of  possession  of  a  church- 
state,  without  sealing  any  promise  at  all.  True  baptism 
firsf  sealeth  the  promise,  and  then  delivereth  possession  of 
some  benefits. 

Yea,  indeed  outward  church-privileges  are  such  uncer- 
tain blessings  of  the  promise,  that  as  they  are  but  secon- 
dary, so  they  are  but  secondarily  given  and  sealed,  so  that 
no  man  should  ever  be  baptized,  if  these  were  all  that  were 
in  the  promise.  The  holiest  person  may  be  cast  into  a  wil- 
derness, and  deprived  of  all  visible  church-communion  ;  and 
dpth  God  then  break  his  promise  with  him  ?  Certainly  no. 
It  is  therefore  our  saving  relations  to  God  the  Father,  Son, 
and  Holy  Ghost,  which  the  promise  giveth,  and  baptism 
sealeth ;  and  other  things  but  subordinately  and  uncertainly 
as  they  are  means  to  these.  So  then  it  is  plain,  that  be- 
lievers^ infants  have  a  promise  of  salvation,  or  no  promise 
at  all  which  baptism  was  instituted  to  seal. 

I  have  said  so  much  more  of  this  in  my  Appendix  to 
the  **  Treatise  of  Infant  Baptism,"  to  Mr.  Bedford,  in  de- 
fence of  Df .  Davenant's  judgment,  as  that  I  must  refer  the 
reader  thither. 

8.  I  think  it  very  probable  that  this  ascertaining  promise 
belongeth  not  only  to  the  natural  seed  of  believers,  but  to 
all  whom  they  have  a  true  power  and  right  to  dedicate  in  co- 
venant to  God ;  which  seemeth  to  be  all  that  are  properly 
their  own,  whether  adopted  or  bought ;  but  there  is  more 
darkness  and  doubt  about  this  than  the  former,  because  the 
Scripture  hath  said  less  of  it. 

9.  I  am  not  able  to  prove,  nor  see  any  probable  reason 
for  it,  that  any  but  sound  believers  have  such  a  promise  for 
their  children,  nor  that  any  hypocrite  shall  certainly  save  his 
child,  if  he  do  but  dedicate  him  to  God  in  baptism.  For, 
1.  I  find  no  promise  in  Scripture  made  to  such.  2.  He  that 
doth  not  sincerely  believe  himself,  nor  consent  to  God's  co- 
venant, cannot  sincerely  believe  for  his  child,  nor  consent 
for  him.  3.  And  that  faith  which  will  not  save  the  owner,  as 


QUEST.  XXXVl.]   CHRISTIAN   ECCLESIASTICS.  333 

being  not  the  condition  of  thepromise^  cannot  save  another. 
Much  more  might  be  said  of  this.  I  confess  that  the  church 
is  to  receive  the  children  of  hypocrites  as  well  as  them* 
selves  ;  and  their  baptism  is  valid  '  in  foro  extemo  ecclesiae/ 
and  is  not  to  be  reiterated.  But  it  goeth  no  further  for  his 
child,  than  for  himself. 

10.  Therefore  I  think  that  all  that  are  rightfully  baptized 
by  the  minister,  that  is,  baptized  so  as  that  it  is  well  done  of 
him,  are  not  certainly  saved  by  baptism,  unless  they  be  also 
rightfully  baptized,  in  regard  of  their  right  to  claim  and  re- 
ceive it.  Let  them  that  are  able  to  prove  more  do  it^  for  I 
am  not  able. 

11.  Whereas  some  misinterpret  the  words  of  the  old  ru- 
bric of  confirmation  in  the  English  liturgy,  as  if  it  spake  of 
all  that  are  baptized,  whether  they  had  right  or  not,  the 
words  themselves  may  serve  to  rectify  that  mistake,  '  And 
that  no  man  shall  think  any  detriment  shall  come  to  chil- 
dren by  deferring  of  their  confirmation,  he  shall  know  for 
truth,  that  it  is  certain  by  God's  Word,  that  children  being 
baptized  have  all  things  necessary  for  their  salvation,  and 
be  undoubtedly  saved.'  Where  it  is  plain  that  they  mean, 
they  have  all  things  necessary  '  ex  parte  ecclesiae,'  or  all 
God's  applying  ordinances  necessary,  though  they  should 
die  unconfirmed,  supposing  that  they  have  all  things  neces- 
sary to  just  baptism  on  their  own  part.  Which  is  but  what 
the  ancients  were  wont  to  say  of  the  baptized  adult ;  but  they 
never  meant  that  the  infidel,  and  hypocrite,  and  impenitent 
person  was  in  a  state  of  life,  because  he  was  baptized ;  but 
that  all  that  truly  consent  to  the  covenant,  and  signify  this 
by  being  baptized,  are  saved.  So  the  Church  of  England 
saith,  that  they  receive  no  detriment  by  delaying  confirma- 
tion ;  but  it  never  said,  that  they  receive  no  detriment  by 
their  parents'  or  sponsers'  infidelity  and  hypocrisy,  or  by 

'  their  want  of  true  right '  coram  Deo '  to  be  baptized. 

12.  But  yet  before  these  Questions  (either  of  them)  be 
taken  as  resolved  by  me,  I  must  first  take  in  some  other 
Questions  which  are  concerned  in  the  same  cause  ;  as 

Quest.  X  X  X  v  I .  What  is  meant  by  this  speech,  that  believers  and 
their  seed  are  in  the  covenaat  of  God ;  which  giveth  them 
right  to  baptism  ? 


334  CUEISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  lit. 

Answ.  Though  this  was  opened  on  the  bye  before^  I  add,  1. 
The  meaning  is  not  that  they  are  in  that  absolute  promise  of 
the  first  and  all  following  grace,  supposed  ordinarily  to  be 
made  of  the  elect  (as  such  unknown)  viz.  *  I  will  give  them 
faith,  repentance,  conversion,  justification,  and  salvation  and 
all  the  conditions  of  the  conditional  promise,  without  any 
condition  on  their  part,'  which  many  take  to  be  the  meaning 
of 'I  will  take  the  hard  heart  out  of  them,  &c/  For  1.  This 
promise  is  not  now  to  be  first  performed  to  the  adult  who 
repent  and  believe  already ;  and  no  other  are  to  be  baptiiod 
at  age.  If  that  absolute  promise  be  sealed  by  baptiim, 
either  it  must  be  so  sealed  as  a  promise  before  it  be  perform- 
ed, or  after:  if  before,  either  to  all,  because  some  are  elect, 
or  only  to  some  that  are  elect.  Not  to  all ;  for  it  is  not 
common  to  infidels.  Not  to  some  as  elect;  for  1.  They 
are  unknown.  2.  If  they  were  known  they  are  yet  supposed 
to  be  infidels.  Not  after  performance  for  then  it  is  too 
late. 

2.  The  meaning  is  not  only  that  the  conditional  co- 
venant of  grace  is  made  and  offered  to  them ;  for  so  it  may 
be  said  of  heathens  and  infidels,  and  all  the  world  that  hear 
the  Oospel. 

But  1.  The  covenant  meant,  is  indeed  this  conditional 
covenant  only.  "  He  that  believeth  and  is  baptized,  shall 
be  saved". 

2.  To  be  in  this  covenant  is,  to  be  a  consenting  believer, 
and  so  to  be  one  that  hath  by  inward  heart-consent»  the 
true  conditions  of  right  to  the  benefits  of  the  covenant,  and 
is  thereby  prepared  solemnly  by  baptism  to  profess  this  con- 
sent, and  to  receive  an  investiture  and  seal  of  God's  part,  by 
his  minister  given  in  his  name. 

3.  Infants  are  thus  in  covenant  with  their  parents,  be- 
cause reputatively  their  parents'  wills  are  theirs,  to  dispose 
of  them  for  their  good.  And  therefore  they  consent  by 
their  parents,  who  consent  for  them. . 

Quest.  XXXVII.  Are  believers*  children  certainly  in  covemmt 
before  their  baptism,  and  thereby  in  a  state  of  salvation? 
Or  not  till  they  are  baptized  f 

•  Mark  zvi.  16. 


QUEST.  XXXVII.]  CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  335 

Anam,  Distinguish  between  1.  Heart-coTenanting,  and 
moQth-corenanting.  2.  Between  being  in  covenant  before 
God,  and  visibly  before  the  church. 

1.  No  person  is  to  be  baptized  at  age,  whose  inward 
heart-consent  before  professed,  giveth  him  not  right  to  bap- 
tism.    Therefore  all  the  adult  must  be  in  covenant,  that  is,  • 
consent  on  their  part  to  the  covenant,  before  they  are  bap- 
tized. 

2.  Therefore  it  is  so  with  the  seed  of  the  faithful,  who 
must  consent  by  their  parents,  before  they  have  right : 
otherwise  all  should  have  right,  and  their  baptism  be  es- 
sentially another  baptism,  as  sealing  some  other  covenant, 
or  none. 

3.  If  there  be  no  promise  made  to  the  seed  of  the  faith- 
ful more  than  to  others,  they  have  no  right  more  than  others 
to  baptism  or  salvation.  But  if  there  be  a  promise  made  to 
them  as  the  seed  of  believers,  then  are  they  as  such  within 
that  promise,  that  is,  performers  of  its  conditions  by  their  pa- 
rents, and  have  right  to  the  benefit. 

4.  If  the  heart-consent  or  faith  of  the  adult,  do  put  them- 
•elves  into  a  state  of  salvation,  before  their  baptism,  then  it 
doth  so  by  their  children ;  but,  &c. 

6.  Bmt  this  right  to  salvation  in  parents  and  children 
upon  heart-consent  before  baptism,  is  only  before  God  :  for 
the  church  taketh  no  cognizance  of  secret  heart- transactions; 
bat  a  man  then  only  consenteth  in  the  judgment  of  the 
chnrch,  when  he  openly  professeth  it,  and  desireth  to  signify 
it  by  being  baptized. 

6.  And  even  before  God,  there  is  a  '  necessitas  preecepti^ 
obliging  us  to  open  baptism  after  heart- consent :  and  he 
that  heartily  consenteth,  cannot  refuse  God's  way  of  utter- 
ing it,  unless  either  through  ignorance  he  knoweth  it  not  to 
be  his  duty,  (for  himself  and  his  child,)  or  through  want  of 
ability  or  opportunity  cannot  have  it.  So  that  while  a  man 
ia  unbaptized,  somewhat  is  wanting  to  the  completeness  of 
his  right  to  the  benefits  of  the  covenant,  viz.  A  reception  of 
investiture  and  possession  in  God's  appointed  way ;  though 
it  be  not  such  a  want,  as  shall  frustrate  the  salvation  of 
those  that  did  truly  consent  in  heart. 

7.  I  take  it  therefore  for  certain,  that  the  children  of  true 
believers  consent  to  the  covenant  by  their  parents,  and  are 


336  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III« 

as  certainly  sayed  if  they  die  before  baptism,  as  after; 
though  those  that  despise  baptism,  when  they  know  it  to  be 
a  duty,  cannot  be  thought  indeed  to  believe  or  consent  for 
their  children  or  themselves. 

Quest*  XXXVIII.  1$  infant^ $  title  to  baptism  and  the  covenant' 
benefits  given  them  by  God  in  his  promise,  upon  any  proper 
moral  condition,  or  only  upon  the  condition  of  their  natural 
relation,  that  they  be  the  seed  of  the  fait/ffuL 

Answ.  That  which  is  called  a  mere  natural  condition  is 
properly  in  law  sense  no  condition  at  all ;  nor  doth  make  a 
contract  or  promise  to  be  called  conditional  in  a  moral 
sense.  But  it  is  mattei-s  of  morality  and  not  of  physics  only 
that  we  are  treating  of;  and  therefore  we  must  take  the 
terms  in  a  moral  sense.  For  a  physical  condition  is  either 
past,  or  present,  or  future,  or  not  future :  if  it  be  past  or 
present,  the  proposition  may  indeed  be  hypothetical,  but  it 
is  no  such  conditional  promise  as  we  are  speaking  of;  for 
instance,  if  you  say,  '  If  thou  wast  bom  in  such  a  city,  or 
if  thy  name  be  John,  1  will  give  thee  so  much.'  These  are 
the  words  of  an  uncertain  promiser ;  but  the  promise  is  al-" 
ready  either  equivalent  to  an  absolute  gift,  or  null.  So  if 
the  physical  condition  be  Me  future,'  e.  g. '  If  thou  be  alive 
to-morrow,  I  will  give  thee  this  or  that ;  or  if  the  sun  shine 
to-morrow,  &c.'  This  indeed  suspendeth  the  gift  or  event ; 
but  not  upon  any  moral  being  which  is  in  the  power  of  the 
receiver,  but  upon  a  natural  contingency  or  uncertainty. 
And  Ood  hath  no  such  conditional  covenants  or  promises 
to  be  sealed  by  baptism.  He  saith  not,  '  If  thon  be  the 
child  of  such  or  such  a  man,  thou  shalt  be  saved,  as  his  na« 
tural  offspring  only.'  If  the  Papists  that  accuse  us  for  hold- 
ing that  the  mere  natural  progeny  of  believers  are  saved  as 
such,  did  well  understand  our  doctrine,  they  would  perceive 
that  in  this  we  differ  not  from  the  understanding  sort  among 
them,  or  at  least,  that  their  accusations  run  upon  a  mistake* 

I  told  you  before  that  there  are  three  things  distinctly  to 
be  considered  in  the  title  of  infants  to  baptism  and  salva- 
tion. 1.  By  what  right  the  parent  covenanted!  for  his 
child.  2.  What  right  the  child  hath  to  baptism.  3.  What 
right  he  hath  to  the  benefits  of  the  covenant  sealed  and  de* 
livered  in  baptism. 


QUEST.  XXXVIII.]  CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  337 

To  the  fii9t»  two  things  concur  to  the  title  of  the  parent 
to  covenant  in  the  name  of  his  child  :  one  is  his  natural  in- 
terest in  him  ;  the  child  being  his  own  is  at  his  dispose. 
The  other  is  Ood's  gracious  will  and  consent  that  it  shall  be 
80 ;  that  the  parent's  will  shall  be  as  the  child's  for  his 
goody  till  he  come  at  age  to  have  a  will  of  his  own. 

To  the  second,  the  child's  right  to  baptism  is  not  merely 
his  natural  or  his  birth  relation  from  such  parents,  but  it  is 
in  two  degrees  as  followeth,  1.  He  hath  a  virtual  right,  on 
condition  of  his  parent's  faith  :  the  reason  is,  because  that  a 
believer's  consent  and  self-dedication  to  God  doth  virtually 
contain  in  it  a  dedication  with  himself  of  all  that  is  his  :  and 
it  is  a  contradiction  to  say  that  a  man  truly  dedicateth  him- 
self to  God,  and  not  all  that  he  hath,  and  that  he  truly  con- 
aenteth  to  the  covenant  for  himself  and  not  for  his  child,  if 
he  understand  that  God  will  accept  it.  2.  His  actual  title- 
condition  is  his  parents  (or  owners)  actual  consent  to  enter 
him  into  God's  covenant,  and  his  actual  mental  dedication 
of  his  child  to  God,  which  is  his  title  before  God,  and  the 
profession  of  it  is  his  title  before  the  church.  So  that  it  is 
not  a  mere  physical  but  a  moral  title-condition,  which  an  in- 
fant hath  to  baptism,  that  is,  his  parent's  consent  to  dedicate 
him  to  God. 

3.  And  to  the  third,  his  title-condition  to  the  benefits  of 
baptism  hath  two  degrees,  1 .  That  he  be  really  dedicated  to 
Ood  by  the  heart-consent  of  his  parent  as  aforesaid.  And 
2.  That  his  parent  express  this  by  the  solemn  engaging  him 
to  Gk>d  in  baptism ;  the  first  being  necessary  as  a  means 
'  sine  qua  non,'  and  the  second  being  necessary  as  a  duty 
without  which  he  sinneth,  (when  it  is  possible,)  and  as  a 
means  '  coram  ecclesia  '  to  the  privileges  of  the  visible 
church. 

The  sum  of  all  is,  that  our  mere  natural  interest  in  our 
children  is  not  their  title-condition  to  baptism  or  to  salva- 
tion, bat  only  that  presupposed  state  which  enableth  us  by 
God's  consent  to  covenant  for  them ;  but  their  title-condi- 
tion to  baptism  and  salvation,  is  our  covenanting  for  them, 
or  voluntary  dedicating  them  to  God  ;  which  we  do  1.  Vir- 
tually, when  we  dedicate  ourselves,  and  all  that  we  have  or 
shall  have.  2.  Actually,  when  our  hearts  consent  particu- 
larly for  them,  and  actually  devote  them  to  God,  before  bap- 

VOL.  V.  z 


338  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

tism.    3.  Sacramentally,  when  we  express  this  in  our  so- 
lemn baptismal  covenanting  and  dedication. 

Consider  exactly  of  this  again  ;  and  if  you  loathe  dis- 
tinguishingf  confess  ingenuously  that  you  loathe  the  truth, 
or  the  necessary  means  of  knowing  it. 

Quest.  XXXIX.  What  is  the  true  meaning  of  sponsors,  *  patri- 
mi,*  or  godfathers  as  we  call  them  ?  And  is  it  lawfiU  to 
make  use  of  them  9 

Answ.  I.  To  the  first  question ;  all  men  have  not  the 
same  thoughts  either  of  their  original^  or  of  their  present 
use. 

1.  Some  think  that  they  are  sponsors  or  sureties  for 
the  parents  rather  than  the  child  at  first ;  and  that  mhen 
many  in  times  of  persecution,  heresy,  and  apostacy,  did  bap* 
tize  their  children  this  month  or  year,  and  the  next  month 
or  year  apostatize  and  deny  Christ  themselves,  that  At 
sponsors  were  only  credible  Christians  witnessing  that  they 
believed  that  the  parents  were  credible,  firm  believers,  and 
not  like  to  apostatize.  2.  Others  think  that  they  were  un- 
dertakers, that  if  the  parents  did  apostatize  or  die,  they 
would  see  to  the  Christian  education  of  the  child  themselves. 
3.  Others  think  that  they  did  both  these  together :  (which 
is  my  opinion ;)  viz.  That  they  witnessed  the  probability  of 
the  parents'  fidelity ;  but  promised  that  if  they  should 
either  apostatize  or  die,  they  would  see  that  the  children 
were  piously  educated.  4.  Others  think  that  they  were  ab- 
solute undertakers  that  the  children  should  be  piously  edu- 
cated, whether  the  parents  died  or  apostatized  or  not;  so 
that  they  went  joint  undertakers  with  the  parents  in  their 
lifetime.  5.  And  I  have  lately  met  with  some  that  m^jyiiftiii 
that  the  godfathers  and  godmothers  become  proprietors^  and 
adopt  the  child,  and  take  him  for  their  own,  and  that  this  is 
the  sense  of  the  Church  of  England.  But  I  believe  then 
not  for  these  reasons. 

1.  There  is  no  such  word  in  the  liturgy,  doctrine  or  ca- 
nons of  the  church  of  England  :  and  that  is  not  to  be  Qngn- 
ed  and  fathered  on  them,  which  they  never  said« 

2.  It  would  be  against  the  law  of  nature  to  force  all  pa- 
rents to  give  the  sole  propriety,  or  joint  propriety  in 


QUEST.  XXXIX.]   CHRISTIAN  BCCLBSIA8TICS.  S39 

children  to  others.     Natare  hath  given  the  propriety  to 
themHelves,  and  we  cannot  rob  them  of  tt» 

3.  It  would  be  heinously  injurious  to  the  children  of  no- 
ble ^uid  learned  persons^  if  they  must  be  forced  to  give  them 
up  to  the  propriety  and  education  of  others^  even  of  such  as 
perhaps  are  lower  and  more  unfit  for  it  than  themselves. 

4.  It  would  be  more  heinously  injurious  to  alt  godfa- 
thers and  godmothers,  who  must  sdl  make  other  men's 
children  their  own,  and  therefore  must  use  them  as  their 
own. 

5.  It  would  keep  most  children  unbaptized  ;  because  if 
it  were  once  understood  that  they  must  take  them  as  their 
own,  few  would  be  sponsors  to  the  children  of  the  poor,  for 
fear  of  keeping  them ;  and  few  but  the  ignorant  that  know 
not  what  they  do,  would  be  sponsors  for  any,  because  of  the 
greatness  of  the  charge,  and  their  averseness  to  adopt  <the 
children  of  others. 

6.  It  would  make  great  confusion  in  the  state,  while  all 
men  were  bound  to  exchange  children  with  another. 

7.  I  never  knew  one  man  or  woman  that  was  a  godfather 
or  godmother  on  such  terms,  nor  that  took  the  child  to  be 
their  own  ;  and  if  such  a  one  shonld  be  found  among  ten 
thousand,  that  is  no  rule  to  discern  the  judgment  of  the 
church  by. 

6.  And  in  confirmation  the  godfather  and  godmother 
are  expressly  said  to  be  for  this  use>  to  be  witnesses  that  the 
paityis  confirmed. 

9.  And  in  the  priest^s  speech  to  the  adult  that  come  for 
liaiptasm,  in  the  office  of  baptism  of  those  of  riper  years,  it  is 
die  persons  themselves  that  are  to  promise  and  covenant  for 
lliemselves,  and  the  -godfathers  and  godmothers  are  only 
called,  '*  these  'your  witnesses.'  And  if  they  be  but  witnesses 
to  the  adult,  it  is  like  they  are  <not  adopters  of  infants. 

II.  Those  that  doubt  of  the  lawfulness  of  using  sponsors 
lisr  their  •children,  do  it  on  these  two  aoconnts :  1.  As  sup- 
posing it  unlawful  to  make  so  promiscuous  an  adoption  «f 
cduldren,  or  of  choosing  another  to  be  a  covenanter  for  the 
chikl  instead  of  the  parent,  to  whom  it  belongeth  ;  or  to 
commit  their  children  to  another's  either  propriety  or  edu- 
cation, or  formal  promise  of  that  which  belongeth  to  educa- 
tion, when  they  never  mean  to  perform  it,  nor  can  do.    2. 


340  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART   III. 

Because  they  take  it  for  an  adding  to  the  ordinance  of  God, 
a  thing  which  Scripture  never  mentioneth.  To  which  I  an- 
swer, 

1.  I  grant  it  unlawful  to  suppose  another  to  be  the  pa- 
rent or  proprietor  that  is  not ;  or  to  suppose  him  to  have 
that  power  and  interest  in  your  child  which  he  hath  not;  or 
to  desire  him  to  undertake  what  he  cannot  perform,  and 
which  neither  he  nor  you  intend  he  shall  perform ;  I  grant 
that  you  are  not  bound  to  alienate  the  propriety  of  your 
children,  nor  to  take  in  another  to  be  joint  proprietors ;  nor 
to  put  out  your  children  to  the  godfather's  education.  So 
that  if  you  will  misunderstand  the  use  of  sponsors,  then  in- 
deed you  will  make  them  unlawful  to  be  so  used. 

But  if  you  take  them  but  as  the  ancient  churches  did, 
for  such  as  do  attest  the  parents'  fidelity  (in  their  persua- 
sion,) and  do  promise  first  to  mind  you  of  your  duty,  and 
next  to  take  care  of  the  children's  pious  education  if  you 
die,  I  know  no  reason  you  have  to  scruple  this  much. 

Yea  more,  it  is  in  your  own  power  to  agree  with  the  god- 
^  fathers,  that  they  shall  represent  your  own  persons,  and 
speak  and  promise  what  they  do,  as  your  deputies  only,  in 
your  names.  And  what  have  you  against  this  1  Suppose 
you  were  sick,  lame,  imprisoned  or  banished,  would  you  not 
have  your  child  baptized  ?  And  how  should  that  be  done, 
but  by  your  deputing  another  to  represent  you  in  entering 
into  cixvenant  with.  God  ? 

Object.  '  But  when  the  churchmen  mean  another  thing, 
this  is  but  to  juggle  with  the  world.' 

Ansiw.  How  can  you  prove  that  the  authority  that  made 
or  imposed  the  liturgy,  meant  any  other  thing?  And  other 
individuals  are  not  the  masters  of  your  sense.  Yea,  and  if 
the  imposers  had  meant  ill,  in  a  thing  that  may  be  done  well, 
you  may  discharge  your  conscience  by  doing  it  well,  and 
making  a  sufficient  profession  of  your  better  sense. 

2.  Qut  then  it  vrill  be  no  sinful  addition  to  God's  ordi- 
nance, to  determine  of  a  lavrful  circumstance,  which  he  hath 
left  to  human  prudence :  as  to  choose  a  meet  deputy,  wit- 
ness or  sponsor,  who  promiseth  nothing  but  what  is  meet. 


QUEST     XL.]     CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  341 

Quest*  XL.  On  whose  account  or  right  is  it  that  the  infant 
hath  title  to  baptism  and  its  benefits  ?  Is  it  on  the  parents* 
ancestors,*  sponsors^*  the  church's,  the  minister's,  the  magis- 
trate's, or  his  own? 

Answ.  The  titles  are  very  various  that  are  pretended  ; 
let  us  examine  them  all. 

I.  I  cannot  think  that  a  magistrate's  commimd  to  bap- 
tize an  infant,  giveth  him  right,  1.  Because  there  is  no  proof 
of  the  validity  of  such  a  title.  2.  Because  the  magistrate 
can  command  no  such  thing  if  it  be  against  God*H  Word,  as 
this  is,  which  would  level  the  case  of  the  seed  of  heathens 
and  believers.     And  I  know  but  few  of  that  opinion. 

II.  I  do  not  think  that  the  minister  as  such  giveth  title 
to  the  infant:  for,  1.  He  is  no  proprietor.  2.  He  can  shew 
no  such  power  or  grant  from  God.  3.  He  must  baptize  none 
but  those  that  antecedently  have  right.  4.  Else  he  also 
might  level  all,  and  take  in  heathen's  children  with  believ- 
ers/   5.  Nor  is  this  pretended  to  by  many,  that  I  know  of. 

III.  I  cannot  think  that  it  is  a  particular  church  that 
must  give  this  right,  or  perform  the  condition  of  it.  For, 
1.  Baptism  (as  is  aforesaid)  as  such,  doth  only  make  a 
Christian,  and  a  member  of  the  universal  church,  and  not  of 
any  particular  church.  And  2.  The  church  is  not  the  pro- 
prietor of  the  child.  3.  No  Scripture  commission  can  be 
shewed  for  such  a  power.  Where  hath  Qod  said.  All  that 
any  particular  church  will  receive,  shall  have  right  to  bap-  ^ 
tism  ?  4.  By  what  act  must  the  church  give  this  right?  If 
by  baptizing  him  ;  the  question  is  of  his  antecedent  right* 
If  by  willing,  that  he  be  baptized.  (1.)  If  they  will  that 
one  be  baptized  that  hath  no  right  to  it,  their  will  is  sinful, 

and  therefore  unfit  to  give  him  right.  (2.)  And  the  bapti- 
zing minister  hath  more  power  than  a  thousand  or  ten  thou- 
sand private  men,  to  judge  who  is  to  be  baptized.  5.  Else  a 
chnrch  might  save  all  heathen  children  that  they  can  but 
baptize,  and  so  level  infidel's  and  Christian's  seed.  6.  It  is 
not  the  church  in  general,  but  some  one  person,  that  must 
educate  the  child :  therefore  the  church  cannot  so  much  as  . 
promise  for  its  education :  the  church  hath  nothing  to  do 
with  those  that  are  without,  but  only  with  her  own ;  and 


342  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

heathen's  children  are  not  her  own,  nor  exposed  to  her  oc- 
cupation. 

IV.  I  believe  not  that  it  is  the  uniTemal  chiirch  that 
gireth  the  infknt  title  to  baptism :  for,  1.  He  that  gireth 
title  to  the  covenant  and  baptism,  doth  it  as  a  performer  of  the 
moral  condition  of  that  title.  But  God  hath  nowhere  made 
the  church's  faith,  to  be  the  condition  of  baptism  or  salva- 
tion, either  to  infidels  or  their  seed.  2.  Because  the  imi- 
versal  church  is  a  body  that  cannot  be  Consulted  with  to 
give  their  vote  and  consent :  nor  have  they  any  deputies  to 
do  it  by.  For  there  is  no  universal,  visible  governor :  and 
if  you  will  pretend  every  priest  to  be  dommissioned  to  act 
and  judge  in  the  name  of  the  universal  church,  you  will 
want  proof,  and  that  is  before  confuted.  3.  If  all  have 
right  that  the  universal  church  offereth  up  to  (}od^  or  any 
minister  or  bishop  be  counted  its  deputy  or  agent  to  that 
end,  it  is  in  the  power  of  that  minister  (as  is  said)  to  level 
alt,  and  to  baptize  and  save  all ;  which  is  contrary  to  the 
Word  of  God. 

V.  I  believe  that  godfathers  as  such,  being  no  adopters 
or  proprietors,  are  not  the  performers  df  the  condition  of 
salvation  for  the  infant,  nor  give  him  right  to  be  baptized. 
1.  Because  he  is  not  their  own,  and  therefore  their  will  or 
act  cannot  go  for  his :  because  there  is  no  Word  of  God  for 
it  that  all  shall  be  baptized  or  saved  that  any  Christians 
will  be  sponsors  for.  God's  church  blessings  are  not  tied 
to  such  inventions,  that  were  not  in  being  when  Gk>d's  hxWn 
were  made.  Where  there  is  no  promise  or  word,  there  is 
no  faith.  3.  Jfo  sponsors  are  so  much  as  lawful  (as  is 
shewed  before)  who  are  not  owners.  Or  their  deputies,  olf 
mere  secondary  subservient  pattiies,  who  suppose  the  prin- 
cipal covenanting  party.  4.  And  a^  to  the  ttifant's  salva- 
tion, the  sponsors  may  (too  oft)  be  ignorant  infidels  and 
hypocrites  themselves,  that  have  no  true  fkith  for  tbelkl- 
selves ;  and  therefore  not  enough  to  saVe  another.  5.  And 
it  were  strange  if  God  should  make  no  promise  to  a  wi<^ked 
parent  for  his  own  child,  and  yet  should  promise  to  save  by 
baptism  all  that  some  wicked  and  hypocrite  godfathers  will 
offer  him.  6.  And  that  thus  the  seed  of  heathens  and  Chris- 
tians should  be  levelled,  and  yet  an  ignorant,  bold  underta- 
ker to  carry  away  the  privilege  of  saving  persons  from  them 


QUEST.  Xh.]     CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  343 

both.  All  this  is  but  men'8  unproved  imaginations.  He 
that  never  commaadeth  i^odfathers^  but  forbiddeth  the 
usurping  sort,  and  only  alloweth  human  prudence  to  use 
the  lawful  sort,  did  never  put  the  souls  of  all  children.  Chris- 
tians and  heathens  into  their  hands,  (any  more  than  into  the 
hands  of  the  priest  that  baptizeth  them). 

VI.  I  do  not  find  that  remote  ancestors  that  are  dead, 
or  that  are  not  the  proprietors  of  the  children,  are  the  per«- 
formers  of  the  condition  by  which  they  have  right  to  bap- 
tism or  salvation.  1.  Because  God  hath  put  that  power 
and  work  in  the  hands  of  others,  even  the  parents  which 
diey  cannot  nullify.  2.  Because  the  promise  of  mercy  to 
thousands  is  on  supposition  that  the  successors  make  no  in<f 
tercision.  3.  Else  the  threatenings  to  the  seed  of  the 
wicked  would  signify  nothing,  nor  would  any  in  the  world 
be  excluded  from  light,  but  all  be  levelled ;  because  Noah 
was  the  common  father  of  mankind  :  and  if  you  lay  it  on 
dead  ancestors,  you  have  no  rule  where  to  stop  till  you 
come  to  Noah. 

VII.  I  conclude  therefore  that  it  is  clearly,  the  imme- 
diate parents,  (both  or  one)  and  probably  any  true  domestic 
owner  of  the  child,  who  hath  the  power  to  choose  or  refuse 
for  him,  and  so  to  enter  him  into  covenant  with  God,  and 
so  by  consent  to  perform  the  conditions  of  his  right.  For, 
1.  Abundance  of  promises  are  made  to  the  faithful  and  their 
seed,  of  which  I  have  spoke  at  large  in  my  book  ''  Of  Infant 
Baptism.''  And  besides  the  punishment  of  Adam's  sin, 
diere  is  scarce  a  parent  infamous  for  sin  in  Scripture,  but 
his  posterity  falleth  under  the  punishment,  as  for  a  secon- 
dary, original  sin  or  guilt.  As  the  case  of  Cain,  Ham,  the 
Sodomites,  the  Amalekites,  the  Jews,  Achan,  Gehazi,  8cc. 
skew.  And  it  is  expressly  said,  ''  Else  were  your  children 
unclean,  but  now  are  they  holy  *"  (of  the  sense  of  which  I 
have  spoke  as  aforecited). 

Object.  'But  if  owners  may  serve,  one  may  buy  multi- 
tades,  and  a  king  or  lord  of  slaves,  whose  own  the  people 
are,  may  cause  them  all  to  be  baptized  and  saved. 

Answ.  1.  Remember  that  I  say,  that  the  Christian  pa- 
rent's right  is  clear,  but  I  take  the  other  as  more  dark ;  for 
it  is  principally  grounded  on  Abraham  and  the  Israelites  cir- 

«  1  Cor.  vii.  14. 


344  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  HI. 

cumcising  their  children  bom  to  them  in  the  house  or 
bought  with  money :  and  how  far  the  parity  of  reason  here 
will  reach  is  hard  to  know.  All  that  I  say  is,  that  I  will 
not  deny  it,  because  '  favores  sunt  ampliandi.'  2.  If  such 
a  prince  be  an  hypocrite,  and  not  a  sincere  Christian  him- 
self, his  faith  or  consent  cannot  save  others,  that  cannot 
save  himself.  3.  It  is  such  a  propriety  as  is  conjunct  with  a 
divine  concession  only  that  giveth  this  power  of  consenting 
for  an  infant :  now  we  find  clear  proof  of  God's  concession 
to  natural  parents,  and  probable  proof  of  his  concession  of 
it  to  domestic  owners,  but  no  further  that  I  know  of.  For, 
(1.)  It  is  an  act.  of  God's  love  to  the  child  for  the  parent's 
sake;  and  therefore  to  such  children  as  we  are  supposed  to 
have  a  special  nearness  to,  and  love  for.  (2.)  And  it  is  a 
consent  and  covenanting  which  he  calls  for,  which  obligeth 
the  promiser  to  consequent  pious  education,  which  is  a  do- 
mestic act.  (3.)  They  are  comprised  in  the  name  of  pa- 
rents, which  those  that  adopt  them  and  educate  them  may 
be  called.  (4.)  And  the  infants  are  their  children,  not  their 
slaves.  But  now  if  the  emperor  of  Muscovy,  Indostan,  Sec 
had  the  propriety  in  all  his  people  as  slaves,  this  would  not 
imitate  paternal  interest  and  love,  but  tyranny,  nor  could 
he  be  their  domestic  educater.  Therefore  I  must  limit  it  to 
a  pro-parent,  or  domestic,  educating  proprietor. 

Quest.  XLi.  Are  they  really  baptized  who  are  baptized  accor^ 
ding  to  the  English  liturgy  and  camtu,  where  the  parent 
seemeth  excluded,  and  those  to  consent  for  the  infant  who 
have  no  power  to  do  it? 

Answ.  I  find  some  puzzled  with  this  doubt.  Whether  all 
our  infants'  baptism  be  not  a  mere  nullity :  for,  say  they, 
the  outward  washing  without  covenanting  with  God,  is  no 
more  baptism,  than  the  body  or  corpse  is  a  man.  The  co- 
venant is  the  chief  essential  part  of  baptism.  And  he  that 
was  never  entered  into  covenant  with  God  was  never  bi^pti- 
zed.  But  infants  according  to  the  liturgy,  are  not  entered 
into  covenant  with  God,  which  they  would  prove  thus :  they 
that*  neither  ever  covenanted  by  themselves,  or  by  any 
authorized  person  for  them,  were  never  entered  into  cove- 
nant with  God  (for  that  is  no  act  of  their's  which  is  done  by 


QUB8T.  XLII.]      CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  345 

a  stranger  that  hath  no  power  to  do  it)  but,  &c. That 

they  did  it  not  themselves  is  undeniable  :  that  they  did  it 
not  by  any  person  empowered  by  God  to  do  it  for  them 
they  prove,  \.  Because  godfathers  are  the  persons  by  whom 
the  infant  is  said  to  promise;  but  godfathers  have  no  power 
from  God,  (1.)  Not  by  nature.  (2.)  Not  by  Scripture.  2. 
Because  the  parents  are  not  only  not  included  as  covenan- 
ters, but  positively  excluded,  (1.)  In  that  the  whole  office  of 
covenanting  for  the  child  from  first  to  last  is  laid  on  others. 
(2.)  In  that  the  twenty-ninth  canon  saith, '  No  parent  shall 
be  urged  to  be  present ;  nor  admitted  to  answer  as  godfa- 
ther for  his  own  child :'  by  which  the  parent  that  hath  the 
power  is  excluded  :  therefore  our  children  are  all  unbap- 
tized. 

To  all  this  I  answer,  1.  That  the  parent's  consent  is  sup- 
posed, though  he  be  absent.    2.  That  the  parent  is  not  re- 
quired to  be  absent,  but  only  not  to  be  urged  to  be  present ; 
but  he  may  if  he  will .    3.  That  the  reason  of  that  canon  seems 
^to  be  their  jealousy,  lest  any  would  exclude  godfathers.    4. 
While  the  church  hath  nowhere  declared  what  person  the 
sponsors  bear,  nor  any  further  what  they  are  to  do,  than  to 
speak  the  covenanting  words,  and  promfse  to  see  to  the  pi- 
ous education  of  the  child,  the  parents  may  agred  that  the 
godfathers  shall  do  all  this  as  their  deputies,  primarily,  and 
in  their  steads,  and  secondarily  as  friends  that  promise  their 
assistance.    5.  While  parents  really  consent,  it  is  not  their 
silence  that  nuUifieth  the  covenant.     6.  All  parents  are  sup- 
posed and  required  to  be  themselves  the  choosers  of  the 
sponsors  or  sureties,  and  also  to  give  notice  to  the  minister 
beforehand :  by  which  it  appeareth  that  their  consent  is  pre- 
supposed.    And  though  my  own  judgment  be,  that  they 
should  be  the  principal  covenanters  for  the  child  expressly, 
yet  the  want  of  that  expressness,  will  not  make  us  unbap- 
tized  persons. 

Quest.  XLII.  BtU  the  great  question  is,  How  the  Holy  Ghost  is 
given  to  infants  in  baptism  ?  And  whether  all  the  children 
of  true  Christians  have  inward  sanctifying  grace  ?  Or  whe- 
ther  they  can  be  said  to  be  justified,  and  to  be  in  a  state  of  sal- 
vation, that  are  tiot  inherently  sanctified?  And  whether 
-    any  fall  from  this  infant  state  of  salvation  ? 


346  CHRISTIAN  DIRECTORY.  [PART  lU. 

Arisw.  Of  all  these  great  di£Bicultie8  I  have  said  what  I 
know»  in  my  Appendix  to  Infant  Baptism^  to  Mr.  Bradford 
and  Dr.  Ward»  and  of  bishop  Davenant's  judgment.  And 
I  confess  that  my  judgment  agreeth  more  in  this  with  Dar 
Tenant's  than  any  others,  saving  that  he  doth  not  so  muoh 
appropriate  the  benefits  of  baptism  to  the  children  of  sin- 
cere believers  as  I  do.  And  though  by  a  letter  in  pleading 
Davenant's  cause,  I  was  the  occasion  of  good  Mr.  Gataker^s 
printing  of  his  answer  to  him,  yet  I  am  still  most  inclined  to 
his  judgment;  not  that  all  the  baptized,  but  that  all  the 
baptized  seed  of  true  Christians  are  pardoned,  justified, 
adopted,  and  have  a  title  to  the  Spirit  and  salvation. 

But  the  difficulties  in  this  case  are  so  greats  as  drive 
away  most  who  do  not  equally  perceive  the  greater  incon- 
veniences which  we  must  choose,  if  this  opinion  be  forsa- 
ken :  that  is,  that  all  infants  must  be  taken  to  be  out  of  the 
covenant  of  God,  and  to  have  no  promise  of  salvation. 
Whereas  surely  the  law  of  grace  as  well  as  the  covenant  of 
works  included  all  the  seed  in  their  capacity. 

I.  To  the  first  of  these  questions,  I  answer,  1.  As  all 
true  believers,  so  all  their  infants  do  receive  initially  by  the 
promise,  and  by  way  of  obsignation  and  sacramental  inves- 
titure in  baptism,  a  '  jus  relationis,'  a  right  of  peculiar  rela- 
tion to  all  the  three  persons  in  the  blessed  Trinity:  as  to 
God,  as  their  reconciled,  adopted  Father,  and  to  Jesus 
Christ  as  their  Redeemer  and  actual  Head  and  Justifier,  so 
also  to  the  Holy  Ghost  as  their  Regenerator  and  Sanctifier. 
This  jright  and  relation  adhereth  to  them,  and  is  given  diem 
in  order  to  future  actual  operation  and  communion.  Asa 
marriage  covenant  giveth  the  relation  and  ri^t  to  one 
another,  in  order  to  the  subsequent  communion  and  duties 
of  a  married  life :  and  as  he  that  sweareth  allegiance  to  a 
king,  or  is  listed  into  an  army,  or  is  entered  into  a  schocrf, 
receiveth  the  right  and  relation,  and  is  so  correlated,  as 
obligeth  to  the  mutual  subsequent  offices  of  each,  and  giv- 
eth right  to  many  particular  benefits.  By  this  right  and  re- 
lation, God  is  his  own  God  and  Father;  Christ  is  his  own 
Head  and  Saviour;  and  the  Holy  Spirit  is  his  own  Sancti- 
fier, without  asserting  what  operations  are  cdready  wrought 
on  his  soul,  but  only  to  what  future  ends  and  uses  these  re- 
lations are.    Now  as  these  rights  and  relations  are  given 


QUEST.  XLII.]  CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  347 

immediately^  so  those  benefits  which  are  relative,  and  the 
infant  immediately  capable  of  them,  are  presently  given  by 
way  of  communion  :  he  hath  presently  the  pardon  of  original 
sin,  by  virtue  of  the  sacrifice,  merit  and  intercession  of 
Christ.  He  hath  a  state  of  adoption^  and  right  to  Divine 
protection,  provision  and  chnrch-comoiunion  according  to 
his  natural  capacity,  and  right  to  everlasting  lifp. 

2.  It  must  be  Carefully  noted,  that  the  relative  union 
between  Christ  the  Mediator  and  the  baptized  persons,  is 
that  which  in  baptism  is  first  given  in  order  of  nature,  and 
that  the  rest  do  flow  from  this.  The  covenant  and  baptism 
deliver  the  covenanter,  1.  From  Divine  displicency  byre- 
conciliation  with  the  Father:  2.  From  legal  penalties  by 
justification  by  the  Son :  3.  From  sin  itself  by  the  opera- 
tions of  the  Holy  Ghost.  But  it  is  Christ  as  our  Mediator- 
Head,  that  is  first  given  us  in  relative  union ;  and  then,  1 
The  Father  loveth  us  with  complacency  as  in  the  Son,  and 
for  the  sake  of  his  first  beloved.  2.  And  the  Spirit  which 
is  given  us  in  relation  is  first  the  Spirit  of  Christ  our  Head ; 
and  not  first  inherent  in  us :  so  that  by  union  with  our  Head» 
that  Spirit  is  next  united  to  us,  both  relatively,  and  as  radi- 
cally inherent  in  the  human  nature  of  our  Lord,  to  whom  we 
are  united  ^.  As  the  nerves  and  animal  spirits  which  are  to 
operate  in  all  the  body,  are  radically  only  in  the  head,  from 
whence  they  flow  into,  and  operate  on  the  members  as  there 
is  need  (though  there  may  be  obstructions) ;  so  the  Spirit 
dwelleth  in  the  human  nature  of  our  Head,  and  there  it  can 
never  be  lost;  and  it  is  not  necessary  that  it  dwell  in  us  by 
way  of  radication,  but  by  way  of  influence  and  operation. 

These  things  are  distinctly  and  clearly  understood  but 
by  very  few ;  and  we  are  all  much  in  the  dark  about  theai. 
Bat  I  think  (however  doctrinally  we  may  speak  better,)  that 
tbost  Christians  are  habituated  to  this  perilous  misappre- 
hension (which  is  partly  against  Christianity  itself,)  that  the 
Spirit  floweth  immediately  from  the  Divine  nature  of  the 
Fatlier  and  the  Son  (as  to  the  authoritative  or  potestative 
conveyance)  unto  our  souls.  And  we  forget  that  it  is  first 
given  to  Christ  in  his  glorified  humanity  as  our  Head,  and 
radicated  in  Him,  and  that  it  is  the  office  of  this  glorified 

y  The  S|Hrit  u  not  given  radically  or  immediately  to  aiiy  Chriatian,  but  to 
Omit  oar  Head  aione,  and  from  htm  to  of . 


348  .     (  HRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  111. 

Head,  to  send  or  communicate  to  all  his  members  from  him- 
self, that  Spirit  which  must  operate  in  them  as  they  hare 
need. 

This  is  plain  in  many  texts  of  Scripture.  '*  He  that  spa- 
red not  his  own  Son,  but  gave  him  up  for  us  all,  how  shall 
he  not  also  with  him  freely  give  us  all  things '  ?  "  (when  he 
giveth  him. particularly  to  us.) 

''  And  ihis  is  the  record  that  God  hath  given  ns  eternal  life, 
and  this  fife  is  in  his  Son :  he  that  hath  the  Son  hath  the  life, 
and  he  that  hath  not  the  Son  hath  not  the  life  \** 

"  If  any  man  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  the  same  is 
none  of  his  **." 

**  And  gave  him  to  be  the  Head  over  all  things  to  the 
church,  which  is  his  body,  the  fulness  of  him  that  filleth  all 
in  all «." 

"  The  Advocate  or  Comforter  whom  I  will  send  unto  you 
from  the  Father**,"  &c. 

"  If  I  depart,  I  will  send  him  unto  you*." 

"The  Comforter,  whom  the  Father  will  send  in  my 
name  ^" 

"  And  because  ye  are  sons,  God  hath  sent  forth  the 
Spirit  of  his  Son  into  your  hearts,  crying  Abba,  Father*." 

"  I  live  :  yet  not  I,  but  Christ  liveth  in  me  ** ;"  (I  know 
that  is  true  of  his  living  in  us  objectively  and  finally,  but 
that  seemeth  not  to  be  all.) 

"  For  ye  are  dead,  and  your  life  is  hid  with  Christ  in 
God ;  when  Christ  who  is  our  life  shall  appear,  then  shall 
ye  also  appear  with  him  in  glory."  Col.  iii.  3,  4.  I  know 
that  in  verse  3.  by  '  life'  is  meant  felicity  or  glory  ;  but  not 
only ;  as  appeareth  by  verse  4.  where  Christ  is  called  *  our 
life.' 

"  All  power  is  given  unto  me  in  heaven  and  earth** 

"  I  am  with  you  always  * "    "  The  Father  hath  given  all 

things  into  his  hands  *"." 

"Thou  hast  given  hini  power  over  all  flesh,  that  he 
should  give  eternal  life  to  as  many  as  thou  hast  given  him, 
and  this  is  life  eternal  to  know  thee  S"  8&c. 

«  Rom.  viii.  32,  *  1  John  f.  11,  t«.  '     .    *>  Rom.  viii.  9. 

e  Eph.  L  2«,  J3.  «*  John  xv.  26.  •  John  xvi.  7. 

'  John  xiv.  26.  V  Gml.  iv.  6.  ^  Gal.  iL  20. 

*  Matt,  xxviii.  19.20.  ^  John  xiii.  5.  i  John  xviL  2, 3. 


QUEST.  XLII.]    CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  349 

"The  Son  quickeneth  whom  he  will:"  '*'For  as  the 
Father  hath  life  in  himself,  so  hath  he  given  to  the  Son 
to  have  life  in  himself  "." 

*'  Labour  for  that  meat  which  endureth  to  everlasting 
life,  which  the  Son  of  Man  shall  give  unto  you,  for  him 

hath  God  the  Father  sealed. He  giveth  life  unto  the 

world. Whoso  eateth  my  flesh  and  drinketh  my  blood 

hath  eternal  life dwelleth  in  me  and  I  in  him— —  my 

flesh  is  meat  indeed .     As  the  living  Father  hath  sent 

me,  and  I  live  by  the  Father,  so  he  that  eateth  me,  even  he 
shall  live  by  me.  It  is  the  Spirit  that  quickeneth :  the 
flesh  profiteth  nothing  *"." 

'*  This  spake  he  of  the  Spirit  which  they  that  believe  in 
him  should  receive  °."  "  God  giveth  not  the  Spirit  to  him 
by  measure  P." 

**  He  that  is  joined  to  the  Lord  is  one  spirit  "i." 

*'  The  Lord  is  the  Spirit,  and  where  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord 
18,  there  is  liberty '." 

"Through  the  supply  of  the  Spirit  of  Jesus  Christ*." 

"  Abide  in  me  and  I  in  you  :  as  the  branch  cannot  bear 
fruit  of  itself,  except  it  abide  in  the  vine,  no  more  can  ye 
except  ye  abide  in  me.  I  am  the  vine,  ye  are  the  branches : 
he  that  abideth  in  me  and  I  in  him,  the  same  bringeth  forth 
much  fruit:  for  without  me  (or,  out  of  me,  or,  severed  from 
me)  ye  cian  do  nothing  ^" 

I  will  add  no  more :  all  this  is  proof  enough  that  the  Spi- 
rit is  not  given  radically  or  immediately  from  God  to  any 
believer,  but  to  Christ,  and  so  derivatively  from  him  to  us. 
Not  that  the  Divine  nature  in  the  third  person  is  subject  to 
the  human  nature  in  Christ ;  but  that  God  hath  made  it  the 
office  of  our  Mediator's  glorified  humanity,  to  be  the  cistern 
that  shall  first  receive  the  waters  of  life,  and  convey  them  by 
pipes  of  his  appointed  means  to  all  the  offices  of  his  house  : 
or  to  be  the  head  of  the  animal  spirits,  and  by  nerves  to  con- 
vey them  to  all  the  members. 

3.  We  are  much  in  the  dark  concerning  the  degree  of 
infants'  glory ;  and  therefore  we  can  as  little  know,  what 
degree  of  grace  is  necessary  to  prepare  them  for  their  glory. 

■  Jdhii  V.  21.26.  "  Johii  vi.  27.  SS,  35. 53—56.  63. 

•  John  vii.  39.  ^  Jolm  iii.  34.  i  1  Cur.  vi.  17. 

r  t  Cor.  iii.  17.  •  PWJ.  i.  19.  »  John  xf.  4,  5. 


350  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  HI. 

4.  It  is  certain  that  infants  before  they  are  glorified, 
shall  have  all  that  grace  that  is  prerequisite  to  their  prepay 
ration  and  fruition* 

5.  No  sanctified  person  on  earth  is  in  an  immediate  ca- 
pacity for  glory ;  because  their  sin  and  imperfection  most 
be  done  away,  which  is  done  at  the  dissolution  of  soul  and 
body.    The  very  accession  of  the  soul  to  Ood  doth  perfect  it 

6.  Infants  have  no  actual  faith,  or  hope,  or  love  to  God 
to  exercise ;  and  therefore  need  not  the  influence  of  the  Spi- 
rit of  Christ  to  exercise  them. 

7.  We  are  all  so  very  much  in  the  dark,  as  to  the  deer 
and  distinct  apprehension  of  the  true  nature  of  original  in- 
herent pravity  or  sin,  that  we  must  needs  be  as  much  igno- 
rant of  the  true  nature  of  that  inherent  sanctity  or  righteous- 
ness, which  is  its  contrary  or  care.  Learned  lUiricms 
thought  it  was  a  substance,  which  he  hath  in  his  **  Clavis*' 
pleaded  for  at  large.  Others  call  it  a  habit,  others  a  nature 
or  natural  inclination,  and  a  privation  of  a  natural  inclina- 
tion to  God.  Others  call  it  an  indisposition  of  the  mind' 
and  will  to  holy  truth  and  goodness,  and  an  ill  disposition 
of  them  to  error  and  evil.  Others  call  it  only  the  iaordi- 
nate  lust  of  the  sensitive  faculties,  with  a  debility  of  reason 
and  will  to  resist  it.  And  whilst  the  nature  of  the  soni  it- 
self and  its  faculties,  are  so  much  unknown  to  itself,  the  na- 
ture of  original  pravity  and  righteousness  must  needs  be 
very  much  unknown. 

8.  Though  an  infant  be  a  distinct  natural  person  firom 
his  parents,  yet  he  is  not  actually  a  distinct  person  moraUy 
as  being  not  a  moral  agent,  and  so  not  capable  of  moral  ac- 
tions good  or  evil.  Therefore  his  parents'  will  goeth  for 
his. 

9.  His  first  acceptance  into  the  complacential  love  of  God« 
as  distinct  from  his  love  of  benevolence,)  is  not  for  any  in- 
herent holiness  in  himself ;  but(L)  As  the  child  of  a  believ- 
ing parent  who  hath  dedicated  him  to  Christ ;  and  (2.y  As  a 
member  of  Christ,  in  whom  he  is  well  pleased. 

10.  Therefore  God  can  complacentially  as  well  as  bene- 
volently love  an  infieint  in  Christ,  who  only  believeth  and  re- 
penteth  by  the  parents,  and  not  by  himself,  and  is  not  yet 
supposed  to  have  the  spirit  of  sanctification. 

1 1 .  For  the  spirit  of  sanctification  is  not  the  presupposed 


QUEST.  XLII.]     CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  351 

condition  of  hit  acceptance  into  covenant  with  Qod,  but  a 
gift  of  the  covenant  of  Ood  itself,  following  both  the  condi- 
tion on  our  part,  and  our  right  to  be  covenanters,  or  to 
God's  promise  upon  that  condition. 

12.  So  the  adult  themselves  have  the  operation  of  the 
Spirit  by  which  they  believe  and  repent,  by  which  they 
come  to  have  their  right  to  God's  part  in  the  covenant  of 
bi4>tism«  (for  this  is  antecedent  to  their  baptism) :  but  they 
have  not  that  gift  of  the  Spirit,  which  is  called  in  Scripture 
the  "  Spirit  of  sanctification,  and  of  power,  love,  and  a  sound 
mind,"  and  is  the  benefit  given  by  the  covenant  of  baptism, 
till  afterward ;  because  they  must  be  in  that  covenant  be- 
fore it  can  be  made  good  to  them.  And  their  faith  or  cone 
sent  is  their  infant's  right  also,  antecedent  to  the  covenant 

gift. 

13.  There  is  therefore  some  notable  difference  between 

that  work  of  the  Spirit  by  which  we  first  repent  and  believe 
and  so  have  our  title  to  the  promise  of  the  Spirit,  and  that 
^ft  of  the  Spirit  which  is  promised  to  believers ;  which  is 
■^BOt  only  the  Spirit  of  miracles  given  in  the  first  times,  but 
some  notable  degree  of  love  to  our  rec6nciled  Father,  suita- 
ble to  the  grace  and  gospel  of  redemption  and  reconciliation, 
and  is  called  the  ''  Spirit  of  Christ,"  and  the  ''  Spirit  of 
adoption",  which  the  apostles  themselves  seem  not  to  have 
received  till  Christ's  ascension.     And  this  seemeth  to  be  not 
only  different  fi*om  the  gifts  of  the  Spirit  common  to  hypo- 
crites >and  the  unbelievers,  but  also  from  the  special  gift  of 
the  Spirit  which  maketh  men  believers.    So  that  Mr.  Tho 
Hooker  saith  more  truly  than  once  I  understood,  that  voca- 
tion is  a  special  grace  of  the  Spirit,  distinct  from  common 
grace  on  one  side,  and  from  sanctification  on  the  other  side. 
Whether  it  be  the  same  degree  of  the  Spirit  which  the  faith- 
ful had  before  Christ's  incarnation,  which  causeth  men  first 
to  believe  distinct  from  the  higher  following  degree,  I  leave 
to  inquiry :  but  the  most  certain  distinction  is  from  the  dif- 
ferent effects. 

14.  Though  an  infant  cannot  be  either  disposed  to  a  holy 
life,  or  fit  for  glory  immediately,  without  an  inward  holiness 
of  his  own,  yet  by  what  is  said  it  seemeth  plain,  that  merely 
on  the  account  of  the  condition  performed  by  the  parent, 

•  Roiii.THi.  9. 16.26. 


352  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART   111. 

and  of  his  union  relatively  with  Christ  thereupon,  and  his 
title  to  God's  promise  on  these  grounds^  he  may  be  said  to 
be  in  a  state  of  salvation  ;  that  is,  to  have  the  pardon  of  his 
original  sin,  deliverance  from  hell,  (in  right,)  adoption,  and 
a  right  to  the  needful  operations  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  as  given 
to  him  in  Christ,  who  is  the  first  receiver  of  the  Spirit. 

15.  But  when  and  in  what  sort  and  degree  Christ  giveth 
the  actual  operations  of  the  Spirit  to  all  covenanted  infants, 
it  is  wonderfully  hard  for  us  to  know.  But  this  much  seem- 
eth  clear,  1.  That  Christ  may  when  he  please  work  on  the 
soul  of  an  infant  to  change  its  disposition,  before  it  come 
to  the  use  of  reason.  2.  That  Christ  and  his  Spirit  as  in 
covenant  with  infants,  are  ready  to  give  all  necessary  assis- 
tance to  infants  for  their  inherent  sanctification,  in  the  use 
of  those  means,  and  on  those  further  conditions,  on  which 
we  must  wait  for  it  and  expect  it'.  For  the  Holy  Ghost  is  not 
so  engaged  to  us  in  our  covenant  or  baptism,  as  to  be  obli- 
ged presently  to  give  us  all  the  grace  that  we  want ;  but 
only  to  give  it  us  on  certain  further  condition^,  and  in  the 
use  of  certain  means.  But  because  this  leads  me  up  to  an- 
other question,  I  will  suspend  the  rest  of  the  answer  to  this 
till  that  be  handled.     Only  I  must  answer  this  objection. 

Obf.  '  It  is  contrary  to  the  holy  nature  of  God,  compla- 
centially  to  love  an  unsanctified  infant,  that  is  yet  in  his 
original  corruption  unchanged,  and  he  justifieth  none  rela- 
tively from  the  guilt  of  sin,  whom  he  doth  not  at  once  inhe- 
rently sanctify. 

Answ,  1.  God's  complacential  love  respecteth  every  one 
as  he  is ;  for  it  is  goodness  only  that  he  so  loveth.  There- 
fore he  so  loveth  not  those  that  either  actually  or  habitual- 
ly love  not  him,  under  any  false  supposition  that  they  do 
love  him  when  they  do  not.  His  love  therefore  to  the  adult 
and  infants  differeth  as  the  objects  differ.  But  there  is  this 
lovely  in  such  infants;  1.  That  they  are  the  children  of  be- 
lieving, sanctified  parents ;  2.  That  they  are  by  his  cove- 
nant relatively  united  to  Christ,  and  are  so  far  lovely  as  his 

*  Mr.  Wliiston,  p.  60.  abewetb, '  That  even  the  promises  of  a  new  heart,  &c. 

Eiek.  xxxvi.  xxxvii.  &c.  though  they  may  run  io  the  external  teoor  of  them  abaolote- 

ly,  yeta*%  not  absolutely  absolute,  but  have  a  subordinate  condition,  and  that  is,  that 

.the  parties  concerned  in  them  do  faithfully  use  the  means  appdnted  of  God   in  a 

subserviency  to  his  working  in  or  bestowing  on  them  tlie  good  promised/ 


QUEST.  XLII.]     christian' ECCLESIASTICS.  353 

members ;  (3.)  That  they  are  pardoned  all  their  original  sin  ; 
(4.)  That  they  are  set  in  the  way  to  actual  love  and  holiness ; 
being  thus  dedicated  to  God. 

2.  AU  imperfect  saints  are  sinners ;  and  all  sinners  are, 
as  such,  abhorred  of  Qod,  whose  pure  eyes  cannot  behold 
iniquity.  As  then  it  will  stand  with  his  purity  to  accept 
and  love  the  adult  upon  their  first  believing,  before  their 
further  sanctification,  and  notwithstanding  the  remnant  of 
their  sins,  so  may  it  do  also  to  accept  their  infants  through 
Christ  upon  their  dedication. 

3.  As  the  actual  sin  imputed  to  infants  was  Adam's,  and 
their  parents'  only  by  act,  and  not  their  own,  it  is  no  won- 
der if  upon  their  parents'  faith  and  repentance,  Christ  wash 
and  justify  them  from  that  guilt  which  arose  only  from  ano- 
ther's act. 

4.  And  then  the  inherent  pravity  was  the  eifect  of  that 
act  of  their  ancestors,  which  is  forgiven  them.  And  this 
pravity  or  inherent  original  sin  may  two  ways  be  said  to  be 
mortified  radically,  or  virtually,  or  inceptively  before  any 
inherent  change  in  them,  1.  In  that  it  is  mortified  in  ^heir 
parents  from  whom  they  derived  it,  who  have  the  power  of 
choosing  for  them ;  and  2.  In  that  they  are  by  covenant  en- 
grafted into  Christ,  and  so  related  to  the  cause  of  their  fu- 
ture sanctification ;  yea,  3.  In  that  also  they  are  by  cove- 
nant and  their  parents'  promise,  engaged  to  use  those  means 
which  Christ  hath  appointed  for  sanctification^. 

6.  And  it  must  be  remembered  that  as  this  is  but  an  in- 
ceptive, preparatory  change,  so  the  very  pardon  of  the  in- 
herent vitiosity  is  not  perfect,  (as  I  have  elsewhere  largely 
proved;)  however  some  Papists  and  Protestants  deny  it. 
While  sin  remaineth,  sin  and  corruption  is  still  indwelling, 
besides  all  the  unremoved  penalties  of  it,  the  very  being  of 
it  proveth  it  to  be  so  far  unpardoned,  in  that  it  is  not  yet 
abolished,  and  the  continuance  of  it  being  not  its  smallest 
punishment,  as  permitted,  and  the  Spirit  not  given  so  far  as 
to  care  it.  Imperfect  pardon  may  consist  with  a  present 
right,  both  to  further  sanctification  by  the  Spirit,  and  so  to 
heaven. 

7  God'f  being  «  God  to  any  iodindaal  penmi,  doth  require  and  presuppose  that 
tbej  do  ftr  the  present,  supposing  tliem  capable,  or  for  the  future  as  soon  as  capoblei 
take  God  in  Christ  as  their  God.    Ibid.  p.  61. 

VOL.   V.  A    A 


354  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

Obf.  '  ChriBt'8  bodyvhath  no  unholy  members.' 
Answ.  1.  "  Now  are  your  children  holyS"  They  are 
not  wholly  unholy  who  have  all  the  fore-described  holiness. 
2.  As  infants  in  nature  want  memory  and  actual  reason, 
and  yet  initially  are  men ;  so,  as  Christ's  members,  they  may 
want  actual  and  habitual  faith  and  love,  and  yet  initially  be 
sanctified,  by  their  union  with  him  and  his  Spirit,  and  thek 
parents'  dedication,  and  be  in  the  way  for  more,  as  they 
grow  fit ;  and  be  Christians  and  saints  *  in  fieri,'  or  initially 
only,  as  they  are  men. 

Quest.  xLiii.  Is  the  right  of  the  baptized  (infants  or  adult)  to 
the  sanctifying  (^rations  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  now  absolute, 
or  suspaided  on  further  conditions  ?  And  are  the  parents^ 
further  duties  for  their  children  such  conditions  of  their  chU- 
dren*s  reception  of  the  actual  assistances  of  the  Spirit  ?  Or 
are  children's  own  actions  such  conditions  ?  And  may  apos- 
tate parents  forfeit  the  covenant  benefits  to  their  baptized 
iff  ants  or  not  ? 

Answ.  The  question  is  great  and  difiicult,  and  few  dare 
meddle  with  it.  And  almost  all  infant  cases  are  to  as  ob- 
scure. 

1.  1 .  It  is  certain  that  it  is  the  parents'  great  duty  to  bring 
up  their  children  in  the  nurture  and  admonition  of  the 
Lord. 

2.  It  is  certain  that  Ood  hath  appointed  this  to  be  the 
means  of  their  actual  knowledge,  faith,  and  holiness  \ 

3.  And  God  doth  not  appoint  such  means  unnecessarily 
or  in  vain  :  nor  may  we  ordinarily  expect  his  grace  but  in 
the  use  of  the  means  of  grace,  which  he  hath  appointed  us 
to  use. 

4.  It  is  certain  that  God's  receiving  the  children  of  the 
faithful  is  an  act  of  God's  love  to  the  parents  as  well  as  the 
children,  and  promised  as  a  part  of  his  blessing  on  them- 
selves. 

5.  It  is  certain  that  these  parents  hold  their  own  mer- 
cies upon  the  condition  of  their  own  continued  fidelity  :  and 
(let  their  apostacy  be  on  other  reasons  never  so  impossible, 
or  not  future,  yet)  the  promise  of  continuance  and  consum- 

»  I  Cor.  vii.  14. 

»  Eph,  vi.  4.  5.     CaA.  m.  21.     (Jen,  xviii.  19.     Deul.  vi.  6 — 8.     xi.  IS— 80- 


I 


QUEST.  XLIII.]    CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  355 

mation  of  the  personal  felicity  of  the  greatest  saint  on  earth, 
is  still  conditional,  upon  the  condition  of  his  persevering 
fidelity. 

6.  Even  before  children  are  capable  of  instruction,  there 
are  certain  duties  imposed  by  God  on  the  parents  for  their 
sanctification  ;  viz.  1.  That  the  parents  pray  earnestly  and 
believingly  for  them.  2.  That  they  themselves  so  live  to- 
wards Ood,  as  may  invite  him  still  to  bless  their  children 
for  their  sakes,  as  he  did  Abraham's,  and  usually  did  to  the 
faithful's  seed. 

7.  It  is  certain  that  the  church  ever  required  parents^ 
not  only  to  enter  their  children  into  the  covenant,  and  so  to 
leave  them,  but  to  do  their  after  duty  for  their  good,  and  to 
pray  for  them,  and  educate  them  according  to  their  cove- 
nant. 

8.  It  is  plain  that  if  there  were  none  to  promise  so  to 
educate  them,  the  church  would  not  baptize  them.  And 
Ood  himself  who  allowed  the  Israelites,  and  still  alloweth 
us  to  bring  our  children  into  his  covenant,  doth  it  on  this 
supposition,  that  we  promise  also  to  go  on  to  do  our  duty 
for  them,  and  that  we  actually  do  it. 

9.  All  this  set  together  maketh  it  plain,  1.  That  God 
never  promiseth  the  adult  in  baptism,  though  true  believers, 
th^t  he  will  work  in  them  all  graces  further  by  his  sanctify- 
ing Spirit,  let  them  never  so  much  neglect  or  resist  him  ;  or 
that  he  vnll  absolutely  see  that  they  never  shall  resist  him ; 
nor  that  the  Spirit  shall  still  help  them,  though  they  neglect 
all  his  means  ;  or  that  he  will  keep  them  from  neglecting 
the  means  (election  may  secure  this  to  the  elect  as  such ; 
bat  the  baptismal  covenant  as  such,  secureth  it  not  to  the 
baptized,  nor  to  believers  as  such).  2.  And  consequently 
that  in&nts  are  in  covenant  with  the  Holy  Ghost  still  con- 
ditionally as  their  parents  are ;  and  that  the  meaning  of  it 
is  that  the  Holy  Ghost  as  your  Sanctifier  will  afford  you  all 
necessary  help,  in  the  use  of  those  means  which  he  hath  ap- 
pointed you  to  receive  his  help  in  ^, 

Object.  *  Infants  have  no  means  to  use.' 

Answ.  While  infants  stand  on  their  parents'  account,  or 


*>  The  Holy  Gliost  b  promised  in  baptism  to  give  the  cliild  gmce  in  his  parents 
and  liis  own  faithful  use  of  the  appointed  means. 


356  CHRISTIAN  DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

wills,  the  parentM  have  means  to  use  for  the  continuance  of 
their  grace,  as  well  as  for  the  beginning  of  it. 

10.  Therefore  I  cannot  nee  but  that  if  a  believer  should 
apostatize  (whether  any  do  so  is  not  the  question)  and  his 
infant  not  to  be  made  another's  child,  he  forfeiteth  the  be- 
nefits of  the  covenant  to  his  infant.  But  if  the  propriety  in 
the  infant  be  transferred  to  another,  it  may  alter  the  case. 

.  11.  And  how  dangerously  parents  may  make  partial  for- 
feitures of  the  Spirit's  assistance  to  their  children,  and 
operations  on  them,  by  their  own  sinful  lives,  and  neglect  of 
prayer,  and  of  prudent  and  holy  education,  even  in  particu- 
lar acts,  I  fear  many  believing  parents  never  well  con- 
sidered. 

12.  Yet  is  not  this  forfeiture  such  as  obligeth  Ood  to. 
deny  his  Spirit ;  for  be  may  do  with  his  own,  as  a  free  be- 
nefactor, as  he  list ;  and  may  have  mercy  freely,  beyond  his 
promise,  (though  not  against  his  Word)  on  whom  he  will 
have  mercy.  But  1  say  that  he  that  considereth  the  wofol 
unfaithfulness  and  neglect  of  most  parents,  even  the  reli- 
gious, in  the  great  work  of  holy  educating  their  childrai, 
may  take  the  blame  of  their  ungodliness  on  themselves,  and 
not  lay  it  on  Christ  or  the  Spirit  who  was  in  covenant  with 
them  as  their  sanctifier,  seeing  he  promised  but  condition- 
ally to  give  them  the  sanctifying  heavenly  influences  of  his 
life,  light,  and  love,  in  their  just  use  of  his  appointed  means, 
according  to  their  abilities  ^. 

13.  Also  as  soon  as  children  come  to  a  little  use  of  rea- 
son, they  stand  conjunctly  on  their  parents'  Wills  and  on 
their  own.  As  their  parents  are  bound  to  teach  and  rule 
them,  so  they  are  bound  to  learn  of  them  and  be  ruled  by 
them  for  their  good.  And  though  every  sin  of  a  parent  or 
a  child  be  not  a  total  forfeiture  of  grace,  yet  both  their  no- 


<^  Mr,  Whistoti  p.  53.  '  As  Abraham  as  a  s'ngle  penon  in  the  oorenaiit  was  to 
accept  of  and  perform  the  conditions  of  the  covenant— ao  as  a  parent  he  had  tomt' 
thing  of  duty  incumbent  on  him  with  reference  to  his  (immediate)  ^aeed  :  and  as  hb 
faithful  performance  of  that  duty  incumbent  on  him  in  his  single  capacity,  ao  hit  per* 
forming  that  daty  incumbent  on  him  as  a  porent  in  reference  to  hts  seed,  was  abso- 
lutely necessary  in  order  to  his  enjoying  the  good  promised,  with  reference  Id  Ida- 
self  and  his  seed  :  proved  Gen.  xvii.  1.  xTiii.  19.  He  proveth  that  the  pvoniie  fa 
conditional »  and  that  as  to  the  continuance  of  the  covenant  state  the  condiUomare  1. 
The  parent's  upright  life.  2.  His  duty  to  his  children  well  done.  3.  The  childrai's 
own  duty  as  they  are  capable. 


QUEST.  XLIII.]      CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  357 

table  actual  sins  may  justly  be  punished,  with  a  denial  of 
some  further  help  of  the  Spirit  which  they  grieve  and 
quench. 

11.  And  now  I  may  seasonably  answer  the  former  ques- 
tion, whether  infants'  baptismal  saving  grace  may  be  lost,  of 
which  I  must  for  the  most  that  is  to  be  said  refer  the  reader 
to  Davenant  (in  Mr.  Bedford's  book)  on  this  subject,  and 
to  Dr.  Samuel  Ward  joined  with  it,  (though  Mr.  Gataker's 
answers  are  very  learned  and  considerable :)  and  to  my 
small  book  called  "  My  Judgment  of  Perseverance." 

Augustine  who  first  rose  up  for  the  doctrine  of  perseve- 
rance, against  its  adversaries,  carried  it  no  higher  than  to 
all  the  elect  as  such,  and  not  at  all  to  all  the  sanctified  ;  but 
oft  affirmeth  that  some  that  were  justified,  sanctified,  and 
love  God,  and  are  in  a  state  of  salvation,  are  not  elect,  and 
fall  away ;  but  since  the  reformation,  great  reasons  have 
been  brought  to  carry  it  further  to  all  the  truly  sanctified  ; 
of  which  cause  Zanchius  was  one  of  the  first  learned  and 
zealous  patrons,  that  with  great  diligence  in  long  disputa- 
tions maintained  it.  All  that  I  have  now  to  say  is,  that  I 
had  rather  with  Davenant  believe  that  the  fore-described 
infant  state  of  salvation,  which  came  by  the  parents,  may  be 
lost  by  the  parents  and  the  children,  (though  such  a  sanc- 
tified, renewed  nature  in  holy  habits  of  love  as  the  adult 
have  be  never  lost)  than  believe  that  no  infants  are  in  the 
covenant  of  grace  and  to  be  baptized. 

Object,  But  the  child  once  in  possession  shall  not  be  pu- 
nished for  the  parents'  sin. 

Anno.  1.  This  point  is  not  commonly  well  understood. 
I  fiave  by  me  a  large  disputation  proving  from  the  current 
of  Scripture,  a  secondary  original  sin,  besides  that  from 
Adam,  and  a  secondary  punishment  ordinarily  inflicted  on 
children  for  their  parents'  sins,  besides  the  common  pu- 
nishment of  the  world  for  the  first  sin.  2.  But  the  thing 
in  question  is  but  a  loss  of  that  benefit  which  they  received 
and  hold  only  by  another.  It  is  not  so  properly  called  a 
punishment  for  another's  sin,  as  a  non-deliverance,  or  a  non- 
continuance  of  their  deliverance,  which  they  were  to  receive 
on  the  condition  of  another's  duty. 

Obfed.  But  the  church  retaineth  them  as  her  members, 
and  so  their  right  is  not  lost  by  the  fault  or  apostacy  of  the 
parents. 


358  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [fART  III. 

Answ.  1.  Lost  it  is  one  way  or  other^  with  multitudes  of 
true  Christians'  children,  who  never  shew  any  signs  of  grace, 
and  prove  sometimes  the  worst  of  men.  And  God  breaketh 
not  his  covenant. 

2.  How  doth  the  church  keep  the  Greeks'  children  that 
are  made  Janizaries  ? 

3.  No  man  stayeth  in  the  church  without  title.  If  the 
church  or  any  Christians  take  them  as  their  own,  that  is 
another  matter.  I  will  not  now  stay  to  discuss  the  question, 
whether  apostates'  baptized  infants  be  still  church-mem- 
bers  ?  But  what  I  have  said  of  their  right  before  God, 
seemeth  plain.  ^ 

4.  And  mark,  that  on  whomsoever  you  build  an  infiemt's 
right,  you  may  as  well  say,  that  he  may  suffer  for  other 
men's  default ;  for  if  you  build  it  on  the  magistrate,  the 
minister,  the  church,  tiie  godfathers,  any  of  them  may  fiiil ; 
they  may  deny  him  baptism  itself;  they  may  fail  in  his 
education  :  shall  he  suffer  then  for  want  of  baptism,  or  good 
education  when  it  is  their  faults  ?  Whoever  a  child  or  a 
man  is  to  receive  a  benefit  by,  the  failing  of  that  person 
may  deprive  him  of  that  benefit.  More  objections  I  must 
pretermit,  to  avoid  prolixity. 

Quest.  xLiv.  Doth  baptism  always  obUge  us  at  the  present^ 
and  give  grace  at  the  present  ?  And  is  the  grace  whkh  is 
not  given  till  long  after,  given  by  baptism  ;  or  an  effect  of' 
baptism  ? 

Answ.  I  add  this  case  for  two  reasons,  1.  To  open  their 
pernicious  error  who  think  that  a  covenant  or  promise  made 
by  us  to  God,  only  for  a  future,  distant  duty  (as  to  repent 
and  believe  before  we  die,)  is  all  that  is  essential  to  our  bap- 
tismal covenanting.  2.  To  open  the  ordinary  saying  of 
many  divines,  who  say,  that  baptism  worketh  not  always  at 
the  present,  but  sometimes  only  long  afterward.  The  truth 
I  think  may  be  thus  expressed. 

1.  It  is  not  baptism,  if  there  be  not  the  profession  of  a 
present  belief,  a  present  consent,  and  a  present  dedition,  or 
resignation,  or  dedication  of  the  person  to  God,  by  the 
adult  for  themselves,  and  by  parents  for  their  infants.  He 
that  only  saith,  '  I  promise  to  believe,  repent,  and  obey 


QIJBST.  XLIV.]      CHRISTIAN    ECCLBSIASTICS.  359 

only  at  twenty  or  thirty  years  of  age/  is  not  morally  bap* 
tized  ;  for  it  is  another  covenant  of  his  own  which  he  would 
make,  which  God  acpepteth  hot. 

2.  It  is  not  only  a  future,  but  a  present  relation  to  God, 
as  his  own,  his  subjects,  his  children  by  redemption,  to 
which  the  baptized  person  doth  consent. 

3.  It  is  a  present  correlation  and  not  a  fiiture  only, 
to  which  God  consenteth  on  his  part,  to  be  their  Father, 
Saviour,  and  Sanctifier,  their  Owner  peculiarly,  their  Ruler 
graciously,  and  their  chief  Benefactor,  and  Felicity,  and 
End. 

4.  It  is  not  only  a  future  but  a  present  remission  of  sin, 
ajMl  adoption  and  right  to  temporal  and  eternal  mercies, 
which  God  giveth  to  true  consenters  by  his  covenant  and 
baptism. 

5.  But  those  mercies  which  we  are  not  at  that  present 
capable  of,  are  not  to  be  given  at  the  present,  but  afterward 
when  we  are  capable ;  as  the  particular  assistances  of  the 
Spirit,  necessary  upon  all  future  particular  occasions,  &c. ; 
the  pardon  of  future  sins  ;  actual  glorification,  &c  '^. 

6.  And  the  duties  which  are  to  be  performed  only  for 
the  future,  we  must  promise  at  present  to  perform  only  for 
the  future,  in  their  season,  to  our  lives'  end.  Therefore  we 
cannot  promise  that  infants  shall  believe,  obey  or  love  God, 
till  they  are  naturally  capable  of  doing  it. 

7.  If  any  hypocrite  do  not  indeed  repent,  believe,  or 
consent  when  he  is  baptized,  pr  baptizeth  his  child,  he  so 
far  fiedleth  in  the  covenant  professed ;  and  so  much  of  bap- 
tiam  is  undone  ;  and  God  doth  not  enter  into  the  present 
covenant-relations  to  him,  as  being  incapable  thereof®. 

8.  If  this  person  afterwards  repent  and  believe,  it  is  a 
doing  of  the  same  thing  which  was  omitted  in  baptism,  and 
a  lOflJiing  of  the  same  covenant ;  but  not  as  a  part  of  his 
bapiiBm  itself,  which  is  long  past. 

9.  Nor  is  he  hereupon  to  be  re-baptized ;  because  the 
external  part  was  done  before,  and  is  not  to  be  done  twice  ; 
bat  the  internal  part  which  was  omitted,  is  now  to  be  done, 
not  as  a  part  of  baptism  (old  or  new) ;  but  as  a  part  of  pe- 
nitence, for  his  omission. 

Object.  If  covenanting  be  a  part  of  baptism,  then  this 

«  Rom.  Yk  1.  4.  6, 7.  •  Acts  viii.  dT,  38.  IS.  fO— 23. 


360  CHRISTIAN  DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

person,  whose  covenant  is  never  a  part  of  his  baptism,  doth 
live  and  die  unbaptized. 

Answ.  As  baptism  signifieth  only  the  external  ordinance, 
heart-covenanting  is  no  part  of  it,  bat  the  profession  of  it  is ; 
and  if  there  was  no  profession  of  faith  made,  by  word  or  sign, 
the  person  is  unbaptized.  But  as  baptism  signifieth  the  in- 
ternal part  with  the  external,  so  he  will  be  no  baptized  per- 
son while  he  liveth ;  that  is,  one  that  in  baptism  did  truly 
consent,  and  receive  the  spiritual  relations  to  God  ;  but  he 
will  have  the  same  thing  in  another  way  of  Ood's  ap- 
pointment. 

10.  When  this  person  is  after  sanctified,  it  is  by  God's 
performance  of  the  same  covenant  in  specie,  which  baptism 
is  made  to  seal,  that  God  doth  pardon,  justify  and  adopt 
him ;  but  this  is  not  by  his  past  baptism  as  a  cause,  but  by 
after  grace  and  absolution.  The  same  covenant  doth  it  but 
not  baptism  ;  because  indeed  the  covenant  or  promise  saith, 
'  Whenevei:  thou  believest  and  repentest,  I  will  forgive 
thee ;'  but  baptism  saith,  '  Because  thou  now  believest,  I 
do  forgive  thee,  ^md  wash  away  thy  sin ;'  and  maketh  pre- 
sent application. 

11.  So  if  an  infant  or  adult  person  live  without  grace, 
and  at  age  be  ungodly,  his  baptismal  covenant  is  violated ; 
and  his  after  conversion  (or  faith  and  repentance)  is  neither 
the  fulfilling  of  God's  covenant,  nor  of  his  baptism  neither. 
The  reason  is,  because  though  pardon  and  adoption  be 
given  by  that  conditional  covenant  of  grace  which  baptism 
sealeth,  yet  so  is  not  that  first  grace  of  faith  and  repentance 
which  is  the  condition  of  pardon  and  adoption,  and  the  title 
to  baptism  itself.  Else  infidels  should  have  right  to  bap- 
tism, and  thereby  to  faith  and  repentance.  But  these  are 
only  the  free  gifts  of  God  to  the  elect,  and  the  fulfilling  of 
some  absolute  predictions  concerning  the  calling  of  the 
elect,  and  the  fulfilling  of  God's  will  or  covenant  to  Christ 
the  Mediator,  that  "  He  shall  see  the  travail  of  his  soul  and 
be  satisfied,"  and  possess  those  that  are  given  him  by  the 
Father. 

12.  But  when  the  condition  of  the  covenant  is  at  first 
performed  by  the  parent  for  the  infant,  and  this  covenant 
never  broken  on  this  child's  behalf,  (notwithstanding  sins 
of  infirmity,)  in  this  case  the  first  actual  faith  and  repen- 


QUEST.  XLV.]     CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  301 

tance  of  children  as  they  grow  up^  is  from  God's  fulfilling  of 
his  baptismal  covenant  with  them.  The  reason  is^  because 
that  Ood  in  that  covenant  did  give  them  a  right  of  relation 
to  the  Holy  Spirit  in  Christ  their  head,  as  their  Sanctifier, 
to  operate  on  tliem  as  they  are  capable.  But  if  they  first 
prove  apostates  and  be  after  converted,  God  is  disobliged 
(yea,  to  hypocrites  never  was  obliged)  as  to  the  engagement 
made  by  him  in  baptism;  and  doth  now,  1.  Freely  give 
them,  faith  and  repentance  as  a  benefactor  to  his  elect,  and 
then,  2.  As  a  covenanter  give  them  pardon  and  adop- 
tion, 8cc. 

13.  So  to  the  adult,  that  truly  made  the  baptismal  co- 
venant and  never  apostatized  from  it,  all  the  grace  that  God 
giveth  them  through  their  lives,  is  his  fulfilling  of  his  pro- 
mises made  to  them,  and  sealed  by  baptism,  and  a  fruit  of 
their  baptism.  But  to  hypocrites  and  apostates  it  is  other- 
ynse,  as  is  before  explained. 

Quest.  XLv.   What  is  a  proper  violation  of  our  baptismal 

covenant. 

Answ.  Note  well,  that  there  is  a  wide  difierence  between 
these  questions,  1.  When  doth  a  man  miss  of,  or  lose  his 
present  part  in  the  covenant  or  promise  of  God  in  the  Gos- 
pel'?  (This  is  as  long  as  he  is  impenitent,  an  unbeliever  and 
refuser.)  2.  When  doth  a  man  totally  lose  his  part  and 
hope  in  that  promise  or  covenant  of  God,  so  as  to  be  liable 
to  all  the  penalty  of  it?  That  is  only  by  final  impenitence, 
unbelief  and  refusal,  when  life  is  ended.  3.  And  when  doth 
a  man  violate  his  own  covenant  or  promise  made  to  God  in 
baptism?  Which  is  our  present  question.  To  which  I 
answer, 

1.  This  promise  hath  parts  essential  and  parts  integral : 
we  promise  not  both  these  parts  alike«  nor  on  the  same 
terms;  though  both  be  promised.  The  essential  parts,  are 
our  essential  duties  of  Christianity,  (faith,  love,  repentance 
in  the  essential  parts,)  &c.  The  integrals  are  the  integral 
duties  of  Christianity  s. 

'  John  iii.  16—  1 8.  56.    i.  1  l-r1  S. 

r  2  Pet.  il  SO— i3.  Heb.  vi.  ^.  4—8.  x.  86— S8.  1  John  i.  9,  10. 
James  iU.  S,  S. 


362  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [fART  HI. 

2.  He  that  perfbrmeth  not  the  essential  duties  is  an  apos- 
tate^ or  hypocrite. 

3.  He  that  performeth  not  the  integral  duties  is  a  sinner, 
not  only  against  the  law  of  nature,  and  Christ's  precepts, 
but  his  own  promise ;  (and  in  this  sense  we  all  confess  our 
breadi  of  covenant  with  Christ,)  but  he  is  no  i^iostate,  hy- 
pocrite, or  out  of  covenant. 

Quest.  XLvi.  Maif  tiot  baptism  in  some  cases  be  refeaiedf 

And  when  1 

Ahsw.  1.  You  must  distinguish  between  baptism,  taken 
morally,  or  only  physically.  2.  Between  baptism  morally, 
as  it  is  'a  church  or  visible  covenant,  and  as  a  heart-cove- 
nant. 3.  Between  real  baptism  and  seeming  baptism,  which 
is  a  nullity.  4.  Between  certain  reception  of  baptism, 
and  that  which  is  uncertain  or  justly  doubted  of.  And  so 
I  answer, 

!•  Real  and  certain  baptism  as  a  visible  church-ordi- 
nance may  not  be  repeated.  Though  the  heart-covenant 
w{^  wanting.  And  though  it  wanted  not  only  decent  modes, 
but  integral  parts. 

2.  But  in  these  cases  baptism  may  be  used  where  it 
seemed  to  have  been  received  before. 

1.  When  the  person  made  no  profession  of  the  Chris- 
tian faith  (nor  his  parents  for  him,  if  an  infant).  2.  If  that 
profession  notoriously  wanted  an  essential  part;  as  if  he 
only  professed  to  believe  in  God  the  Fadier,  and  not  in  the 
Son,  or  the  Holy  Ghost.  3.  If  the  minister  only  baptized 
him  into  the  name  of  the  Father,  or  Son,  or  left  out  any  es- 
sential part.  4.  If  the  person  or  ministry  only  contracted 
for  a  distant  futurity,  (as  I  will  be  a  Christian  when  I  am 
old,  8&c.)  and  not  for  the  present ;  which  is  not  to  be  chris- 
tened, but  only  to  promise  to  be  christened  hereafter.  5. 
If  all  application  of  water  (or  any  watery  element)  was 
omitted,  which  is  the  external  sign.  6.  Of  the  baptizer's 
power  I  shall  speak  anon.  7.  If  the  church  or  the  person 
himself  have  just  cause  of  doubting,  whether  he  was  truly 
baptized  or  not,  to  do  it  again,  with  hypothetical  expres- 
sions, '  If  thou  art  not  baptized,  I  baptize  thee ;'  yea,  or 
simply  while  that  is  understood,  is  lawful,  and  fit.     And  it 


QUEST.  XLVI.]       CHRISTIAN  BCCLESIASTKiS.  363 

U  not  to  be  twice  baptized  morally,  but  only  physically,  as 
I  have  fully  opened  in  the  question  of  re-ordination,  to  which 
I  must  refer  the  reader. 

3.  And  I  confess  I  make  little  doubt  but  that  those  in 
Acts  xix.  were  re-baptized,  notwithstanding  the  witty  eva- 
sion invented  by  Phil.  Marnixius  Aldegcmdus,  and  Beza's 
improvement  of  it,  and  the  now  common  reception  of  that 
interpretation. 

For  1.  A  new  and  forced  exposition  which  no  reader 
dreameth  of  till  it  be  put  into  his  head,  is  usually  to  be  sus- 
pected, lest  art  deceive  us. 

2.  The  omission  of  the  Holy  Ghost  is  an  essential  defect, 
and  maketh  baptism  specially  another  thing  ;  and  he  weie 
now  to  be  re-baptized  who  should  be  so  baptized. 

3.  Whatever  some  say  in  heat  against  the  Papists,  John's 
baptism  and  our  Christian  baptism  are  so  especially  dis- 
tinct also,  that  he  that  had  now  but  John's  were  to  be  yet 
baptized :  the  person  of  the  Messiah  himself  beiiig  not  de- 
terminately  put  into  John's  baptism  as  such.  Nor  can  it  be 
supposed  that  all  the  Jews  that  John  baptized,  were  baptized 
into  the  profession  of  faith  in  this  numerical  person  Jesus, 
bat  only  to  an  unknown  Saviour  undetermined :  however  he 
pointed  to  Christ  in  the  hearing  of  some  of  his  disciples. 
We  must  not  run  from  plain  truth  in  peevishness  of  opposi- 
tion to  Papists  or  any  other  men. 

4.  The  fifth  verse  would  not  be  true  of  John's  baptism 
as  the  history  sheweth,  that  **  When  John's  hearers  heard 
this,  they  were  baptized  into  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus.'' 
This  is  contrary  to  the  text  that  recordeth  it. 

&  In  the  fourth  verse>  the  words  ''  that  is,  on  Christ 
Jesus''  are  plainly  Paul's  expository  words  of  John's,  and 
not  John's  words.  John  baptized  them  **  into  the  name  of 
the  Messiah  that  should  come  after  him,"  which  indeed, 
saith  Paul  was  Christ  Jesus,  though  not  then  personally  de- 
tennioed  by  John. 

6.  The  connexion  of  the  fourth,  fifth  and  sixth  verses 
puts  all  out  of  doubt.  1.  In  the  fourth  verse  the  last  words 
are  Paul's,  ''  that  is,  on  Christ  Jesus."  2.  In  the  next 
words,  verse  4.  "  When  they  heard  this,  they  were  baptized, 
&c."  must  refer  to  the  last  words,  or  to  his  that  was  speak- 
ing to  them.    3.   Verse  6.  the  pronoun  "  them "  "  when 


364  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

Paul  had  laid  his  hands  on  them/'  plainly  referreth  to  them 
last  spoken  o(,  verse  5.,  which  therefore  were  not  John's 
hearers  as  such.  4.  And  the  words  ''  they  were  baptized  in- 
to the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus/'  are  plainly  distinctive  from 
John's  baptism.  Saith  Grotius, '  Sic  accepere  Latinas,  Sy- 
rus,  Arabs,  et  Veteres  omnes  ante  Mamixium  (ut  verba 
Lucee).  Yet  I  say  not  so  hardly  of  John's  baptism,  as  Ter- 
tuUian  on  this  text,  (de  Baptis.)  '  Adeo  postea  in  Actis 
Apostolorum  invenimus,  quoniam  qui  Johannis  baptismum 
habebant,  non  accepissent  Spiritum  Sanctum,  quern  ne  au- 
ditu  quidam  noverant :  ergo  non  erat  cceleste,  quod  ccelestia 
non  exhibebat/    See  Dr.  Hammond  in  loc. 

Quest.  XLvii.  Is  baptism  by  laymen  or  women  lawful  in  cases 
of  necessity  ?  Or  are  they  nullities,  and  the  person  to  be  re- 
baptized  ? 

Answ.  I.  I  know  some  of  the  ancients  allowed  it  in  ne- 
cessity. But  I  know  no  such  necessity  that  can  be  :  For  1. 
God  hath  expressly  made  it  a  part  of  the  ministerial  office 
by  commission.  Matt,  xxviii.  19,  20.  2.  He  hath  no  where 
given  to  any  other  either  command  to  oblige  them  to  do  it, 
or  commission  to  authorize  them,  or  promise  to  bless  and 
ficcept  them  in  it,  or  threatening  if  they  omit  it.  3.  He  oft 
severely  punisheth  such  as  invade  the  sacred  function,  or 
usurp,  any  part  of  it.  4.  Therefore  it  is  a  sin  in  the  doer, 
and  then  there  can  be  no  necessity  of  it  in  such  a  case  in 
the  receiver.  5.  He  that  is  in  covenant  by  open,  professed 
consent,  wants  nothing  necessary  to  his  salvation,  either 
'  necessitate  medii  vel  preecepti,'  when  it  cannot  be  had  in  a 
lavrful  way. 

II.  As  to  the  nullity  I  will  not  determine  so  controverted 
a  point  any  further  than  to  say,  1.  That  if  the  layman  had 
the  counterfeit  orders  of  a  minister,  and  had  possession  of 
the  place,  and  were  taken  for  one,  his  deceit  deprived  not 
the  receiver  of  his  right,  nor  made  it  his  sin,  and  I  should 
not  re-baptize  him,  if  after  discovered. 

2.  But  if  he  were  in  no  possession,  or  pretence  of  the 
office,  I  would  be  baptized  again,  if  it  were  my  case ;  be- 
cause I  should  fear  that  what  is  done  in  Christ's  name  by 
one  that  notoriously  had  no  authority  from  him  to  do  it,  is 


QUEST.  XLVIII.j  CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  365 

not  owned  by  Christ  as  his  deed^  and  so  is  a  nullity.    As  if 
a  deceiver  go  in  my  name  to  make  bargains  for  me. 

3.  And  if  any  that  had  after  discovered  a  minister  to  be 
indeed  no  minister  that  baptized  him,  should  doubt  of  the 
validity,  and  for  certainty  have  it  done  again  by  an  autho- 
rized minister,  I  would  not  disconmiend  him ;  nor  would  I 
account  it  morally  twice  baptizing,  but  a  physical  repeating 
of  that  act  which  morally  is  but  one :  (as  I  explained  before 
of  re-ordination). 

Therefore  if  one  that  was  a  gross  heretic  in  the  very  es- 
sentials, or  an  infidel,  or  one  that  had  not  knowledge  and 
parts  essentially  necessary  to  the  ministry  baptize  one  (in 
right  words)  I  would  not  blame  him  that  for  certainty  would 
have  an  authorized  person  to  do  it ;  especially  if  he  was  no- 
toriously such  an  one  when  he  did  it.  Let  those  that  are 
angry  with  this  resolution  be  as  fair  to  me  as  they  will  be 
to  Venerable  Bede,  and  that  great  miracle-working  bishop, 
John,  whom  in  his  ecclesiastical  history  he  reporteth  to  bap- 
tize a  man  again  in  England,  merely  because  the  priest  that 
did  it  was  so  dull,  ignorant,  and  insufficient,  as  in  John's 
judgment  to  be  incapable  of  the  office,  and  therefore  had 
been  by  him  forbidden  to  use  it,  though  the  person  bap- 
tized (at  age)  knew  not  this :  viz.  Herebaldus,  ut  Bed. 
lib.  V.  c.  6. 

Quest.  xLviii.  May  Anabaptists,  that  have  no  other  error,  be 

permitted  in  church-communion  ? 

Answ.  Yes,  and  tolerated  in  their  own  practice  also :  for 
1.  They  agree  with  us  in  all  points  absolutely  necessary  to 
communion. 

2.  The  ancient  Christians  had  liberty  either  to  baptize, 
or  to  let  them  stay  till  age,  as  they  thought  best;  and 
therefore  TertuUian  and  Nazianzen  speak  against  haste ; 
and  Augustine,,  and  many  children  of  Christian  parents 
were  baptized  at  age. 

3.  The  controversy  is  of  so  great  difficulty,  that  if  in  all 
such  cases  none  that  differ  be  tolerated,  we  may  not  live  to- 
gether in  the  world  or  church,  but  endlessly  exconmoiunicate 
or  persecute  one  another. 

4*  Such  sober  Antipsedobaptists  will  consent,  to  profess 


366  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.         [PART  III. 

Openly,  that  they  do  derote  their  children  to  Ood  according 
to  all  the  power  or  duty  which  they  can  find  communicated 
or  laid  upon  them  in  the  Word  of  Qod ;  and  that  if  they  be- 
lieved that  God  would  accept  them  into  his  covenant  apon 
their  dedication,  they  would  willingly  do  it.  And  that  ac- 
tually they  do  offer  them  to  Ood  according  to  their  power, 
and  promise '  to  bring  them  up  in  his  way.  And  who 
can  force  men's  wills  to  choose  aright  for  themselves 
or  others? 

Quest.  xLix.  May  one  offer  his  child  to  be  baptized,  with  the 
sign  of  the  cross,  or  the  use  of  chrism,  the  white  garment, 
milk  and  honey,  or  exorcism,  as  among  the  Lutherans,  who 
taketh  these  to  be  unlawful  things  f 

Answ.  I  am  not  now  to  meddle  with  the  question.  Whe- 
ther they  be  lawful ;  but  to  this  question  I  answer, 

1.  He  that  judgeth  them  unlawful,  must  first  do  his  best 
to  be  certain  whether  they  be  so  or  not. 

2.  If  so,  he  must  never  approve  of  them,  or  consent  to 
them. 

3.  He  must  not  offer  his  child  to  be  so  baptized,  when 
'  ceeteris  paribus,'  he  may  have  it  done  in  a  better  manner 
on  lawful  terms. 

4.  But  when  he  cannot  lawfully  have  better,  he  may  and 
must  offer  his  child,  to  them  that  will  so  baptize  him,  rather 
than  to  worse,  or  not  at  all ;  because  baptism  is  God's  or- 
dinance and  his  privilege,  and  the  sin  is  the  minister's  and 
not  his.  Another  man's  sinful  mode  will  not  justify  the 
neglect  of  our  duty  ;  else  we  might  not  join  in  any  prayer 
or  sacrament  in  which  the  minister  modally  sinneth  ;  that 
is,  with  none. 

5.  The  milk  and  honey,  white  garment  and  chrism,  are 
so  ancient  (called  by  Epiphanius  and  others,  the  traditions 
and  customs  of  the  universal  church)  that  the  original  of 
them  is  not  known.  And  he  that  then  would  not  be  so 
baptized,  must  not  have  been  baptized  at  all. 

6.  But  in  this  case  he  that  bringeth  his  child  to  bap- 
tism, should  make  known,  that  it  is  baptism  only  that  he 
desireth,  and  that  he  disowneth  and  disalloweth  the  manner 
which  he  accounteth  sinful :  and  then  he  is  no  consenter 
to  it. 


QUEST.  li.]         CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  367 

7.  But  where  law,  scandal,  or  greater  inconyeniences 
forbid  him,  he  ia  not  to  make  this  profession  openly  in  the 
congregation,  but  in  that  prudent  manner  which  beseemeth 
a  sober,  peaceable  person  ;  whether  to  the  minister  in  pri* 
vate,  or  to  his  neighbours  in  converse :  it  being  easy  among 
neighbours  to  make  known  a  man's  dissent,  without  a  dis- 
orderly troubling  of  the  church,  or  yiolating  the  laws  of 
obedience,  civility  and  peace. 

8.  But  he  must  not,  (1.)  Either  offer  his  child  to  baptism, 
where  the  ordinance  is  essentially  corrupted,  or  worse  than 
none.  (2.)  Or  where  he  cannot  be  admitted  without  an  ac- 
tual sin  of  his  own ;  as  by  false  professions,  subscriptions, 
&c.     For  we  must  not  do  evil  for  good  ends. 

• 

Quest.  L.  Whence  came  the  ancient,  universal  aistam  of  anamt- 
ing  at  bapti$m,  and  putting  on  a  white  garment,  and  tasting 
milk  oMd  honey  ^     And  whether  they  are  lawful  to  us  1 

Ansiw.  1.  We  must  remember  that  the  signification  of 
these  was  not  by  a  new  institution  of  their's,  but  by  former 
custom  of  the  countries  where  they  lived  ^.  As  (1 .)  Anoint- 
ing in  Judea  was  like  bathing  at  Rome :  it  was  taken  in 
those  scorching  countries  for  a  wholesome,  and  easing,  and 
comforting  thing ;  and  therefore  used  to  refresh  the  weary 
limbs  of  travellers,  and  to  comfort  the  sick. 

(2.)  And  it  was  the  long  accustomed  ceremony  also  used 
on  officers  accounted  sacred,  kings  and  priests,  who  were 
anointed  at  their  entrance  and  investiture. 

(3.)  White  cloathing  and  purple  were  then  and  there 
taken  for  the  noblest  attire  * :  not  appropriated  to  sacred 
things  and  persons ;.  but  as  scarlet  lately  in  England,  the 
garb  only  of  great  men.  On  which  account,  not  as  a  sacred 
vestment,  but  as  an  honourable  cloathing,  when  the  bishops 
began  to  be  advanced,  they  were  allowed  to  wear  white 
cloathing,  not  only  when  they  officiated,  but  at  other  times. 

(4.)  The  milk  and  honey  were  there  highly  esteemed  for 
food,  and  accounted  the  character  of  the  land  of  promise  *'. 

^  Pial.  sxiii.  5.  xcii.  10.  Luke  vii.  46.  Matt.  vi.  17.  Amos  vi.  6.  I'sal. 
Ixisiju  SO.     Ler.  xvi.  St*     Luke  xvi. 

*  Rev.  iu.  4,  5.     "  Tbe^  shall  walk  with  ne  in  white." 
^  James  v.  14.    Blari:  ▼!.  IS. 


368  CHAISTIAK    DIRECTORY.  [PART    III. 

2.  Hereupon  by  application  the  churches  used  these 
signs  in  the  sacred  ordinance  of  baptism  :  not  by  new  insti- 
tution of  the  signification,  I  say,  but  by  application  of  the 
old  well  known  signification. 

3.  As  natural  signs  are  commonly  allowed  to  be  applied 
to  holy  things,  so  signs  whose  signification  is  of  old  and 
commonly  stated  and  well  known  by  agreement  or  custom, 
do  seem  in  this  not  to  be  difierent  from  natural  signs.  Such 
are  all  words,  as  signs  of  our  minds ;  no  word  signifying 
any  thing  naturally,  but  by  agreement  or  custom  only.  And 
such  is  kneeling  in  prayer,  and  being  uncovered,  and  many 
the  like  :  about  some  of  which  Paul  appealeth  to  the  custom 
of  the  churches  of  Ood. 

4.  It  is  most  probable  that  these  two  things  together 
brought  in  anointing ;  (1.)  The  common  use  of  anointing 
then,  in  both  the  foresaid  cases,  (conmion  refreshment  and 
sacred  investiture).  (2.)  And  the  mistake  of  all  those  Scrip- 
ture texts,  which  command  or  mention  anointing  metaphori- 
cal; as  1  John  ii.  27.  **  The  anointing  which  you  have  re- 
ceived  teacheth  you  all  things."      Ezek.  xvi.  9.    "I 

washed  thee,  I  anointed  thee  with  oil,"  8cc.     Psal.  cv.  16. 
1  Chron.  xvi.  22.  "  Touch  not  mine  anointed."     Rev.  iii.  18. 

And  withal  reading  that  we  are  made  kings  and  priests 
to  God,  and  a  royal  priesthood,  they  thought  this  might  be 
signified  by  the  usual  honorary  signs  of  such,  as  well  as  by 
words  to  be  called  such.  So  that  they  took  it  as  if  in  our 
age,  the  baptized  should  be  set  in  a  chair  of  state,  and 
sumptuously  apparelled,  and  a  feast  made  to  solemnize  it, 
as  they  do  at  weddings,  and  the  baptized  person  set  at  the 
upper  end,  &c.,  which  are  significant  actions  and  ceremo- 
*  nies ;  but  they  intended  them  not  as  new  sacraments,  or 
any  part  of  the  sacraments,  but  as  a  pompous  celebration  of 
the  sacrament  by  such  additional  ceremonial  accidents. 

5.  And  you  must  remember  that  they  lived  among  infi- 
dels, where  their  profession  was  made  the  common  scorn, 
which  tempted  them  by  such  ostentation  and  pomp  to  seek 
to  make  it  honourable,  and  to  show  that  they  so  accounted 
it,  and  to  encourage  those  who  were  discouraged  by  the 
scorn.  On  which  account  also  they  used  the  cross,  and 
the  memorials  of  the  martyrs. 

6.  Yet  some,  yea,  many  afterwards  did  seem  to  take  the 


QtlEST.  LI.]         CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  569 

anointing  for  a  sacramental  action.  When  they  read  that 
the  laying  on  of  hands  was  the  sign  of  giving  the  Holy 
Ghost,  as  distinct  from  baptism,  and  that  the  Spirit  is  called ' 
in  Scripture  the  anointing,  they  joined  both  together,  and 
made  that  which  they  now  call  the  sacrament  of  confirma- 
tion. 

7.  Whether  the  anointing,  milk  and  honey,  and  the 
white.garment,  were  then  sinful  in  themselves  to  the  user^, 
I  determine  not.  But  certainly  they  proved  very  ill  by  ac- 
cident, whilst  at  this  door  those  numerous  and  unlawful  ce- 
remonies have  entered,  which  have  so  troubled  the  churches, 
and  corrupted  religion ;  and  among  the  Papists,  Greeks, 
Armenians,  Abassines,  and  many  others,  have  made  the 
sauce  to  become  the  meat,  and  the  lace  to  go  for  clothing, 
and  turned  too  much  of  God's  worship  into  imagery,  sha- 
dows, and  pompous  shews. 

Quest.  LI.  Whether  it  be  necessary  that  they  that  are  baptized 
in  infancy t  do  solemnly  at  age  renew  and  own  their  baptis- 
mal covenant,  before  they  have  right  to  the  state  and  privi- 
leges of  adult  members  ?  And  if  they  do  not,  whether  they 
are  to  be  numbered  with  Christians  or  apostates  ? 

Amw,  1.  Church-membership  is  the  same  thing  in  in- 
ftmts  and  in  the  adult. 

3*  Infants  are  naturally  incapable  of  doing  all  that  in 
baptism  which  the  adult  must  do  :  as  to  understand^  profess. 
Sec*,  themselves. 

3.  The  baptism  of  the  adult,  being  the  most  complete, 
because  of  the  maturity  of  the  receivers,  is  made  the  stand 
ing  pattern  in  Scripture :  for  God  formeth  his  ordinances 
to  the  most  perfect  ordinary  receivers. 

4.  Though  an  infant  be  devoted  acceptably  to  God  by 
his  parent's  will,  yet  when  he  is  at  age,  it  must  be  done  by 
his  own  will. 

5.  Therefore  a  bare  infant  title  ceaseth  when  we  come  to 
age,  and  the  person's  title  ceaseth,  unless  it  be  renewed  by 
himself,  or  his  own  consent.  The  reason  is,  because  the 
conditions  of  bis  infant  title  then  cease :  for  his  parent's 
will,  shall  go  for  his  no  longer. 

6.  Regularly  and  '  ad  bene  esse '  the  transition  out  of 

VOL.   V.  B  B 


370  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PAHT  111* 

the  state  of  infant-memberBhip  into  the  state  of  advhrmeni- 
berahip  should  be  very  solemn ;  and  by  an  naderstaadingy 
personal  owning  of  the  baptismal  covenant  K 

7.  There  needeth  no  other  proof  of  this,  than»  1.  That 
Ood  in  Scripture  never  gave  adult  persons  title  to  hia  oO¥e* 
nant,  but  by  their  own  personal  consent ;  and  at  the  first  uk 
stitution  of  baptism^  both  w^it  together,  (personal  profes- 
sion and  baptism)  because  the  receivera  were  adolt.  2.  And 
that  infants  are  capable  of  baptism,  but  not  of  persomd  piiH 
fessk>n.  3.  Therefore  though  they  are  not  to  repeat  hup- 
tism,  which  was  done  before,  yet  they  are  bound  to  make 
that  profession  at  t^e  which  they  never  miade  before. 

8.  Where  this  solemn  owning  of  their  covenant  caanot 
be  had  (by  reason  of  church  corruptions,  and  Baagiatrata'a 
prohibition)  there  the  person's  ordinary  joining  with  the 
church,  in  the  public  profession  and  worship,  is  to  be  taken 
for  an  owning  it. 

9.  He  that  being  baptked  in  infancy,  doth  no  way  at 
full  age  own  his  baptismal  covenant,  is  to  be  taken  for  an 
apostate.  I.  Because  his  infant  title  ceaseth.  2.  And  he 
notoriously  violateth  his  covenant.  3.  Because  he  can  be 
no  adult  Christian  that  no  way  owneth  Christ. 

10.  But  this  is  to  be  understood  of  those  that  have  op- 
portunity ;  for  one  in  a  wilderness  among  heathens  only, 
cannot  join  in  public  worship,  nor  give  testimony  of  hk 
Christianity  to  the  church. 

11.  Though  the  sacrament  pf  the  Lord's  supper  be  ap 
pointed  for  the  renewing  of  our  covenant  at  age,  yet  is  it 
not  the  first  owning  of  the  covenant,  by  the  aged ;  for  that 
sacrament  belongeth  neither  to  infants  nor  infidek ;  and  hi 
that  claimeth  it,  must  be  an  adult  churchnoiember  or  Chns* 
tian;  which  those  are  not,  who  at  full  age  no  way  ever 
owned  their  baptismal  covenant,  nor  made  any  personal  pro- 
fession of  Christianity. 

But  of  this  I  have  written  purposely  in  a  "  Treatiae  ef 
Confirmation''  long  ago. 

Quest.  Lii.   Whether  the  universal  church  consist  only  a 

adar  churches  and  their  members  ?   - 

1  Soc  t\it  prooft  of  an  in  my  '<  Trairtise  of  Con^mstioo." 


Anmtf  Nq:  parlioiiliurchufQbe«<ifetiieiiM)iit  9^ul«r,^nd 
noble  parts  of  tb^  umversal  eburok;  but  not  th^  wlKiile ;  qq 
moNi  tfiaQ  citiet  and  oorporatioQ9  b»  ijl  tbe  kingdom-  1  • 
Some  may  be  ae  the  eunucb,  baptised  befoore  they  eai)  com§ 
to  aay  particohur  church ;  or  ae  Paul,  before  thf^y  oao  be  vcb 
QttTed '°. 

3.  Some  may  live  whevei  church  tyranny  hiadereth  them» 
^Tiinful  impositiona ;  aa  all  tkat  live  among  the  Papial8« 

5.  Some  may  liYe  in  times  of  doubtipg,  diatraction  and 
(ionfueion,  and  not  know  what  church  ordinarily  to  join  with, 
and  may  providently  go  promiscuously  to  many,  and  keep 
in- an  unfixed  state  for  a  time. 

4.  Some  may  be  wives,  children,  or  servants,  who  may 
hft  violently  hindered. 

6.  Some  may  live  where  no  peurticular  churches  are] 
as  merchants  and  embassadors  among  Mahometans  and 
heathens. 

Quest.  Liii.  Musi  the  pastor  Jint  call  the  church,  and  aggre^ 
gate  them  to  himself,  or  the  church  Jhst  congregate  ihemsehes, 
and  then  choose  the  pastor? 

Antw.  1.  The  pastors  are  in  order  of  nature,  if  not  in  time, 
first  mii|isters  of  Christ  in  general,  before  they  are  related 
to  a  peurticular  charge. 

2.  As  such  ministers,  they  first  make  men  fit  to  be  con- 
gregate, and  tell  them  their  duty  therein. 

3«  But  it  is  a  matter  variable  and  indifferent,  whether 
the  minister  first  say,  *  All  that  will  join  with  me,  and  sub^ 
mit  to  me  as  their  pastor,  shall  be  my  particular  charge  ;^ 
ov  the  people  before  oongregated  do  call  a  man  to  be  their 
pastor. 

Qmeet.  liv.  Wher^  doth  a  particular  church  of  Chrises  in* 
ititution  differ  from  a  consociation  of  many  churches  9 

AnsW'  !•  i^  that  such  a  particular  church  is  a  company 
of  Chrhtians  associated  for  personal,  immediate  communion 
in  Ood'e  worship  and  in  holy  living ;  whereas  consociations 

• 

«  AcU  viii.  37,  &c     Acts  ii.  17—^.  f  6^28. 


372  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART   III. 

of  chiirches,  are  combined  for  mediate  distinct  communion, 
or  by  delegates  or  representatives  (as  in  synods"). 

2.  Such  a  particular  church  is  constituted  of  one  or 
more  pastors  with  the  people,  officiating  in  the  sacred  mi- 
nistry among  them,  in  doctrine,  worship,  and  discipline,  in 
order  to  the  said  p)»«onal  communion.  But  a  consociation 
of  churches  hath  no  particular  head  as  such,  of  Divine  in- 
stitution, to  constitute  and  govern  them  as  one.  In  Igna- 
tius's  time  every  particular  church  was  chafacterized  or 
known  by  two  marks  of  unity,  1.  One  altar,  (that  is,  one 
place  for  assembling  for  holy  communion).  2.  One  bishop 
with  the  presbyters  and  deacons  :  and  two  altars  and  two 
bishops  proved  two  churches. 

3.  A  particular  church  under  one  bishop  or  the  same 
pastors,  is  a  political,  holy  society  ;  but  a  combination  of 
many  churches  consociate,  is  not  so,  but  only,  1.  Either  a 
community  agreeing  to  live  in  concord,  as  neighbour  king- 
doms may.  2.  Or  else  a  human  policy  or  society,  and  not 
of  Divine  immediate  institution.  So  that  if  this  consocia- 
tion of  churches  be  called  a  church,  it  must  be  either  equi- 
vocally or  in  a  human  sense. 

Quest.  Lv.   Whether  a  particular  church  may  consist  of  snort 
assemblies  than  one  ?     Or  must  needs  meet  all  in  one  place  f 

Answ .  1 .  The  true  distinguishing  note  of  a  particular  church 
is,  that  they  be  associated  for  holy  communion  in  worship 
and'  holy  living,  not  by  delegates,  nor  (distantly  only,  by 
owning  the  same  faith,  and  loving  one  another,  as  we  may 
do  with  those  at  the  antipodes ;  but  personally  in  preamioe. 

2.  Therefore  they  must  necessarily  be  so  near*  as  to  be 
capable  of  personal,  present  communion. 

3.  And  it  is  most  convenient  that  they  be  no  more  thin 
can  ordinarily  meet  in  the  same  assembly,  at  least  for  sa- 
cramental communion. 

4.  But  yet  they  may  meet  in  many  places  or  assemblies, 
as  chapels,  or  oratories,  or  other  subordinate  meetings  which 
are  appointed  to  supply  the  necessity  of  the  weak  and  aged, 
and  them  that  cannot  travel  fiir.     And  in  times  of  perseca- 

"  AcU  ii.  1.  f4i  44.  46.  iv.  St.  ▼.  If.  1  Theis.  ▼.  If,  18.  1  Cor.  xiv.  19. 
fS,~i4.fS.S5.    ActoxW.  fS.    Tltiisl5.    Acts  zi.  f 6.    Jaiiiesu.f. 


QUEST.  LVI.]      CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  373 

tion,  when  the  church  dare  not  at  all  meet  in  one  place,  they 
may  make  up  several  smaller  meetings,  under  several  pastors 
of  the  same  church*  But  they  should  come  all  together  as 
oft  as  they  can. 

5.  And  it  is  to  be  considered  that  all  the  persons  of  a 
family  can  seldom  go  to  the  assembly  at  one  time,  especially 
when  they  live  far  off.  Therefore  if  a  church-place  would 
receive  but  ten  thousand,  yet  twenty  thousand  might  be' 
members,  while  half  meet  one  day,  and  half  another  (or  an- 
other part  of  the  day). 

6.  Two  congregations  distinctly  associated  for  personal 
worship,  under  distinct  pastors,  or  having  statedly  (as  Igna- 
tius speaketh)  two  bishops  and  two  altars,  are  two  particu- 
lar churches,  and  can  no  otherwise  be  one  church,  than  as 
that  may  be  called  one  which  is  a  consociation  of  divers. 

Quest*  LVI.  Is  any  form  of  clmrch-governmeni  of  Divine 

institution? 

Answ.  Yea:  there  are  two  essentially  different  policies 
or  forms  of  church-government  of  Christ^s  own  institution, 
never  to  be  altered  by  man.  1.  The  form  of  the  universal 
church,  as  headed  by  Christ  himself;  which  all  Christians 
own,  as  they  are  Christians  in  their  baptism. 

2.  Particular  churches  which  are  headed  by  their  parti- 
cular bishops  or  pastors,  and  are  parts  of  the  universal,  as  a 
troop  is  of  an  army,  or  a  city  of  a  kingdom. 

Here  it  is  of  Divine  institution,  1.  That  there  be  holy 
assemblies  for  the  public  worship  of  God. 

2.  That  these  assemblies  be  societies,  constituted  of  the 
people  with  their  pastors,  who  are  to  them  as  captains  to 
their  troopi|^  under  the  general,  or  as  mayors  to  cities  under 
the  king ''. 

3.  That  these  pastors  have  the  power  of  the  keys,  or  the 
special  guidance  and  governance  (by  the  word,  not  by  the 
sword)  of  their  own  particular  charge,  in  the  matters  of 
fiuth,  worship,  and  holy  living ;  and  that  the  flocks  obey 

•  Epiu  i.  fSf  SS.  V.  25.  ^  &c  iv.  4—6.  16.  Heb.  z.  25.  1  Cor.  xiv. 
Act!  liv.  SS.  Titos  i.  5.  1  Tiro.  v.  17.  1  Theis.  v.  It,  13.  1  Tim.  iii.  3—6* 
|FM.v.i— 3.    ActBix.t8.    PhU.i.  1,  8. 


t^t4  CimiSTIA^   DIEKCTOKV.  {MlRf  III*. 

OxMi.     And  nrlien  ttU  ihh  m  *  ]«re  divino/  why  shouid  «wf 
lUiy,  tiMat  hi)  ttttti  of  go^ftimetit  ib  '  jure  diviHd?' 

3.  MoVetytet  it  is  6f  Divine  mppointflieiit,  that  %he^ 
churches  hold  the  nearest  concord,  and  help  eftch  other  m 
iatith,  tii»  they  Hctm ;  whether  by  sytiodd,  or  other  meet  ways 
1^  ttyrve^potidency.  And  though  thi6  be  ^not  a  distinct  ^e^ 
Temment,  it  its  a  distinct  Ynode  of  goyemkig. 

iybjtect.  '  Btrt  that  there  be  pastors  with  feed  chwehes 
or  aslremblies  is  tiot  of  the  law  ^natare.' 

Answ.  1.  Hath  Christ  no  law  but  the  law  of  nature? 
HVhemn  then  idifi^  the  Chtistian  teKgieb  and  the  heathen- 
iishl  9.  Stfppose  but  Christ  to  be  Christ,  and  ttian  to  be 
wh&t  tte  is,  akid  natore  itself  will  teH  Mft  that  this  is  the  fit- 
tee^  Way  for  ordering  the  woriship  of  Ood.  Fortiatnre  saith, 
OodMaiit  beHiohttinly  and  ordinarily  worshipped,  and  tiMt 
qualified  persons  should  be  the  official  guides  in  the  perfor- 
mtoe^,  attd  titttt  'people  Who  need  iiach  condtict  and  private 
oversight  besides,  should  Whete  they  live  have  their  own 
stated  overseers. 

Object.  ^  But  partieuhnr  congregatioiis  are  aot  ^  de  pri- 
tciaJria  itftentione  tftviwBi :'  for  if  the  whole  World  cowMjoin 
together  in  the  public  worship  of  Ood,  nO  doubt  that  woald 
%e  properly  a  church.  But  pairticular  oongregtttioBs  de 
only  accidental,  in  refereiioe  to  Ood^  ^intention  of  h^vittg  a 
ciborch,  because 'Of  the  itopotoibilHy  of  all  menSi  joining  to- 
'gether  for  otdimtnees,  8co. 

Amw.  1.  The  qtMtitn  with  me  is  not  whether  they  be 
Of  primary  intention,  but  Whether  stated  churches  headed 
with  their  proper  bishops  or  ^astof«  be  aot  of  Ood\i4aBtf«a- 
1ion  in  the  Scripture  ? 

2 .  mris  objection  tonflrnM^h  it,  'and  not  detoi^th  it.  F^r 
1 .  I(  cOlifesseth  that  there  is  a  neoessity  of  joinijig  for  Ood% 
worship :  2.  And  an  impossibility  that  all  the  woTld  ahorfd 
itojbin:  8.  But  if  the  whole  world  ^ooldso  johi,  it  would 
Ibe  properly  a  olHtfrch.  So  diat  it  coofesseth  4h«t '  to  te  « 
so^ifity  joined  for  God's  public  worship,  is  to%e  proptriy^ 
ichurcfa/  'And  We  oonfem  all  this :  «f  all  the  wotM  <k>qU  h^ 
one  family,  they  might  have  one  master,  or  one  kingdom, 
they  might  have  one  king.  But  when  it  is  confessed,  that, 
1.  A  natural  impossibility  of  an  universal  assembly  neoes- 
sitateth  more  particular  assemblies;  2.  And  that  Christ 


QU£8T«  1.VI.]     CUmSTIAN  £CCL£S1ASTICS.  375 

hath  initkiiCed  suoh  mctually  in  his  Word,  what  more  can  a 
ixmsiderate  man  require  ? 

3»  I  do  not  understand  this  distinction, '  de  primaria  in* 
ientiooe  divina/  and  accidental^  &c.  The  primary  intention 
is  properly  of  the  ultimate  end  only :  and  no  man  thinfarth 
that  a  law '  de  mediis/  of  the  means,  is  no  law,  or  that  Ood 
hath  made  no  laws  '  de  mediis :'  for  Christ  as  a  mediator  is 
a  means.  But  suppose  it  be  limited  to  the  matter  of  church 
laws ;  if  this  be  the  meaning  of  it,  that  it  is  not  the  principal 
means,  but  a  subordinate  means,  or  that  it  is  not  instituted 
only  *  propter  finem  ultimum,'  no  more  than  '  propter  ae,' 
but  ako  in  order  to  a  higher  thing  as  its  inmiediate  end,  we 
make  no  question  of  that  Assemblies  are  not  only  that 
there  may  be  assemblies ;  but  for  the  worship  and  offices 
there  perfenned :  and  those  for  man ;  and  all  for  God.  But 
what  of  all  this?  Hath  Ood  made  no  laws  for  subordinate 
means  ?     No  Christian  denieth  it. 

Therefore  the  learned  and  judicious  disputer  of  this  point 
tledaredi  himself  for  what  1  say,  when  he  saitb,  '  I  engage 
not  in  the  controversy.  Whether  a  particular  congregation 
4bs  Ibe  first  political  church  or  no :  it  sufficeth  for  my  pur- 
poss^  that  there  are  other  churches  besides.— —The  thing 
m  qoestioii  is.  Whether  there  be  no  other  church  but  such 
particular  congregationft/  Where  it  seemeth  granted  that 
such  particular  churches  are  of  Divine  institution :  and  for 
other  churches  I  shall  say  more  anon.  In  the  mean  time 
«ote,  that  the  question  is  but  *  de  nomine*  here,  whether 
<ba  name  *  church,'  be  fit  for  other  societies,  and  not '  de  re  ^/ 

But  lest  any  should  grow  to  the  boldness  to  deny  that 
'  Ohiist  hath  iastituted  Christian  stated  societies,  consisting 
«€  pastors  aad  flocks,  associate  for  p^sonal  communion  in 
public  worship  and  holy  living ;'  (which  is  my  definition  of 
:Apaitiealar  church,  as  not  so  confined  to  one  assembly,  but 
#iat  it  may  be  in  divers,  and  yet  not  consisting  of  divers 
such  distinct  stated  assemblies  with  their  distinct  pastors, 
oor  of  9mch  as  can  have  no  personal  commvnion,  but  only 
by  dM^ptos;)  I  prove  it  tlms  firom  the  Word  of  Ood. 


iMtjfTff>Tf,  ome  *  ex  iateatmc  \wmm^*  ami  tke  fitkef,mB 


376  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.      :  [PART  III. 

(1.)  The  apostles  were  commissioned  by  Christ  to  deli- 
ver his  commands  to  all  the  churches,  and  settle  them  ac- 
cording to  his  will,  John  xx.  21. — Matt,  xxviii.  19,  20,  8ic. 

(2.)  These  commissioned  persons  had  the  promise  of  an 
infidlible  Spirit  for  the  due  performance  of  their  work,  John 
xvi.  13— 16.    XV.  26.    xiv.  26.     Matt,  xxviii.  20. 

(3.)  These  apostles  wherever  the  success  of  the  Crospel 
prepared  them  materials,  did,  settle  Christian  stated  socie- 
ties, consisting  of  pastors  or  elders  with  their  flocks,  asso- 
ciated for  personal  communion  in  public  worship  and  holy 
living.  These  settled  churches  they  gave  orders  to  for  their 
direction,  and  preservation,  and  reformation:  these  they 
took  the  chief  care  of  themselves,  and  exhorted  their  elders 
to  fidelity  in  their  work.  They  gave  command  that  none 
should  forsake  such  assemblies;  and  they  so  fully  describe 
them,  as  that  they  cannot  easily  be  misunderstood.  All  this 
is  proved.  Acts  xiv.  23.  Titus  i.  5.  Rom.  xvi.  1.  1  Cor. 
xi.  18.  20.  22.  26.  xiv.  4,  6.  12.  19.  23.  28.  33,  34. 
Col.  iv.  i6.  Acts  xi,  26.  xiii;  1.  1  Cor.  xvi.  1,  2.  Acts 
xiv.  27.  XV.  3.  to  omit  many  more.  Here  are  proofs  enow 
that  such  particular  churches  were  '  de  fticto'  settled  by  the 
apostles,  Heb.  x.  25.  "  Forsake  not  the  assembling  of  your- 
selves together."  So  James  ii.  2.  they  are  called  aynA- 
gogues. 

2.  It  is  confessed  that  there  is  a  natural  necessity  of 
such  stated  churches  or  assemblies,  supposing  but  the  in- 
stitution of  the  worship  itself  which  is  there  performed  :  and 
if  so,  then  we  may  say  that  the  law  of  nature  itself  doth 
partly  require  them. 

(1.)  It  is  of  the  law  of  nature,  that  God  be  publicly  wor- 
shipped, as  most  expositors  of  the  fourth  commandment  do 
confess. 

(2.)  It  is  of  the  law  of  nature  that  the  people  be  taught 
to  know  God  and  their  duty,  by  such  as  are  able  and  fit  to 
teach  them. 

(3.)  The  law  of  nature  requireth,  that  man  being  a  so- 
ciable creature,  and  conjunction  working  strongest  afiec- 
tions,  we  should  use  our  sociableness  in  the  greatest  mat- 
ters, and  by  conjunction  help  the  zeal  of  our  prayers  and 
prases  of  God. 


QUEST.  LVI.]      CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  377 

(4.)  God's  institution  of  public  preaching,  prayer  and 
praise,  are  scarce  denied  by  any  Christians. 

(5.)  None  of  these  can  be  publicly  done  but  by  assem- 
bling. 

(6.)  No  assembly  can  suffice  for  these  without  a  minister 
of  Christ ;  because  it  is  only  his  office  to  be  the  ordinary 
teacher,  and  to  go  before  the  people  in  prayer  and  praise, 
and  to  administer  the  Lord's  supper,  which  without  a  mi- 
nister may  not  be  celebrated,  because  Christ's  part  cannot 
be  otherwise  performed,  than  by  some  one  in  his  name,  and 
by  his  warrant,  to  deliver  his  sealed  covenant  to  the  recei- 
Ters,  and  to  invest  them  visibly  in  the  benefits  of  it,  and  re- 
c^eive  them  that  offer  themselves  in  covenant  to  him. 

(7.)  li  is  also  a  ministerial  duty  to  instruct  the  people 
personally,  and  to  watch  over  them  at  other  times.  Acts  xx. 
20.  28.  And  to  be  examples  of  the  flock,  1  Pet.  v.  1 — 3. 
To  have  the  rule  over  the  people,  and  labour  among  them, 
and  admonish  them,  1  Thess.  v.  12.  Heb.  xiii.  7.  17.  1 
Tinu  V.  17.  To  exercise  holy  discipline  among  them,  Titus 
ill.  10.  Matt,  xviii.  17,  18.  1  Cor.  v.  To  visit  the  sick 
and  pray  over  them,  James  v.  14.  Yea,  to  take  care  of  the 
poor.  See  Dr.  Hammond  on  1  Cor.  xii.  28.  And  all  this 
cannot  possibly  be  well  done  by  uncertain,  transient  minis- 
ters, but  only  by  a  resident,  stated  pastor,  no  moire  than 
transient  strangers  can  rule  all  our  families,  or  all  the  Chris- 
tian Ipngdoms  of  the  world. 

(8.)  And  as  this  cannot  be  done  but  by  stated  pastors, 
go  neither  on  transient  persons  ordinarily:  for  who  can 
teach  them  that  are  here  to-day  and  gone  to-morrow  ?  When 
the  pastor  should  proceed  from  day  to  day  in  adding  one 
instmction  to  another,  the  hearers  will  be  gone,  and  new 
ones  in  their  place.  And  how  can  vigilancy  and  discipline 
be  exercised  on  such  transient  persons,  whose  faults  and 
cases  will  be  unknown?  Or  how  can  they  mutually  help 
each  other?  And  seeing  most  in  the  world  have  fixed  habi- 
tationsy  if  they  have  not  also  fixed  church-relations,  they 
mast  leave  their  habitations  and  wander,  or  else  have  no 
chnrch-commonion  at  all. 

(9.)  And  as  this  necessity  of  fixed  pastors  and  flocks  in 
confessed,  so  that  such  '  de  facto'  were  ordinarily  scitiliiil  by 


378  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  (PART    1II« 

tbe  apoBtles^  it  before  prof«d«  if  any  Soiiptare6  m&y  pass 
for  proof. 

The  i|i8tiiiitioii  and  settlement  then  of  particolar  wor- 
shipping churches  is  out  of  doubt.  And  so  that  two  fonns 
^  church-goyemment  are  '  jure  divkio/  the  uniyersal  church 
fbraa.  and  the  particular. 

4.  Beaides  this^  in  the  apostles'  days  there  were  under 
Christ  in  the  church  universal,  many  general  officem  that 
had  the  care  of  gathering  and  oyerseeing  churches  up  aad 
dk>wn>  and  were  fixed  by  stated  relation  unto  none.  Suoh 
were  tht  apostles,  eyangelists,  and  many  of  their  helpers  in 
Aeir  days.  And  most  Christian  churches  think  that  though 
the  apostolical  extraordinary  gifts,  prtyileges,  and  offices 
cease,  yet  government  being  an  ordinary  part  of  their  work, 
the  same  form  of  government  which  Christ  and  the  Holy 
Ghost  did  settle,  in  the  first  age,  were  settled  for  all  follow- 
ing ages,  though  not  with  ihe  same  extraordinary  gifts  and 
adjuncts.  Because,  L  We  read  «of  die  settling  of  thai  form, 
(viz.  general  officers  as  well  tfs  particular)  but  we  never  read 
•f  any  abolition,  discharge,  or  cessation  of  the  institution. 
2.  Because  if  we  affirm  a  cessation  without  proof,  we  seem 
4o  accjuae  God  of  jnntability,  as  settlii^  one  form  of  govern- 
mentforone  age  >oaly,  and  no  longer.  3.  And  we  leave 
iTOom  for  audacious  wits  accordingly  to  question  other  GKmk 
pel  institutioDs,  as  pastors,  sacraments,  &c.  and  to  say  thaft 
they  were  but  for  one  age.  4.  It  was  general  officeia  thsit 
Christ  promised  to  be  with  to  the  end  of  the  world  <>. 

Now  either  this  will  hold  tme  or  not.  If  not,  then  this 
igeneral  ministry  is  to  be  numbered  with  the  hnman  ad^ 
^ions  to  be  nexi  treated  of.  If  it  do,  then  here  is  anotfier 
fpart  of  the  form  of  government  proved  to  be  of  Divine  in- 
-Btitotion.  I  say  not,  another  church,  <for  I  find  nothing 
'oaUed « church  in  the  New  Testament,  but  the  universal 
ichnroh  and  the  porticnlacr) ;  but  another  part  of  the  gofvem- 
mantof  both  chnrcfaes,  universal  and  particular;  beeanw 
suth  geneml  officers  are  so  in  the  universal,  ns  to  liava  a 
gennnd  oversight  •of  the  particular;  as  an  army  is  headed 
only  by  the  general  himself,  and  a  regiment  by  Ae  colonel, 
and  a  troop  by  the  captain ;  bat  the  general  officers  ^  the 
army  (the  iimitfinants  general,  the  majors  general,  tee,)  «n 

1  Matt,  xxviii.  20. 


i 


aUEST.  I.VI.]     CHKISTIAN   ECCLESIASTICS.  370 

under  4he  lord  general  in  and  over  the  army,  and  have  a  ge- 
neral oversight  of  the  parttcviar  tyodies  (regiments  and 
troops).  Now  if  this  be  the  instituted  form  of  Christ's 
church-government,  that  he  himself  rule  absolutely  as  gene- 
ral>  and  that  be  hath  some  general  officers  under  him  (not 
any  one  having  a  charge  of  the  whole,  but  in  the  whole  an- 
;Ax€dly,  or  as  they  voluntarily  part  their  provinces,)  and  thai 
^mck  particular  church  have  its  own  proper  pastor  (one  or 
more),  then  who  can  say,  that  '  No  form  of  church-govern- 
nent  is  of  Divine  appointment  or  command  V 

O^ect.  But  the  question  is  only  whether  any  sole  form 
be  of  God's  commanding?  And  whether  another  may  mH 
have  as  much  said  for  it  as  diis  ? 

Antw.  Either  you  Inean  *  Another  instead  of  this,  as  a 
«OBipetitor,'  or  '  Another  part  conjunct  with  these  parts.' 

1.  If  the  first  be  your  sense  then  you  have  two  works  'to 
do.  1.  To  prove  that  these  before  mentioned  were  mirtaUe 
tUBtitutions,  or  diat  they  were  settled  but  disjunctively  with 
scHne  other,  and  the  choice  was  left  indifferent  to  men.  2. 
To  prove  the  institution  of  your  other  form  (which  you  sup- 
pose left  with  this  to  men's  free  choice). 

But  I  have  already  proved,  that  both  the  general  and 
particalar  church-form  are  settled  for  continuance  as  un- 
obai^eable  ordinances  of  Ood.  I  suppose  you  doubt  not 
of  the  continuance  of  Christ's  supremacy,  and  so  of  the 
ittuversal  form :  and  if  yon  will  prove  that  church-assem- 
blies wtdi  their  pastors  may  cease,  and  some  other  way  sup- 
ply the  room,  you  must  be  strange  ^itd  singular  under- 
'takers.  The  other  two  parts  of  the  government  (by  general 
toffioersy  and  by  oonsociation  of  chunshes)  are  more  dis- 
:p«ted ;  bat  it  is  the  circumstances  of  'the  last  only  that  is 
OMitToverted  and  not  the  thing ;  and  for  the  other  1  fiMll 
<iiow  add  nothing  to  what  I  have  said  elsewhere  ^. 

2.  Bat  if  you  only  mean  that  another  part  of  tike  form 
mmj  be  'jure  divino '  as  well  as  this,  that  will  but  prove  still 
tlwt  some  form  is  'jure  divino.' 

B«t  3.  If  you  mean,  that  Ood  having  instituted  the  forms 
MOW  proved,  hath  left  man  at  liberty  to  add  more  of  his  own, 
I  akaJl  tiow  eome  to  ^examine  that  oase  ako. 


n  ""Ou^au tl Cku^k^jimmrmmnit, 


»» 


380  CHRISTIAN  DIRECTORY.  [PART  III» 

Quest.  Lv II.  Whether  amf  forms  of  churches,  and  church-go- 
vemment,  or  any  new  church  officers,  may  lawfully  be  in- 
vented and  made  by  man  ? 

Answ.  To  remove  ambiguities,  1.  By  the  word  '  forms  * 
may  be  meant  either  that  relative  form  of  such  aggregate 
bodies  which  is  their  essence,  and  denominateth  them  es- 
sentially ;  or  only  some  accidental  mode  which  denominatr 
eth  them  but  accidentally. 

2.  By  churches  is  meant  either  holy  societies  related  by 
the  foundation  of  a  Divine  institution ;  or  else  societies  re- 
lated  by  accident,  or  by  human  contract  only. 

3.  By  '  Church-government '  is  meant,  either  that  go- 
vernment formally  ecclesiastical,  which  constituteth  a 
church,  of  Christ's  making ;  or  else  some  government  about 
the  matters  of  the  church,  which  is  formally  either  magis- 
tratical  or  human,  (by  contract)  &c. 

4.  So  by  church-officers  are  meant,  either  such  as  are 
accounted  essential  to  a  church  in  the  pure  Christian  sense ; 
or  integral  at  least  (as  deacons^ ;  or  else  such  as  are  ac- 
counted but  accidental  to  it,"  and  essential  only  to  the  hu- 
man form.     And  so  I  answer, 

1.  As  there  are  some  things  *  circa  sacra,'  or  accidents 
of  God's  special  church-worship,  which  are  left  to  human 
prudence  to  determine  of,  so  the  same  human  prudence  may 
determine  who  shall  do  them.  As  e.  g.  Who  shall  repair 
the  buildings  of  the  church ;  the  windows,  the  bells,  the 
pulpits,  the  tables.  Sec.  ;  who  shall  keep  the  clock ;  who 
shall  keep  the  cups,  cloths,  and  other  utinsils ;  who  shall 
be  the  porter,  the  keeper  of  the  books.  Sec. ;  who  shall  call 
the  people  to  church,  or  ring  the  bells,  or  give  them  notice 
of  chtirch-assemblies  ;  who  ishall  make  bread  for  the  sacra- 
ment, or  provide  wine,  or  bring  'water  for  baptism ;  who 
shall  make  the  graves,  and  bury  the  dead,  or  attend  mar- 
riages, or  baptizings,  &o. ;  who  shall  set'  the  tune  of-  the 
psalm,  or  use  the  church-music  (if  there  be  any) ;  who 
shall  summon  any  of  the  people  on  any  just  occasion  to 
come  to  their  pastors ;  who  shall  sununon  the  pastors  to  any 
synod,  or  lawful  assembly,  and  give  them  notice  of  the  time 
and  place ;  when  they  are  to  meet,  who  shall  be  called  first, 
and  who  second;  who  shall  sit  highest,  and  who  lowest; 


QUEST.  LVII.]     CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  381 

who  shall  take  the  votes,  or  moderate  or  guide  the  ^spu- 
tations  of  the  assembly ;  who  shall  be  the  scribe,  and  re- 
cord what  is  done ;  who  shall  send  abroad  their  agreements, 
and  who  shall  be  the  church-messenger  to  carry  them.  The 
agents  of  such  circumstantials  may  be  chosen  by  the  ma- 
gistrate, or  by  the  churches,  or  pastors,  as  is  most  conve- 
nient. Though  I  doubt  not  but  in  the  beginning  the  dea^ 
cons  were  mere  servants  to  the  pastors,  to  do  as  much  of 
such  circumstantial  work  as  they  were  able ;  of  which  ser- 
Ting  at  tables,  and  looking  to  the  poor,  and  carrying  bread 
and  wine  to  the  absent,  &c.  were  but  parts  ;  and  all  went 
under  the  name  of  ministering  to  the  pastors  or  churches. 
And  therefore  they  seem  to  be  such  an  accidental  office,  ap- 
pointed by  the  apostles,  on  such  common  reasons,  as 
magistrates  or  churches  might  have  appointed  them,  if  they 
had  not. 

2.  If  one  will  call  all  or  many  of  these,  *  church-officers/ 
and  another  will  not,  it  is  but  a  strife  about  names,  which 
one  will  use  more  largely  and  the  other  more  narroy^ly  or 
strictly* 

3.  If  magistrates  by  authority,  or  the  churches  by  agree- 
ment, shall  distribute  the  country  for  conveniency  into  pa- 
rishes (not  making  all  to  be  church-members  that  dwell  in 
those  precincts,  but  o^ermining  that  all  persons  that  are  fit 
in  those  proximities,  and  they  only,  shall  be  members  of  that 
particular  church)  and  then  shitU  denominate  the  church 
from  this  accident  of  place,  it  is  but  what  is  left  to  their 
discretion. 

4.  And  if  the  said  magistrates  or  churches  shall  divide  a 
kingdom  into  provinces,  and  say,  that  whereas  God  com- 
mandeth  us  the  use  of  correspondencies,  mutual  advice,  and 
synods,  for  the  due  help,  concord,  and  communion  of 
cliurches,  and  all  things  must  be  done  in  order  and  to  edifi- 
cation ;  therefore  we  determine  that  so  many  churches  shall 
■lake  up  such  a  synod,  and  the  churches  of  such  a  district 
akall  nuike  up  another  synod,  and  so  shall  be  specially  re- 
lated to  each  other  for  concord  as  advisers,  all  this  is  but 
the  prudent  determining  of  church  circumstances  or  acci- 
dents left  to  man. 

6.  And  if  they  shall  appoint  that  either  a  mi^strate  or 
one  pastor  shall  be  for  order's  sake  the  appointer  of  the  times 


399  CHRISTIAN   DIBBCTORY.  [PABT  HI. 


and  places  of  vMeting*  or  the  president  oS  the  ^jpnod*  to 
gitlate  atMJ!  ordet  proceedings*  and  keep  peace,  ae  ia  ^SasMh 
said*  it  is  but  an  accident  of  the  sacred  work  wbick  raao 
may  determine  of.  Therefore  a  layman  may  be  aoch  a  pre- 
sident or  regulator. 

&  And  if  they  will  caU  this  man  by  the  name  of  % 
church^gOTeraor,  who  doth  but  a  common  part  therein*  and 
Arom  thence  will  call  this  associaticm  or  proTinee  by  the 
name  of  a  churoh,  which  is  but  a  company  of  ohurohes  aa^ 
tociated  for  concord  and  oounsel,  the  name  maketh  it  sot 
another  thing  than  it  is  without  that  name ;  and  the  name 
may  be  lawful  or  unlawful  as  times  and  probable  conat- 
qaents  make  it  fit  or  unfit  as  to  use. 

7*  So  much  of  church  matters  as  ia  left  to  the  magia* 
trale's  goremment*  may  be  under  monarchy,  aristociaey^  ot 
democracy*  and  under  such  subordinate  officers  as  the  as* 
preme  ruler  shall  appoint. 

8.  And  if  the  magistrate  will  make  assemblies  or  eooB* ' 
cils  of  paators*  to  be  his  councils*  ^d  require  them  fire* 
quently  to  meet  to  advise  him  in  the  performance  of  his  own 
trust  and  work  about  religion  and  the  churcha  he  may  ac- 
cordingly distribute  them  into  provinces  for  that  use*  or 
order  such  circumstances  as  he  please* 

9.  And  if  a  province  of  churohealbe  called  one  oburcJi* 
because  it  is  under  one  magistrate,  or  a  nation  of  churches 
called  a  national  church,  because  it  is  under  one  king*  or 
many  kingdoms  or  an  empire  called  one  Catholic  chuieh, 
because  they  are  all  under  one  emperor ;  it  must  be  con* 
fessed  that  this  question  is  but  '  de  nomine*  ^  and  not 
*  de  re. ' 

And  further,  1.  That  in  sacred  things  that  which  is  of 
Divine  and  primary  institution  is  the  *  famosius  analogatam*' 
and  not  that  which  is  but  formed  by  man.  2.  That  when 
such  an  ambiguous  word  is  used  without  explication  or  ex* 
plicating  circumstances,  it  is  to  be  taken  for  the  *  ftunoaiHS 
analogatum.'  3.  That  in  this  case  the  word  church  or 
ohurch-form  is  certainly  ambiguous  and  not  unequivocal. 
4.  That  a  nflitional,  imperied,  or  provincial  church  as  headed 
by  a  king,  emperor,  magistrate,  or  any  head  of  man's  ap* 
pointment,  is  another  thing,  froia  a  church  of  Christ's  insti- 
tution ;  and  is  but  an  accident  or  adjunct  of  it :  and  the 


QUBST.  LVil.]     CURiSTiAN  ECCLB^I^STICS.  393 

head  of  t^e  bomtta  form^  if  called  the  head  of  the  chmcb  of 
Christ,  it  but  an  accidental  head,  and  not  constitutire. 
And  if  Christ's  churches  be  denominated  from  such  a  head, 
they  are  denominated  but  from  an  accident,  as  a  man  may 
be  denominated  clothed  or  unclothed,  clothed  gorgeously 
or  sordidly,  a  neighbour  to  this  man  or  that,  &c.  It  is  no 
ficurmal  denomination  of  a  church  in  the  first  acceptation,  as 
it  signifieth  the  '  famosius  analogatum ;'  though  otherwise 
many  kind  of  societies  may  be  called  '  ecclesise'  or  '  costus ;' 
but  dirines  should  not  lo?e  confusion. 

10.    It  seemeth  to   me  that  the  first  distribution  of 
churches  in  the  Roman  empire,  into  patriarchal^  primates, 
metropolitical,  provincial,  diocesan,  were  only  the  determi- 
nation of  such  adjuncts  ^or  extrinsic  things,  partly  by  the 
emperors,  and  partly  by  the  church's  consent  upon  the  em- 
peror's permission ;  and  so  that  these  new  church  govern- 
ments were  partly  magistratical,  or  by  power  derived  £rom 
the  emperors,  and  partly  mere  agreements  or  contracts  by 
degrees  degenerating  into  governments;  and  so  the  new 
forms  and  names  are  all  but  accidental,  of  adjuncts  of  the  true 
Christian  churches.      And  though  I  cannot  prove  it  unlaw- 
ful to  make  such  adjunctive  or  extrinsic  constitutions,  forms, 
and  names,  considetring  the  matter  simply  itself,  yet  by  acci- 
dent these  accidents  have  proved  such  to  the  true  churches, 
as  the  accident  of  sickness  is  to  the  body,  and  have  been 
the  causes  of  the  divisions,  wars,  rebellions,  ruins,  and  confii- 
(uons  of  the  Christian  world.     1.  As  they  have  served  the 
covetonsness  and  ambition  of  carnal  men.     2.  And  have  en^ 
abled  them  to  oppress  simplicity  and  sincerity.    3«  And  be- 
canse  princes  have  not  exercised  their  own  power  them- 
selves, nor  committed  it  to  lay-officers,  but  to  churchmen. 
4.  whereby  the  extrinsic  government  hath  so  degenerated, 
and  obscured  the  intrinsic  and  been  confounded  with  it,  that 
both  going  under  the  equivocal  name  of  ecclesiastical  go- 
vernment, few  churches  have  had  the  happiness  to  see  them 
practically  distinct  ^     Nay,  few  divines  do  clearly  in  their 
pontroversy  distinguish  them :  (though  Marsilius  Patavinus 

r  Which  tempteth  the  Erutians  to  deny  and  pull  dotvD  both  togieiher,  becaiue 
fhey  find  one  in  the  pastor's  hands  which  belongeth  to  the  loagistrate,  and  we  do  not 
tneh  them  lu  nntwUt  and  separate  thani. 


3B4  CHRIStlAN  DIRBCtORV.  [^ART    Ilt« 

and  some  few  more  have  formerly  given  them  very  fair  light, 
yet  hath  it  been  but  slenderly  improved). 

11.  There  seemeth  to  me  no  readier  and  directer  way, 
to  reduce  the  churches  to  holy  concord,  and  true  reformat 
tion>  than  for  the  princes  and  magistrates  who  are  the  ex- 
trinsic rulers,  to  re-^assume  their  own,  and  to  distinguish 
openly  and  practically  between  the  properly  priestly  or  pas- 
toral intrinsic  office,  and  their  extrinsic  part,  and  to  strip 
the  pastors  of  all  that  is  not  intrinsically  their  own  (it  being 
enough  for  them,  and  things  so  heterogeneous  not  well  con*- 
sisting  in  one  person) :  and  then  when  the  people  know 
what  is  claimed  as  from  the  metgistrate  only,  it  will  take  off 
most  of  their  scruples  as  to  subjection  and  consent. 

12.  No  mortal  man  may  abrogate  or  take  down  the  pas- 
toral office,  and  the  intrinsic,  real  power  thereof,  and  the 
church-form  which  is  constituted  thereby ;  seeing  God  hath 
instituted  them  for  perpetuity  on  earth. 

13.  But  whether  one  church  shall  have  one  pastor  or 
many  is  not  at  all  of  the  form  of  a  particular  church ;  but  it 
is  of  the  integrity  or  gradual  perfection  of  such  churches  as 
need  many,  to  have  many,  and  to  others  not  so :  but  it  is  to 
be  varied  as  natural  necessity  and  cause  requireth. 

14.  The  nature  of  the  intrinsic  office  or  power  (anon  to 
be  described)  is  most  necessary  to  be  understood  as  distinct 
from  the  power  of  magistrates,  by  them  that  would  truly  un- 
derstand this.     The  number  of  governors  in  a  civil  state 
make  that  which  is  called  a  variety  of  forms  of  common- 
wealths, monarchy,  aristocracy  or  democracy :  because  conn 
manding  power  is  the  thing  which  is  there  most  notably  ex- 
ercised, and  primarily  magnified.     And  a  wiser  and  better 
man,  yea,  a  thousand  must  stand  by  as  subjects,  for  want  of 
authority  or  true  power ;  which  can  be  but  in  one  supreme, 
either  natural  or  political  person ;  because  it  cannot  consist 
in  the  exercise  with  self-contradiction.     If  one  be  for  war, 
and  another  for  peace,  &c.,  there  is  no  rule.    Therefore  the 
many,  must  be  one  collective  or  political  person,  and  most 
consent  or  go  by  the  major  vote  or  they  cannot  govern* 
But  that  which  is  called  government  in  priests  or  ministers, 
is   of  another  nature;  it  is  but  a  secondary   subservient 
branch  of  their  office  :  the  first  parts  are  teaching  and  guid- 
ing the  people,  as  their  priests,  to  God  in  public  worship : 


QUEST.  LYII.]   CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  385 

and  they  govem  them  by  teaching,  and  in  order  to  further 
teaching  and  worshipping  God ;  and  that  not  by  might,  but 
by  reason  and  love.  Of  which  more  anon.  Therefore  if  a 
sacred  congregation  be  taught  and  conducted  in  public  wor- 
ship, and  so  governed  as  conduceth  hereunto,  whether  by 
one,  two,  or  many,  it  no  more  altereth  the  form  of  the  church, 
than  it  doth  the  form  of  a  school,  when  a  small  one  hath  one 
schoolmaster,  and  a^reat  one  four:  or  of  a  hospital,  when 
a  small  one  hath  one  physician,  and  a  great  one  many ;  see- 
ing that  teaching  in  the  one,  and  healing  in  the  other  is  the 
main  denominating  work,  to  which  government  is  but  sub- 
servient in  the  most  notable  acts  of  it. 

15.  No  mortal  man  may  take  on  him  to  make  another 
diurch,  or  another  office  for  the  church,  as  a  divine  thing, 
on  the  same  grounds,  and  of  the  same  nature  pretendedly  as 
Christ  hath  made  those  already  made.  The  case  of  adding 
new  church  officers  or  forms  of  churches,  is  the  same  with  that 
of  making  new  worship  ordinances  for  God,  and  accordingly 
to  be  determined  (which  I  have  largely  opened  in  its  place). 
Accidents  may  be  added.  Substantial  of  like  pretended 
nature  may  not  be  added;  because  it  is  an  usurping  of 
Christ^s  power,  without  derivation  by  any  proved  commis- 
sion ;  and  an  accusing  of  him,  as  having  done  iiis  own  work 
imperfectly. 

16.  Indeed  no  man  can  here  make  a  new  church  officer 
of  this  intrinsic  sort,  without  making  him  new  work,  which 
is  to  make  new  doctrine,  or  new  worship  (which  are  forbid- 
den) :  for  to  do  God's  work  already  made  belongs  to  the  of- 
fice already  instituted.  If  every  king  will  make  his  own  of- 
ficers, or  authorize  the  greater  to  make  the  less,  none  must 
presame  to  make  Christ  officers  and  churches  without  his 
commission. 

17.  No  man  must  make  any  office,  church  or  ordinance, 
which  is  corruptive  or  destructive,  or  contrary  or  injurious 
to  ike  offices,  churches  and  ordinances  which  Christ  himself 
hath  made.  This  Bellarmin  confesseth,  and  therefore  I  sup- 
pose Protestants  will  not  deny  it.  Those  human  officers 
which  usurp  the  work  of  Christ's  own  officers,  and  take  it 
out  of  their  hands,  do  malignantly  fight  against  Christ's  in- 
stitutions: and  while  they  pretend  that  it  is  but  preserving 
and  not  corrupting  or  opposing  additions  which  they  make. 

▼OL.  V.  c   c 


386  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

and  yet  with  these  words  in  their  months,  do  either  give 
Christ's  officers'  work  to  others,  or  hinder  and  oppress  his 
officers  themselves,  and  by  their  new  chorchrforms  under- 
mine or  openly  destroy  the  old,  by  this  eiEpression  of  their 
enmity  they  confute  themselves. 

18.  This  hath  been  the  unhappy  case  of  the  Roman 
frame  of  church  innovations,  as  yon  may  observe  in  the  par- 
ticulars of  its  degeneracy. 

(1.)  Councils  were  called  general  or  ecumenical  in  respect 
to  one  empire  only :  and  they  thence  gtew  to  extend  the 
name  to  the  whole  world :  when  they  may  as  well  say,  that 
Constantine,  Martian,  &c.,  were  emperors  of  the  whole 
world,  seeing  by  their  authority  they  were  called. 

(2.)  These  councils  at  first  were  the  emperor's  councils 
called  to  direct  him  what  to  settle  in  church  orders  by  his 
own  power;  but  they  were  turned  to  claim  an  imposing 
authority  of  their  own  to  command  the  churches  as  by  com* 
mission  from  God. 

(3.)  These  councils  at  first,  were  only  for  counsel^  or  for 
agreement  by  way  of  contract  or  mutual  consent  to  the 
particular  bishops :  but  they  degenerated  into  a  fonn  of 
government,  and  claimed  a  ruling  or  commanding  power. 

(4.)  The  patriarchs,  primates  and  metropolitans,  at  first 
claimed  but  a  power  about  circumstantials  extrinsical  to 
the  pastoral  office,  such  as  is  the  timing  and  placing  of 
councils,  the  sitting  above  others.  Sec.  And  the  exercise 
of  some  part  of  the  magistrate's  power  committed  to  them, 
that  is,  the  deposing  of  other  bishops  or  pastors  from  their 
station  of  such  liberty  and  countenance  as  the  magistrat* 
may  grant  or  deny  as  there  is  cause.  But  in  time  they  de- 
generated to  claim  the  spiritual  power  of  the  keys,  over  the 
other  bishops,  in  point  of  ordination,  excommunication^  ab* 
solution. 

(6.)  These  patriarchs,  primates  and  metropolitans  at  first 
claimed  their  extrinsic  power  but  from  man,  that  is,  eithsr 
the  consent  and  agreement  of  the  churches,  or  the  grant  of 
the  emperors :  but  in  time  they  grew  to  claim  it  as  of  Divine 
or  apostolical  appointment,  and  as  unalterable. 

(6.)  At  first  they  were  taken  only  for  adjuncts,  omamend, 
supports  or  conveniences  to  the  churches:  but  afterwudft 
they  pretended  to  be  integral  parts  of  the  chniph  univwrssl. 


QUEST.  LVII.]   CHRISTIAN  BCCLESIASTiCS.  387 

and  at  last  the  pope  would  needs  be  an  essential  put ;  and 
his  cardinals  must  claim  the  power  of  the  church  universal 
in  being  the  choosers,  of  an  universal  head,  or  a  king-priest 
and  teacher  for  all  the  Christians  of  the  world. 

(7.)  At  first  laymen  (now  called  chancellors,  fcc.)  were 
only  the  bishops'  counsellers,  or  officers  to  the  magistrate  or 
them,  in  performing  the  extrinsical  work  about  church  ad- 
juncts, which  a  layman  might  do :  but  at  last  they  came  to 
exercise  the  intrinsic  power  of  the  keys  in  excommunica- 
tions and  absolutions,  &c. 

(8.)  At  first  a  number  of  particular  churches  consoeiated 
with  their  several  bishops,  were  taken  to  be  a  community  or 
company  of  true  churches  prudentially  cantonized  or  distri- 
buted and  consoeiated  for  concord :  but  after  they  grew  to 
be  esteemed  proper  politiced  societies,  or  churches  of  Divine 
appointment,  if  not  the  *  Ecclesia  minimse,'  having  turned 
the  particular  churches  into  oratories  or  chapels,  des- 
troying. Ignatius's  character  of  one  church,  *  To  every 
church  there  is  one  altar,  and  one  bishop  with  his  presby- 
ters and  deacons/  Abundance  more  such  instances  may 
be  given. 

Okfect.  Wherever  we  find  the  notion  of  a  church  particu- 
lar, there  must  be  government  in  that  church :  and  why  a 
national  society  incorporated  into  one  civil  government, 
joining  into  the  profession  of  Christianity,  and  having  a 
light  thereby  to  participate  of  Gospel  ordinances,  in  the 
conTenient  distributions  of  them  in  the  particular  congre- 
gations, should  not  be  called  a  church,  I  confess  I  can  see 
BO  leason.    - 

Ammo.  1.  Here  observe,  that  the  question  is  only  of  the 
i,  (whether  it  may  be  called  a  church,)  and  not  of  the 
(whether  all  the  churches  in  a  kingdom  may  be  under 
one  king,  which  no  sober  man  denieth). 

2.  Names  are  at  men's  disposal  much :  but  I  confess  I 
had  lather  the  name  had  been  used  no  otherwise,  or  for  no 
other  societies  than  Scripture  useth  it.  My  reasons  are,  (1.) 
Because  when  Christ  hath  appropriated  or  specially  applied 
one  name  to  the  sacred  societies  of  his  institution,  it  seem- 
eth  somewhat  bold  to  mak^  that  name  common  to  other  so- 
eieties.  (2.)  Because  it  tendeth  to  confusion,  misunder- 
stSttdiBg,  and  to  oh^ish  errors  and  controversies  in  the 


388  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART    III. 

churches,  when  all  names  shall  be  made  common  or  ambig- 
uous, and  holy  things  shall  not  be  allowed  any  name  proper 
to  themselves,  nor  any  thing  can  be  known  by  a  bare  name 
without  a  description.  If  the  name  of  Christ  himself  should 
be  used  of  every  anointed  king,  it  would  seem  not  a  little 
thus  injurious  to  him.  If  the  name,  '  Bible,'  '  Scripture/ 
•  Preachers,'  8cc.,  be  made  common  to  all  that  the  notation  of 
the  names  may  extend  to»  it  will  introduce  the  aforesaid  in- 
conveniences ;  so  how  shall  we  in  common  talk  distinguish, 
between  sacred  societies  of  Divine  institution  and  of  human, 
if  you  will  allow  us  no  peculiar  name,  but  make  that  com- 
mon which  Christ  hath  chosen  ? 

.  3.  And  that  the  name  is  here  used  equivocally  is  mani- 
fest. For  the  body  political  is  informed  and  denominated 
from  the '  pars  impemns/  the  governing  part  or  head :  there- 
fore as  a  head  of  Divine  institution,  authorized  for  the  spi- 
ritual or  pastoral  work,  denominateth  the  society  according- 
ly;  so  a  civil  head  can  make  but  a  civil  society,  and  a  head 
of  man's  making,  but  a  human  society.  It  is  certain  that 
Christ  hath  appointed  the  episcopal  or,  pastoral  of&ce,  and 
their  work,  and  consequently  episcopal  or  pastoral  churches; 
and  it  is  certain  that  a  king  is  no  constitutive  part  of  one  of 
these  churches,  but  accidental ;  and  therefore  that  he  is  an 
-accidental  head  to  a  pastoral  church  as  such,  to  which  the 
pastor  is  essential. 

Therefore  if  you  will  needs  call  both  these  societies 
'churches',  you  must  distinguish  them  into  pastoral 
churches,  and  regal  churches,  or  magistratical  churches; 
for  the  word  *  national,'  notifieth  not  the  government  which 
is  the  constitutive  part ;  and  may  be  used  of  consociated 
churches,  though  under  many  civil  governors  (as  in  the 
Saxon  Heptarchy). 

So  that  our  question  is  much  like  this, '  Whether  all  the 
grammar  schools  in  England  as  under  one  king  may  be  cal- 
led one  national  school?'  Answ,  Not  without  unfitness, 
and  inconveniencies :  but  rather  than  breed  any  .quarrel, 
they  may  call  them  so  that  please  :  but  1.  They  must  con- 
fess that  a  particular  school  is  the  '  famosius  significatum.'> 
2.  That  the  king  is  king  of  schoojs,  but  not  a  schoolmaster, 
nor  a  constitutive  part  of  a  school.  3.  That  if  you  will 
needs  denominate  them  from  the  regent  part»  as  one,  you 


QUEST.  LVII.]     CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  389 

must  call  them  all  one  royal  school,  if  you  will  leave  the 
well-known  sense  of  words  for  such  uncouth  phrases.  But 
give  us  leave  to  call  the  body  which  is  essentiated  by  ^ 
king,  by  the  name  of  a  kingdom  only,  though  it  have  in  it 
many  schools,  academies,  colleges,  cities,  churches,  which 
they  that  please  may  call  one  royal  school,  academy,  college, 
city  and  church,  if  they  love  confusion. 

4.  Christianity  giveth  men  right  to  communion  in  par- 
ticular churches,  when  they  also  make  known  their  Chris- 
tianity to  the  bishops  of  those  churches,  and  are  received 
(as  stated  or  transient)  members  by  mutual  consent ;  but 
not  otherwise :  nor  doth  mere  regal  government,  give  any 
subject  right  to  church  communion,  except  by  a  church  you 
mean  a  kingdom. 

Object .  *  A  particular  churcH  then  I  would  describe  thus. 
It  is  a  society  of  men  joined  together  in  the  visible  profes- 
sion of  the  true  faith,  having  a  right  to,  and  enjoying 
among  them,  the  ordinances  of  the  Gospel.' 

Answ.  1.  When  you  tell  us  by  your  description  what 
you  will  mean  by  '  a  particular  church,'  we  may  understand 
your  denomination  :  but  yet  while  it  is  unusual,  you  must 
not  expect  that  other  men  so  use  the  word.  Had  you  cal- 
led your  description  a  definition,  I  would  have  asked  you, 

1.  Whether  by  '  a  society'  you  mean  not  strictly  a  political 
society  constituted  by  a  '  Pars  gubemans,  et  gubemata? ' 
If  not,  it  is  no  church  save  equivocally.  If  so,  should  not 
the  '  Pars  regens'  which  is  constitutive  have  been  put  in  ?  If 
private  men  join  together,  &c.,  it  makes  but  d  community. 

2.  A  right  to  Gospel  ordinances  is  supposed,  but  need  not 
.be  in  the  definition.  3.  The  enjoying  of  them,  is  not  essen- 
tial to  a  church.  The  relation  may  continue,  when  the  en- 
joyment is  a  long  time  hindered.  4.  *  Among  them'  is  a 
Tery  ambiguous  word :  is  it  among  them  in  the  same  place  ; 
or  in  the  same  country  or  kingdom ;  or  in  the  same  world  ? 
If  you  difierence  and  define  them  not,  by  relation  to  the  same 
bishops  or  pastors,  and  by  intended  personal  holy  commu- 
nion, your  description  confoundeth  the  universal  church, 
as  well  as  the  national,  with  a  particular  church  ;  for  the 
whole  Christian  world,  is  '  a  society  of  men  joining  together 
in  the  visible  profession  of  the  true  faith,  having  a  right  to, 
and  enjoying  among  them  the  ordinances  of  the  GospeU' 


S80  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTOHY.  [PART  III. 

Object,  '  A  nation  joining  in  the  profession  of  Christian- 
ity is  a  true  charch  of  Ood  ;  wh^ice  it  evidently  foUoweth^ 
tiiat  there  must  be  a  form  of  ecclesiastical  government  over 
a  nation  as  a  churchy  as  virell  as  of  civil  government  over  it, 

as  a  society  governed  by  the  same  laws. For  every  »o- 

ciety  must  have  its  goyemment  belonging  to  it  €i8  sach  a 
society :  and  the  same  reason  that  makes  government  neoes* 
sary  in  any  particular  congregation,  will  make  it  necessary 
for  all  the  particular  congregations,  joining  together  in  one 
visible  society,  as  a  particular  national  church,  for  the  unity 
and  peaoe  of  that  church,  ought  much  more  to  be  looked  af- 
ter tlian  of  any  one  particular  congregation,  8cc 

Amw,  1.  From  one  absurdity  many  follow :  our  contro- 
versy before  was  but  of  the  name :  if  an  accidental  royal  or 
civil  head  may  eqvivooally  denominate  an  ecclesiastical  so- 
ciety, and  we  grant  you  the  use  of  an  equivocal  name  (or  ra- 
ther the  abuse)  you  will  grow  too  hard  upon  us,  if  thence 
you  will  gather  a  necessity  of  a  real  ecclesiastical  policy, 
besides  the  ciyil.  Names  abused  infer  not  the  things  signi- 
fied by  an  unequivocid  term. 

'2.  You  «mst  first  prove  the  form  of  government,  and 
thence  infer  the  denomination,  and  not  contrarily,  first  beg 
the  name,  and  then  infer  the  government. 

3.  If  yet  by  a  form  of  ecclesiastical  government,  yoa 
meant  nothing  bnt  the  king's  extrinsic  government,  which 
you  may  as  well  call  also  a  form  of  school-government,  of 
eoUege-'govemment,  &c.,  we  would  grant  ycm  all.  But  if  I 
oan  understfltod  you,  you  now  speak  of  ecclesiastical  govern- 
ment as  distinct  from  that.     And  then, 

4.  You  are  now  grown  up  from  a  may  be,  to  a  must  be, 
mid  necessity;  and  a  greater  necessity  of  one  national 
ecclesiastical  government,  than  of  a  particular  diuvdi  gov- 
ernment; which  being  undemably  of  Christ's  tnstttntien 
(by  the  Holy  Ghost  in  the  apostles)  you  do  not  make  id 
forms  to  be  indifferent,  or  deny  this  to  be  ^ jure  divino.' 
What!  necessary  and  more  necessary  than  4hat  which  is 
'  jure  divino,'  and  yet  uMlifferent  and  not  ^  jure  divino  ?  ^  if 
you  say.  It  is  necessary  only  on  supposition  that  there  be  a 
national  church :  I  answer.  But  your  reasons  evidently  iflftr 
that  it  is  also  necessary  that  there  be  snch  a  national  ohmMsh 
whefe  it  may  be  had ;  though  yoa  deny  the  neoeMity  of 


QUEST.  LVII.]  CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  391 

monarchical  government  by  one  high  priest  in  it.  But  I 
know  you  call  not  this  a  foim  of  government,  unless  as  do- 
terminately  managed  by  one,  many  or  most.  But  why  a 
national  spiritual  policy  as  distinct  from  congregational, 
may  not  be  called  a  form  of  government,  as  well  as  one  man 
is  distinct  from  two,  over  the  same  people,  I  see  not :  but 
this  is  at  your  liberty.  But  your  necessity  of  such  a  na- 
tional regimen  is  a  matter  of  greater  moment. 

In  these  three  senses  I  confess  a  national  church.  1. 
As  all  the  Christians  in  a  nation  are  under  one  civil  church 
governor.  2.  As  they  are  consociated  for  concord,  and 
meet  in  synods  or  hold  correspondences.  3.  As  they  are 
all  a  part  of  the  universal  church,  cohabiting  in  one  nation. 
But  all  these  are  equivocal  uses  of  the  word  *  church  ; '  tl^e 
denomination  being  taken  in  the  first  from  an  accident ;  in 
the  second  the  name  of  a  policy  being  given  to  a  communi- 
ty agreeing  for  concord ;  in  the  third  the  name  of  the  whole 
is  given  to  a  small  integral  part. 

But  the  necessity  of  any  other  church,  headed  by  your 
ecclesiastical,  national  governor,  personal  or  collective,  mo- 
narchical, aristocratical  or  democratical,  I  utterly  deny,  and 
find  not  a  word  of  proof  which  I  think  I  have  any  need  to 
furnish  the  reader  with  an  answer  to. 

5.  And  your  judgment  in  this  is  downright  against  the 
constitution,  canons  and  judgment  of  the  national  church  of 
England ;  for  that  they  use  the  word  in  the  sense  allowed 
by  me,  and  not  in  yours  is  proved,  (1.)  From  the  visible 
constitution  in  which  there  is  (besides  the  king)  no  distinct 
ecclesiastical  head.  For  the  archbishop  of  Canterbury  is 
Qot  the  proper  governor  of  the  archbishop  of  York  and  his 
province. 

(2.)  From  the  canons.  Can.  cxxxix.  **  A  national  sy- 
nod is  the  church  representative  ;  whosoever  «hall  affirm  that 
the  sacred  synod  of  this  nation,  in  the  name  of  Christ  and 
by  the  king*s  authority  assembled,  is  not  the  true  church  of 
l^Qgland  by  representation,  let  him  be  excommunicated," 
&c.  So  that  the  synod  is  but  the  representative  church ; 
and  therefore  not  the  political  head  of  the  church :  whether 
it  be  the  laity,  or  the  whole  clergy  or  both,  which  they  re- 
present, representation  of  those  that  are  no  national  head, 
maketh  them  not  a  national  head. 


392  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.         [PART    IH. 

(3.)  From  the  ordinary  judgment  of  episcopal  divines, 
(maintained  by  Bishop  Bilson  and  many  others  at  lai^e, 
against  the  Papists)  that  all  bishops  '  jure.divino'  are  equal 
and  independent,  further  than  human  laws,  or  agreements, 
or  difference  of  gifts  may  difference  them,  or  as  they  are 
bound  to  consociation  for  concord. 

6.  How  shall  I  deny  not  only  the  lawfulness,  but  the 
necessity  of  such  a  Papacy  as  really  was  in  the  Roman  Em- 
pire, on  your  grounds?  I  have  proved  against  W.  Johnson 
that  the  pope  was  then  actually  but  the  head  of  the  Impe- 
rial churches,  and  not  of  all  the  world.  And  if  there  must 
be  one  national  ecclesiastical  head  under  one  king,  why  not 
one  also  in  one  empire  ?  And  whether  it  be  one  monarch, 
or  a  collective  person,  it  is  still  one  political  person  which 
is  now  in  question.  (Either  a  ruling  pope,  or  a  ruling  aris- 
tocracy or  democracy,  which  is  not  the  great  matter  in  con- 
troversy.) 

7.  And  why  will  not  the  same  argument  carry  it  also,  for 
one  universal  visible  head  of  all  the  churches  in  the  world? 
at  least  as  lawful?  At  least  as  far  as  human  capacity  and 
converse  will  allow  ?  And  who  shall  choose  this  universal 
head?  And  who  can  lay  so  fair  a  claim  to  it  as  the  pope? 
And  if  the  form  be  indifferent,  why  may  not  the  churches  by 
consent  at  least,  set  up  one  man  as  well  as  many  ?  Whether 
you  carry  it  to  an  imperial  church,  or  a  Papal,  to  a  patriar- 
chal, or  provincial,  or  national,  till  you  have  proved  it  to 
be  of  Divine  iif^titution,  (and  particular  churches  to  be  un- 
necessary, alterable  and  of  human  institution)  I  shall  never 
grant  you  that  it  is  to  be  preferred  before  that  which  is  un- 
questionably of  God.  For  though  I  easily  grant  that  all  the 
churches  of  a  nation,  empire  or  the  world,  are  to  be  more 
esteemed  and  carefully  preserved,  than  one  bishop's  or  pas- 
tor's particular  church ;  yet  I  will  not  grant  you  that  your 
human  policy  is  more  necessary  to  the  safety  of  all  these 
churches  than  the  Divine.  For  the  safety  of  these  churches 
may  be  better  preserved  by  God's  three  great  means  (1.  The 
polity  of  particular  churches  with  the  conduct  of  their  pre- 
sent faithful  bishops  or  pastors.  2.  The  loving  consocia- 
tion of  neighbour  churches  for  concord.  3.  The  protection 
^d  couQtenanc^  of  magistrates)  without  any  new  church- 


QUK8T.  LVII.]   CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  3P3 

form,  (or  national,  or  imperial,  or  universal  pastor)  than 
with  it. 

Nay  when  that  sort  of  usurpation  hath  been  the  very  en- 
gine of  dividing,  corrupting  and  undoing  the  Christian 
churches  above  ja  thousand  years,  we  are  not  easily  persua- 
ded now,  that  yet  it  is  either  necessary  or  desirable. 

8.  But  the  best  and  easiest  way  to  discern  how  far  the 
making  new  churches  or  church  offices  is  lawful  or  unlaw- 
ful, is  by  trying  it  by  the  quality  of  their  office-work.  For 
it  is  the  work  which  giveth  us  the  description  of  the  office; 
and  the  office  of  the  ruling  part,  which  giveth  us  the  defini- 
tion of  the  church,  which  that  office  constituteth. 

The  work  which  the  new  human  officer  is  to  do,  is  either, 
1.  The  same  which  God  hath  already  appointed  bishops  or 
pastors  to  do,  or  at  least  the  unfixed  ministers  in  the  univer- 
sal church.  2.  Or  it  is  such  as  he  hath  appointed  magis- 
trates to  do.  3.  Or  it  is  such  as  belongeth  to  private  and 
laymen.     4.  Or  it  is  somewhat  different  from  all  these. 

1.  If  it  be  of  the  first  sort,  it  is  a  contradiction.  For 
men  that  are  by  office  appointed  to  do  the  same  work  which 
ministers  are  already  appointed  to  do,  are  not  a  new  office, 
but  ministers  indeed,  such  as  Christ  hath  instituted  :  for 
the  office  is  nothing  but  an  obligation  and  authority  to  do 
the  work. 

2.  If  it  be  the  same  work  which  belongeth  to  the  magis- 
trate, then  it  is  no  new  office,  for  they  are  magistrates. 

3.  If  it  be  that  which  belongeth  to  private  men,  by  God's 
appointment,  they  cannot  disoblige,  themselves  by  transfer- 
ring it  to  a  new  officer. 

4.  If  it  be  none  of  all  these,  what  is  it?  I. doubt  it  may 
prove  some  needless  or  rather  sinful  work,  which  God  com- 
mitted to  none  of  these  three  sorts,  and  therefore  unfit  to 
make  a  church-office  of.  Unless  it  be  such  as  I  before  des- 
cribed and  granted.  (1.)  I  confess  that  the  magistrate  may 
make  new  inferior  officers,  to  do  his  own  part  (as  church-jus- 
tices, churchwardens,  &c.).  (2.)  I  grant  that  Jthe  people 
may  make  an  office  for  the  better  doing  of  some  parts  of 
their  own  work :  they  may  make  collectors,  doorkeepers, 
artists  by  office,  to  keep  the  clock,  and  bells,  and  church- 
buildings,  &c.,  if  the  magistrates  leave  it  to  them. 

(3.)  1  grant  that  the  bishops  or  pastors  may  do  some  cir- 


394  CHRISTIAN  DIRECTORY.  [PART  |I|r 

cumsiances  of  their  work  by  human  officers  ;  as  to  facili- 
tate their  concord  in  synods,  by  choosing  one  to  preside,  to 
choose  time  and  place,  to  send  messengers  to  take  votes,  to 
moderate  disputes,  to  record  agreements,  &c  ,  as  aforesaid : 
and  these  circumstantials  are  the  things  that  officers  may  be 
made  for. 

But  the  very  modes  and  circumstances  which  are  part  of 
the  work  to  which  every  bishop  or  pastor  is  obliged,  he  caa* 
not  commit  to  another;  as  to  choose  his  text,  subject, 
method,  words,  &c.  These  are  parts  of  his  own  work; 
though  concord  in  these  is  the  work  of  many. 

Now  what  is  the  work  besides  all  these  that  we  must 
have  new  churches  or  offices  made  for?  Is  it  to  govern  all 
these  bishops  and  churches  ?  How  ?  By  the  Word  or  by 
the  sword  ?  If  by  the  sword,  the  magistrate  is  to  do  it;  if 
by  the  Word  (or  spiritual  authority)  either  Ood  hath  made 
such  an  office  as  archbishops  or  general  bishops  over  many, 
or  he  hath  not ;  if  he  have,  we  need  no  new  human  office  for 
it,  God  having  provided  for  it  already ;  if  not,  but  God  hath 
left  all  bishops  independent,  aad  to  learn  of  one  another,  as 
equals  in  office,  and  unequal  only  in  gifts,  then  either  such 
an  office  is  fit  and  necessary,  or  not.  If  it  be,  you  accuse 
God  of  omission  in  not  appointing  a  bishop  over  bishops  as 
well  as  a  bishop  of  the  lowest  order.  If  not,  then  by  what 
reason  or  power  will  you  make  new,  needless  officers  in  the 
church  ?  When  Cyprian  and  his  Carthage  council  so  ve- 
hemently disclaimed  against  being 'Episcopi  Episcoporum?' 

19. 1  would  fain  know  whether  those  new  made  churches 
of  human  and  not  of  Divine  fabrication,  (whether  universal 
(or  Papal),  patriarchal,  provincial,  8cc.)  were  made  by  former 
churches,  or  by  no  churches.  If  by  no  churches,  then  either 
by  other  societies  or  by  single  persons :  if  by  other  so- 
cieties, by  what  power  do  they  make  new  churches  to 
Christ,  who  are  themselves  no  churches  ?  If  by  single  per- 
sons, either  they  are  before  church-members,  or  not :  if  not, 
how  can  those  make  new  churches  that  be  not  so  much  as 
members  of  chiurches,  without  a  commission  firom  Christ? 
But  if  either  former  churches  or  their  members  made  these 
new  churches,  then,  (1.)  It  foUoweth  that  there  were  another 
sort  of  churches  before  these  new  <Mr  human  churches.  And 
if  so,  either  those  otiker  that  made  these  were  themselves 


QUEST.  LYII.]  CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  395 

made  of  Qod  or  not.  And  so  the  qnestion  will  run  up  till 
you  bring  it  either  to  some  church  of  God's  making  which 
made  these  other^  or  some  person  commissioned  to  do  it. 
If  you  say  the  first,  then  he  that  will  confess  that  there  is  a 
species  of  churches  of  Christ's  institution,  and  a  species  not 
of  his  institution,  must  prefer  the  former,  and  must  well 
prove  the  power  of  making  the  latter.  And  so  they  must 
do,  if  they  say  that  it  was  done  by  particular  persons  that 
were  no  particular  church-members.  For  if  Christ  com- 
missioned them  to  settle  any  one  species  of  churches,  those 
are  to  be  esteemed  settled  by  Christ.  (2.)  But  if  you  say  that 
Christ  left  them  to  vary  the  species  of  churches  as  they  saw 
cause,  and  so  on  to  the  end  of  the  world,  1.  You  must  well 
prove  it.  2»  It  is  before  disproved ;  (unless  you  take  the 
WH^rd  church  equivocally). 

20.  Lastly,  all  Christians  are  satisfied  of  Christ's  autho- 
rity ;  and  therefore  in  that  they  can  agree ;  but  so  they  are 
not  of  any  human  church-maker's  authority  ;  and  therefore 
in  ihat  there  will  never  be  an  agreement ;  therefore  such 
new  churches,  and  ecclesiastical  o:ovemments  will  be  but 
(as  they  ever  have  been)  the  engines  of  division  and  ruin  in 
the  churches ;  and  the  species  of  Gbd's  making,  with  the 
mutability  of  mutable  adjuncts  and  circumstances,  will  best 
preserve  the  church's  peace. 

But  if  the  true  nature  of  pastoral  or  ecclesiastical 
government  were  well  understood,  it  would  put  an  end 
to  all  these  controversies.  Which  may  be  mostly  gathered 
jfrom  what  is  said  before.  To  which  I  will  add  this  little 
following. 
• 

Quest.  Wherein  ccmsisteth  the  true  nature  of  pastoral  iJwarch 

government  f 

Answ.    1.   Not  in  any  use  of  the  sword,  or  corporal 
force. 

2.  Not  in  a  pow«r  to  contradict  (Jod's  Word. 

3.  Not  in  a  power  co-ordinate  with  Christ's,  to  do 
his  proper  work,  or  that  which  hath  the  same  grounds, 
reasons,  and  nature. 

4.  Not  in  an  unquestionable  empire,  to  command 
things  which  none  must  presume  to  examine,  or  judge  of 


396  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

by  a  discerning  judgment,  whether  they  be  forbidden  by 
God  or  not. 

5.  Not  now  in  making  a  new  Word  of  God,  or  new  ar- 
ticles of  faith,  or  new  universal  laws,  for  the  whole  church. 

6.  Not  in  any  thing  which  derogates  from  the  true  power 
of  magistrates,  or  parents,  or  masters. 

But  1,  It  is  a  ministerial  power,  of  a  messenger  or  ser- 
vant, who  hath  a  commission  to  deliver  his  master's  com- 
mands and  exhortations  *. 

2.  As  it  is  over  the  laity  or  flocks,  it  is  a  power  in  the 
sacred  assemblies  to  teach  the  people  by  office,  and  to  be 
their  priests  or  guides  in  holy  worship  ^ ;  and  to  rule  the 
worship-actions  for  the  time,  length,  method,  and  orderly 
performance  of  them  ". 

3.  As  to  particular  persons,  it  is  the  power  of  the  church- 
keys,  which  is,  1.  To  judge  who  is  meet  to  be  by  baptism 
taken  into  the  church.  2.  To  reprove,  exhort,  and  instruct 
those  that  by  vice  or  ignorance,  in  order  to  repentance,  or 
knowledge,  or  confirmation  do  need  the  pastoral  help  ^  3. 
To  judge  who  is  to  be  forbidden  church-communion  aa  im- 
penitent ;  or  at  least,  with  whom  that  church  must  be  for- 
bidden to  communicate.  4.  To  judge  who  is  meet  for  ab- 
solution as  a  penitent.  5.  To  deliver  men  peraonally  a 
sealed  pardon  from  Christ  in  his  two  sacraments.  6.  To 
visit  the  sick,  and  comfort  the  sad,  and  resolve  the  doubt- 
ing, and  help  the  poor.  This  is  the  true  church-govern- 
ment, which  is  like  a  philosopher's  or  schoolmaster's  in  his 
school  among  volunteers,  supposing  them  to  have  no  power 
of  the  rod  or  violence  but  only  to  take  in  or  put  out  of 
their  schools  ;  and  what  need  is  there  of  an  universal,  pa- 
triarchal or  national  head,  to  do  any  of  this  work,  which  is 
but  the  government  of  a  personal  teacher  and  conductor ; 
and  which  worketh  only  on  the  conscience  ? 

4.  But  besides  this  there  is  a  necessity  of  agreeing  in 
the  right  management  of  this  work  ;  which  needeth  no  new 
head,  but  only  the  consultations  of  the  several  bishops  or 
pastors,  and  the  magistrate's  civil  rule,  or  extrinsic  episco- 
pacy (as  Constantine  called  it). 

5.  And  besides  this  there  is  need  to  ordain  pastors  and 

•  1  Cor.  IV.  1 ,  2.  •  1  Pet.  V.  1—3.     Matt,  xxviii.  19,  «a 

"  lThe8s.v.  12,1:).   <  »  tTim.lv.  I— 3.5.       ^ 


QUEST.  LVIII.]      CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  397 

bishops  in  the  church.  And  this  is  not  done  by  any  force 
neither;  but  1.  By  judging  what  men  are  fit.  2.  By  per- 
suading the  people  to  consent  and  receive  them,  and  3.  By 
investing  them  by  a  delivery  of  possession  by  imposition  of 
hands.  Now  for  all  this,  there  needs  no  human  species  of 
bishops  or  churches  to  be  made. 

6.  Besides  this  there  is  need  of  some  oversight  of  these 
pastors  and  ministers  and  fixed  bishops  when  they  are  made  ; 
and  of  some  general  care  of  pastors  and  people,  if  they  de- 
cline to  heresies,  errors,  vices,  or  lukewarmness ;  but  for 
this,  1.  When  magistrates  have  done  their  part.  2.  And 
neighbour  ministers  to  one  another.  3.  And  the  conso- 
ciated  bishops  to  the  particular  ones.  4.  And  unfixed  mi- 
nisters have  done  their  parts  in  the  places  where  occasion- 
ally they  come ;  if  moreover  any  general  pastors  or  arch- 
bishops are  necessary,  to  rebuke,  direct,  and  persuade  the 
bishops  or  their  flocks,  by  messengers,  epistles,  or  in  pre- 
sence, no  doubt  but  God  hath  appointed  such  as  the  sucr 
cessors  of  the  apostles,  evangelists,  and  other  general  minis- 
ters of  those  first  times.  But  if  no  such  thing  be  appointed 
by  Christ,  we  may  be  sure  it  is  not  necessary  nor  best. 

If  it  were  but  considered  that  the  ruling  power  in  the 
church  is  so  inseparable  from  the  teaching  power,  that  it  is 
exercised  by  teaching  and  only  by  God'ft  Word,  (either  ge- 
nerally or  personally  applied)  and  that  upon  none  but  those 
that  willingly  and  by  consent  receive  it,  it  would  quiet  the 
world  about  these  matters.  And  O  that  once  magistrates 
would  take  the  sword  wholly  to  themselves,  and  leave 
church  power  to  work  only  by  its  proper  strength  and  virtue, 
and  then  all  things  would  fall  into  joint  again ;  though  the 
Ithacians  would  be  displeased. 

Quest.  Lviii.  Wftethet'  any  part  of  the  proper  pastoral  or 
episcopal  power  may  be  given  or  deputed  to  a  layman,  or  to 
one  of  any  other  ojffice,  or  the  proper  work  may  be  performed 
by  such  f 

Answ,  1.  Such  extrinsical,  or  circumstantial,  or  acci- 
dental actions  as  are  aforementioned  may  be  done  by  de- 
puties or  others  (as  calling  the  church  together,  summoning 
offenders,  recording  actions,  8lc.). 


398  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  HI. 

2.  The  proper  episcopal  or  pastoral  work  or  office  cwk* 
not  be  deputed^  in  whole  or  part,  any  other  way  than  hy 
communication,  which  is,  by  ordination,  or  making  another 
to  be  of  the  same  office.  For  if  it  may  be  done  by  a  laysMui, 
or  one  that  is  not  of  the  same  order  and  office,  then  it  ia  not 
to  be  called  any  proper  part  of  the  pastoral  or  episcopal 
office ;  if  a  layman  may  baptize,  or  administer  the  sacra- 
ment of  Christ's  body  and  blood,  or  may  ordain,  or  excomr 
municate  (ecclesiastically),  or  absolve,  merely  because  a 
bishop  authorizeth  or  biddeth  him,  then,  1.  What  need 
Christ  have  made  an  office-work  of  it,  and  persons  be  de- 
voted and  consecrated  to  it? 

2.  And  why  may  not  the  people's  election  and  the 
king's  commission  serve  to  enable  a  layman  to  do  it  ?  For 
if  commanding  only  be  proper  to  the  bishop  or  pastor,  and 
executing  be  common  to  laymen,  it  is  certain  that  the  king 
may  command  all  bishops  and  pastors  to  do  their  office- 
work  ^  and  therefore  he  may  command  a  layman  to  do  that 
which  a  bishop  may  command  him  to  do. 

3.  And  is  it  not  a  contradiction  to  say  that  a  man  is  a 
layman  or  of  another  order,  who  is  authorized  by  a  bishop 
to  do  a  bishop's  work  or  office  ?  When  as  the  office  itself 
is  nothing  (as  is  oft  said)  but  an  obligation  and  authority  to 
do  the  work.  If  therefore  a  bishop  authorize  and  oblige 
any  other  man  to  do  the  proper  work  of  a  bishop  or  pastor  - 
(to  ordain,  to  baptize,  to  give  the  sacrament  of  the  eucha- 
rist,  to  excommunicate,  to  absolve,  &c.)  he  thereby  maketh 
that  man  a  bishop  or  a  pastor,  whatever  he  call  him. 

Object.  But  doth  not  a  bishop  preach  '  per  alios '  to 
all  his  diocese  ?  And  give  them  the  sacraments  '  per 
alios,'  8cc*? 

Answ,  Let  not  the  phrase  be  made  the  controversy  in- 
stead of  the  matter.  Those  other  persons  are  either  minis- 
ters of  Christ,  or  laymen.  If  laymen,  their  actions  are  un- 
lawfuL  If  ministers,  they  are  commissioned  officers  of 
Christ  themselves,  and  it  is  the  .work  of  their  own  office  . 
which  they  do,  and  it  is  they  that  shall  have  the  reward  or 
punishment.  But  if  preaching  to  all  these  churches  or  giv» 
ing  to  all  these  persons  in  a  thousand  parishes  the  sacra- 
ments, Su>.  were  the  bishops'  or  archbishops'  work,  that  is, 
which  they  are  obliged  to  do,  then  they  would  sin  in  not 


QUEST.  LIX.]       CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  309 

doing  it.  Bat  if  tbey  were  the  governor's  only  of  those  that 
are  obliged  to  do  it,  and  are  not  obliged  to  do  it  themselves, 
then  governing  the  doers  of  it  is  only  .their  work ;  and 
therefore  it  is  but  equivocally  said  that  the  work  is  theirs, 
which  others  and  not  they  are  obliged  to  do  ;  and  that  they 
do  their  work  '  per  alios/  when  they  do  but  govern  those 
others  in  doing  their  own  work. 

Of  this  read  the  Lord  Bacon's  ''  Considerations/'  and 
Orotius  **  de  Imper.  summ.  Potest,  circa  Sacra,"  who 
soundly  resolve  the  case,  against  doing  the  pastoral  work 
*  per  alium.' 

Quest.  LIX.  May  a  layman  preach  or  expound  the  Scriptures  ? 
Or  what  of  this  is  proper  to  the  pastor's  office  ? 

Answ.  1.  No  doubt  but  there  is  some  preaching  or 
teaching  and  expounding  which  a  laymen  may  use.  So 
did  Origen ;  so  did  Constantine  ;  so  may  a  king  or  judge 
on  the  bench  ;  so  may  a  parent  to  his  children,  and 
a  master  to  his  family,  and  a  schoolmaster  or  tutor  to  his 
scholars.. 

2.  It  is  not  any  one  method  or  sermon  fashion  which  is 
proper  to  a  minister  and  forbidden  to  a  layman  :  that  method 
which  is  most  meet  to  the  matter  and  hearers,  may  be  used 
by  one  as  well  as  by  the  other. 

3.  It  is  not  the  mere  publicity  of  the  teaching,  which 
must  tell  us  what  is  unlawful  for  a  layman.  For  writing 
and  printing  are  the  most  public  ways  of  teaching ;  and 
these  no  man  taketh  to  be  forbidden  the  laity.  Scaliger, 
Casaubon,  Orotius,  Erasmus,  Constantine,  King  James,  the 
Lord  Bacon,  and  abundance  more  laymen  have  done  the 
church  great  service  by  their  writings.  And  judges  on  the 
bench  speak  oft  theologically  to  many. 

But  that  which  ia  proper  to  the  ministers  or  pastors  of 
the  church  is,  1.  To  make  a  stated  office  of  it,  and  to  be  se- 
parated, set  apart,  devoted,  or  consecrated  and  appropriated 
to  this  sacred  work ;  and  not  to  do  it  occasionally  only,  or 
sometimes,  or  on  the  bye;  but  as  their  calling  and  the  em- 
plojrment  of  their  lives. 

2.  To  do  it  as  called  and  commissioned  ministers  of 
Christ,  who  have  a  special  nunciative  iind  teaching  autho- 


400  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

rity  committed  to  them ;  and  therefore  are  in  a  special  man- 
ner to  be  heard,  according  to  their  special  authority. 

3.  To  be  the  stated  teachers  of  particular  churches,  as 
their  pastors  and  guides  ;  (though  they  may  sometimes  per- 
mit a  layman  when  there  is  cause  to  teach  them  '  pro  tem- 
pore')* These  three  are  proper  to  the  ministerial  and  pas- 
tor's office. 

But  for  the  regulating  of  laymen's  teaching,  1.  They 
must  statedly  keep  in  their  families/ or  within  their  proper 
bounds. 

2.  They  must  not  presume  to  go  beyond  their  abilities ; 
especially  in  matters  dark  and  difficult. 

3.  They  must  not  thrust  themselves  without  a  just  call 
and  need  into  public  or  numerous  meetings  as  teachers,  nor 
do  that  which  savoureth  of  pride  or  ostentation,  or  which 
tendeth  to  cherish  those  vices  in  others. 

4.  They  must  not  live  or  preach,  as  from  under  the  go- 
vernment of  the  church  pastors  ;  but  being  members  of  their 
flocks,  must  do  all  as  under  their  lawful  oversight  and  gui- 
dance ;  much  less  must  they  proudly  and  schismatically 
set  up  themselves  against  their  lawful  pastors,  and  bring 
them  into  contempt  to  get  themselves  reputation,  and  to 
draw  away  disciples  after  them^. 

5.  Times  and  places  must  be  greatly  distinguished.  In 
infidel  or  grossly  ignorant  countries,  where  through  the 
want  of  preachers  there  is  a  true  necessity,  men  may  go 
much  further  than  in  countries  where  teachers  and  know- 
ledge do  abound. 

Quest.  Lx.   What  is  the  true  seme  of  the  distinction  of  pastoral 
power,  *  inforo  ititeriore  et  exteriore,'  rightly  used  f 

Answ,  r.  Not  as  if  the  pastors  had  any  power  of  the 
sword  or  outward  force,  or  of  men's  bodies  or  estates  im- 
mediately :  for  all  the  pastoral  power  is  immediately  on  the 
soul,  and  but  secondarily  on  the  body,  so  far  as  the  per- 
suaded soul  will  move  it.  Reason  and  love  and  the  autho- 
rity of  a  messenger  of  Christ,  are  all  the  power  by  which 
bishops  or  pastors  as  such  can  work,  '  in  fbro  interiore  vel 
exteriore  ;'  they  rule  the  body  but  by  ruling  the  soul. 

y  Acts  XX.  so.    Heb.  xiii.  7.  17.  «4.     1  Tbest.  ▼.  1«,  13.     1  Tim.  ▼,  17. 


QUEST.  LXI.]     CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  401 

2.  But  the  true  use  of  the  distinction  is  only  to  serve  in- 
stead of  the  usual  distinction  of  public  and  personal  obliga- 
tion. It  is  one  thing  to  satisfy  a  man's  private  conscience 
about  his  own  personal  case  or  matters  ;  and  another  thing 
to  oblige  the  whole  church,  or  a  particular  person,  of  his 
duty  as  a  member  of  the  society  to  the  rest.  When  the 
pastor  absolveth  a  penitent  person,  '  in  foro  interiore/  that 
is,  in  his  own  conscience,  he  delivereth  him  a  discharge  in 
the  name  of  Christ  on  condition  he  be  truly  penitent ;  else 
not.  But '  in  foro  exteriore '  he  actually  and  absolutely  res- 
toreth  him  to  his  visible  state  of  church-communion.  The 
rest  of  the  members  perhaps  may  justly  think  this  man  un- 
like to  prove  a  true  penitent ;  and  then  '  in  foro  interiore ' 
they  are  not  bound  to  believe  him  certainly  penitent  or  par- 
doned by  God ;  but  '  in  foro  exteriore '  that  he  is  restored 
to  church-communion,  and  that  for  order's  sake  they  are 
bound  to  hold  communion  with  him,  they  are  bound  (inter- 
nally) to  believe.  So  that  it  comes  near  the  sense  of  the 
distinction  of  the  secret  judgment  (of  God  and  conscience) 
and  church  judgment 

Quest.  LXI.  In  what  sense  is  it  true  that  same  say,  that  the  ma" 
gistrate  only  hath  the  external  govemtnent  of  the  church,  and 
the  pastors  the  internal  ? 

Amw.  1.  Not  as  external  and  internal  are  opposed  in  the 
nature  of  the  action.  For  the  voice  of  the  pastor  in  preach- 
ing is  external,  as  well  as  the  king's. 

2.  Not  as  they  are  opposed  in  the  manner  of  reception. 
For  the  ears  of  the  auditors  are  external  recipients  from  the 
preacher  as  well  as  from  the  king. 

3.  Not  as  distinguishing  the  parts  that  are  to  obey,  the 
duties  commanded,  and  the  sins  forbidden,  as  if  the  king 
ruled  the  body  only  and  the  pastor  the  soul.  For  the  soul 
is  bound  to  obey  the  king,  or  else  the  body  could  not  be 
bound  to  ob^y  him ;  unless  by  cords.  And  the  body  must 
obey  the  preacher  as  well  as  the  soul.  Murder,  drunken- 
ness, swearing,  lying,  and  such  other  external  vices,  are  un- 
der the  pastor's  power  to  forbid  in  Christ's  name,  as  well  as 
the  king's. 

4.  Not  as  if  all  the  external  partn  or  actions  of  religion 

VOL.    V.  D    D 


402  CHRISTIAN    blREClXMtY.  fPART  III. 

were  exempted  from  the  pastoi^s  power.  For  preacUng, 
prayings  reading,  sacraments,  church-assemblies,  are  exter- 
nal parts  of  religion,  and  under  the  pastor's  care. 

But  in  two  respecter  the  external  power  is  only  the 
king's  or  civil  magistrate's.  1.  As  it  is  denominated  from 
the  sword,  or  mulcts,  or  corporal  penalties,  which  is  the  ex- 
ternal means  of  execution ;  though  in  this  respect  the  dis- 
tinction were  far  more  intelligibly  expressed  by  '  The  go- 
vernment by  the  sword,  and  by  the  Sacred  Word"/ 

2.  But  the  principal  sense  of  their  distinction  is  the  same 
with  Constantine's,  who  distinguished  of  a  bishop  without 
and  within  ;  or  of  our  common  distinction  of  intrinsic  and 
extrinsic  government.  And  though  internal  and  external 
have  the  same  signification,  use  maketh  intrinsic  and  extrin- 
sic more  intelligible.  And  by  internal  is  meant  that  power 
which  intrinsically  belongeth  to  the  pastor's  office  as  insti- 
tuted by  Christ ;  i^d  so  is  intrinsical  to  the  pastorship  and 
the  church  (as  preaching,  praying,  sacraments,  the  kejrs  of 
admission,  and  exclusion,  ordination,  &c.).  And  by  exter- 
nal is  meant,  that  which  is  extrinsical  to  the  pastorship  and 
the  church ;  which  princes  have  sometimes  granted  them, 
but  Christ  hath  made  no  part  of  their  office.  In  this  sense 
the  assertion  is  good,  and  clear,  and  necessary ;  that  the 
disposal  of  all  things  '  circa  sacra'  all  accidents  and  circum- 
stances whatsoever,  which  by  Christ's  institution  are  not  in- 
trinsical to  the  pastorship  and  church,  but  extrinsical,  do 
belong  to  the  power  of  kings  and  magistrates. 

Quest.  Lxii.  Is  the  trial,  judgment,  or  cement  of  the  laity  ne- 
cessary to  the  admittance  of  a  member  into  the  umversal  or 
particular  church  ? 

Answ,  1.  It  is  the  pastor's  office  to  bear  and  exetcsie 
the  keys  of  Christ's  church  ;  therefore  by  office  he  is  to  re- 
ceive those  that  come  in  ;  and  consequently  to  be  the  trier 
and  judge  of  their  fitness. 

2.  It  belongeth  to  the  same  office  which  is  to  baptiae, 
to  jud8;e  who  is  to  be  baptized^  otherwise  ministers  should 
not  be  rational  judges  of  their  own  actions,  but  the  ex- 

s  As  Bishop  Bilson  of  Obcdienoe  uaeth  still  to  distingubb  tbem ;  witb  manj 
others  :  see  B.  Carlton  of  Jurisdiction. 


CHAP.  LXIl.]      CHKISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  4QS 

ecvtionera  of  other  men's  judgment*  It  is  mot'e  the 
judging  who  is  to  be  baptized^  which  the  minister's  office 
consisteth  in,  than  in  the  bare  doing  of  the  outward  act  of 
baptizing. 

3.  He  that  must  be  the  ordinary  judge  in  church-admis- 
sions,  is  supposed  to  have  both  ability  and  leisure  to  make 
him  fit ;  and  authority  and  obligation  to  do  the  work. 

4.  The  ordinary  body  of  the  laity  have  none  of  all  these 
four  qualifications,  much  less  all.  1.  They  are  not  ordina- 
rily able ;  so  to  examine  a  man's  faith  and  resolution  with 
judgment  and  skill,  as  may  neither  tend  to  the  wrong  of 
himself  nor  of  the  church  :  for  it  is  great  skill  that  is  re- 
quired thereunto.  2.  They  have  not  ordinarily  leisure  from 
their  proper  callings  and  labours,  to  wait  on  such  a  work  as 
it  must  be  waited  on,  especially  in  populous  places.  3. 
They  are  not  therefore  obliged  to  do  that  which  Uiey  cannot 
be  supposed  to  have  ability  or  leisure  for.  4.  And  where 
they  have  not  the  other  three,  they  can  have  no  authqoty 
to  do  it. 

5.  It  is  therefore  as  great  a  crime  for  the  laity  to  usurp 
the  pastor's  office  in  this  matter,  as  in  preaching,  baptizing, 
or  other  parts  of  it. 

6.  And  though  pride  often  blind  men  (both  people  and 
pastors)  so  as  to  make  them  overlook  the  burden  and  look 
only  at  the  authority  and  honour ;  yet  is  it  indeed  an  intoler- 
rable  injury  to  the  laity,  if  any  would  lay  such  a  burden  on 
them  which  they  cannot  bear,  and  consequently  would  make 
them  responsible  for  the  omissicms  or  misdoing  of  it,  to 
Christ  their  judge. 

7.  There  is  not  so  much  as  any  fair  pretence  for  the  laity 
having  power  to  judge  who  shall  be  received  into  the  uni- 
versal church  :  for  who  of  the  laity  should  have  this  power? 
Not  all,  nor  the  major  vote  of  the  church:  for  who  ever 
•ought  the  votes  of  all  the  Christians  in  the  world,  before 
he  baptized  a  man?  Not  any  (me  particular  churoh  or  pery* 
sons  above  the  rest :  for  they  have  no  right  te  shew  for  it. 
more  than  the  rest. 

8.  It  is  not  in  the  power  of  the  laity  to  keep  a  naan  out 
of  their  own  particular  church-communion,  whom  the  pas* 
tor  receiveth :  because,  as  is  said,  it  is  his  office  to  judg0 
and  bear  the  keys. 


404  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.     .        [PART    III. 

9.  Therefore,  if  it  be  ill  done,  and  an  unworthy  person 
be  admitted,  the  consciences  of  the  people  need  not  accuse 
themselTes  of  it,  or  be  disturbed,  because  it  is  none  of  their 
employment. 

10.  Yet  the  liberty  of  the  church  or  people,  mast  be 
distinguished  from  their  governing  power,  and  their  execut- 
ing duty  from  the  power  of  judging.  Aud  so,  1.  The  people 
are  to  be  guided  by  the  pastors  as  volunteers,  and  not  by 
violence :  and  therefore  it  is  the  pastor's  duty,  in  all  doubt- 
ful cases,  to  give  the  people  all  necessary  satisfaction,  by 
giving  them  the  reasons  of  his  doings,  that  they  may  under- 
standingly  and  quietly  obey  and  submit.  2.  And  in  case 
the  people  discern  any  notable  appearance  of  danger,  by  in- 
troducing heretics  and  grossly  impious  men  to  corrupt  the 
church,  and  by  subverting  die  order  of  Christ,  they  may  go 
to  their  pastors  to  desire  satisfaction  in  the  case.  3.  And 
if  by  open  proof  or  notoriety  it  be  certain,  that  by  igno- 
rance, fraud,  or  negligence  the  pastors  thus  corrupt  the 
church,  the  people  may  seek  their  due  remedy  from  other 
pastors  and  magistrates.  4.  And  they  may  protest  their 
own  dissent  from  such  proceedings.  6.  And  in  case  of  ex- 
tremity may  cast  off  heretical,  and  impious,  and  intolerable 
pastors,  and  commit  their  souls  to  the  conduct  of  fitter  men ; 
as  the  churches  did  against  the  Arian  bishops,  and  as  Cy- 
prian declareth  it  his  people's  duty  to  do ;  as  is  aforesaid*. 

Quest  Lxiii.   What  power  have  the  people  in  church  censwti 

and  excommunication  ? 

« 

Amw.  This  is  here  adjoined,  because  it  requireth  but 
little  more  than  the  foregoing  answer.  1.  As  it  is  the  pas- 
tor's office  to  judge  who  is  to  be  received,  so  also  to  judge 
who  is  to  be  excluded. 

2.  But  the  execution  of  his  sentence  belongeth  to  the 
people  as  well  as  to  himself.  It  is  they  that  either  hold 
communion  with  the  person,  or  avoid  him  ^. 

•  John  XX.  f  1— -«3.  xxi.  15—17.  Matt,  xxviii.  19,  «0.  1  Cor.  !▼.  1,  f.  1 
Tim.  V.  17.  Heb.  xiii.  7. 17.  1  Cor.  v.  3—6. 11.  2  Thcsfc  iii.  6.  10. 14.  Tit  ifi. 
10.  S  John.  Mark  xiii.  9.  J3.  33.  iv.  24.  Matt.  vii.  15,  16.  »▼!.  6.  11,  If. 
Markxii.  38.    Tiii.  15.     Phil.  ii.f,3.     Col.  ii.  8.    1  Pet.  jii.  17.    Matt.xxiv.4. 

>»   lCor.v.3.  6.  11.    2  John.    Tit.  iii.  10.  '. 


QUEST.  LXV.]      CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS. 

3.  Therefore  though  ordinarily  they  must  acquiesce  ia 
the  pastor's  judgment^  yet  if  he  grossly  pfiend  against  the 
law  of  God,  and  would  bring  them,  e.  g.  to  communion  with 
heretics  and  openly  impious,  and  excommunicate  the  ortho- 
dox and  godly,  they  may  seek  their  remedy  as  before. 

Quest.  L  X I V .   What  is  the  people's  remedy  in  case  of  the  pastor's 

mal-administrationf 

Answ.  This  also  is  here  annexed  for  dispatch,  as  being 
almost  sufficiently  answered  already. 

1.  It  must  be  supposed  that  all  church  disorders  and 
mal-administrations  cannot  be  expected  to  be  remedied; 
but  many  while  we  are  sinners  and  imperfect  must  be  borne. 

2.  The  first  remedy  is  to  speak  submissively  to  the  pas- 
tor of  his  faults,  and  to  say  to  Archippus,  '^  Take  heed  to 
the  ministry  which  thou  hast  received^."  And  if  he  hear 
not  more  privately,  for  the  people  more  openly  to  warn  and 
entreat  him ;  not  as  his  governors,  but  as  Christians  that 
have  reason  to  regard  Christ's  interest  and  their  own,  and 
have  charity  to  desire  his  reformation. 

(2.)  The  next  remedy  is,  to  consult  with  the  neighbour 
pastors  of  other  churches,  that  they  may  admonish  him ; 
not  as  his  governors,  but  as  neighbour  pastors  **. 

3.  The  next  remedy  is,  to  seek  redress  from  those  go- 
vernors that  have  power  to  correct  or  cast  out  the  intolera- 
ble. 

4.  The  last  remedy  is  that  of  Cyprian,  to  desert  such  in- 
tolerable pastors. 

But  in  all  this,  the  people  must  be  sure  that  they  pro- 
ceed not  proudly,  ignorantly,  erroneously,  passionately,  fac- 
iiously,  disorderly  or  rashly. 

Quest.  LXV.  May  one  be  a  pastor  or  a  member  of  a  particular 
church  who  liveth  so  far  from  it,  as  to  be  inaqnUfle  of  per- 
sonal communion  with  them  f 

A?isw.  The  name  is  taken  from  the  relation ;  and  the  re- 
lation is  founded  in  capacity,  right,  and  obligation  to  actual 
communion,  duties,  and  privileges ;  1.  He  that  is  so  statedly 

«  Col.  !▼.  17.  *  Act!  «▼. 


406  CHRISTIAN   DIRECTORY.       .      [PART  III. 

distaRt  is  incafiable  statedly  of  comsMmion^  and  therefore 
incapable  of  the  relation  and  name. 

2.  He  that  is  but  for  a  time  accidentally  so  distant,  is 
but  for  that  time  incapable  of  communion  with  them :  and 
therefore  retaineth  capacity,  right,  and  obligation  statedly 
for  the  future,  but  not  for  the  present  exercise.  Therefore 
he  retaineth  the  relation  and  name,  in  respect  to  his  future 
intended  exercise ;  but  not  in  so  plenary  a  sense,  as  he  that 
is  capable  of  present  communion. 

3.  It  is  not  the  length  or  shortness  of  the  time  of  ab- 
sence that  wholly  cutteth  off  or  continueth  the  rdation  and 
name,  but  the  probability  or  improbability  of  a  seasonable 
accession.  For  if  a  man  be  remoyed  but  a  day,  with  a  p«r» 
poae  to  return  no  more,  his  relation  ceaseth.  And  if  a  man 
be  long  purposing  and  probably  like  to  return,  and  by  sick- 
ness or  otherwise  be  hindered,  it  doth  not  wholly  end  his 
relation. 

4.  If  the  delay  be  so  long  as  either  maketh  the  retum 
improbable,  (x  as  necessitateUi  the  chm-ch  to  hay«  anodnr 
statedly  in  the  pastor's  place,  where  they  can  have  but  one, 
and  so  the  people,  by  taking  another,  consent  (thongfa  with 
grief)  to  quit  their  relation  and  title  to  the  former,  there  the 
relation  is  at  an  end. 

5.  It  is  a  delusory  formality  of  some,  that  call  thess- 
selves  members  of  a  separated  (or  other)  church,  from  which 
they  most  ordinarily  and  statedly  live  at  an  utter  distanee, 
and  yet  take  themselves  to  be  no  members  of  the  church 
where  they  live,  and  usually  join  with:  and  aU  because  they 
covenanted  with  one  and  not  with  the  other. 

Quest.  Lxvi.  If  a  man  be  hyurunufy  mupended  or  eztcoonmi- 
nicated  by  the  pastor  or  peopk,  which  way  dmll  he  hme 
remedy? 

• 
AnsuK  As  is  sforesaid  in  the  case  of  mal-administiMion; 
1.  By  admonishing  the  pastor tMr  those  that  wrong  hiaa.  2. 
By  consulting  neighbour  pastors,  that  they  may  admonish 
)»m.  3.  By  the  help  of  rulers»  where  such  are>  and  the 
<dmrch's  good  forbids  it  not.  4.  In  case  e(f  extremitys,  hf 
removing  to  a  church  that  will  not  so  iignre  yo«.  And 
what  needs  there  any  more  save  patience  ? 


QUEST.  LXVIII.]   CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  407 

Quest.  Lxvii.  Doth  presence  always  make  us  guUty  of  the  er^ 
rors  or  faults  of  the  pastor  in  GotTs  worship,  or  of  the 
church  ?     Or  in  what  cases  are  we  guilty  ? 

Answ.  1.  If  it  always  made  us  guilty^  no  man  could  join 
with  any  pastor  or  church  in  the  world,  without  being  a  wil- 
ful sinner.  Because  no  man  worshippeth  God  without  sin, 
in  matter  or  manner^  omission  or  commission. 

2.  If  it  never  made  us  guilty,  it  would  be  lawful  to  join 
with  Mahometans  and  bread-worshippers,  &c. 

3.  Therefore  the  following  decision  of  the  question, '  In 
what  cases  it  is  a  duty  or  a  sin  to  separate,'  doth  decide  this 
case  also.  For  when  separation  is  no  duty,  but  a  sin,  ther^ 
our  presence  in  the  worship  is  no  sin :  but  when  separation 
is  a  duty,  there  our  presence  is  a  sin. 

4.  Especially  in  these  two  cases  our  presence  is  a  sin ; 
L  When  the  very  assembly  and  worship  is  so  bad  as  God 
will  not  accept,  but  judgeth  the  substance  of  it  for  a  sin. 
2.  In  case  we  ourselves  be  put  upon  any  sin  in  communion, 
or  as  a  previous  condition  of  our  communion ;  (as  to  make 
some  false  profession,  or  to  declare  our  consent  to  other 
men's  sin,  or  to  commit  corporal,  visible,  reputative  idola- 
try, or  the  like).  But  the  pastor  and  church  shall  answer 
for  their  own  faults,  and  not  we,  when  we  have  cause  to  be 
present,  and  make  them  not  ours  by  any  sinful  action  o(  our 
own. 

Quest.  Lxviii.  Is  U  lawful  to  commtmicate  iu  the  sacrament 

with  wicked  men  ? 

Answ,  The  answer  may  be  gathered  from  what  is  said 
before. 

1,  If  they  be  so  wicked  for  number,  and  flagitiousness, 
and  notoriety,  as  that  it  is  our  duty  to  forsake  the  church, 
then  to  communicate  with  them  is  a  sin.  Therefore  the  af- 
ter resolution  of  the  just  causes  of  separation  must  be  pe- 
rused. As  if  a  church  were  so  far  defiled  with  heresy,  or 
open  impiety,  that  it  were  justified  by  the  major  vote,  and 
bore  down  faith  and  godliness,  and  the  society  were  become 
incapaUe  of  the  ends  of  church-association  and  communion : 
in  this  and  other  cases  it  must  be  deserted. 


408  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

2.  If  we  do  not  perform  our  own  duty  to  remove  unlaw- 
ful communions,  (whether  it  be  by  admonition  of  the  oflFen- 
der  or  pastor,  or  whatever  is  proved  really  our  duty,)  the 
omission  of  that  duty  is  our  sin.^ 

3.  But  if  we  sin  not  by  omitting  our  own  duty,  it  will  be 
no  sin  of  ours  to  communicate  with  the  church,  where  scan- 
dalous sinners  or  heretics  are  permitted.  The  pastor's  and 
delinquent's  sins  are  not  ours. 

4.  Yea,  if  we  do  not  omit  our  own  duty  in  order  to  the 
remedy,  that  will  not  justify  us  in  denying  communion  with 
the  church  while  wicked  men  are  there.  But  it  will  rather 
aggravate  our  sin,  to  omit  one  duty  first,  and  thence  fetch 
occasion  to  omit  another. 

Quest.  Lxix.  Have  all  the  members  of  the  church  right  to  the 
Lord's  tabled    And  is  suspension  lawful? 

Of  this  see  the  defence  of  the  synod's  propositions  in 
New  England.     I  answer, 

L  You  must  distinguish  between  a  fundamental  right  of 
state,  and  an  immediate  right  of  present  possession ;  or  if 
you  will,  between  a  right  duly  to  receive  the  sacrament,  and 
a  right  to  immediate  reception  simply  considered. 

2.  You  must  distinguish  between  a  questioned,  contro- 
verted right,  and  an  unquestioned  right;  and  so  you  must 
conclude  as  folio weth. 

( 1 .)  Every  church-member,  (at  least  adult,)  as  such,  hath 
the  fundamental  right  of  stated  relation,  or  a  right  diity  to 
receive  the  sacrament ;  that  is,  to  receive  it  understandingly 
and  seriously  at  those  seasons  when  by  the  pastors  it  is  ad- 
ministered. 

(2.)  But  if  upon  faults  or  accusations,  this  right  be  duly 
questioned  in  the  church,  it  is  become  a  controverted  right ; 
and  the  possession  or  admission  may  by  the  bishops  or  pas^ 
tors  of  the  church,  be  suspended,  if  they  see  cause,  while  it 
is  under  trials  till  a  just  decision. 

3.  Though  infants  are  ti*ue  members,  yet  the  want  of  na- 
tural capacity  duly  to  receive  maketh  it  unlawful  to  give 
them  the  sacrament,  because  it  is  to  be  given  only  to  recei- 
vers, and  receiving  is  more  than  eating  and  drinking ;  it  is 
consenting  to  the  covenant,  which  is  the  real  receiving  in  a 


QUEST.  LXIX.]     CHRISTIAN   ECCLESIASTICS.  409 

moral  sense,  or  at  least  consent  professed.  So  that  they 
want  not  a  state  of  right,  as  to  their  relation,  but  a  natural 
capacity  to  receive. 

4.  Persons  at  age  who  want  not  the  right  of  a  stated  re- 
lation, may  have  such  Actual  natural  and  moral  indisposi- 
tions, as  may  also  make  them  for  that  time  unmeet  to  re- 
ceive.    As  sickness,  infection,  a  journey,  persecution,  scat- 
tering the  church,  a  prison.     And  (morally)  1.  Want  of  ne- 
cessary knowledge  of  the  nature  of  the  sacrament,  (which  by 
the  negligence  of  pastors  or  parents  may  be  the  case  of  some 
that  are  but  newly  past  their  childhood).     2.  Some  heinous 
sin,  of  which  the  sinner  hath  not  so  far  repented,  as  to  be 
yet  ready  to  receive  a  sealed  pardon,  or  which  is  so  scanda- 
lous in  the  church,  as  that  in  public  respects  the  person  is 
yet  unfit  for  its  privileges.     3.  Such  sins  or  accusations  of 
sin,  as  make  the  person's  church-title  justly  controverted, 
and  his  communion  suspended,  till   the  case  be  decided. 
4.  Such  fears  of  unworthy  receiving,  as  were  like  to  hurt 
and  distract  the  person,  if  he  should  receive  till  he  were 
better  s&itisfled.     These  make  a  man  incapable  of  present 
reception,  and  so  are  a  bar  to  his  plenary  right :  they  have 
Btill  right  to  receive  in  a  due  manner :  but  being  yet  incapa- 
ble of  that  due  receiving,  they  have  not  a  plenary  right  to 
the  thing. 

5.  The  same  may  be  said  of  other  parts  of  our  duty  and 
privileges.  A  man  may  have  a  relative,  habitual,  or  stated 
right  to  praise  God,  and  give  him  thanks  for  his  justifica- 
tion, sanctification,  and  adoption,  and  to  godly  conference, 
to  exercises  of  humiliation,  8cc.  who  yet  for  want  of  present 
actual  preparation,  may  be  incapable,  and  so  want  a  plenary 
right. 

6.  The  understanding  of  the  double  preparation  neces- 
sary, doth  most  clearly  help  us  to  understand  this  case.  A 
man  that  is  in  an  unregenerate  state,  must  be  visibly  cui*ed 
of  that  state,  (of  utter  ignorance,  unbelief,  ungodliness,)  be- 
fore he  can  be  a  member  of  the  church,  and  lay  a  claim  to 
its  privileges.  But  when  that  is  done,  besides  this  geoeral 
preparation,  a  particular  preparation  also  to  each  duty  is  ne- 
cessary to  the  right  doing  it.  A  man  must  understand  what 
he  goeth  about,  and  must  consider  of  it,  and  come  with 
some  suitable  affections.    A  man  may  have  right  to  go  a 


410  CHRISTIAN  DIRECTORY.  [PART  lil. 

journey^  that  wants  a  hone ;  or  may  have  a  horse  that  is  not 
saddled  :  he  that  hath  clothes  must  put  them  on,  before  he 
is  fit  to  come  into  company :  he  that  hath  right  to  write, 
may  want  a  pen^  or  have  a  bad  one  :  having  of  gracious  ha- 
bits, may  need  the  addition  of  bringing  them  into  such  acta 
as  are  suitable  to  the  work  in  hand. 

Quest.  Lxx.  Is  there  any  such  thing  in  the  church,  as  a  rank  or 

classis,  or  species  of  church-members  at  age,  who  are  not  to 

be  admitted  to  the  Lord's  table,  but  only  to  hearing  the 

Word  and  prayer,  between  infant  members,  and  aduU  con^ 

firmed  ones  ? 

Answ.  Some  have  excogitated  such  a  classis,  or  species, 
or  order,  for  convenience,  as  a  prudent,  necessary  thing ; 
because  to  admit  all  to  the  Lord's  table  they  think  dan- 
'gerous  on  one  side  ;  and  to  cast  all  thai  are  unfit  for  it  out 
of  the  church,  they  think  dangerous  on  the  other  side,  and 
that  which  the  people  would  not  bear.  Therefore  to  pre- 
serve  the  reverence  of  the  sacrament,  and  to  preserve  their 
ewn  and  the  church's  peace,  they  have  contrived  this  middle 
way  or  rank.  And  indeed  the  controversy  seemeth  to  be 
more  about  the  title  (whether  it  may  be  called  a  middle  or- 
der of  mere  learners  and  worshippers)  than  about  the  matter. 
i  have  occasionally  written  more  of  it  than  I  can  here  stay 
to  recite  ;  and  the  accurate  handling  of  it  requireth  more 
words  than  I  will  here  use.  This  breviate  therefore  shall 
be  all. 

1.  It  is  certain  that  such  catechumens  as  are  inBiere  pre- 
paration to  faith,  repentance,  and  baptism,  are  no  chitrdi* 
members  or  Christians  at  all ;  and  so  in  none  of  these  ranks. 

2.  Baptism  is  the  only  ordinary  regular  door  of  entrance 
into  the  visible  church ;  and  no  man  (uoiless  in  extiaordiaary 
cases)  is  ^to  be  taken  (or  a  charch^member  or  visible  Chris- 
tian till  baptized. 

Two  objections  are  brought  against  this.  1 .  The  infimts 
of  Christians  are  church-members  as  such,  before  baptism, 
and  so  are  believers.  They  are  baptised  because  members, 
and  not  members  by  baptism. 

Answ.  This  case  hath  no  difficulty.  1.  A  believteras 
such,  is  a  member  of  Christ  and  the  church  inviBible,  but 


QUEST.  LXX.]      CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  411 

n^t  of  tlie  visible  church,  till  lie  be  an  orderly  professor  of 
that  belief.    And  this  profession  is  not  left  to  every  man's 
will  how  it  shall  be  made,  but  Chrift  hath  prescribed  and 
instituted  a  certain  way  and  manner  of  profession,  which 
•hall  be  the ,  only  ordinary  symbol  or  badge,  by  which  the 
church  shall  know  visible  members  ;  and  that  is  baptism. 
Indeed  when  baptism  cannot  be  had,  an  open  profession 
Without  it  may  serve  ;  for  sacraments  are  made  for  man,  and 
not  man  for  sacraments.     But  when  it  may  be  had,  it  is 
Christ's  appointed   symbol,  '  Tessera,'  and  church  door. 
And  till  a  person  be  baptized,  he  is  but  irregularly  and  in- 
itially a  professor;  as  an  embryo  in  the  womb  is  a  man  ;  or 
as  a  covenant  before  the  writing,  sealing,  and  delivering  is 
initially  a  covenant;   or  as  persons  privately   contracted 
without  solemn  matrimony  are  married ;  or  as  a  man  is  a 
minister  upon  election  and  trial  before  ordination  :  he  hath 
only  in  all  these  cases,  the  beginning  of  a  title,  inrhich  is  not 
complete ;  nor  at  all  sufficient '  in  foro  ecclesise,'  to  make  a 
man  visibly  and  legally,  a  married  man,  a  minister,  and  so 
here  a  Christian.     For  Christ  hath  chosen  his  own  visible 
badge,  by  which  his  church-members  must  be  known. 

2.  And  the  same  is  to  be  said  of  the  infant-title  of  the 
children  of  believers  :  they  have  but  an  initial  right  before 
baptism,  and  not  the  badge  of  visible  Christians.  For  there 
are  three  distinct  gradations  to  make  up  their  visible  Chris- 
tianity. 1.  Because  they  are  their  own,  (and  as  it  were 
parts  of  themselves)  therefore  believers  have  power  and  ob- 
ligation to  dedicate  their  children  in  covenant  with  God. 
2.  Because  every  believer  is  himself  dedicated  to  God,  vnih 
aH  that  is  his  own,  (according  to  his  capacity,)  therefore  a 
believer^s  child  is  supposed  to  be  virtually  (not  actually)  de- 
feated to  0«d  in  his  own  dedication  or  covenant,  as  soon 
as  his  dnld  hath  a  being.  3.  Being  thus  virtually  and  im- 
l^citly  first  dedicated,  he  is  after  actually  and  regularly  de- 
dicated in  baptism,  and  sacmmentally  receiveth  the  badge 
•of  tiie  church;  and  this  maketh  him  a  visible  member  or 
Cfhristiaii,  to  which  die  two  first  were  but  introductory,  as 
conception  is  to  human  nativity. 

Oifect,  '  But  the  9eed  of  believers  as  such  are  in  the  co- 
irtaant ;  and  therefore  church-members.' 

Antw.  The  word  '  Covenant '  here  is  ambiguous :  either 


412  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART    III. 

it  signifieth  God's  law  of  grace,  or  prescribed  terms  for  sal- 
vation, with  his  immediate  offer  of  the  benefits  to  accepters, 
called  the  single  covenant  of  God  ;  or  it  signifieth  this  with 
man's  consent,  called  the  mutual  covenant, -where  both  par- 
ties covenant.  In  the  former  sense,  the  covenant  only  offer- 
eth  church-membership,  but  maketh  no  man  a  church-mem- 
ber, till  consent.  It  is  but  God's  conditional  promise, 
"  If  thou  believe  thou  shalt  be  saved,"  &c.  *  If  thou  give 
up  thyself  and  children  to  me,  I  will  be  your  God,  and  you 
shall  be  my  people.'  But  it  is  only  the  mutual  covenant 
that  maketh  a  Christian  or  church-member. 

Object,  '  The  promise  is  to  us  and  our  children  as  ours.' 

Answ,  That  is,  that  you  and  your  children  dedicated  to 
God,  shall  be  received  into  covenant ;  but  not  otherwise. 
Believing  is  not  only  bare  assenting,  but  consenting  to  the 
covenant,  and  delivering  up  yourselves  to  Christ ;  and  if 
you  do  not  consent  that  your  child  shall  be  in  the  covenant, 
and  deliver  him  to  God  also,  you  cannot  expect  acceptance 
of  him,  against  your  wills ;  nor  indeed  are  you  to  be  taken 
for  true  believers  yourselves,  if  you  dedicate  not  yourselves 
to  him,  and  all  that  are  in  your  power. 

Object.  *  This  offer  or  conditional  covenant  belongeth 
also  to  infidels.' 

Answ.  The  offer  is  to  them,  but  they  accept  it  not.  But 
every  believer  accepteth  it  for  himself,  and  his,  or  devoteth 
to  God  himself  and  his  children  when  he  shall  have  them ; 
and  by  that  virtual  dedication  or  consent,  his  children  are 
virtually  in  the  mutual  covenant;  and  actually  upon  actual 
consent  and  dedication. 

Object.  '  But  it  is  profession  and  not  baptism,  that 
makes  a  visible  member.' 

Answ.  That  is  answered  before  ;  it  is  profession  by  bap- 
tism :  for  baptism  is  that  peculiar  act  of  profession^  which 
God  hath  chosen  to  this  use,  when  a  person  is  absolutely 
devoted,  resigned,  and  engaged  to  God  in  a  solenm  sacra- 
ment, this  is  our  regular  initiating  profession ;  and  it  is  but 
an  irregular  embryo  of  a  profession,  which  goeth  before 
baptism  ordinarily. 

Prtyp.  Z.  The  time  of  infant-membership,  in  which  we 
stand  in  covenant  by  oar  parents'  consent,  cannot  be  deter- 
mined by  duration,  but  by  the  insufficiency  of  reason. 


QUEST.  LXX.]       CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  413 

through  immaturity  of  age,  (or  continuing  idiots)  to  choose 
for  one's  self. 

Prop.  4.  It  is  not  necessary  that  the  doctrine  of  the 
Lord's  supper  be  taught  catechumens  before  baptism ;  nor 
was  it  usual  with  the  ancients  so  to  do  (though  it  may  very 
well  be  done). 

Prop.  5.  It  is  needful  that  the  nature  of  the  Lord's 
supper  be  taught  all  the  baptised  before  they  receive  it, 
(as  was  opened  before,)  else  they  must  do  they  know  not 
what. 

Prop.  6.  Though  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  supper 
seal  not  another,  but  the  same  covenant  that  baptism  seal- 
eth  ;  yet  are  there  some  further  truths  therein  expressed, 
and  some  more  particular  exercises  of  faith  in  Christ's  sa- 
crifice, and  coming,  8cc. ;  and  of  hope,  and  love,  and  grati- 
tude, 8cc.  requisite.  Therefore  the  same  qualifications  which 
will  serve  for  baptism,  justification,  and  adoption,  and  sal- 
vation, are  not  enough  for  the  right  use  of  church- commu- 
nion in  the  Lord's  supper,  the  one  being  the  sacrament  of 
initiation  and  our  new  birth ;  the  other  of  our  confirmation, 
exercise,  and  growth  in  gi*ace. 

7.  Whether  persons  be  baptized  in  infancy  or  at  age,  if 
they  do  not  before  understand  these  higher  mysteries,  they 
must  stay  from  the  exercise  of  them  till  they  understand 
them  ;  and  so  with  most  there  must  be  a  space  of  time  be- 
tween their  baptism  and  fuller  communion. 

8.  But  the  same  that  we  say  of  the  Lord's  supper  must 
be  said  of  other  parts  of  worship  ;  singing  psalms,  praise, 
thanksgivings,  8cc.,  men  must  learn  them,  before  they  can 
practise  them  ;  and  usually  these  as  eucharistical  acts  con- 
cur with  the  Lord's  supper. 

9.  Whether  you  will  call  men  in  this  state,  church-mem- 
bers of  a  middle  rank  and  order,  between  the  baptized,  and 
the  communicants,  is  but  a  '  lis  de  nomine,'  a  verbal  contro- 
versy. It  is  granted  that  such  a  middle  sort  of  men  there 
are  in  the  church. 

10.  It  is  to  be  maintained  that  these  are  in  a  state  of  sal- 
vation, even  before  they  thus  communicate.  And  that  they 
are  not  kept  away  for  want  of  a  stated  relation-title,  but  of 
an*  immediate  capacity,  as  is  aforesaid. 

11.  There  is  no  neceesity,  but  upon  such  unfitness,  i hat 


414  CUKISTIAN    DIKECTORY.  [PAKT  III. 

there  should  be  one  day*8  time  between  bapttam  and  the  aa- 
crament  of  the  Lord's  supper  :  nor  is  it  desirable  ;  for  if  the 
baptized  understand  those  mysteries  the  first  day  they  may 
communicate  in  them. 

12.  Therefore  as  men  are  prepared^  some  may  suddenly 
communicate,  and  some  stay  longer. 

13.  When  persons  are  at  age,  if  pastors^  parents  and 
themselves  be  not  grossly  negligent,  they  may  and  ought  to 
learn  these  things  in  a  very  little  time ;  so  that  they  need 
not  be  settled  in  a  lower  learning  state,  for  any  consid^uble 
time,  unless  their  own  negligence  be  the  cause. 

14*  And  in  order  to  their  learning,  they  have  right  to  be 
spectators  and  auditors  at  the  eucharist,  and  not  to  be  dri- 
ven away  with  the  catechumens,  as  if  they  had  no  right  to 
be  there.  For  it  is  a  thing  best  taught  by  the  practice  to 
beholders. 

15.  But  if  any  shall  by  scandal  or  gross  neglect  of  piety, 
and  not  only  by  ignorance  give  cause  of  questioning  their 
title,  and  suspending  their  possession  of  those  sacred  pri- 
vileges, these  are  to  be  reckoned  in  another  rank,  even 
among  those  whose  title  to  church-membership  itself  be- 
cometh  controverted,  and  must  undergo  a  trial  in  the 
church. 

And  this  much  I  think  may  serve  to  resolve  this  consid- 
erable question. 

Quest.  Lxxi.   Whetker  ajorm  of  primer  be  lawful* 

Answ.  I  have  said  so  much  of  this  and  some  following 
questions  in  many  books  already,  that  to  avoid  repetitioDt  I 
shall  say  very  little  here. 

The  question  must  be  out  of  question  with  all  Chris- 
tians : 

1.  Because  the  Scripture  itself  hath  many  forms  of  pray* 
er ;  which  therefore  cannot  be  unlawful. 

Olj,  *  They  were  lawful  then,  but  not  now.' 

Answ,  He  that  saith  so,  must  prove  where  God  hath 
since  forbidden  them.    Which  can  never  be. 

Ob).  '  They  may  lawfully  be  read  in  Scripture  for  in- 
struction, but  not  used  as  prayers.' 

Answ*  They  were  used  as  prayers  thtn,  and  are  never 


QUEST.LXXII.]  CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  415 

since  forbidden :  yea,  John  and  Christ  did  teach  their  dis- 
ciples to  pray,  and  Christ  thus  prefaceth  his  form,  "  When 

ye  pray,  say** 

2.  All  things  must  be  done  to  edification :  but  to  use  a 
form  of  prayer  is  for  the  edification  of  many  persons,  at 
least  those  that  cannot  otherwise  do  so  well ;  therefore 
those  persons  must  use  a  form.  Full  experience  doth  prove 
the  minor,  and  nothing  but  strangeness  to  men  can  contra- 
dict it. 

Quest.  Lxxii.  Are  farms  of  prayer  or  preaching  in  the  church 

lawful? 

Answ.  Yes :  most  ministers  study  the  methodical  form 
of  their  sermons  before  they  preach  them :  and  many  write 
the  very  words,  or  study  them  :'  and  so  most  sermons  are  a 
form.  And  sure  it  is  as  lawful  to  think  beforehand  what  to 
say  in  praying  as  in  preaching* 

1.  That  which  God  hath  not  forbidden  is  lawful;  but 
Qod  hath  not  forbidden  ministers  to  study  their  sermons  or 
prayers,  either  for  matter,  method  or  words,  and  so  to  make 
them  many  ways  a  form. 

2.  That  which  God  prescribed  is  lawful  (if  he  reverse  it 
not) :  but  God  prescribed  public  forms  of  prayer :  as  the 
titles  and  matter  of  many  of  the  Psalms  prove,  which  were 
daily  used  in  the  Jewish  synagogues. 

Object.  *  Psalms  being  to  be  sung,  are  more  than  pray- 
ers.' 

Answ,  They  were  prayers,  though  more.  They  are  cal- 
led prayers,  and  for  the  matter  many  of  them  were  no  more 
than  prayers,  but  only  for  the  measures  of  words :  nor  was 
their  singing  like  ours  now,  but  more  like  to  our  saying. 
And  there  are  many  other  prayers  recorded  in  the  Scripture. 

3.  And  all  the  churches  of  Christ  at  least  these  thirteen 
or  fourteen  hundred  years  have  taken  public  forms  for  law- 
ful ;  which  is  not  to  be  gainsayed  without  proof. 

«  God  gave  forms  of  prascbing  to  Mom  and  the  prophets :  see  •  large  form  of 
pmyer  for  all  the  people,  Deot.  zxyL  IS — 15.    And  so  elsewhere  there  are  maiij. 


416  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART    III. 

Quest.  Lxxiii.  Are  public  forms  of  man's  devising  or  compo^ 

sing  lawful! 

Answ,  Yes:  1.  The  ministers  afore-mentioned  through- 
out the  Christian  world,  do  devise  and  compose  the  form  of 
their  own  sermons  and  prayers:  and  that  maketh  them  not 
unlawful.  2.  And  whoever  speaketh '  ex  tempore/  his  words 
are  a  form  when  he  speaketh  them,  though  not  a  premedita- 
ted form.  3.  And  when  Scripture  so  vehemently  com- 
mandeth  us  to  search,  meditate,  study  the  Scriptures,  and 
take  heed  to  ourselves  and  unto  doctrine,  8cc.  What  a  per- 
son is  that  who  will  condemn  prayer  or  preaching,  only  be- 
cause we  beforehand  studied  or  considered  what  to  say  ?  As 
if  God  abhorred  diligence  and  the  use  of  reason.  Men  are 
not  tied  (now)  from  thinking  beforehand  what  to  say  to  the 
judge  at  the  bar  for  estate  or  life,  or  what  to  say  on  an  em- 
bassage, or  to  a  king,  or  any  man  that  we  converse  with. 
And  where  are  we  forbidden  to  forethink  what  to  say  to  God  ? 
Must  the  people  take  heed  how  they  hear,  and  look  to  their 
foot  when  they  go  into  the  house  of  God  ?  and  must  not  we 
take  heed  what  we  speak,  and  look  to  our  words  that  they 
be  fit  and  decent? 

OhjecL  '  Forms  are  images  of  prayer  and  preaching,  for- 
bidden in  the  second  commandment? 

Answ.  Prove  it,  and  add  not  to  the  Word  of  God.  1. 
The  Scripture  and  God's  servants,  even  Christ  himself,  had 
broken  the  second  commandment,  when  they  used  or  pre- 
scribed forms.  2.  Forms  are  no  more  images  than  extem- 
porate  words  are,  as  they  signify  our  minds.  Are  all  the 
catechisms,  printed  and  written  sermons  and  prayers,  im- 
ages or  idols  ?  All  forms  that  parents  teach  their  children? 
O  charge  not  such  untruths  on  God ;  and  invent  not  false- 
hoods of  his  Word,  while  you  cry  down  man's  inventions. 

Quest.  Lxxiv.  Is  it  lawful  to  impose  forms  on  the  congrega- 
tion or  the  people  in  public  worship  ? 

Yes,  and  more  than  lawful :  it  is  the  pastor's  duty  so  to 
do.  For  whether  he  forethink  what  to  pray  or  not,  his  pray- 
er is  to  them  a  form  of  words  :  and  they  are  bound  in  all  the 
lawful  parts,  to  concur  with  him  in  Spirit  or  desire,  and  to 


tlUEST.  LXXV.]   CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  417 

say  Amen.  So  that  every  minister  by  office  is  daily  to  im- 
pose a  form  of  prayer  on  all  the  people  in  the  congregation. 
Only  some  men  impose  the  same  form  many  times  over^  or 
every  day,  and*others  impose  every  day  a  new  one. 

Quest.  Lxxv.  Is  it  lawful  to  use  forms  composed  by  man,  and 
imposed  not  only  on  the  people,  but  on  the  pastors  of  the 
churches  ? 

Answ.  The  question  concerneth  not  the  lawfulness  of 
imposing,  but  of  using  forms  imposed.  And  1.  It  is  not 
lawful  to  use  them  merely  on  that  account  because  they  are 
imposed  or  commanded,  without  some  greater  reason  of  the 
unlawfulness.  For  else  it  would  be  unlawful  for  any  other 
to  use  imposed  forms ;  as  for  a  scholar  or  child,  if  the  mas- 
ter or  parent  impose  tbem,  or  for  the  congregation  when  the 
pastor  imposeth  them,  which  is  not  true. 

~  2.  The  using  of  imposed  forms  may  by  other  accidents 
be  sometimes  good  and  sometimes  evil,  as  the  accidents  are 
that  make  it  so. 

1.  These  accidents  may  make  it  evil.  (1.)  When  the 
form  is  bad  for  matter  or  manner,  and  we  voluntarily  prefer 
it  before  that  which  is  better,  being  willing  of  the  imposition. 
(2.)  When  we  do  it  to  gratify  our  slothfulness,  or  to  cover 
our  wilful  ignorance  and  disability.  (3.)  When  we  volun- 
tarily obey  and  strengthen  any  unlawful,  usurping  pastors 
or  powers  that  impose  it  without  authority,  and  so  encou- 
rage church-tyranny.  (4.)  When  we  choose  a  singular 
form  imposed  by  some  singular  pastor,  and  avoid  that  which 
the  rest  of  the  churches  agree  in,  at  a  time  when  it  may 
tend  to  division  and  offence.  (6.)  When  the  weakness  and 
offence  of  the  congregation  is  such,  that  they  will  not  join 
with  us  in  the  imposed  form,  and  so  by  using  it,  we  drive 
them  from  all  public  worship  or  divide  them. 

2.  And  in  the  following  circumstances  the  using  of  an 
imposed  form  is  lawful  and)  a  duty :  (1.)  When  the  min- 
ister is  so  weak  that  he  cannot  pray  well  without  one,  nor 
compose  so  good  a  one  himself.  (2.)  Or  when  the  errors 
or  great  weakness  of  the  generality  of  ministers  is  such,  as 
that  they  usually  corrupt  or  spoil  God's  worship  by  their 
own  manner  of  praying,  and  no  better  are  to  be  had ;  and 

VOL.  v.  E   E 


418  CHRISTIAN' DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

thereupon  the  wise  and  fsdthful  pastors  and  magistrates 
shall  impose  one  sound  and  apt  liturgy  to  avoid  error  fthd 
division  in  such  a  distempered  time ;  and  the  ablest  cannot 
be  left  at  liberty  without  the  relaxing  of  the  rest.  (3.) 
When  it  is  a  means  of  the  concord  of  the  churches,  and  no 
hindrance  to  our  other  prayers.  (4.)  When  our  hearers 
will  not  join  with  us  if  we  use  them  riot:  (for  error  and 
weakness  must  be  borne  with  on  one  side«  as  well  as  on  the 
other.)  (5.)  When  obedience  to  just  authority  requireth 
it,  and  no  command  of  Christ  is  crossed  by  it.  (6.)  When 
the  imposition  is  so  severe  that  We  must  so  worship  God 
publicly,  or  not  at  all ;  and  so  all  God's  public  worship  will 
be  shut  out  of  that  congregation,  country  or  nation^  unless 
we  will  use  imposed  prayers.  (7.)  In  a  word,  when  thfe 
good  consequences  of  obedience,  union,  avoiding  offence, 
liberty  for  God's  public  worship  and  preaching  the  Gospel, 
&c.  are  greater  than  the  bad  consequences  which  are  like  ib 
follow  the  using  of  such  forms  :  the  preponderating  acci- 
dents must  prevail.  (8.)  And  if  a  man's  own  judgment  and 
conscience  cannot  be  satisfied,  to  do  God's  work  comforta- 
bly and  quietly  any  other  way,  it  may  go  far  in  the  determi- 
nation. And  the  common  good  of  many  churches  must  still 
be  preferred  before  a  less. 

Quest.  Lxxvi.  Doth  not  the  calling  of  a  minister  so  cansisi  m 
the  exercise  of  his  own  ministerial  gifts,  that  he  may  not  o^- 
ciate  rvithout  them,  nor  make  use  of  other  men^s  g^s  instead 
of  them? 

Answ,  1.  The  office  of  the  ministry  is  an  obligation  and 
authority  to  do  the  ministerial  work,  by  those  personal, 
competent  abilities  which  God  hath  given  us. 

2.  This  obligation  to  use  our  own  abilities,  forbiddedi 
us  not  to  make  use  of  the  helps,  gifts  and  abilities  of  others; 
either  to  promote  our  own  abilities  and  habits,  or  to  further 
us  in  the  act  or  the  exercise  of  them.  For,  1 .  There  is  nd 
such  prohibition  in  Scripture.  2.  All  men  are  insufficient 
for  themselves ;  and  nature  and  Scripture  require  them  to 
use  the  best  help  they  can  get  from  others.  3.  God's  ser^ 
vice  must  be  done  in  the  best  manner  we  can.     But  many 


QUfiST.  LXXVI.]   CHRISTIAN  BCCLESIAStlCS.  4l6 

nnnisters  cabtidt  de  it  so  well  (<^oiiiHderatis  consicterandifr) 
without  other  men's  help  &s  with  it. 
'    3.  We  may  ufte  other  men's  gifts  to  help  us,  1.  F6r  mat- 
ter; 2.  Method;  3.  Words;  and  so  fcr  a  threefold  form,  of 
preaching  or  prayer. 

4.  He  that  useth  a  Beripture  form  of  inattftt,  method  or 
words,  useth  his  own  abilities  no  more,  than  if  he  used  A 
totm  out  of  another  book.  But  it  is  lawful  to  use  ia  Scrip- 
tiMre  foffn ;  therefore  it  is  lawful  so  far  to  take  in  assistahcte 
in  the  use  of  our  own  abilities. 

5.  He  that  useth  a  form  useth  his  owh  abilities  also  (not 
only  perhaps  at  other  times,  but)  in  the  use  of  it.  He  uWeth 
his  understanding  to  discern  the  true  sense  and  aptitude  of 
the  words  which  he  useth :  he  useth  his  holy  desires  ib  put- 
titig  up  those  prayers  to  God ;  and  his  other  graces,  as  hh 
'Aom  in  other  prayers.  He  liseth  his  utterance  in  the  apt 
imd  decent  speaking  of  theih. 

6.  A  tuinister  is  not  always  bound  to  use  hito  o^n  gifto 
td  the  utmost  that  he  can,  and  other  men's  as  little  as  ht 
tika.  For,  1.  There  is  no  such  command  from  God.  2.  AM 
things  must  be  done  to  the  church's  edification :  but  some- 
times the  greater  use  of  another  mail's  gifts,  and  tb^  iMi 
use  of  his  own,  may  be  to  the  church's  gi^eater  edification. 

Instances  of  the  lawful  use  of  other  men's  gifts  are  iUtih 
«8  diede. 

1.  For  matter,  an  abler  minister  may  tell  H  young  man 
what  subjects  are  fittest  for  him  in  preaching  and  prayer ; 
4md  what  is  the  sense  of  the  Scriptures  which  he  is  to  op^n  ; 
tod  what  is-  the  true  solution  of  several  doubts  and  cases. 
A  minister  that  is  yoiine,  raw  or  ignorant,  (yea,  the  beiit) 
^Bay  be  a  learner  whil^  he  is  a  teacher :  but  he  that  Is  k 
iefeimer  maketh  me  so  far  of  the  giftis  of  otb^rii.  And  ihdeed 
'«11  teachers  in  the  world  make  use  t>f  the  gifts  df  dth(^ ;  t&t 
tH  teadh  what  they  leal'n  from  others. 

S.  For  method ;  it  is  lawful  to  learn  that  ^  Well  ta 
ifbatter  from  another.  Christ  Utught  liis  tlstH^ipleiB  i  nielUcM 
i6{  i^yer ;  and  other  iiieii  may  open  that  miefiida  to  tM. 
All  tutors  teach  their  pupils  method  as  well  si  inaSfeir ;  Kft 
tt^thod  is  iieedful  to  the  due  understanding  and  ^iSng  of 
the  matter.    A  method  of  diTinify,  a  ml^od  bf  preabhili^. 


420  CHRISTIAN  DIRECTORY.  [PAKT    IH. 

and  a  method  of  praying  may  be  taught  a  preacher  by  word, 
and  may  be  written  or  printed  for  hjs  use. 

3.  For  words,  (1.)  There  is  no  more  prohibition  in  God's 
Word,  against  learning  or  using  another  man's  words,  than 
his'method  or  matter.  Therefore  it  is  not  unlawful.  (2.)  A 
tutor  or  senior  minister  may  teach  the  Scripture  words  to  a 
pupil  or  junior  minister;  yea,  and  may  set  them  together 
and  compose  him  a  sermon  or  prayer  out  of  Scripture  in  its 
words.  (For  he  that  may  use  an  ill-coipposed  Scripture 
form  of  his  own  gathering,  may  use  a  well-composed  form 
of  another's.)  (3.)  All  the  books  in  our  libraries  are  forms 
of  words ;  and  it  is  lawful  sure  to  use  some  of  all  those 
words  which  we  read ;  or  else  our  books  would  be  a  snare 
and  limitation  to  our  language.  (4.)  All  preachers  ordina- 
rily use  citations,  testimonies,  8cc.  in  other  men's  words. 
(5.)  All  ministers  use  psalms  in  the  metre  of  other  men's 
composing  (and  usually  imposing  too).  And  there  is  no 
more  prohibition  against  using  other  men's  words  in  a  pray- 
er, than  in  a  psalm.  (6.)  Almost  all  ministers  use  other 
men's  gifts  and  form  of  words,  in  reading^the  Scriptures,  in 
their  vulgar  tongues :  for  God  did  not  write  them  by  his 
apostles  and  prophets  in  English,  French,  Dutch,  &c.  but 
in  Hebrew,  Chaldee  and  Greek:  therefore  the  wording 
them  in  English,  &c.  is  a  human  form  of  words :  and  few 
ministers  think  they  are  bound  to  translate  all  the  Bible 
themselves,  lest  they  use  other  men's  words  or  abilities. 
(7.)  If  a  young  minister  that  can  pray  but  weakly,  hear 
more  apt  expressions  and  sentences  in  another  minister's 
prayers,  than  his  own  are,  he  may  afterward  make  use  of 
those  sentences  and  expressions.  And  if  of  one  sentence, 
why  not  of  two  or  ten,  when  God  hath  not  forbidden  it  ?  So 
also  in  preaching.  (8.)  It  is  lawful  to  read  another  man's 
epistles  or  sermons  in  the  church,  as  the  primitive  churches 
did  by  Clement's  and  some  others.  (Q.*)  An  imposition  may 
be  so  severe,  that  we  shall  not  use  our  own  words,  unless 
we  will  use  some  of  other  men's.  (10.)  All  churches  almost 
in  the  world,  have  consented  in  the  use  of  creeds,  confes- 
sions and  prayers,  and  psalms  in  the  words  of  others. 

But  yet  1.  No  minister  must  on  these  p^tences  stifle 
his  owji  gifts,  and  grow  negligent;  2.  Nov  consent  to 
church-tyranny   or   Papal   usurpations ;    3.    Nor  do  that 


QUEST.  LXXVI,]   CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  421 

which  tendeth  to  eat  out  seriousness  in  the  worship  of  God, 
and  turn  all  into  dead  imagery  or  formality. 

Quest,  hitlawfal  to  read  a  ftayer  in  the  church  f^ 

Answ.  1.  That  which  is  not  forbidden  is  lawful :  but  to 
read  a  prayer  is  not  forbidden  (as  such,  though  by  accident 
it  may). 

2.  The  prayers  in  the  Scripture  psalms,  were  usually 
read  in  the  Jewish  synagogues  lawfully;  for  they  were 
written  to  that  end,  and  were  indeed  the  Jewish  liturgy. 
Therefore  to  read  a  prayer  is  not  unlawful. 

3.  He  that  hath  a  weak  memory  may  read  his  own  ser- 
mon notes  ;  therefore  he  may  read  his  prayers. 

4.  I  add  as  to  this  case  and  the  former  together ;  that  1 . 
Christ  did  usually  frequent  the  Jewish  synagogues. 

2.  That  in  those  synagogues  there  were  forms  of  prayer, 
and  that  ordinarily  read,  at  least  Scripture  forms :  and  if 
either  the  Jewish  rabbins  fcited  by  Scaliger,  Selden  in 
Eutych.,  Alexandr.,  8cc.,)  or  the  strongest  probability  may 
be  credited,  there  were  also  human  forms.  For  who  can 
imagine  that  those  Pharisees  should  have  no  human  forms, 
(1.)  Who  are  so  much  accused  of  formality,  and  following 
traditions:  (2.)  And  used  long  and  frequent  prayers:  but 
if  indeed  they  had  no  such  forms,  then  long  and  frequent 
extemporate  prayers  are  not  so  great  a  sign  of  the  Spirit's 
gifts  as  is  imagined,  when  such  Pharisees  abounded  in 
them.  But  there  is  little  probability,  but  that  they  used 
both  ways. 

3.  That  Christ  did  not  separate  from  the  synagogues  for 
such  prayers'  sake. 

4.  Yea,  that  we  never  read  that  Christ  meddled  in  the 
controversy,  it  being  then  no  controversy ;  nor  that  he  once 
reproved  such  forms,  or  reading  them,  or  ever  called  the 
Jews  to  repent  of  them. 

If  you  say,  his  general  reproof  of  traditions  was  enough : 
I  answer,  1.  Even  traditions  he  reproved  not  as  such,  but 
as  set  before,  or  against  the  commands  of  God.  2,  He 
named  many  of  their  particular  traditions  and  corruptions. 
Matt.  XV.  xxiii.  8cc.,  and  yet  never  named  this.  3.  His  be- 
ing usually  present  at  their  assemblies,  and  so  joining  with 


422  CHRISTIAN  9WR^T0RY.         [PART  Hh 

tb«D  in  Ihwr  worship*  would  be  Buck  aa  app«cMm>ce  of  hi* 
approbation,  as  would  make  it  needful  to  express  hia  cUsat- 
lowance  of  it,  if  indeed  he  thought  it  sinful.  So  that  who- 
ever impartially  considereth  all  this,  that  he  joined  with 
them,  that  he  particularly  reproved  other  corruptions,  and 
diat  he  never  said  any  thing  at  all  against  forms  or  reading 
prayers,  that  is  recorded,  wiU  sure  be  moderate  in  his  jodg-* 
ment  of  such  indifferent  things,  if  he  know  what  mod^r^ 
tion  is. 

Quest.  Lxxvii.  Is  it  lawful  to  prajfi  in  the  church  wiikowi  • 
prescribed  or  premeditated  form  of  words  f 

Answ.  There  are  so  few  sober  and  serious  Christians  thai 
ever  made  a  doubt  of  this,  that  I  wiU  not  bestow  iBany 
words  to  prove  it. 

1.  That  which  is  not  forbidden  is  lawful.  Bui  church 
prayer  without  a  premeditated  or  prescribed  form  of  words 
is  not  forbidden  (by  God) ;  therefore  (as  to  God's  lawa)  it 
is  not  unlawful. 

2«  To  express  holy  desires  undcrstandingly,  orderly, 
seriously,  and  in  apt  expressions,  is  lawful  prayings  Bnl 
all  this  may  be  done  without  a  set  form  of  words  ;  there- 
fore to  pray  without  a  set  form  of  words  may  be  lawful. 

3.  The  consult  of  the  universal  church,  and  the  expe- 
rience of  godly  men,  are  arguments  so  strong,  as  are  not  to 
be  made  light  of. 

4.  To  which  Scriptmte  instances  may  be  added* 

Quest.  Lxxviii.  Whether  are  set  forms  of  words,  or firte  pray- 
ing without  them  the  better  way  1  And  whatare  thg  eomr 
modities  and  incommodities  of  each  way  1 

Ansm.  I  will  first  answer  the  latter  question,  beoaiisA 
the  former  dependeth  on  it. 

I.  The  conmiodities  of  a  set  fonn  of  words,  and  th^  dis- 
commodities of  free  praying  ars  these  following. 

1.  In  a  time  of  dangerous  heresy  which  hath  infected 
the  pastors,  a  set  form  of  prescribed  words  tendetb  to  ktqi 
tlie  church,  and  the  eiaasoienoes  of  the  joiners  from  sudh  i9r 
footioRy  offence,  and  guik. 


QUEST.  LXXVIII.]  CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.         423 

2.  When  ministers  are  so  weak  as  to  dishonour  God's 
worship  by  their  unapt,  and  slovenly  and  unsound  expres- 
sions, prescribed  or  set  forms  which  are  well  composed,  are 
some  preservative  and  cure.  When  free  praying  leaveth  the 
church  under  this  inconvenience. 

3.  When  ministers  by  faction,  passion,  or  corrupt  in- 
terests, are  apt  to  put  these  vices  into  their  prayers,  to  the 
injury  of  others,  and  of  the  cause  and  church  of  God,  free, 
praying  cherisheth  this,  or  giveth  it  opportunity,  which  set 
forms  do  restrain. 

4.  Concordant  set  forms  do  serve  for  the  most  exact 
concord  in  the  churches,  that  all  at  once  may  speak  the 
same  things. 

6.  They  are  needful  to  some  weak  ministers  that  cannot 
do  BO  well  without  them. 

6.  They  somewhat  prevent  the  laying  of  the  reputation 
of  religious  worship  upon  the  minister's  abilities  :  when  in 
free  praying,  the  honour  and  comfort  varieth  with  the  various 
degrees  of  pastoral  abilities  ;  in  one  place  it  is  excellently 
well  done,  in  another  but  drily,  and  coldly,  and  meanly ;  in 
another  erroneously,  unedifyingly,  if  not  dishonourably, 
tending  to  the  contempt  of  holy  things  :  whereas  in  the  way 
of  set  liturgies,  though  the  ablest  (at  that  time)  doth  no  ~ 
better,  yet  the  weakest  doth,  (for  words)  as  well,  and  all 
alike. 

7.  And,  if  proud  weak  men  have  not  the  composing  and 
impQsing  of  it,  all  know  that  words  drawn  up  by  study,  upon 
sober  premeditation  and  consultation,  have  a  greater  ad- 
vantage, to  be  exact  and  apt,  than  those  that  were  never 
thought  on  till  we  are  speaking  them. 

8.  The  very  fear  of  doing  amiss,  disturbeth  some  unready 
men,  and  maketh  them  do  all  the  rest  the  worse, 

9.  The  auditors  know  beforehand,  wl^ether  that  which 
they  are  to  join  in  be  sound  or  unsound,  having  time  to 
try  it. 

10.  And  they  can  more  readily  put  in  their  consent  to 
what  is  spoken,  and  make  the  prayers  their  own,  when  they 
know  beforehand  what  it  is,  than  they  can  do  when  they 
know  not  before  they  hear  it ;  it  being  hard  to  the  duller 
sort  of  hearers,  to  concur  with  an  understanding  and  consent 
as  quick  as  the  speaker's  words  are.     Not  but  t|iat  this 


424 


CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 


may  be  done,  but  not  without  great  difficulty  in  the  duller 
sort. 

11.  And  it  tendeth  to  avoid  the  pride  and  self-deceit  of 
many,  who  think  they  are  good  Christians,  and  have  the 
spirit  of  grace  and  supplication,  because  by  learning  and 
use  they  can  speak  many  hours  in  variety  of  expressions  in 
prayer ;  which  is  a  dangerous  mistake. 

II.  The  commodities  of  free  extemporate  prayers,  and 
the  discommodity  of  prescribed  or  set  forms  are  these 
following. 

1 .  It  becometh  an  advantage  to  some  proud  men  who 
think  themselves  wiser  than  all  the  rest,  to  obtrude  their 
compositions,  that  none  may  be  thought  wise  enough,  or  fit 
to  speak  to  God  but  in  their  words;  and  so  introduce 
church-tyranny. 

2.  It  may  become  a  hindrance  to  able,  worthy  ministers 
that  can  do  better. 

3.  It  may  become  a  dividing  snare  to  the  churches,  that 
cannot  all  agree  and  consent  in  such  human  impositions. 

4.  It  may  become  an  advantage  to  heretics  "when  they 
can  but  get  into  power  (as  the  Arians  of  old)  to  corrupt  all 
the  churches  and  public  worship ;  and  thus  the  Papists  have 
corrupted  the  churches  by  the  mass. 

5.  It  may  become  an  engine  or  occasion  of  persecution, 
and  silencing  all  those  ministers  that  cannot  consent  to  such 
impositions. 

6.  It  may  become  a  means  of  depraving  the  ministry, 
and  bringing  them  to  a  common  idleness  and  ignorance,  (if 
other  things  alike  concur).  For  when  men  perceive  that  no 
greater  abilities  are  used  and  required,  they  will  commonly 
labour  for  and  get  no  greater,  and  so  will  be  unable  to  pray 
without  their  forms  of  words. 

7.  And  by  this  means  Christian  religion  may  decay  and 
grow  into  contempt ;  for  though  it  be  desirable  that  its  own 
worth  should  keep  up  its  reputation  and  success,  yet  it 
never  hitherto  was  so  kept  up  without  the  assistance  of 
God's  eminent  gifts  and  graces  in  his  ministers  ;  but 
wherever  there  hath  been  a  learned,  able,  holy,  zealous,  di- 
ligent ministry,  religion  usually  hath  flourished  ;  and 
wherever  there  hath  been  an  ignorant,  vicious,  cold,  idle, 
negligent  and  reproached  ministry,  religion  usually  hath 


QUEST.  LXXVIII.]  CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  425 

died  and  been  reproached.  And  we  have  now  no  reason  ^o 
look  for  that  which  never  was,  and  that  God  should  take  a 
new  course  in  the  world. 

And  the  opinion  of  imposing  forms  of  prayer,  may  draw 
on  the  opinion  of  imposing  forms  of  preaching  as  much,  and 
of  restraining  free  preaching  as  much  as  free  praying,  as  we 
see  in  Moscovy.  And  then  when  nothing  but  bare  reading 
is  required,  nothing  more  will  be  ordinarily  sought ;  and  so 
the  ministry  will  be  the  scorn  of  the  people. 

9.  And  it  will  be  a  shameful  and  uncomfortable  failing, 
when  a  minister  is  not  able  on  variety  of  occasions,  to  vary 
his  prayers  accordingly ;  and  when  he  cannot  go  any  fur- 
ther than  his  book  or  lesson;  it  being  as  impossible  to 
make  prayers  just  fitted  to  all  occasions  which  will  fall  out, 
as  to  make  sermons  fit  for  all,  or  as  they  say,  to  make  a 
coat  for  the  moon ;  and  the  people  will  contemn  the  minis- 
ters when  they  perceive  this  great  deficiency. 

10.  And  it  is  a  great  difficulty  to  many  ministers  to 
learn  and  say  a  form  without  book ;  so  that  they  that  can 
all  day  speak  what  they  know,  can  scarce  recite  a  form  of 
words  one  quarter  of  an  hour,  the  memory  more  depending 
upon  the  body  and  its  temper,  than  the  exercise  of  the  un- 
derstanding doth.  He  that  is  tied  just  to  these  words  and 
no  other,  is  put  upon  double  difficulties  (like  him  that  on 
height  must  walk  on  a  narrow  plank,  where  the  fear  of  fall- 
ing will  make  him  fall);  but  he  that  may  express  the  just 
desires  of  his  soul  in  what  words  occur  that  .are  apt  and  de- 
cent, is  like  one  that  hath  a  field  to  walk  in  :  for  my  own 
part,  it  is  easier  to  me  to  pray  or  preach  six  hours  in  free- 
dom, about  things  which  I  understand,  than  to  pray  or 
preach  the  tenth  part  of  an  hour  in  the  fetters  of  a  form  of 
words  which  I  must  not  vary.  And  su  the  necessity  of  a 
book  coming  in,  doth  bring  down  the  reputation  of  the  mi- 
nister's abilities,  in  the  people's  eyes. 

-  11.  But  the  grand  inoommodity,  greater  than  all  the 
rest  is,  that  it  usually  occasioneth  carelessness,  deadness, 
formality,  and  heartless  lip-labour  in  our  prayers  to  God  ; 
whilst  the  free  way  of  present  prayer  tendeth  to  excite  our 
cogitations  to  consider  what  we  say.  And  it  is  not  only 
the  multitude  of  dead-hearted  hypocrites  in  the  church  that 
are  thus  tempted  to  persevere  in  their  lip-labour  and  hypo- 


426  CHRISTIAN   DIEKCTORY.        [PART  III. 

crisy,  ^d  to  draw  uear  to  Ood  with  their  lips  when  their 
hearts  are  far  from  him^  and  are  gratified  in  their  self-deceit, 
whilst  parrot-like  they  speak  the  words  which  they  regard 
not,  and  their  tongues  do  overgo  their  hearts;  but  even 
better  men  are  greatly  tempted  to  dead  remisness  :  I  mean 
both  the  speakers  and  the  hearers  ;  for,  (1.)  It  is  natural  to 
man's  mind  to  have  a  slothful  weariness  as  well  as  his  body ; 
and  to  do  no  more  than  he  findetha  necessity  of  doing  ;  and 
though  God's  presence  alone  should  suffice  to  engage  all  the 
powers  of  oar  souls,  yet  sad  experience  telleth  us,  that  God's 
eye  and  man's  together  will  do  more  yfiih  almost  all  men, 
than  one  alone.     And  thei^fore  np  men's  thongfats  are  bo 
accurately  governed  as  their  words.    Therefore  when  a  mi- 
nister knoweth. beforehand  that,  as  to  man's  approbation,  he 
hath  no  more  to  do  but  to  read  that  which  he  seeth  before 
him,  he  is  apt  to  let  his  thoughts  fly  abroad,  and  his  affec- 
tions lie  down,  becaui»e  no  man  taketh  account  of  these ;  but 
in  extemporate  diversified  prayer,  a  man  cannot  do  it  with- 
out an  excitation  of  his  un.der8tanding  to  think  (to  the  ut- 
most) what  to  say ;  and  an  excitation  of  his  affections,  to 
speak  with  life,  or  else  the  hearers  will  perceive  his  cold- 
ness.    And  though  all  this  may  be  counterfeit  and  hypocri- 
tically affected,  yet  it  is  a  great  help  to  seriousness  and  sin- 
cerity to  have  the  faculties  all  awake ;  and  it  is  a  great  help 
to  awaken  them  to  be  under  such  a  constant  necessity  even 
from  man.     As  those  that  are  apt  to  sleep  at  prayer,  will  do 
it  less  w|ien  they  know  men  obsery^  them,  than  at  another 
time. 

(2.)  And  both  to  speakers  and  hearers,  hunaci^n  frailty 
maketh  it  hard  to  be  equally  affected  with  the  same  thing 
spoken  a  hundred  timen,  as  we  are  at  first  when  it  is  new, 
apd  when  it  is  clothed  in  comely  variety  of  expressions.  As 
tU^  same  book  affecteth  us  i^ot  at  the  twentieth  rei^ding  a^ 
it  did  at  the  first.  Say  not,  it  is  a  dishonourable  weakpes^ 
to  be  thus  carried  by  the  novelty  of  things  or  words ;  for 
though  that  be  true,  it  is  a  dishonour  com^ion  to  all  man- 
kind, and  a  dis^asi^  which  is  your  own,  f^nd  which  God  td- 
loweth  us  all  lawful  means  to  cur^,  and  to  cpr^^ct  the  un- 
happy effects  while  it  is  uncured. 

12*  Lastly,  sat  forms  serve  unwprthy  men  to ,  bide  thf^r 
unworthiness  by,  and  to  be  the  matter  of  a  cQ^UoY^r^y  in 


QUEST.  l«|^XVIII.}caEISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  427 

which  they,  may  Tent  their  en^  tgaiBBt  them  that  are  more 
able  and  holy  than  themselvea. 

III.  Hafing  now  truly  shewed  yon  the  oonunoditiee  and 
incommodities  of  both  the  ways,  ibr  the  other  qneation, 
'  Which  of  thpm  is  the  best  V  I  mast  give  you  but  some 
ti|le9  to  answer  it  yourseWea. 

1.  That  is  best  which  hath  most  and  greatest  conuDodi-r 
ties«  and  fewest  and  least  discommodities. 

2.  For  neither  of  them  is  forbidden,  in  itself  considered^ 
nor  evil,  but  by  accident. 

3.  One  may  have  more  commodities  and  the  other  more 
discpmmodities  in  one  country  and  age  than  in  another ; 
and  with  some  persons  than  with  others. 

4.  Sober  Christians  should  be  Tery  backward  in  such 
cases  to  quarrel  with  the  churches  where  they  live  or  come^ 
but  humbly  submit  to  them  in  lawful  things,  though  they 
think  them  inconvenient ;  because  it  is  not  they  that  are  the 
governors  and  judges. 

6.  The  commands  of  authority  and  the  concord  of  the 
churches  may  weigh  down  many  lighter  accidents. 

6.  I  crave  leave  to  profess  that  my  own  judgment  is, 
that  somewhat  of  both  ways  joined  together  will  best  obviate 
the  incommodities  of  both.  To  have  so  much  wholesome, 
methodical,  unquestionable  forms  as  near  as  may  be  in 
Scripture  phrase,  as  is  necessary  to  avoid  the  inconvenience 
of  a  total  exclusion  of  forms,  and  to  the  attainment  of  their 
desirable  ends  ;  and  to  hav^  so  much  withal  of  freedom  in 
prayer,  as  is  necessary  to  its  ends,  and  to  avoid  the  dead- 
ness,  formality,  and  other  incommodities  of  forma  alone* 
Though  by  this  opinion  I  cross  the  conceits  of  prejudice 
men  on  both  extremes,  I  think  I  cross  not  the  judgment  pf 
the  Church  of  England,  which  alloweth  free  prayers  in  the 
pulpit,  and  at  the  visitation  of  the  sick ;  and  I  cross  not  the 
opinion  of  any  ancient  church  that  ever  I  read  of,  nqr  of  thys 
fathers  and  pastors  whose  works  are  come  to  our  hands ;  nor 
yet  of  Luther,  Melancthon,  Bucer,  Zuinglius,  Calvin,  Besa, 
Zanchius,  and  the  rest  of  our  famous  reformers ;  nor  yet  of 
the  famous  nonconformists  of  England,  Cartwright,  Hilder- 
sham,  Oreenham,  Perkins,  Bain,  Amesius,  &c.  and  I  lets 
fear  erring  in  all  this  company,  than  with  those  on  either  of 
die  extremes  '• 

^  I  have  a  maaiucripC  of  Mr..CartwjriBlit*s  in  wlikli,  lianng  tufUj  |iipf«d  tlit 


428  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART    III. 

Quest.  Lxxix.  h  it  lawful  to  forbear  the  preaching  of  some 
truths,  upon  man^s  prohibition,  that  I  may  have  liberty  to 
preach  the  rest ;  yea,  and  to  promise  beforehand  to  forbear 
them  f     Or  to  do  it  for  the  churcKs  peace  ? 

Answ.  1.  Some  tiniths  are  of  so  great  moment  and  ne- 
cessity, that  without  them  you  cannot  preach  the  Gospel 
in  a  saving  sort.  These  you  may  not  forbear  nor  promise 
to  forbear. 

2.  Some  truths  are  such  as  God  at  that  time  doth  call 
men  eminently  to  publish  and  receive  (as  against  some  he- 
resy when  it  is  at  the  very  height,  or  the  church  in  greatest 
danger  of  it;  or  concerning  some  duty  which  God  then 
specially  calleth  men  to  perform,  fas  the  duty  of  loyalty  j  ust 
in  the  time  of  a  perilous  rebellion,  8cc.).  Such  preaching 
being  a  duty,  must  not  be  forborne,  when  it  cannot  be  per- 
formed upon  lawful  terms. 

3.  But  some  truths  are  controverted  among  good  men ; 
and  some  are  of  a  lower  nature  and  usefulness :  and  con- 
cerning these  I  further  say, 

(1.)  That  you  may  not  renounce  them  or  deny  them,  nor 
subscribe  to  the  smallest  untruth  for  liberty  to  preach  the 
greatest  truth. 

(2.)  But  you  may  for  the  time  that  the  church's  benefit 
requireth  it,  both  forbear  to  preach  them,  and  promise  to 
forbear,  both  for  the  church's  peace,  and  for  that  liberty  to 
preach  the  Gospel,  which  you  cannot  otherwise  obtain. 
The  reasons  are : 

1.  Because  it  is  not  a  duty  to  preach  them  at  that  time  ; 
for  no  duty  is  a  duty  at  all  times  :  affirmative  precepts  bind 
not  *  ad  semper,'  because  man  cannot  always  do  them. 

'  2.  It  is  a  sin  to  prefer  a  lesser  truth  or  good  before  a 
greater.  You  cannot  speak  all  things  at  once.  When  you 
have  all  done,  some,  yea,  a  thousand  must  be  by  you 
omitted.  Therefore  the  less  should  be  omitted  rather  Uian 
the  greater. 

3.  You  have   your  office  to   the  church's  edification. 

falsehood  of  SutliflTs  suspicion  that  he  was  acquainted  with  Backet's  project,  he  an- 
swereth  his  charge,  as  if  he  were  against  forms  of  prayer,  that  all  the  yean  that  be 
lived  at  Middleburg  and  Antwerp  he  constantly  used  the  same  form  before  sermon, 
and  mostly  aAer  sermon,  and  also  did  read  prayers  in  the  church ;  and  that  sfaioe  he 
seJdom  oonchided  but  with  the  Lord's  prayer. 


QUEST.  LXXX.J     CHRISTIAN   ECCLESIASTICS.  429 

Preaching  is  made  for  man,  and  not  man  for  preaching.  But 
the  church's  edification  requireth  you  rather  to  preach  the 
Gospel,  than  that  opinion  or  point  which  you  are  required 
to  forbear.  Without  this  the  hearers  may  be  saved,  but  not 
without  the  Gospel. 

And  what  a  man  may  do  and  must  do,  he  may  on  good 
occasion  promise  to  do. 

He  that  thinketh  diocesans,  or  liturgies,  or  ceremonies 
unlawful,  and  yet  cannot  have  leave  to  preach  the  Gospel 
(in  time  of  need)  unless  he  will  forbear,  and  promise  to  for- 
bear to  preach  them,  may  and  ought  so  to  do  and  promise, 
rather  than  not  to  preach  the  Gospel. 

Object,  '  But  if  men  imprison  or  hinder  me  from  preach- 
ing, that  is  their  fault ;  but  if  I  voluntarily  forbear  any  duty, 
it  is  my  own  fault.' 

Amw.  1.  It  is  to  forbear  a  sin,  and  not  a  duty  at  that 
time  ;  it  is  no  more  a  duty  than  reading,  or  singing,  or  pray- 
ing at  sermon  time.  2.  When  you  are  in  prison,  or  know 
in  all  probability  you  shall  be  there,  though  by  other  men's 
fault,  it  is  your  own  fault  if  you  will  deny  a  lawful  means 
to  avoid  it;  for  your  not  preaching  the  Gospel  is  then  your 
own  sin,  as  well  as  other  men's ;  and  their's  excuseth  not 
your's. 

Quest.  Lxxx.  Maj/  or  must  a  minister  silenced,  or  forbid  to 
preach  the  Gospel,  go  on  still  to  preach  it,  against  the  law  ? 

Answ,  Distinguish  between,  1.  Just  silencing,  and  un- 
just.    2.  Necessary  preaching,  and  unnecessary. 

1.  Some  men  are  justly  forbidden  to  preach  the  Gospel, 
as,  1.  Those  that  are  utterly  unable,  and  do  worse  than  no- 
thing when  they  do  it.  2.  Those  that  are  heretics  and  sub- 
vert the  essentials  of  Christianity  or  godliness.  3.  Those 
that  are  so  impious  and  malignant,  that  they  turn  all  against 
the  practice  of  that  religion  which  they  profess;  in  a  word, 
all  that  do  (directly)  more  hurt  than  good. 

2.  In  some  places  there  are  so  many  able  preachers,  that 
some  tolerable  men  may  be  spared,  if  not  accounted  super- 
numeraries ;  and  the  church  will  not  suffer  by  their  silence. 
But  in  other  countries  either  the  preachers  are  so  few,  or  so 
bad,  or  the  people  so  very  ignorant,  and  hardened,  and  un- 


4Sb  CHRISTIAN    DIREC^TOKY.  [PAftT  III. 

godly,  or  so  grekt  a  number  that  arte  in  deep  neceBsity,  that 
the  need  of  preaching  is  undeniable.     And  so  I  conclude, 

1.  That  he  that  is  justly  silenced,  and  is  unfit  to  preach, 
iii  bound  to  forbear. 

2.  He  that  is  silenced  by  just  power,  though  unjustly, 
in  a  country  that  needeth  not  his  preaching,  must  forbear 
there,  and  if  he  can,  must  go  into  another  country^  where  he 
inay  be  more  serviicieable. 

3.  Magistrates  may  tiot  ecclesiastically  ordain  ministers 
or  degrade  them ;  but  only  either  give  them  liberty,  or  deny 
it  them  as  there  is  cau^e. 

4.  Magistrates  are  not  the  fbuntain  of  the  Aiinisterial 
"office,  as  the  sovereign  is  of  all  the  civil  power  of  infbrior 
ittlBigistrates ;  but  both  offices  are  immediately  from  God. 

5.  Magistrates  have  not  power  from  God  i6  forbid  men 
to  preach  in  all  cases,  nor  as  they  please;  but  justly  only 
and  according  to  God's  laws. 

6.  Men  are  not  made  ministers  of  Christ  only  '  pro  tem- 
pore '  or  on  trial,  to  go  off  again  if  they  dislike  it ;  but  are 
absolutely  dedicated  to  God,  and  take  theit  lot  for  better  and 
for  worse ;  which  maketh  the  Romanists  say,  that  ordina- 
tion is  a  sacrament  (and  so  it  may  be  aptly  called) ;  and 
that  we  receive  an  indelible  character,  that  is,  an  obligation 
during  life,  unless  God  himself  disable  us. 

7.  As  we  are  more  nearly  devoted  and  related  to  G6d 
than  chiirch-lands,  goods,  and  temples  are,  so  the  sacrilege 
of  alienating  a  consecrated  person  unjustly,  is  greater  and 
more  unquestionable  than  the  sacrilege  ofaliehating  conse- 
crated houses,  lands,  or  things.  And  therefore  no  minister 
tnay  sacrilegiously  alienate  himself  from  God  and  his  un- 
dertaken office  and  work. 

8.  We  must  do  any  lawflil  thing  to  procure  the  magis- 
trate's licence  to  preach  in  his  dominions. 

9.  All  men  silenced  or  forbidden  by  magistrates  to 
preach,  are  not  thereby  obliged  or  warranted  to  forbear. 
For,  1.  The  apostles  expressly  determine  it,  "  Whether  it  bfe 
better  to  hearken  to  God  rather  than  to  you,  judge  ye/*  2. 
Christ  oft  foretold  his  servants,  that  they  must  preach  against 
the  will  of  rulers,  and  suffer  by  them.  3.  The  apostles  and 
ordinary  ministers  also  for  300  years  after  Christ  did  getie- 
rally  preach  against  the  magistrate's  will,  throughout  {he 


QI^EST.  LXXX.]    CHBISTIAM  ECCLESIASTICS.  431 

Romaii  empire  and  the  world.  4.  The  orthodox  bishops 
commonly  took  themselves  bound  to  preach  when  Arian  or 
other  heretical  emperors  forbad  them.  A  hioral  duty  of 
stated  necessity  to  the  church  and  men's  salvation  is  not 
subjected  to  the  will  of  men  for  order  sake :  for  order  is  fur 
the  thing  ordered  and  for  the  end.  Magistrates  cannot  dis- 
pense with  us  for  not  loving  our  neighbours,  or  not  shewing 
Inercy  to  the  poor,  or  saving  the  lives  of  the  needy  in  famine 
or  distress.  Else  they  that  at  last  shall  hear,  ''  I  was  hun- 
gry and  ye  fed  me  not,  I  was  naked  and  ye  clothed  me  not, 
I  was  in  prison  and  ye  visited  me  not,"  might  oft  say,  our 
parents,  masters,  or  magistrates  forbad  us.  Yet  a  lesser 
moral  duty  may  be  forbidden  by  the  magistrate  for  the  sake 
of  a  greater,  because  then  it  is  no  duty  indeed,  and  may  be 
forborne  if  he  forbid  it  not :  as  to  save  one  man's  life,  if  it 
would  prove  the  death  of  a  multitude ;  or  to  save  one  man's 
house  on  fire,  if  so  doing  would  fire  many.    Therefore, 

10.  It  is  lawful  and  a  duty  to  forbear  some  certain  time 
or  number  of  sermonc,  prayers,  or  sacraments,  &c.  when 
either  the  present  use  of  them  would  apparently  procure 
more  hurt  than  good,  or  when  the  forbearance  were  like  to 
procure  more  good  than  the  doing  of  them :  for  they  are  all 
for  our  edification,  and  are  made  for  man  and  not  man  for 
them  (though  for  God).  As  if  forbearing  this  day  would 
procure  me  liberty  for  many  days'  service  afterward,  &c. 

11.  It  is  not  lawful  at  the  command  of  man  to  forsake 
or  forbear  our  calling  and  duty,  when  it  is  to  be  judged  ne- 
cessary to  the  honour  of  Ood,  to  the  good  of  the  church,  and 
of  men's  souls :  that  is,  when  as  in  Daniel's  case,  Dan.  vi. 
our  religion  itself,  and  our  owning  the  true  God,  doth  seem 
suspended  by  the  suspence  of  our  duty :  or  when  the  mul- 
titude of  ignorant,  hardened,  ungodly  souls,  and  the  want  of 
fit  men  for  number  and  quality,  doth  put  it  past  controversy 
that  our  work  is  greatly  necessary. 

12.  Those  that  are  not  immediately  called  by  Christ  as 
were  the  apostles,  but  by  men,  being  yet  statedly  obliged  to 
the  death  when  they  are  called,  may  truly  say  as  Paul,  ^'  Ne- 
cessity is  laid  upon  me,  and  woe  be  to  me  if  I  preach  not 
the  Gospel «." 

i  Matt.  nTiii.  «0.    Rom.  x.  14.     1  Cor.  ix.  id.     Actsv.  4f.     z.4f.    fTlm. 
iv.  1,  t.     Acti  viiL  4.  !<•     xv.  S& 


432  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

13.  Papists  and  Protestants  concur  in  this  judgment. 
Papists  will  preach  when  the  law  forbids  them ;  and  the 
judgment  of  Protestants  is,  among  others,  by  Bishop  -Bilson 
of  Subjection,  and  Bishop  Andrews  Tortur.  Tort,  plainly 
so  asserted. 

14.  But  all  that  are  bound  to  preach,  are  not  bound  to  do 
it  to  the  same  niAnber,  nor  in  the  same  manner ;  as  they 
have  not  the  same  opportunity  and  calL  Whether  it  shall 
be  in  this  place  or  that,  to  more  or  fewer,  at  this  hour  or  that, 
are  not  deteimined  in  Scripture,  nor  alike  to  all. 

16.  The  temples,  tithes,  and  such  adjuncts  of  worship 
and  ministry,  are  at  the  magistrate's  disposal,  and  must  not 
be  invaded  against  his  laws. 

16.  Where  any  are  obliged  to  preach  in  a  forbidden,  dis- 
countenanced state,  they  must  study  to  do  it  with  such  pru- 
dence, caution,'peaceableness,  and  obedience  in  all  the  law- 
ful circumstantials,  as  may  tend  to  maintain  peace  and  the 
honour  of  magistracy,  and  to  avoid  temptations  to  sedition, 
and  unruly  passions. 

Quest.   Lxxxi.  May  we  laiofuUy  keep  the  Lord's  day  as  a 

fast? 

Amw,  Not  ordinarily  ;  because  God  hath  made  it  a  day 
of  thanksgiving;  and  we  must  not  pervert  it  from  the 
use  to  which  it  was  appointed  by  God.  But  in  case  of 
extraordinary  necessity,  it  may  be  done;  as,  1.  In  case  that 
some  great  judgment  call  us  so  suddenly  to  humiliation  and 
fasting,  as  that  it  cannot  be  deferred  to  the  next  day ;  (as 
some  sudden  invasion,  fire,  sickness,  8cc.)  2.  In  case  by 
persecution  the  church  be  denied  liberty  to  meet  on  any 
other  day,  in  a  time  when  public  fasting  and  prayer  is  a 
duty.  3.  In  case  the  people  be  so  poor,  or  servants,  chil- 
dren and  wives  be  so  hardly  restrained,  that  they  cannot 
meet  at  any  other  time.  It  is  lawful  in  such  cases,  because 
positives  give  way  to  moral  or  natural  duties,  '  ceeteris  pa- 
ribus,' £ind  lesser  duties  unto  greater:  the  sabbath  is  made 
for  man,  and  not  man  for  the  sabbath. 

Quest.   Lxxxii.  How  should  the  Lords  day  be  spent  in  the 

main  ? 


Q.  LXXXIII.]        CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  433 

Ansfo.  I  have  so  fkr  opened  that  in  the  family  directions^ 
that  I  will  now  only  say,  1*  That  eucharistical  worship  is 
the  great  work  of  the  day :  and  that  it  should  be  kept  as  a 
day  of  public  thanksgiving  for  the  whole  work  of  redemp- 
tion, especially  for  the  resurrection  of  our  Lord**. 

2.  And  therefore  the  celebration  of  the  sacrament  of  the 
Lord's  supper  was  always  a  chief  part  of  its  observation  in 
the  primitive  churches :  not  merely  for  the  sacrament's  sake ; 
but  because  with  it  was  still  joined  all  the  laudatory  and 
thanksgiving  worship.  And  it  was  the  pastor's  work  so  to 
pray,  and  praise  God,  and  preach  to  the  people,  as  tendeth 
most  to  possess  their  souls  with  the  liveliest  sense  of  the 
love  of  the  Father,  the  grace  of  the  Son,  and  the  commu- 
nion of  the  Holy  Spirit,  on  the  account  of  our  redemption. 

3.  Though  confession  of  sin  and  humiliation  must  not 
be  the  chief  work  of  the  day,  yet  it  may  and  must  come  in, 
as  in  due  subordination  to  the  chief.  1.  Because  there  are 
usually  many  persons  present,  who  are  members  only 
of  the  visible  church,  and  are  not  fit  for  the  laudatory 
and  rejoicing  part.  2.  Because  while  we  are  in  the  flesh, 
our  salvation  is  imperfect,  and  so  are  we  ^  and  much  sin  still 
remaineth,  which  must  be  a  grief  and  burden  to  believers : 
and  therefore  while  sin  is  mixed  with  grace,  repentance  and 
sorrow  must  be  mixed  with  our  thanksgivings,  and  we  must 
"  rejoice  with  trembling."  And  though  we  "  receive  a  king- 
dom which  cannot  be  moved,"  yet  must  our  "  acceptable 
service  of  God  be  with  reverence  and  godly  fear,  because 
our  God  is  a  consuming  fire  ^"  3.  Our  sin  and  misery  being 
that  which  we  are  saved  from,  doth  enter  the  definition  of 
our  salvation.  And  without  the  sense  of  them,  we  can  ne- 
ver know  aright  what  mercy  is,  nor  ever  be  truly  glad  and 
thankful.  But  yet  take  heed  that  this  subordinate  duty  be 
not  pretended,  for  the  neglecting  of  that  thanksgiving  which 
is  the  work  of  the  day. 

Quest.  LXXXIII.  May  the  people  bear  a  vocal  part  in  worship, 

or  do  an}f  more  than  sajf,  Amenf 

fc  Psal.  Jicii.1— 5.     cxfiii.l— 3. 15.19.  «3,  24.«7— 29.     Actsxx.  7.9.     Rev. 
L  10.     Acts  xxiv.  14.  tS,  26,  &c.     Psal.  xvi.  7^10.     I  Cor.  xti.  1,  2. 
<  Psal.  ii.  9— 11 .     Heb.  xiL  28, 29. 

VOL.    Y.  F  F      ' 


454  CHRISTIAN  DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

Amw.  Yes'':  the  people  should  say  Amen;  that  is, 
openly  signify  their  consent.  But  the  meaning  is  not  that 
they  must  do  no  more,  nor  otherwise  express  their  consent 
saving  by  that  single  word.  For,  1.  There  is  no  Scripture 
which  forbiddeth  more.  2.  The  people  bear  an  equal  part 
in  singing  the  psalms ;  which  are  prayer,  and  praise,  and 
instruction.  3.  If  they  may  do  so  in  the  psalms  in  metre, 
there  can  no  reason  be  given  but  they  may  lawfully  do  so 
in  the  psalms  in  prose  ;  for  saying  them  and  singing  them 
are  but  modes  of  utterance ;  both  are  the  speaking  of  prayer 
and  praise  to  God :  and  the  ancient  singing  was  more  like 
our  saying,  than  to  our  tunes,  as  most  judge.  4.  The  pri- 
mitive Christians  were  so  full  of  the  zeal  and  love  of  Christ, 
that  they  would  have  taken  it  for  an  injury  and  a  quenching 
of  the  Spirit,  to  have  been  wholly  restrained  from  bearing 
their  part  in  the  praises  of  the  church.  5.  The  use  of  the 
tongue  keepeth  awake  the  mind,  and  stirreth  up  God's  gra- 
ces in  his  servants.  6.  It  was  the  decay  of  zeal  in  the  peo- 
ple that  first  shut  out  responses ;  while  they  kept  up  the 
ancient  zeal,  they  were  inclined  to  take  their  part  vocally  in 
their  worship :  and  this  was  seconded  by  the  pride  and  usur- 
pation of  some  priests  thereupon,  who  thought  the  people  of 
God  too  profSeme  to  speak  in  the  assemblies,  and  meddle  so 
much  with  holy  things. 

Yet  the  very  remembrance  of  former  zeal,  caused  most 
churches  to  retain  many  of  the  words  of  their  predecessors, 
even  when  they  lost  the  life  and  spirit  which  should  animate 
them.  And  so  the  same  words  came  into  the  liturgies,  and 
were  used  by  too  many  customarily^  and  in  formality,  which 
their  ancestors  had  used-in  the  fer'^our  of  their  souls. 

6.  And  if  it  were  not  that  a  dea:d-heftrted,  formal  people, 
by  speaking  the  responses  carelessly  and  hypocritically  do 
bring  them  into  disgrace  with  many  that  see  the  necessity 
of  seriousness,  I  think  few  good  people  would  be  against 
them  now.  If  all  the  serious,  zealous  Christians  in  the  as- 
sembly speak  the  same  words  in  a  serious  manner,  there  will 
-appear  nothing  in  them  that  should  give  offence.  If  in  the 
fulness  of  their  hearts,  the  people  should  break  out  into  such 
words  of  prayer,  or  confession,  or  praise,  it  would  be  taken 

^  1  Cor.  xiT.  Ptal.  d.  Ixxxu  t,S.  xcriii.  5.  xctr.  1—3.  kc  or.  f.7.&c 
cxW.  thtoiighonr.    Col.  Ui.  16. 


Q.  LXXXIII.]         CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  4t36 

for  an  extraordinary  pang  of  zeal ;  and  were  it  unusual,  it 
would  take  exceedingly.  But  the  better  any  thing  is,  the 
more  loathsome  it  appeareth  when  it  is  mortified  by  hypo- 
crisy and  dead  formality,  and  turned  into  a  mockery,  or  an  af- 
fected, scenical  act.  But  it  is  here  the  duty  of  every  Christian 
to  labour  to  restore  the  life  and  spirit  to  the  words,  that  they 
may  again  be  used  in  a  serious  and  holy  manner  as  heretofore. 

7.  Those  that  would  have  private  men  pray  and  prophe-' 
sy  in  public,  as  warranted  by  1  Cor.  xiv.  **  Ye  may  all  speak, 
8cc."  do  much  contradict  themselves,  if  they  say  also  that  a 
layman  may  say  nothing  but  Amen. 

8.  The  people  were  all  to  say  amen  in  Deut.xxvii.  15, 16. 
18 — 20,  &c.  And  yet  they  oftentimes  said  more.  As  Exod. 
xix.  8.  in  as  solemn  an  assembly  as  any  of  ours,  when  God 
himself  gave  Moses  a  sermon  (in  a  form  of  words)  to  preach 
to  the  people,  and  Moses  had  repeated  it  as  from  the  Lord, 
(it  being  the  narrative  of  his  mercies,  the  command  of  obe- 
dience, and  the  promises  of  his  great  blessings  upon  that 
condition,)  **  all  the  people  answered  together  and  said.  All 
that  the  Lord  hath  spoken  we  will  do."  The  like  was  done 
again,  Exod.  xxiv.  3.  And  Deut.  v.  27.  And  lest  you 
should  think  either  that  the  assembly  was  not  so  solemn  as 
ours,  or  that  it  was  not  well  done  of  the  people  to  say  more 
than  amen,  God  himself  who  was  present  declared  his  ap- 
probation, even  of  the  words  when  the  speaker's  hearts  were 
not  so  sincere  in  speaking  them  as  they  ought ;  ver.  28,  29. 
"  And  the  Lord  heard  the  voice  of  your  words  when  you 
spake  unto  me,  and  the  Lord  said  unto  me,  I  have  heard  the 

voice  of  the  words  of  this  people They  have  well  said  all 

that  they  have  spoken.  O  that  there  were  such  a  heart  in 
them /' 

Object.  *  But  this  is  but  a  speech  to  Moses  and  not  to 
God.' 

Amw.  I  will  recite  to  you  a  form  of  prayer  which  the 
people  themselves  were  to  make  publicly  to  God ;  Deuf^ 
zxvi.  13 — 15.  "  Then  shalt  thou  say  before  the  Lord  thy 
God,  I  have  brought  away  the  hallowed  things  out  of  my 
house,  and  also  have  given  them  unto  the  Levite  and  unto 
the  stranger,  to  the  fatherless  and  to  the  widow,  according 
to  all  thy  commandments  which  thou  hast  commanded  me : 
I  have  not  transgressed  thy  commandments,  neither  have 


436  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

I  forgotten  them.  I  have  not  eaten  thereof  in  my  mourn- 
ing, neither  have  I  taken  away  ought  thereof  for  any  un- 
clean use,  nor  given  ought  thereof  for  the  dead ;  but  I  have 
hearkened  to  the  voice  of  the  Lord  my  God,  and  have  done 
according  to  all  that  thou  hast  commanded  me.  Look  down 
from  thy  holy  habitation,  from  heaven,  and  bless  thy  people 
Israel,  and  the  land  which  thou  hast  given  us,  as  thou  swa- 
rest  unta  our  fathers,  a  land  that  floweth  with  milk  and  ho- 
ney." Is  not  here  a  full  form  of  prayer  to  be  used  by  all 
the  people  ?  And  remember  that  Joseph  and  Mary,  and 
Christ  himself  were  under  this  law,  and  that  you  never  read 
that  Christ  found  fault  with  the  people's  speech,  nor  spake 
a  word  to  restrain  it  in  his  churches. 

In  Lev.  ix.  24.  "  When  all  the  people  saw  the  glory  of 
the  Lord,  and  the  fire  that  came  out  from  it,  and  consumed 
the  burnt  offering,  they  shouted  and  fell  on  their  faces :" 
which  was  an  acclamation  more  than  bare  amen. 

2  Kings  xxiii.  2,  3.  "  King  Josiah  went  up  into  the 
house  of  the  Lord,  and  all  the  men  of  Judah,  See.  And  the 
priests  and  the  prophets,  and  all  the  people  both  small  and 
great;  and  he  read  in  their  ears  all  the  words  of  the  book 
of  the  covenant:  and  the  king  stood  by  a  pillar  and  made  a 
covenant  before  the  Lord,  to  walk  after  the  Lord,  and  to 
keep  his  commandments,  &c.  with  all  their  heart,  and  all 
their  soul,  &c.  and  all  the  people  stood  to  the  covenant  ?" 
Where  as  a  king  is  the  speaker,  it  is  like  that  the  people 
used  some  words  to  express  their  consent. 

1  Chron.  xvi.  35, 36.  When  David  delivered  a  psalm  for 
a  form  of  praise :  in  which  it  is  said  to  the  people,  ver.  36. 
"  And  say  ye,  Save  us,  O  God  of  our  salvation,  and  gather 
us  together,  and  deliver  us  from  the  heathen,  that  we  may 
give  thanks  to  thy  holy  name,  and  glory  in  thy  praise. 
Blessed  be  the  Lord  God  of  Israel  for  ever  and  ever.  All 
the  people  said.  Amen,  and  praised  the  Lord."  Where  it  is 
like  that  their  praising  the  Lord  was  more  than  their  amen. 
.  And  it  is  a  command,  Psal.lxvii.  3.  5.  *'  Let  all  the  peo- 
ple praise  thee  O  God,  let  all  the  people  praise  thee."  And 
he  that  will  limit  this  to  single  persons,  or  say  that  it  must 
not  be  vocally  in  the  church,  or  it  must  be  only  in  metre, 
and  never  in  prose,  or  only  in  tunes  aad  not  without,  must 
prove  it,  lest  he  be  proved  an  adder  to  God's  Word. 


Q.  LXXXIIl.]        CHRISTIAN   ECCLESIASTICS.  ^    437 

But  it  would  be  tedious  to  recite  all  the  repeated  sen- 
tences in  the  psalms,  which  are  commonly  supposed  to  be 
the  responses  of  the  people,  repeated  by  them.  And  in  Rev. 
xiv.  2,  3.  the  voice  as  "  of  many  waters  and  as  of  a  great 
thunder,  and  the  voice  of  harpers  harping  with  their  harps, 
who  sung  a  new  song  before  the  throne,  and  before  the 
four  beasts  and  the  elders,  a  song  which  none  could  learn 
but  the  hundred  forty  and  four  thousand  which  were  redeem- 
ed from  the  earth,  which  \vere  not  defiled  with  women,  who 
were  virgins  and  followed  xhe  Lamb,"  Sec.  doth  seem  very 
plainly  to  be  spoken  of  the  praises  of  all  the  saints.  Chap, 
xvii.  15.  by  waters  is  meant  people,  multitudes,  Sec.  And 
chap.  xix.  5 — 8.  there  is  expresslyrecited  a  form  of  praise 
for  all  the  people,  "  A  voice  came  out  of  the  throne,  saying. 
Praise  our  God,  all  ye  his  servants,  and  ye  that  fear  him, 
both  small  and  great.  And  I  heard  as  it  were  the  voice  of 
a  great  multitude,  and  as  the  voice  of  many  waters,  and  as 
die  voice  of  mighty  thunderings,  saying.  Alleluia :  for  the 
Lord  God  omnipotent  reigneth.  Let  us  be  glad,  and  rejoice, 
and  give  honour  to  him  ;  for  the  marriage  of  the  Lamb  is 
come,  and  his  wife  hath  made  herself  ready.  And  to  her  it 
was  granted,  &c." 

And  indeed  he  that  hath  stiled  all  his  people  "  priests  to 
God  and  a  holy  and  royal  priesthood,  to  offer  up  spiritual 
sacrifices  acceptable  to  God  by  Jesus  Christ,  and  to  shew 
forth  the  praises, '  rag  ap(ra^\  the  virtues,  of  him  that  hath 
called  us  out  of  darkness  into  his  marvellous  light,"  doth 
seem  not  to  take  them  for  so  profane  a  generation,  as  to  be 
prohibited  from  speaking  to  God  in  public  any  otherwise 
than  by  the  mouth  of  a  priest. 

And  it  seemeth  to  be  more  allowed  (and  not  less)  under 
the  Gospel,  than  under  the  law ;  because  then  the  people  as 
under  guilt  were  kept  at  a  greater  distance  from  God,  and 
must  speak  to  him  more  by  a  priest  that  was  a  type  of 
Christ  our  intercessor  ^  But  now  we  are  brought  nigh,  and 
reconciled  to  God,  and  have  the  spirit  of  sons,  and  may  go 
by  Christ  alone  unto  the  Father.  And.  therefore  though  it 
be  true  that  ministers  yet  are  sub-intercessors  under  Christ 
our  high  priest,  yet  they  are  rarely  called  priests,  but  des- 

I  Numb.  i.  54.  iii.  la  38.  Exod.  xz.  Heb.  iv.  16, 17.  Eph.  ii.  13.  Heb. 
xil  18.  21—23. 


438  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

cribed  more  in  the  New  Testament  by  other  parts  of  their 
office. 

Object,  '  But  the  people's  responses  make  a  confused 
noise  in  the  assemblies,  not  intelligible.' 

Answ.  All  things  are  ill  done,  that  are  done  by  ill  men 
that  carnally  and  formally  slubber  it  over :  but  if  the  best 
and  holiest  people  would  unanimously  set  themselves  to  do 
it,  as  they  do  in  singing  psalms,  so  that  they  did  not  only 
stand  by  to  be  the  hearers  of  others,  it  would  be  done  more 
orderly  and  spiritually  as  well  as  singing  is. 

•  Quest.  Lxxxiv.  Is  it  not  a  sin  for  our  clerks  to  make  them" 
selves  the  mouth  of  the  peopk,  who  are  no  ordained  ministers 
of  Christ? 

Ansfv.  1.  In  those  places  where  ordained  deacons  do  it, 
this  objection  hath  no  place.  2.  The  clerks  are  not  appoint^ 
ed  to  be  the  mouth  of  the  people,  but  only  each  clerk  is  one 
of  the  people  commanded  to  do  that  which  all  should  do,, 
lest  it  should  be  wholly  left  undone.  If  all  the  congrega- 
tion will  speak  all  that  the  clerk  doth,  it  will  answer  the 
primary  desire  of  the  church-governors,  who  bid  the  people 
do  it :  but  if  they  that  will  not  do  it  themselves,  shall  pre- 
tend that  the  clerk  doth  usurp  the  ministiy,  because  he  ceas- 
eth  not  as  well  as  they  ;  they  might  as  well  say  so  by  a  few 
that  should  sing  psalms  in  the  church,  when  the  rest  are 
against  it  and  forbear.  May  not  a  man  do  his  duty  in  sing- 
ing or  saying,  when  you  refuse  yours,  without  pretending 
to  be  your  mouth,  or  usurping  the  ministry  ? 

Quest.  Lxxxv.  Are  repetitions  (f  the  same  words  in  church 

prayers,  lawful  t 

Answn  1 .  It  is  not  lawful  to  afiect  them  as  the  heathens, 
who  think  they  shall  be  heard  for  their  battology,  or  sajring 
over  the  same  words,  as  if  God  were  moved  by  Uiem  as  by  a 
charm  *".  2.  Nor  is  it  lawful  to  do  that  which  hath  a  strong 
appearance  of  such  a  conceit,  and  thereby  to  make  God's 
worship  ridiculous  and  contemptible  ;  as  the  Papists  in  their 
psalters,  and  prayer  books,  repeating  over  the  name  of  Je- 

B  Matt.  vi.  18. 


Q.  LXXXVI.]    CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  439 

siis,  and  Mary  bo  oft  together  as  maketh  it  t»eein  a  ludicrous 
canting. 

But,  1.  It  is  lawful  to  speak  the  same  words  from  ful- 
ness and  fervency  of  zeal ;  2.  And  when  we  are  afraid  to 
give  over  lest  we  have  not  yet  prevailed  with  God.  3.  And 
in  God's  solemn  praises  (sung  or  said)  a  word  or  sentence 
oft  repeated  sometimes  hath  an  elegancy,  and  affecting  de- 
cency ;  and  therefore  it  is  so  often  used  in  the  psalms  ;  yea, 
and  in  many  Scripture  prayers.  4.  In  such  cases,  to  bring 
a  serious  urgency  of  spirit  to  the  repeated  words,  and  not  to 
quarrel  with  the  repetitions,  is  the  duty  of  one  that  joineth 
with  true  Christian  assemblies,  as  a  son  of  piety  and  peace  **. 

Quest.  Lxxxvi.  Is  it  lawful  to  bow  at  the  name  ofJesusi    - 

Answ.  The  question  either  respecteth  the  person  of  Je- 
sus, named  by  any  of  his  names,  or  else  this  name  '  Jesus' 
only.  And  that  either  simply  in  itself  considered ;  or  else 
comparatively  as  excluding,  or  not  including  other  names. 

1.  That  the  person  of  Jesus  is  to  be  bowed  to,  I  never 
knew  a  Christian  deny. 

2.  That  we  may  lawfully  express  our  reverence  by  bow* 
ing,  when  the  names,  '  God,' '  Jehovah,'  '  Jesus,'  •  Christ,' 
8u^.,  are  uttered,  I  have  met  with  few  Christians  who  deny, 
nor  know  I  any  reason  to  deny  it. 

3.  Had  I  been  fit  to  have  prescribed  directions  to  other 
mii\ister6  or  churches,  I  would  not  have  persuaded,  much 
less  commanded  them  to  bow  at  the  name  of  Jesus,  any 
more  than  at  the  name  of  God,  Jehovah,  Christ,  8cc.,  for 
for  many  reasons  which  the  reader  may  imagine,  though  I 
will  not  now  mention  them. 

4.  But  if  I  live  and  join  in  a  church  where  it  is  com- 
manded and  peremptorily  urged  to  bow  at  the  name  of 
Jesus,  and  where  my  not  doing  it  would  be  divisive,  scan- 
dalous or  offensive,  I  will  bow  at  the  name  of  God,  Jehovah, 
Jesus,  Christ,  Lord,  &c.,  one  as  well  as  the  other ;  seeing  it 
is  not  bowing  at  Christ's  name  that  I  scruple,  but  the  con- 
sequents of  seeming  to  distinguish  or  prefer  that  name  alone 
before  all  the  rest"*. 

■  PMhciiivi.      cviuS*  IS.  fl.  kc. 

•  Mk.  Ti.  6.     Jer.  iiiii.  f7.    Im.  lit.  5,  6.    xiuu  S4»    xUl  8,  9.    Pnl.  ii« 


440  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

Quest.  Lxxxvii.  h  it  lawful  to  stand  up  at  the  Gospel  as  we 

are  appointed  f 

Answ.  1.  Had  I  been  a  prescriber  to  others  myself,-  I 
should  not  have  required  the  church  to  stand  up  at  the 
reading  of  one  part  of  a  chapter  by  the  name  of  the  gospel, 
and. not  at  the  same  words  when  the  whole  chapter  is  read. 

2.  But  if  I  live  where  rulers  peremptorily  command  it, 
(I  suppose  not  forbidding  us  to  stand  up  at  the  gospel  read 
in  chapters,  but  selecting  this  as  an  instance  of  their  signi- 
fied consent  to  the  Gospel,  who  will  do  no  more)  I  would 
obey  them  rather  than  give  offence,  by  standing  up  at  the 
reading  of  the  chapters  and  all ;  which  I  suppose  will  be  no 
violation  of  their  laws. 

Quest.  Lxxxviii.  Is  it  lawful  to  kneel  when  the  Decalogue  is 

read? 

Answ.  I.  If  I  lived  in  a  church  that  mistook  the  com- 
mandments for  prayers,  as  many  ignorant  people  do,  I  would 
not  so  harden  them  in  that  error.  2.  And  if  I  -knew  that 
many  of  the  people  present  are  of  that  mind,  I  had  rather 
do  nothing  that  might  scandalize  or  harden  them  in  it. 

But,  1.  That  the  thing  itself  is  lawful,  is  past  doubt  : 
as  we  may  kneel  to  the  king  when  we  hear  him  or  speak  to 
him;  so  it  is  lawful  to  kneel  to  God,  when  we  read  a  chap- 
ter or  hear  it  read,  and  specially  the  Decalogue  so  terribly 
delivered,  and  written  by  his  own  finger  in  stone.  2.  And 
if  it  be  peremptorily  commanded,  and  the  omission  would 
be  offensive,  I  would  use  it  though  mistaking  persons  aie 
present,  (1.)  Because  I  cannot  disobey,  and  also  differ  from 
the  whole  assembly,  without  a  greater  hurt  and  scandal, 
than  seeming  to  harden  that  mistaking  person.  (2.)  And  be- 
cause I  could  and  would  by  other  means  remove  that  per- 
son's danger,  as  from  me,  by  making  him  know  that  it  is 
no  prayer.  (3.)  And  the  rather  in  our  times,  because  we 
can  get  the  minister  in  the  pulpit  publicly  to  tell  the  peo- 
ple the  contrary.     (4.)  And  in  catechizing  it  is  his  appoint- 

10,11.  Phil.  ii.  2.  9— 1«.  Psal.  xxJtiv.  3  .Ixvi.  2.  Ixviii.  4.1xxii.  19.  IxxvLl. 
a.  xcvi.  2.  c.  4.  cxi.  9.  cxiviii.  13.  cxlix.  3.  Isa.  ix.  6, 7.  x\l  4.  Pial* 
czxxvui.  S,  "H     Rev.  xw  4.     1*  Cbroii.  xxix.  «0.     8  Cbron.  xxix.  30. 


Q.  LXXXIX.]    CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  441 

ed  duty  so  to  do.  (5.)  And  we  find  that  the  same  old  silly 
people  who  took  the  commandments  for  a  prayer,  took  the 
creed  to  be  so  too ;  when  yet  none  kneeled  at  the  creed  ; 
by  which  it  appeareth  that  it  is  not  kneeling  which  deceived 
them. 

Quest.  LXXXIX.   What  gestures  'are  Jittett  in  all  the  public 

worship  ? 

Answ.  1.  The  customs  of  several  countries,  putting  se- 
veral significations  on  gestures,  much  varieth  the  case. 

2.  We  must  not  lightly  difier  from  the  customs  of  the 
churches  where  we  live  in  such  a  thing. 

3.  According  to  the  present  state  of  our  churches,  and 
the  signification  of  gestures,  and  the  necessities  of  men's 
bodies,  all  considered,  I  like  best,  (1.)  To  kneel  in  prayer 
and  confession  of  sin  (unless  it  be  in  crowded  congregations 
where  there  is  not  room).  (2.)  To  stand  up  in  actions  of 
mere  praise  to  God,  that  is,  at  the  singing  and  reading  of 
the  psalms  of  praise,  and  at  the  other  hymns.  (3.)  To  sit 
at  the  hearing  of  the  Word  read  and  preached  ;  (because  the 
body  hath  a  necessity  of  some  rest.) 

4.  Had  I  my  choice,  I  would  receive  the  Lord's  supper 
sitting ;  but  where  I  have  not,  I  will  use  the  gesture  which 
the  church  useth.  And  it  is  to  be  noted  that  the  church  of 
England  requireth  the  communicant  only  to  receive  it  kneel- 
ing; but  not  to  eat  or  drink  it  kneeling  when  they  have  re- 
ceived it.  The  ancient  churches  took  it  for  an  universal 
custom,  established  by  many  general  councils,  (and  contin- 
ued many  hundred  years)  that  no  churches  should  kneel  in 
any  act  of  adoration  upon  any  Lord's  day  in  the  year,  or  any 
week-day  between  Easter  and  Whitsuntide ;  but  only  stand 
all  the  time.  But  because  the  weariness  of  the  body  is  apt 
to  draw  the  mind  into  consent,  and  make  God's  service 
burdensome  to  us,  it  seemeth  a  sufficient  compliance  with 
their  custom  and  the  reasons  of  it,  if  we  stand  up  only  in 
acts  of  praise  (and  at  the  profession  of  our  assent  to  the 
Christian  faith  and  covenant  >*)• 

5.  And  because  there  is  so  great  a  difference  between 
the  auditors  in  most  assemblies,  some  being  weak  and  not 

i>  1  Chron;  xvii.  16.    S  Sam.  vii.  18. 


442  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [pART  II1« 

able  to  stand  long,  8cc.,  therefore  it  is  utterly  unmeet  to 
be  too  rigorous  in  urging  an  uniformity  of  gesture,  or  for 
any  to  be  too  censorious  of  other  men  for  a  gesture. 

Quest,  xc.  What  if  the  pastor  and  church  cannot  agree  abomi 
singing  psalms,  or  what  version  or  translation  to  use,  or 
time  or  place  of  meeting  f  S^c. 

Answ.  1 .  It  is  the  office  of  the  pastor  to  be  the  guide 
and  ruler  in  such  things,  (when  the  magistrate  interposetfa 
not)  and  the  people  should  obey  him.  2.  But  if  the  pastor 
injure  the  church  by  his  mis-guidance  and  mal-administra- 
tion,  he  ought  to  amend  and  give  them  satisfaction ;  and  if 
he  do  not,  they  have  their  remedy  before-mentioned.  3. 
And  if  the  people  be  obstinate  in  disobedience  upon  cause- 
less quarrel,  the  pastor  must  first  labour  to  convince  them 
by  reason  and  love,  and  his  authority ;  and  if  no  means  will 
bring  them  to  submission,  he  must  consider  whether  it  be 
better  as  to  the  public  good  of  the  church  of  Christ  that  he 
comply  with  them,  and  suffer  them,  or  that  he  depart  and 
go  to  a  more  tractable  people  ;  and  accordingly  he  is  to  do. 
For  they  cannot  continue  together  in  communion  if  one 
yield  not  to  the  other  :  usually  or  ofttimes  it  will  be  better 
to  leave  such  an  obdurate  self-willed  people,  lest  they  be 
hardened  by  yielding  to  them  in  their  sin,  and  others  encou- 
raged in  the  like  by  their  example ;  and  their  own  experi- 
ence may  at  last  convince  them,  and  make  them  yield  to 
better  things,  as  Geneva  did  when  they  revoked  Calvin. 
Bat  sometimes  the  public  good  requireth  that  the  pastor 
give  place  to  the  people's  folly,  and  stay  among  them,  and 
rather  yield  to  that  which  is  not  best  (so  it  be  otherwiw 
lawful)  as  a  worse  translation,  a  worse  version,  liturgy,  or^ 
der,  time,  place,  &c.,  than  quite  forsake  them.  And  lie 
that  is  in  the  right,  may  in  that  case  yield  to  him  that  is  in 
the  wrong,  in  point  of  practice. 

Qaest.  xci.  What  if  the  pastor  excommunicate  a  man,  and  the 
people  will  not  forbear  his  communion,  as  thinking  him  tm- 
justly  excommunicated  f 

Answ.  1.  Either  the  pastor  or  the  people  are  in  the  error. 


QU£ST.  XCII.]   CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  443 

2*  Either  the  person  is  a  dangerous  heretic,  or  grossly 
wicked,  or  not.  3.  Either  the  people  do  own  the  error  or 
sin,  for  which  he  is  excommunicated,  or  only  judge  the  per- 
son not  guilty.  4.  The  pastor's  and  the  people's  part  in 
the  execution  must  be  distinguished.     And  so  I  conclude, 

1.  That  if  the  pastor  err  and  wrong  the  people,  he  must 
repent  and  give  them  satisfaction :  but  if  it  be  their  error 
and  obstinacy,  then  2.  If  the  pastor  foreknow  that  the  peo- 
ple will  dissent,  in  some  small  dispensible  cases  he  may  for- 
bear to  excommunicate  one  that  deserveth  it :  or  if  he 
know  it  after,  that  they  will  not  forbear  communion  widi 
the  person,  he  may  go  on  in  his  office,  and  be  satisfied  thai 
he  hath  discharged  his  own  duty,  and  leave  them  under  the 
guilt  of  their  own  faults.  3.  But  if  it  be  an  intolerable 
wickedness  or  heresy  (as  Arianism,  Socinianism,  &c.)  and 
the  people  own  the  error  or  sin  as  well  as  the  person,  the 
pastor  is  then  to  admonish  them  also,  and  by  all  means  to 
endeavour  to  bring  them  to  repentance ;  and  if  they  remain 
impenitent  to  renounce  communion  with  them  and  desert 
them.  4.  But  if  they  own  not  the  crime,  but  only  think  the 
person  injured,  the  pastor  must  give  them  the  proof  for 
their  satisfaction;  and  if  they  remain  unsatisfied,  he  may 
proceed  in  his  office  as  before. 

Quest,  xcii.  Maif  a  whole  church,  or  tie  greater  part  be  ex- 

communicated  9 

Attsw.  1.  To  excommunicate  is  by  ministerial  authority 
to  pronounce  the  person  unmeet  for  Christian  communicm» 
as  being  under  the  guilt  of  impenitence  in  heino«s  sin ;  and 
to  charge  the  church  to  forbear  communion  with  him,  and 
avoid  him,  and  to  bind  him  over  to  the  bar  of  God. 

2.  The  pastor  of  a  particular  church  may  pronounce  all 
the  church  incapable  of  Christian  communion  and  salvation 
till  they  repent,  e.  g.  If  they  should  all  be  impenitent  Arians, 
Socinians,  blasphemers,  Sec,  for  he  hath  authority,  and  they 
deserve  it.  But  he  hath  no  church  that  he  is  pastor  of, 
whom  he  can  command  to  avoid  them.  3.  The  neighbour 
paBtora  of  the  churches  about  them,  may  upon  fiiU  proof, 
declare  to  their  own  churches,  that  such  a  neighbour  church 
that  is  fallen  to  Arianism,  &.C.,  is  unmeet  for  Christian  com* 


444  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

munion  and  to  be  owned  as  a  church  of  Christ ;  and  there- 
fore charge  their  flocks  not  to  own  them,  nor  to  have  bcca- 
sional  communion  with  their  members  when  they  come 
among  them.  For  there  is  authority,  and  a  meet  object,  and 
necessity  for  so  doing;  and  therefore  it  may  be  done.  4. 
But  a  single  pastor  of  another  church  may  not  usurp  autho- 
rity over  any  neighbour  church,  to  judge  them  and  excom- 
municate them,  where  he  hath  neither  call  nor  full  proof,  as 
not  having  had  opportunity  to  admonish  them  all,  and  try 
their  repentance  "i.  Therefore  the  pope's  excommunications 
are  rather  to  be  contemned,  than  regarded.  5.  Yet  if  many 
churches  turn  heretics  notoriously,  one  single  neighbour 
pastor  may  renounce  their  communion,  and  require  his 
flock  for  to  avoid  them  all.  6.  And  a  pastor  may  as  lawful- 
ly excommunicate  the  major  part  of  his  church,  by  charg- 
ing the  minor  part  to  avoid  them,  as  he  may  do  the  minor 
part ;  except  that  accidentally  the  inconveniences  of  a  divi- 
sion may  be  so  great,  as  to  make  it  better  to  forbear :  and 
so  it  may  oft  fall  out  also,  if  it  were  the  minor  part. 

Quest,  xciii.  What  if  a  church  have  two  pastors^  and  otie  er- 
communicate  a  man,  and  the  other  absolve  him,  what  shall 
the  church  and  the  dissenter  do  ? 

Answ,  It  was  such  cases  that  made  the  churches  of  old 
choose  bishops,  and  ever  have  but  one  bishop  in  one  church. 
But,  1 .  He  that  is  in  the  wrong  is  first  bound  to  repent  and 
yield  to  the  other.  2.  If  he  will  not,  the  other  in  a  tolerable 
ordinary  case  may  for  peace  give  way  to  him,  though  not 
consent  to  his  injurious  dealing.  3.  In  a  dubious  case  they 
should  both  forbear  proceeding  till  the  case  be  cleared.  4. 
In  most  cases,  each  party  should  act  according  to  his  own 
judgment,  if  the  counsel  of  neighbour  pastors  be  not  able  to 
reconcile  them.  And  the  people  may  follow  their  own  judg- 
ments, and  forbear  obeying  either  of  them  formally  till  they 
agree. 

Quest,  xciv.  For  what  sins  may  a  man  be  denied  commumon, 
or  excommunicated?  Whether  for  impenitence  in  every 
little  ^in  ;  or  for  great  sin  without  impenitence  ? 

^  3  John  z.  11.     3  John  ix.  10.     Rev.  U.  5.  16.    iii.  9.  6.16. 


QUEST.  XCIV.]     CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  445 

Jinsw.  1.  I  have  shewed  before  that  there  is  a  suspension 
which  is  but  a  forbearance  of  giving  a  man  the  sacrament^ 
which  is  only  upon  an  accusation  till  his  cause  be  tried ; 
and  an  innocent  person  may  be  falsely  accused,  and  so 
tried. 

2.  Some  sins  may  be  of  so  heinous  scandal,  that  if  the 
person  repent  of  them  this  day,  his  absolution  and  reception 
may  be  delayed  till  the  scandal  be  removed.  1.  Because 
the  public  good  is  to  be  preferred  before  any  man's  personal 
good.  2.  And  the  churches,  or  enemies  about,  cannot  so 
suddenly  know  of  a  man's  repentance.  If  they  hear  of  a 
man's  murder,  perjury  or  adultery  to-day,  and  hear  that  he 
is  absolved  to-morrow,  they  will  think  that  the  church  con- 
sisteth  of  such,  or  that  it  maketh  very  light  of  sin.  There- 
fore the  ancient  churches  delayed  and  imposed  penances, 
partly  to  avoid  such  scandal.  3  And  partly  because 
that  some  sins  are  so  heinous,  that  a  sudden  profession  is 
not  a  sufficient  evidence  of  repentance,  unless  there  be  also 
some  evidence  of  contrition.    • 

3.  But  ordinarily  no  man  ought  to  be  excommunicated 
for  any  sin  whatsoever,  unless  impenitence  be  added  to  the 
sin*^.  Because  he  is  first  to  be  admonished  to  repent*. 
And  repentance  is  the  Gospel  condition  of  pardon  to  be- 
lievers. 

4.  A  man  is  not  to  be  excommunicated  for  every  sin 
which  he  repenteth  not  of.  Because,  1 .  Else  all  men  should 
be  excommunicated.  For  there  are  in  all  men  some  errors 
about  sin  and  duty,  and  so  some  sins  which  men  cannot 
yet  perceive  to  be  sins.  2.  And  ministers  are  not  infallible, 
and  may  take  that  for  a  sin  which  is  no  sin,  and  so  should 
excommunicate  the  innocent.  3.  And. daily  unavoidable 
infirmities,  though  repented  of,  yet  awaken  not  the  soul 
sometimes  to  a  notable  contrition  ;  nor  are  they  fit  matter 
for  the  church's  admonition  ^  A  man  is  not  to  be  called 
openly  to  repentance  before  the  church  for  every  idle  word, 
or  hour. 

4.  Therefore  to  excommunication  these  two  must  con- 
cur, 1.  A  heinousness  in  the  sin.  2.  Impenitence  after  due 
admonition  and  patience. 

r  Loke  xiii.3. 5.     Acto  u.  57—39,  &c.         •  Matt  xriii.  15,  16.     Tit.  iii.  10. 
'  Gal.  ▼!.  1—4.    James  iii.  1— <S. 


44(i  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

Quest,  xcv.  Must  the  pastors  examine  the  people  before  the 

sacrament  ? 

Ansto.  1.  Regularly  they  should  have  sufficient  notice 
after  they  come  to  age  that  they  own  their  baptismal  cove- 
nant, and  that  they  have  that  due  understanding  of  the  sa- 
crameut  and  the  sacramental  work,  and  such  a  Christian 
profession  as  is  necessary  to  a  due  participation. 

2.  But  this  is  most  fitly  done  at  their  solemn  transition 
out  of  their  infant-church-state  into  their  adult :  and  it  is 
not  necessarily  to  be  done  every  time  they  come  to  the 
Lord's  table  (unless  the  person  desire  help  for  his  own  bene- 
fit) ;  but  only  once,  before  their  first  communicating :  if  it 
be  the  satisfaction  of  the  pastor  or  church  that  is  intended 
by  it 

Quest,  xcvi.  Is  the  sacrament  of  the  hordes  supper  a  convert- 

ing  ordinance  ? 

Answ.  You  must  distinguish,  1.  Between  tlie  conver- 
sion of  infidels  without  the  church,  and  of  hypocrites  with- 
in it ;  2.  Between  the  primary  and  the  secondary  intention 
of  the  insti tutor.  3.  Between  the  primary  duty  of  the  re- 
ceiver, and  the  event.     And  so  I  conclude, 

1.  That  God  did  not  command  ministers  to  give  infidels 
the  Lord's  supper  to  convert  them  to  Christianity. 

2.  He  requireth  us  to  give  it  to  none  but  those  that  pro- 
fess themselves  converted  from  infidelity  and  a  state  of 
wickedness,  and  to  none  that  profess  not  true  saving  iaith 
and  repentance. 

3.  God  never  conmianded  or  allowed  any  infidel  to  de- 
mand or  receive  it  to  his  conversion. 

4.  God  commandeth  the  pastors  of  the  church,  to  delir 
ver  it  to  hypocrites,  (who  at  the  heart  are  infidels,  or  impe- 
nitent and  ungodly)  if  they  profess  faith  and  repentance,  and 
desire  or  require  it". 

5.  There  is  much  in  the  nature  of  the  sacrament,  which 
tendeth  to  the  conversion  of  an  hypocrite. 

6.  And  God  often  blesseth  it  to  the  conversion  of  hypo- 

•  Luke  xxii.  19.  1  Cor.  xi.  94.  Acts  ii.  37,  38.  Matt.  xiviH.  19,  fO. 
1  Cor.  X.  16.     f  Cor.  vi.  14. '  Actt  ▼iii.  13.  37, 38.    1  Cor.  xL  «7— 80. 


QUEST.  XCVIl.]     CHRISTIAN   ECCLESIASTICS.  447 

crites ;  so  that  it  may  thence  be  said  to  be  his  secondary  in- 
tention* 

7.  But  yet  he  that  knoweth  himself  to  be  a  mere  hypo- 
crite, or  void  of  saving  faith  and  repentance,  should  not 
come  first  and  immediately  to  the  sacrament,  to  be  converted 
by  it ;  but  should  first  so  long  hear,  read,  meditate,  and 
pray,  till  he  repent  and  believe,  and  his  heart  consent  to  the 
covenant  of  God  ;  and  then  he  should  come  with  penitent 
contrition,  and  solemnly  renew  his  covenant  in  this  sacra- 
ment, and  there  receive  a  sealed  pardon. 

Quest,  xcvii.  Mtist  no  man  come  to  the  sacrament,  that  m 
uncertain  or  doubtful  of  the  sincerity  of  his  faith  and  re- 
pentance ? 

Anhw.  1.  He  that  is  sure  of  his  unsoundness  and  hypo- 
crisy should  not  come ''. 

2.  He  that  upon  trial  is  not  sure,  but  yet  as  far  as  he 
can  understand  his  own  heart  and  life,  doth  judge  himself 
an  impenitent  hypocrite,  should  use  other  means  to  know 
himself  certainly,  and  more  fully  to  repent  before  he  cometli. 
And  though  some  melancholy  and  timorous  persons  hit 
falsely  persuaded  that  they  are  impenitent,  yet  it  is  better 
that  such  forbear  the  sacrament,  while  they  use  other  means 
for  their  better  acquaintance  with  themselves,  than  that  all 
the  hypocrites,  and  wicked,  impenitent  people  be  told  that 
it  is  their  duty  to  come,  if  they  can  but  make  themselveM 
uncertain  whether  they  be  impenitent  or  not. 

3.  But  he  that  after  the  best  endeavovrs  he  cdn  mte  Ut 
know  himself,  can  say,  '  I  am  not  certain  that  1  truly  repent, 
but  as  far  as  I  can  know  my  heart  I  do ;'  is  not  to  be  hin- 
dered from  the  sacrament  by  that  tincertaiiity.  1.  For  few 
of  the  best  attain  to  a  full  certainty  of  their  own  nincerity, 
2.  And  all  that  can  be  expected  from  us  is,  that  we  proceed 
according  to  the  best  of  our  understandings^  Mod  Uie  httni 
acquaintance  with  oorselves  that  we  can  get.  «i.  And 
otherwise  it  woold  keep  as  from  all  other  duties  proper  Ut 
tme  Christians  ;  as  from  thanksgiving  for  our  justification, 
nanctification,  adoption*  &c« 

4.  He  that  only  erretb  about  the  nature  of  true  &itb  and 


448  CHRISTIAN  DIRECTORY.  [PART    III. 

repentance,  and  not  about  the  reality  of  it  in  himself,  should 
not  be  kept  away  by  that  eiTor ;  as  if  he  can  say,  '  As  far  as 
I  know  my  heart,  I  am  willing  to  part  with  every  known 
sin,  and  to  know  every  sin  that  I  may  part  with  it ;  but  I 
am  afraid  this  is  not  true  repentance,'  or  he  that  saith,  '  I 
believe  the  Gospel  to  be  true,  and  I  am  willing  to  have 
Christ  upon  his  covenant  terms,  and  wholly  to  resign  myself 
unto  him  ;  but  I  am  afraid  yet  that  I  am  not  a  true  believer.' 
This  person  is  truly  penitent,  and  is  a  true  believer,  and 
therefore  ought  to  come. 

5.  The  case  '  de  esse,'  whether  a  man  be  a  true  Christian 
or  not,  is  in  order  before  the  case  '  de  scire,'  whether  he  be 
certain  of  it  or  not  ^,  He  that  is  an  hypocrite  is  bound  by 
God  first  to  know  that  he  is  so,  and  then  to  repent,  and 
then  to  communicate.  He  that  is  sincere,  is  bound  by  God 
to  know  that  he  is  sincere,  and  to  be  thankful,  and  to  com- 
municate ;  and  man's  neglect  of  one  duty  will  not  make 
God  change  his  laws,  which  still  bind  them  to  all  this  at 
once. 

Quest  xcviiT.  Is  it  lawful  or  a  duty  to  join  oblations  to  the 

sacrament,  and  how  ? 

Answ.  1.  There  is  no  question  but  a  Christian  must 
give  up  himself  soul  and  body,  with  all  that  he  hath  to 
God,  and  for  his  service  ;  and  this  oblation  is  Christianity 
'itself  * . 

2.  It  is  undoubted  that  the  Lord's  day  is  a  fit  time  for 
our  depbsiting  what  we  have  to  spare,  for  charitable  and 
pious  uses,  and  this  is  partly  of  Divine  appointments 

3.  No  doubt  but  what  we  give  to  the  poor,  should  be  for 
God's  sake,  and  from  our  love  to  God ;  and  therefore  must 
first  be  devoted  or  given  up  to  God,  and  but  secondarily  to 
the  poor  **. 

4.  It  is  certain  that  the  Lord's  supper  is  as  fit  a  season 
as  any  part  of  that  day,  for  such  oblations  and  collections. 
The  ancient  Christians  did  therefore  call  it  the  communion, 
because  in  it  they  shewed  their  love  and  communion,  and 
feasted  in  common  to  that  end.     There  are  two  several  sorts 

y  2  Cor.  xiii.  5, 6.  ■  Rom.  xii.  1.    1  Pet.  ii.  5.  9. 

•  1  Cor.  xvi.  1,  «.  *•  Matt.  x.    xxv.  40,  &c 


QUEST.  XCIX.]     CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  440 

of  oblations  which  may  lawfully  be  made  (and  fitly)  at  the 
communion.  1.  The  creatures  of  bread  and  wine  should  be 
offered  or  presented  before  God,  as  acknowledging  him  to  be 
the  Creator  and  Giver  of  all,  and  to  desire  his  acceptance 
and  benediction  of  them  for  that  holy  use«  2.  Our  alms  or 
charitable  contribution  may  be  then  fitly  offered  to  God« 
that  he  may  first  accept  it,  and  so  it  may  be  communicated 
to  the  church  and  poor.  When  we  receive  from  God  the 
most  obliging  benefits,  when  we  return  our  greatest  thanks, 
when  we  resign  ourselves  and  all  to  God,  it  is  then  sure  a 
seasonable  time,  to  express  all  by  the  oblation  of  our  bene- 
volence ;  that  hypocrites  may  not  pretend  that  they  are  cha- 
ritable in  secret,  but  the  church  may  have  due  notice  of  it, 
and  the  pastors  be  duly  entrusted  with  it^ 

Quest.  XCIX.  How  many  sacraments  are  there  appointed  by 

Christ  ? 

Answ.  The  word  '  Sacrament  *  hath  so  many  significa- 
tions, that  it  is  not  fit  for  the  question  till  it  be  explained  ^. 
Passing  all  others  now,  we  must  take  notice,  1.  That  our 
use  of  it  is  not  so  large  as  the  Latin  interpreter  who  putteth 
it  for  '  Mystery,'  but  for  '  A  solemn  dedication  of  man  to 
God  by  a  vow  expressed  by  some  sacred  ceremony,  signi- 
fying mutually  our  covenant  to  God,  and  God's  reception  of 
US  and  his  covenant  with  us.'  And  it  is  brought  into  the 
church  from  the  Roman  military  oath  called  a  sacrament, 
in  which  as  Tertul.  "de  Cor.  Mil."  sheweth,  the  soldier 
aware  fidelity  and  obedience  to  Csesar,  renouncing  father, 
mother,  &^.  for  his  service,  and  swearing  to  prefer  it  and 
his  safety  before  them  all :  see  Martinius's  reciting  the  oath 
oat  of  divers  authors.  This  is  our  sense  of  the  word  ;  let  no 
man  now  that  taketh  it  in  other  sense,  pretend  therefore 
that  we  differ  in  doctrine. 

2.  Seeing  it  is  no  Scripture  word,  it  is  not  of  necessity 
to  the  faith  or  peace  of  the  church;  but  when  disputers 
agree  not  of  the  sense  of  the  word,  they  are  best  lay  it  by, 
and  use  such  terms  whose  sense  they  can  agree  on. 

c  1  Cor.  xvi.  1,  2. 

<*  or  which  see  Martinias  fully  in  "  Ononi.  de  Secram.*'      Bellamiin  himself 
fcckoneth  fire. 

VOL.  V.  O    G  , 


450  CHRISTIAN    DIRECfOEY.  [PART  lU. 

3.  The  Dftme  '  Sacrament '  w  etthei  taken  ttom  the 
coTenant  sworn  to,  or  from  the  mga  or  ceremony  of  con- 
tent, by  which  we  oblige  ourselves,  or  from  both  togetkir. 

4.  The  coyenant  of  Christianity  is  different  from  a  par* 
iicular  coyenant  of  some  office  ;  and  accordingly  the  aacia- 
ment  is  to  be  distinguished* 

6.  As  ciyil,  economical,  and  ecclesiastical  offices  are  dis» 
tinct,  so  are  their  several  sacraments* 

6.  The  solemn  renewing  of  the  sacred  vow  or  covenant, 
without  any  instituted,  obliging  sign,  is  to  be  distinguished 
from  the  renewing  it  by  such  a  sign  of  God's  institntioa : 
and  now  I  conclude, 

L  As  the  word  'Sacrament'  is  taken  improperly  'se- 
(^undum  quid,'  from  ihe  nobler  part  only,  that  is^  the  cove- 
nant, (as  a  man's  soul  is  called  the  man)  so  there  are  as 
many  sacraments  as  covenants ;  and  there  is  in  specie  bat 
one  covenant  of  Christianity,  and  so  but  one  sacrament  of 
Christianity,  variously  expressed. 

2.  As  the  word  '  Sacrament '  is  taken  properly  and  fully 
according  to  the  aforesaid  description ;  so  there  are  properly 
two  sacraments  of  Christianity,  or  of  the  covenant  of  grace ; 
that  is,  baptism,  the  sacrament  of  initiation  (most  fully  so 
called)  and  the  Lord*s  supper,  or  the  sacrament  of  confima- 
tion,  exercise,  and  progress. 

3.  As  the  word  '  Sacrament'  is  taken  less  properiy,  de- 
fectively, 'secundum  quid,'  for  the  same  covenant  of  gmoe 
or  Christianity  renewed  by  any  arbitrary  sign  of  our  own, 
without  a  solemn  ceremony  of  Divine  institution,  so  theie 
are  divers  sacraments  of  Christianity  or  the  covenant  of 
grace,  that  is,  divers  solemn  renewals  of  our  covenant  wttk 
Ood.  As>  1.  At  our  eolemn  transition  from  the  state  of  in- 
fant-membership unto  that  of  the  adult,  when  we  solemnly 
own  our  baptismal  covenant,  which  Calvin  and  many  Pro- 
testants (and  the  English  rubric)  call  confirmation.  2.  The 
solenm  owning  the  Christian  faith  and  covenant,  in  our  con- 
stant church-assemblies,  when  we  stand  np  at  the  creed  or 
profession  of  our  faith,  and  all  renew  our  covenant  with  Ood, 
and  dedication  to  him.  3.  At  solemn  days  of  fasting  or  hu- 
miliation, and  of  thanksgiving  when  this  should  be  solemnly 
done.  Especially  upon  some  public  deflection.  4.  Upon 
the  public  repentance  of  a  particular  sinner  before  his  ab- 


QUEST.  XCIX.]   CHRISTIAN  ECCLLSIASTICS.  45k\ 

wliition.  6.  When  a  man  is  going  out  of  the  world,  and  re- 
commending hia  soul  to  God  by  Christ ;  all  these  are  so- 
lemn renewings  of  our  coyenant  with  Crod,  in  which  we  may 
use  any  lawAil,  natural,  or  arbitrary  signs  or  expressions,  to 
signify  our  own  tninds  by,  as  speaking,  subscribing,  stand- 
ing up,  lifting  up  the  hand,  laying  it  upon  a  book,  kissing 
the  book,  Sbo.  These  sacraments  are  improperly  so  called  ; 
and  are  Dirine  as  to  the  covenant  renewed,  but  human  as  to 
dke  expressing  signs. 

4«  Ordination  is  not  improperly  or  unfitly  called  a  <  Sa- 
crament/ because  it  is  the  solemnising  of  a  mutual  coTenant 
between  Ood  and  man,  for  our  dedication  to  his  special  ser- 
vice, and  his  reception  of  us  and  blessing  on  us,  though  im- 
position of  hands  be  not  so  solemn  a  ceremony  by  mere  in- 
stitution, as  baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper.  But  then  it 
must  be  noted,  that  this  is  not '  Sacramentum  Christianita- 
tts,'  a  sacrament  of  the  Christian  covenant ;  but '  Sacramen- 
tum ordinis  vel  officii  particularis ;'  a  sacrament  of  orders, 
or  a  particular  office ;  but  yet  of  Divine  institution. 

5.  The  solemn  celebration  of  marriage,  is  an  economical 
sacrament ;  that  is,  a  solemn  obligation  of  man  and  woman 
by  vow  to  one  another,  and  of  both  to  Qod  in  that  relation, 
which  may  be  arbitrarily  expressed  by  lawful  signs  or  ce^^ 
remonies. 

6.  The  solemn  covenant  of  a  master  with  his  servant,  is 
csk  the  same  account,  an  economical  sacrament. 

7.  The  inauguration  of  a  king,  in  which  he  is  sworn  to 
his  subjects,  and  dedicated  to  God  in  that  office,  and  his 
subjects  sworn  or  consent  to  him,  is  a  civil  sacrament, 
whether  unction  be  added  or  not.  And  so  is  a  judge's  en<* 
trance  on  his  office,  when  it  is  done  so  solemnly  by  an 
obliging  vow  or  covenant. 

8.  Confirmation  in  the  Papists'  sense,  as  conferred  by 
chrism  on  infants  for  giving  them  the  Holy  Ghost,  is  but  an 
unwarrantable  imitation  of  the  old  miraculous  operation  by 
the  apostles,  and  neither  a  Christian  sacrament,  nor  a  war- 
rantable practice,  but  a  presumption. 

9.  The  same  may  be  said  of  their  sacrament  of  extreme 
unction/ 

10.  Their  sacrament  of  marriage  is  no  otherwise  a  sacra- 
ment, than  the  inauguration  of  a  king  is  ;  which  is  approved 


452  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

by  God  as  well  as  marriage,  and  signifieth  also  an  honour- 
able collation  of  power  from  the  universal  king. 

1 1 .  Their  sacrament  of  penance  is  no  otherwise  a  sacra- 
ment than  many  other  forementioned  renewings  of  our  co- 
venant are. 

12.  Therefore  the  Papists'  seven  sacraments,  or  sep- 
tenary distribution,  is  confused,  partly  redundant,  partly  de- 
fective, and  unworthy  to  be  made  a  part  of  theilr  faith  or  re- 
ligion, or  the  matter  of  their  peevish  and  ignorant  contend- 
ings.  And  they  that  peremptorily  say,  without  distinguish- 
ing, that  there  are  but  two  sacraments  in  all,  do  but  harden 
them  by  the  unwarrantable  narrowing  of  the  word. 

• 

Quest,  c.  How  far  is  it  lawful,  needful,  or  unlawfulfar  a  man 
to  afflict  himself  by  external  penances  for  sin? 

Answ.  1.  Not  to  the  destroying  of  his  body,  life,  or 
health,  or  the  disabling  or  unfitting  body  or  mind,  for  the 
service  of  God. 

2.  Not  to  be  the  expression  of  any  sinful,  inordinate  de- 
jection, despondency,  sorrow,  or  despair. 

3.  Not  so  as  may  be  an  outward  appearance  of  such  in- 
ordinate passions,  or  as  may  be  a  scandal  to  others,  and 
deter  them  from  religion  as  a  melancholy,  hurtful  thing. 

4.  Nor  as  if  God  would  accept  the  mere  external  self- 
afflicting  for  itself,  or  as  if  he  loved  our  hurt,  or  as  if  we  me- 
rited of  him  by  our  unprofitable,  voluntary  troubles. 

But  1.  It  is  a  duty  to  express  true  godly  sorrow  by  its 
proper  exercise  and  signs,  so  far  as  either  the  acting  of  it,  or 
the  increase  or  continuance  by  the  means  of  those  expres- 
sions is  profitable  to  ourselves. 

2.  And  also  so  far  as  is  needful  to  the  profiting  of  others, 
by  shewing  them  the  evil  of  sin,  and  drawing  them  to  re- 
pentance •. 

3.  And  so  far  as  is  necessary  to  the  satisfying  of  the 
church  of  the  truth  of  our  repentance,  in  order  to  our  abso* 
lution  and  communion. 

•  l8a.lviii.3.  5— 8,&c     Matt.  ix.  13.   xii.  7.  ti.  1. 5.  5, 6. 17.     Zech.Tii*kl9. 
9  Cor.  ii.  7.     Col.  ii.  22—24^     Joel  i.  14.    ii-  15.     Dan.  ix.  3.     Acts  x.  13. 
'  1  Cor.  Tii.  5.     Luke  ii.  37.     Matt.  iv.  2.     2  Sam.  xii.  22.    Lake  xYiii.  12.     2  Cor. 
▼ii.  9—1 1 .     1  Cor.  ix.  27.    Col. i.  5,  6. .  Rom.  xiii.  13, 14.     ' 


QUEST.  C]  CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  453 

4.  Especially  so  Yar  as  is  necessary  to  subdue  our  flesh- 
ly lusts^  and  tame  our  bodies^  and  bring  them  into  a  due 
subjection  to  our  faith^  and  to  avoid  our  sin  for  the  time  to 
come.  And  also  by  the  exercise  of  sober  mortification^ 
prudently,  to  keep  under  all  our  worldly  phantasies,  and 
love  of  this  present  world,  without  unfitting  ourselves  for 
duty. 

5.  And  so  far  as  is  needful  by  such  mortification,  to  fit 
us  for  fervent  prayer,  especially  by  fasting  on  days  of  hur 
miliation  ;  and  to  help  us  in  our  meditations  of  death  fuid 
judgment,  and  to  further  our  heavenly  contemplations  and 
conversation. 

6.  The  greatest  difficulty  is,  '  Whether  any  self-revenge 
be  lawful  or  due;'  which  is  answered  by  what  is  said 
already ;  none  such  as  disable th  us  from  God's  service  is 
lawful.  But  true  repentance  is  an  anger  or  great  displeasure 
with  ourselves  for  sin,  and  a  hatred  of  sin,  and  loathing  of 
ourselves  for  it ;  and  to  judge,  condemn,  and  afflict  our  own 
souls  by  a  voluntary  self-punishing,  is  but  that  exercise  of 
justice  on  ourselves,  which  is  fit  for  pardoned  sinners  that 
are  not  to  be  condemned  by  the  Lord,  and  indeed  the  just 
exercise  of  repentance  and  displeasure  against  ourselves  ^ 
On  which  accounts  of  sober  self-revenge  we  may  cherish 
such  degrees  of  godly  sorrow,  fasting,  coarse  cloathing  (as 
sackcloth),  and  denying  ourselves  the  pleasures  of'  this 
world,  as  shall  not  be  hurtful  but  helpful  to  our  duty.  And 
if  great  and  heinous  sinners  have  of  old  on  these  terms,  ex- 
ceeded other  men  in  their  austerities,  and  self-afflictings,  we 
cannot  condemn  them  of  superstition,  unless  we  more  par- 
ticularly knew  more  cause  for  it.  But  Popish ly  to  think 
that  self-afflicting  without  respect  to  such  causes  or  ne- 
cessities is  a  meritorious  perfection,  fit  for  others,  is  super- 
stition indeed.  And  to  think,  as  many  of  the  melancholy 
do,  that  self-murder  is  a  lawful  self-revenge,  is  a  heinous 
sin,  and  leadeth  to  that  which  is  more  heinous  and  dan- 
gerous. 

'  Psal.  Uix.  10.    Lev.  xvi.  29.  51.    xxiii.  ^»  32.     Num.  xxix.  7.    xzx«  13. 
£sra  Tiii.  f  i. 


464  CHRISTIAN   DIRECTOIIY.  [PART   III. 

Qaetft.  ci.  h  k  lavfui  ie  ofaenw  4Uaed  twrnx  ^  fmting  im- 
posed by  o$he$%,  ioitkout  extfoordinafyf  ocaukmsf  And 
partimdafig  Lent? 

Ansm.  Remember  that  I  here  neddle  not  with  the  qoeft^ 
tioDt  how  fieur  it  is  Iftwfol  for  rulers  to  impose  such  fhsts  on 
others  ;  save  only  to  say,  1.  That  it  is  undoubtedly  fit  for 
kings  to  do  it  by  precepts,  and  churches  by  consent,  in  ex- 
traordinary oases  of  defection,  sin,  or  jadgments*.  2.  ThHl 
it  is  undoubtedly  smful  «suTp»tion,  fdr  either  pope  or  nttf 
pretended  eodesiastical,  universal  rulere,  to  impose  such  on 
the  universal  church ;  (because  there  are  no  universal  mlers). 
Or  for  a  neighbour  bishop  by  usurpation  to  impose  it  on  a 
neighbour  church.  3.  And  that  it  is  sinful  in  all  or  many 
^  churches,  to  make  by  their  agreements  such  things  to  be 
necessSiry  to  tiieir  union  or  commmuon  wiUi  their  aeigh* 
bour  churches,  so  that  they  will  take  all  those  for  sohismft^ 
ties  tiiat  differ  from  them  in  such  indifferent  things.  Bet 
se  to  the  using  of  mich  fasts  <omitting  the  imposing)  I  say, 

1.  1.  That  so  great  und  extraoniini^  a-doty  as  holy 
fasting,  must  not  be  turned  iiMo  «t  ttefe  formality  ttt  ce* 
remony\ 

2.  No  particular  man  must  be  so  obserwmt  of  a  ptiblie, 
commanded,  annivergsry  fkst>  iss  for  it  to  neglect  fimy  duty 
commanded  him  by  Ood  which  vs  inconsistettt  with  it.  As 
to  rejoice  or  keep  a  day  <of  that^sgiving  in  Lefit,  tiponttn 
extraopdinary  obligittg  cause ;  to  keep  the  Loird^i  day  in 
Lent,  as  a  day  of  tba^sgiving  and  rejoicfmg;  to  preserve 
our  own  hetdth,  tuo.  It  is  not  tawfiil  in  obeifti«nce  to  man, 
U>  fast  so  rnuch^  Or  use  such  diet  ias  is  Kke  to  destroy  our 
liiF«s  or  heal<^ ;  these  being  not  so  far  pM  into  tiiie  power 
of  man ;  nor  toan  man  ditfpen^  with  us  ss  to  the  duty  of 
self^reservation.  If  God  himself  requite  us  not  to  ofiSsr 
him  our  lives  and  healtii  tieedlessly,  vs  ttn  ftceeptabte  sacfi- 
ftse>  nor  ever  unds^eth  ttelf-d^struction  otrir  duty,  no  ^nor  any 
thing  that  is  not  for  man's  own  good ;  then  we  are  not  fe 
believe  without  very  clear  proof  that  either  prince  or  pre- 
lates have  more  power  than  ever  God  doth  use  himself. 

ff  2  Chroii.  XX.  3     Exra  viii.  31.    Jonah  iii.  5.    Zech.  viii.  19.    Joel  il  15. 
Re«d  Dallaut's  "Treatise  de  Jcjuniis.*' 
^  Isa.  Iviii.  3. 5—8. 


QUEST.  CI.]  rHttlSTIAH  ECCLESIASTICS.  456 

3.  Suoh  an  anniTersary  fast  as  is  meet  for  the  remem- 
bcance  of  soaie  great  sin  or  judgment,  if  conuuanded,  is  te 
be  kept,  botfa  for  the  reason  of  it,  and  ibr  the  authority  of 
the  commands.  For  1.  It  is  not  unlawful  as  anniversary. 
(For  (i.)  It  is  not  forbidden,  and  (2.)  There  may  be  jnst 
occasion.  Some  arbitrarily  keep  an  anniversary  fast  on  the 
day  of  their  nativity  (as  I  have  long  done) ;  and  sOTse  on 
the  day  that  they  fell  into  some  great  sin :  and  some  on  the 
day  of  the  death  of  a  friend,  or  of  some  personal,  dtHneetic, 
or  national  calamity ;  and  none  of  this  is  forbidden.)  2. 
And  that  which  is  not  unlawful  in  itself,  is  not  therefore  un- 
lawful to  be  done  because  it  is  commanded ;  seeing  obedi- 
ence to  superiors  is  our  duty  and  not  our  sin,  unless  in  sin- 
fiil  things. 

4.  Whether  it  be  lawful  or  meet  to  oommemorate 
Christ's  safferings  by  anniversary  fasts,  is  next  to  be  con- 
sidered* 

II.  As  for  Lent  in  particular,  we  must  distinguish,  1. 
Between  the  ancient  Lent,  and  the  later  Lent.  2i  Between 
koeping  it  on  a  civil  account,  and  on  a  religious.  3.  Be- 
tween true  fasting,  and  change  of  diet.  4.  Between  the 
imitation  of  Christ's  forty  day's  fasting,  and  the  mere  com- 
memoration of  it.     Which  premised  I  conclude, 

1.  The  keeping  a  true  fest  or  abstinence  from  food,  for 
forty  days,  on  what  account  soever,  being  impossible,  or 
self-oaurder,  is  not  to  be  attempted. 

2.  The  imitation  of  Christ  in  his  forty  day's  festing  is 
not  to  be  attempted  or  pretended  to ;  because  his  miracur 
Ions  works  were  not  done  for  our  imitation.  And  it  is  pre- 
sumption for  us  to  pretend  rto  such  a  power  as  is  necessary 
lo  miracles ;  or  yet  to  make  any  essays  at  such  an  imitation 
any  more  than  at  the  raising  of  the  dead. 

3.  The  pretending  of  a  fast  when  men  do  but  change 
their  diet ;  flesh  for  fish,  fruit,  sweetmeats,  &c.  is  but  hy- 
pocritical and  ridiculous ;  most  poor  labourers,  and  tempe- 
mte  ministers  do  live  all  the  year  on  a  more  fleshf-denying 
diet,  and  in  greater  abstinence  than  many  Papists  do  in 
Lent,  or  on  their  festing-days.  And  what  a  ridiculous  dis- 
pute is  it  to  hear,  e.  g.  a  Calvin  that  never  eateth  but  one 
small  meal  a  day  for  many  years,  to  plead  against  the  keep- 
ing of  the  Popish  fasts,  and  their  ckrgy  call  him  iroraoious^ 


456  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.         [PART    III. 

and  carnal^  and  an  epicure^  and  plead  for  fasting  as  holy 
mortification^  who  eat  as  many  meals  and  as  much  meat  on 
a  Lent  day  or  fasting  day,  as  Calvin  did  in  three  feasting 
days  ;  and  drink  as  much  wine  in  a  Lent,  as  he  in  twenty 
years !  Sure  I  am  I  know  many  such  on  hoth  sides;  some 
.that  eat  hut  a  small  meal  a  day,  and  never  drink  wine  at  all, 
and  others  that  drink  wine  daily,  and  eat  of  many  dishes  at 
a  meal,  and  that  to  the  full,  and  of  the  sweetest,  as  fish, 
fruits,  &c.,  yet  rail  at  the  former  for  not  fasting  as  they  do. 
So  delusory  are  the  outward  appearances,  and  so  false  the 
pretensions  of  the  carnal  sort ! 

4.  The  ancient  Lent  consisted  first  of  one  day  (Good 
Friday)  alone  ;  and  after  that  of  three  days,  and  then  of  six, 
and  at  last  it  came  up  to  forty.  (Of  which  read  Dallaeus 
' ubi  supra'  at  large). 

5.  None  can  question  the  lawfulness  of  an  obedient 
keeping  of  such  a  civil  Lent  fast  as  our  statutes  command, 
for  the  vending  of  fish,  and  for  the  breed  of  cattle  ;  so  be  it 
ho  bodily  necessity  or  greater  duty  .be  against  it. 

6.  It  is  not  unlawful  for  those  that  cannot  totally  fast, 
yet  to  use  more  abstinence  and  a  more  mortifying  sort  of 
diet  than  ordinary,  for  the  exercises  of  repentance  and  mor- 
tification, in  due  time. 

7.  If  authority  shall  appoint  such  a  mortifying,  abste- 
mious course  upon  lawful  or  tolerable  grounds  and  ends,  I 
will  obey  them,  if  they  peremptorily  require  it,  when  my 
health  or  some  greater  duty  forbiddeth  it  not. 

8.  As  for  the  commanding  such  an  abstinence,  as  in 
Lent,  not  in  imitation,  but  bare  commemoration  of  Christ's 
forty  day's  fast,  I  would  not  command  it  if  it  were  in  my 
power  ;  but  being  peremptorily  commanded,  I  cannot 
prove  it  unlawful  to  obey ;  with  the  afore-mentioned  ex- 
ceptions. 

9.  It  was  anciently  held  a  crime  to  fkst  on  the  Lord% 
day,  even  in  Lent ;  and  I  take  that  day  to  be  separated  by 
Christ  and  the  Holy  Ghost  for  a  church-festival  or  day 
of  thanksgiving ;  therefore  I  will  not  keep  it  as  a  fast,  though 
I  were  commanded,  unless  in  such  an  extraordinary  neces- 
sity, as  aforesaid. 

Of  pilgrimages,  saints,  relics  and  shrines,  temples,  of 


QUEST,  on.]      CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  457 

their  miracles^  of  praying  to  angels^  to  saints^  for  the  dead, 
of  purgatory,  of  the  pope's  pardons,  indulgences,  dispensa- 
tions ;  of  the  power  of  true  pastors  to  forgive  sins,  with  a 
multitude  of  such  cases,  which  are  commonly  handled  in 
our  controversial  writers  against  the  Papists,  I  must  thither 
refer  the  reader  for  a  solution,  because  the  handling  of  all 
such  particular  cases  would  swell  my  book  to  a  magnitude 
beyond  my  intention^  and  make  this  part  unsuitable  to 
the  rest. 

Quest*  CI  I.  May  we  corUinue  in  a  church,  where  some  one  ordi- 
nance  of  Christ  is  wanting,  as  discipline,  prayer,  preaching, 
or  sacraments,  though  we  have  all  the  rest  ? 

Answ,  Distinguish,  1.  Of  ordinances.  2.  Of  a  stated 
want,  and  a  temporary  want.  3.  Of  one  that  may  have  bet^ 
ter ;  and  one  that  cannot. 

1.  Teaching,  prayer  and  praise,  are  ordinances  of  such 
necessity  that  church-assemblies  have  not  their  proper  use 
without  them. 

2.  The  Lord's  supper  is  of  a  secondary  need,  and  must 
be  used  when  it  may,  but  a  church-assembly  may  attain  its 
ends  sometimes  without  it,  in  a  good  degree. 

3.  Discipline  is  implicitly  exercised  when  none  but  the 
baptized  are  communicants,  and  when  professed  Christians 
voluntarily  assemble,  and  the  preaching  of  the  Word  doth 
distinguish  the  precious  from  the  vile ;  much  more  when 
notorious,  scandalous  sinners  are  by  the  laws  kept  from  the 
sacrament  (as  our  rubric  and  canons  do  require). 

4.  3ut  for  the  more  full,  explicit,  and  exact  exercise  of 
discipline,  it  is  very  desirable  fov  the  wellbeing  of  the 
churches ;  but  it  is  but  a  stronger  fence  or  hedge,  and  pre- 
servative of  sacred  order ;  and  both  the  being  of  a  church, 
and  the  profitable  use  of  holy  assemblies,  may  subsist  with- 

,  out  it ;  as  in  Helvetia  and  other  countries  it  is  found. 

I  conclude  then,  1.  That  he  that '  consideratis  conside- 
randis'  is  a  free  man  should  choose  that  place  where  he  hath 
the  fullest  opportunities  of  worshipping  God,  and  edifying 
his  soul. 

2.  He  is  not  to  be  accounted  a  free  man  that  cannot  re- 
rqove,  without  a  greater  hurt,  than  the  good,  either  to  the 


4S8  CHRISTIAN    DI]|£CTOSY.        {FART  III* 


chwroh  or  oomntiy^  or  to  hai  £ynily«  hit  neighbouvB^  <Mr 
self. 

3«  WidK>iit  teaching,  prayer  and  Divine  praises  we  af>e 
not  to  reckon  that  we  hare  proper  cfanrcfa-nasemblies  and 
oommiinion* 

4»  We  nmst  do  all  that  is  in  our  power  to  pnxmre  the 
light  use  of  sacraments  and  discipline. 

6.  When  we  cannot  procure  it,  it  is  lawfal  and  a  duty  to 
join  in  those  assemblies  that  are  without  it,  and  rather  to 
enjoy  the  rest  than  none.  Few  churches  have  the  Lord's 
supper  aboy€  once  a  month,  which  in  the  primitive  church 
was  used  every  Lord's  day  and  ofter;  and  yet  they  meet  on 
other  days '. 

6.  It  is  possible  that  preaching,  prayer  and  praise  may 
be  so  excellently  perfionned  in  some  churches  that  want 
both  discipline  and  the  Lord's  supper,  and  all  so  coldly  aod 
ignorantly  mani^ed  in  another  church  that  hath  all  the  or- 
dinances, that  men's  souls  aaay  much  more  floiuish  and 
fvwper  nnder  the  former  than  tiie  latter. 

7.  If  forbearing  and  wanting  some  ordiatiieM  for  a 
time,  be  but  in  order  to  a  probable  prooaremcnt^f  diem,  we 
may  the  better  forbear  K 

8.  The  time  is  not  to  be  judged  of  only  by  length,  but 
by  the  probability  of  success.  For  sometimes  CknlVi  provi- 
dence, and  the  disturbances  of  the  times,  or  the  ci^aft  of 
men  in  power  may  keep  men  ao  kmg  in  the  dark,  that  a 
long  expectation  or  waking  may  become  our  duty. 

Quest,  cm.  Must  the  pastors  renuwe  fr^m  one  church  to 
m^ether  wheneoer  the  magistrate  oomnumdeth  us,  though  the 
bishop  contradict  it,  and  the  church  consent  not  to  JbjwwM  us ; 
Mnd  so  rf  other  cases  ef  disagreementt 

Answ.  1.  As  4n  man's  soul,  the  intellectusl  guidanoe,  the 
will,  and  tiie  executive  power  do  concur,  so  in  oburch  oases 
of  this  nature,  liie  "potestativegovemment  of  themagistmte, 
the  directive  guidance  of  the  senior  pastora,  and  the  attrM>- 

*  Acts  xxviii.  olt.  xi.  26.  xx.  7.  20,  &c  1  Cor.  xiv.  Acti  ii.  4i.  1  Tim. 
IT.  IS,  14.  2  Tim.  iv.  i,  2.  2  Tim.  iii.  16.  Heb.  x.  25,  26.  CoL  it.  16.  AcU 
xffl.  ST.    xt.  21.    iThws.  V.  tr.    1  Cor.  ^.  3«,  ficc 

^  Muu  asft  31.    Acts  «m.  1. 


CIIIK8T.  cm.]  CHRlSTrAN  ECOXESIASl'ICS.  4fift 

tii^  I0T6  of  the  people  (who  lire  the  chief  inferior,  final  canse) 
should  all  concur;  and  when  they  do  not  it  is  confosion : 
and  when  Ood'i  order  w  broken  which  conunandeth  Aeir 
concurrence^  it  i«  hard  to  kdow  what  to  do,  in  each  a  diri- 
sion  which  Ood  allowedi  not ;  «8  it  ia  to  know  whether  I 
should  take  part  with  the  heart  agaioat  the  head,  or  with  the 
head  against  the  stomach  and  liver,  on  supposition  of  crose 
inclinations  or  interests ;  when  as  nature  suppcseth  either  a 
concord  of  inclination  and  interest,  or  else  the  min,  eick- 
ness  and  death  of  the  person :  and  the  cure  miSBt  be  by  re« 
conciling  them,  rather  than  by  knowing  which  to  side  with 
against  the  rest. 

But  seeing  we  must  suppose  suoh  diseases  frequently  to 
happen,  they  that  cannot  cure  them  must  know  how  to  be- 
haye  themselves,  and  to  do  their  o¥hi  dnty.  For  my  own 
part  in  audi  cases  I  would  do  thus. 

1.  I  would  look  at  my  ultimate  end,  Ood's  gloiy,  imd  M 
the  next  end,  the  good  of  souls  and  welfare  of  the  church ; 
and  so  at  the  people's  interest  as  it  is  the  end  of  the  order  of 
magistracy  and  ministry :  and  I  would  take  myself  to  be  ao 
obliged  to  that  end,  as  that  no  point  of  mere  order  could  dis^ 
oblige  me,  the  end  being  better  than  the  means  as  such; 
tiierefore  I  would  do  all  things  to  edification,  supposing 
that  all  power  of  man  is  as  Paul^i  was  for  edification  and  not 
for  destruction  ^ 

2*  But  in  judging  of  what  is  best  for  the  church,  I  mviai 
take  in  every  accident  and  circumstance,  aaid  look  to  many, 
more  than  to  a  few>  and  to  distant  parts  ^as  well  as  to  thoae 
near  ne,  and  to  the  tnoe  and  ages  to  come,  as  well  as  to  the 
present,  and  not  go  upon  mistaken  suppositions  of  the 
church's  good  ^  he  that  doth  not  see  all  things  that  are  to  be 
weighed  in  such  a  case^may  «rr  by  leaving  oat  some  one. 

3.  1  would  obey  the  magistrate  formally  for  ^tooeoienoe 
sake  in  all  things  which  belong  to  his  office ;  and  partiou«> 
larly  in  this  case,  if  it  were  but  a  removal  firom  place  to 
place,  in  respect  to  the  temple,  or  tithes,  or  im  Am  oinl 
peace,  or  for  die  preservation  of  church  order  in  oases  wheve 
it  is  not  grossly  injurious  to  the  church  and  Ghwpel. 

4.  In  cases  which  by  God's  appointment  belong  to  the 

>  £ph.  W.  It.  14.  S  Cor.  x.  8.  xUL  10.  Rom.  xIt.  19.  zv.  t.  1  Cor.x. 
S^    xIt.  5.  It.  t6.    «  Cor.  xli.  19. 


460  CHHISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

conduct  of  bishops,  or  pastors,  or  the  concord  of  consociate 
churches,  I  would  '  formaliter'  follow  them.  And  in  parti- 
cular, if  they  satisfy  me  that  the  removal  of  me  is  an  appa- 
rent injury  to  the  church,  (as  in  the  Arian's  times  when  the 
emperors  removed  the  orthodox  from  all  the  great  churches 
to  put  in  the  Arians)  I  would  not  obedientially  and  volun- 
tarily remove. 

5.  If  magistrates  and  bishops  should  concur  in  com- 
manding my  remove  in  a  case  notoriously  injurious  and  per- 
nicious to  the  church  (as  in  the  aforesaid  case,  to  bring  in 
an  Arian)  I  would  not  obey  formally  for  conscience  sake ; 
supposing  that  God  never  gave  them  such  a  power  against 
men's  souls  and  the  Gospel  of  Christ ;  and  there  is  no  power 
but  of  God. 

6.  But  I  would  prefer  both  the  command  of  the  magis- 
trate, and  the  direction  of  the  pastors,  before  the  mere  will 
$uid  humour  of  the  people,  when  their  safety  and  welfare 
wer^  not  concerned  in  the  case. 

7.  And  when  the  magistrate  is  peremptory,  usually  I 
must  obey  him  materially,  when  I  do  it  not  formally  (in 
conscience  to  his  mere  command).  Because  though  in 
some  cases  he  may  do  that  which  belongeth  not  to 
his  office,  but  to  the  pastor's,  yet  his  violence  may  make 
it  become  the  church's  interest,  that  I  yield  and  give  place 
to  his  wrath ;  for  as  I  tnust  not  resist  him  by  force,  so  if  I 
depart  not  at  his  command,  it  may  bring  a  greater  sulBTering 
on  the  churches  :  and  so  for  preventing  a  greater  evil  he  is 
to  be  submitted  to  in  many  cases,  where  he  goeth  against 
Ood  and  without  authority ;  though  not  to  be  formally 
obeyed. 

8. .  Particular  churches  have  no  such  interest  in  their 
ministers  or  pastors,  as  to  keep  them  against  their  wills  and 
the  magistrate's,  and  against  the  interest  of  the  universal 
church,  as  shall  be  next  asserted. 

I  have  spoken  to  this  instance  as  it  taketh  in  all  other 
oases  of  difference  between  the  power  of  the  magistrate,  the 
pastor's  and  the  people's  interest,  when  they  disagree,  and 
not  as  to  this  case  alone. 

Quest,  civ.  Is  a  pastor  obliged  to  his  flock  for  life?     Or  is  ii 
lawful  so  to  oblige  himself^     And  may  he  remove  without 


QUEST.  CIV.]      CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  4ttl 

their  consent  f     And  so  also  of  a  church-member,  the  same 
questions  are  put. 

These  four  questions  I  put  together  for  brevity,  and 
shall  answer  them  distinctly. 

I.  1.  A  minister  is  obliged  to  Christ  and  the  universal 
church  for  life,  ('  durante  vita')  with  this  exception,  if  God 
disable  him  not.  2.  But  as  a  pastor  he  is  not  obliged  to 
this  or  that  flock  for  life.  There  is  no  such  command  or 
example  in  God's  Word. 

II.  To  the  second :  1.  It  is  lawful  to  oblige  ourselves  to 
a  people  for  life  in  some  cases,  conditionally ;  that  is,  if  God 
do  not  apparently  call  us  away.  2.  But  it  is  never  lawful 
to  do  it  absolutely  :  I.  Because  we  shall  engage  ourselves 
against  God ;  against  his  power  over  us,  and  interest  in  us, 
and  his  wisdom  that  must  guide  us.  God  may  call  us  whi- 
ther he  please;  and  though  now  he  speak  not  by  supema* 
tural  revelation,  yet  he  may  do  it  by  providential  alterations. 

2.  And  we  shall  else  oblige  ourselves  against  the  universal 
church,  to  which  we  are  more  strictly  bound,  than  to  any 
particular  church,  and  whose  good  may  oblige  us  to  removel 

3.  Yea,  we  may  bind  ourselves  to  the  hurt  of  that  church 
itself;  seeing  it  may  become  its  interest  to  part  with  us*  4. 
And  we  should  so  oblige  ourselves  against  our  duty  to 
authority,  which  may  remove  us. 

III.  To  the  third  question  I  answer,  1.  A  pastor  may 
not  causelessly  remove,  nor  for  his  own  worldly  commodity 
when  it  is  to  the  hurt  of  the  church  and  hindrance  of  the 
Gospel.  2.  When  he  hath  just  cause,  he  must  acquaint 
the  people  with  it,  and  seek  their  satisfaction  and  consent. 
3.  But  if  he  cannot  procure  it,  he  may  remove  without  it : 
as  1.  When  he  is  sure  that  the  interest  of  the  Gospel  and 
universal  church  require  it :  2.  Or  that  just  authority  doth 
oblige  him  to  it. 

The  reasons  are  plain  from  what  is  said;  and  also,  1. 
He  is  no  more  bound  to  the  people,  than  they  are  to  him ; 
but  they  are  not  so  bound  to  him,  but  they  may  remove  on 
just  occasion.  2.  If  he  may  not  remove,  it  is  either  be- 
cause God  forbids  it,  or  because  his  own  contract  with  them 
hath  obliged  him  against  it.     But  1.  God  nowhere  forbids 


463  CHRISTIAN  DIRECTORY.  [FART  Itl. 

il:  2.  Such  a  contract  is  supposed  not  mad^  nor  lawful  to 
be  made. 

IV.  As  to  the  people's  case,  it  needs  no  other  answer  ; 
1.  No  member  may  remove  without  cause  :  2.  Nor  abmptly 
.and  uncharitably  to  the  church's  dissatisfSEu^tioa,  when  he 
may  avoid  it.  But,  3.  He  may  remove  upon  many  just 
causes  (private  or  public)  whether  the  dhurch  and  pastors 
consent  or  not»  so  the  manner  be  as  becometh  a  Christiaa* 

Quest,  cv .   When  many  men  pretend  at  once  to  be  the  true  pa^ 
tars  of  a  particular  church  against  each  other*  s  tkk,  through 
differences  between  the  magistrates^  the  ordainers  and  the 
Jlocks,  what  should  the  people  do,  and  wham  should  they  ad- 
here to 't  ' 

Arnw.  This  case  is  mostly  answered  before  in  Quest. 
Lxxxii.  8ic.  I  need  only  to  add  these  Rules  of  caution. 
1.  Do  not  upon  any  pretence  accept  of  an  heretic,  or  one 
that  is  utterly  unfit  for  the  office. 

2.  Do  not  easily  take  a  dividing  course  or  person,  bni 
keep  as  much  as  may  be  in  a  way  of  concord  with  the  uni* 
ted,  faithful  pastors  and  churches  in  your  proximity  or 
country.  * 

3*  Look  to  the  public  good  and  interest  of  religion,  more 
than  to  your  particular  congregation. 

4.  Neglect  not  the  greatest  advantages  for  your  own 
edification ;  but  rather  take  them  by  a  removal  of  your 
dwelling,  though  you  suifer  by  it  in  your  estates,  than  by 
any  division,  disturbance  oif  the  church's  peace,  or  common 
detriment. 

5.  Do  not  easily  go  against  the  magistrate's  commands; 
nnless  they  be  apparently  unlawful,  and  to  the  church's  de* 
triment  or  ruin,  in  the  reception  of  your  pastors. 

6.  Do  not  easily  forsake  him  that  hath  been  justly  re* 
ceived  by  the  church,  and  hath  possession,  that  is,  till  ne- 
cessity require  it. 

Quest,  cvi.  To  whom  doth  it  belong  to  reform  a  corrupted 
church  f  to  the  magistrates,  pastors,  or  people  f 

Answ.  A  church  is  reformed  three  several  ways,  1,  By 


QUEST,  evil.]   CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  409 

the  peraonal  refonnation  of  ewerj  member :  2.  By  doctrinal 
directioD :  and,  3»  By  public,  forcible  execution,  and  con^ 
straint  of  others. 

3.  Eyery  member,  whether  magistrates,  pastors  or  peo* 
pie  muBt  reform  themselves,  by  forsaking  all  their  own  sins, 
and  doing  their  own  duties.  If  a  ruler  command  a  private 
person  to  go  to  mass,  to  own  any  falsehood,  or  to  do  any 
sin,  he  is  not  to  be  obeyed,  because  God  is  to  be  first  obeyed. 

2.  The  bishops  or  pastors  are  to  reform  the  church  by 
doctrine,  reproof,  and  just  exhortiations,  and  nunciative 
commands  in  the  name  of  Christ  to  rulers  and  people  to  do 
their  several  duties  :  and  by  the  actual  doing  of  his  own "". 

3.  The  king  and  magistrates  under  him,  only,  must  re- 
form by  the  sword,  that  is,  by  outward  force,  and  civil  laws 
and  corporal  penalties :  as  forcibly  to  break  down  images, 
to  cast  out  idolaters,  or  the  instruments  of  idolatry  from  the 
temples,  to  put  true  ministers  in  possession  of  the  temples, 
or  the  legal  public  maintenance  ;  to  destroy,  punish  or  hurt 
idolaters,  &c.  Supposing  still  the  power  of  parents  and 
masters  in  their  several  families. 

Quest.  cviT.  Whoiito  cM  synods?  princes,  pastors,  or  people  9 

Answ.  1.  There  are  several  ways  of  calling  synods:  I. 
By  force  and  civil  mandates.  2.  By  pastoral  persuasion 
and  counsel ;  and,  3.  By  humble  entreaty  and  petition. 

1.  Magistrates  only  (that  is,  the  supreme  by  his  own 
power,  and  the  inferior  by  power  derived  from  him)  may 
call  synods  by  laws  and  mandates,  enforced  by  the  sword  or 
corporal  penalties,  or  mulcts. 

2.  Bishops  or  pastors  in  due  circumstances  may  call 
synods  by  counsel  and  persuasive  invitation. 

3.  The  people  in  due  circumstances  and  necessity,  may 
call  synods  by  way  of  petition  and  entreaty^ 

But  what  are  the  due  circumstances? 

Answ,  1.  The  magistrate  may  call  them  by  command  at 
his  discretion,  for  his  own  counsel,  or  for  the  civil  peace,  or 
for  the  church's  good. 

2.  The  pastors  and  people  may  not  call  them,  nor  meet 

■  1  Cwe,  li.  «8,  t9.  31. 53,  34.  1  Cor.  v.  1 1.  Dan.  iK.  6.  1  Cor.  v.  3—5. 
1  Pet.  V.  t,  3.     Lake  xxii.  t4^S7. 


464  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

when  the  magistrate  forbiddeth  it,  except  when  the  necessity 
of  the  church  requireth  it :  synods  may  profitably  be  stated 
for  order,  when  it  may  be  lawfully  obtained,  (both  as  to 
limits  of  place,  numbers,  and  time).  But  these  prudential 
orders  are  not  of  stated  necessity,  but  must  give  place  to 
weightier  reasons  on  the  contrary* 

3.  Synods  themselves  are  not  ordinarily  necessary,  by 
nature  or  institution  ;  (let  him  that  affirmeth  it,  prove  it ;) 
but  that  which  is  statedly  necessary  is.  The  concord  of  the 
churches  as  the  end,  and  a  necessary  correspondency  of  the 
churches  as  the  means,  and  synods  when  they  may  well  be 
had,  as  a  convenient  sort  of  means. 

4.  When  synods  cannot  be  had,  or  are  needless,  mes- 
sengers and  letters  from  church  to  church  may  keep  up  the 
correspondency  and  concord, 

5.  In  cases  of  real  necessity  (which  are  veiy  iBxe,  though 
usefulness  be  more  frequent),  the  bishops  and  people  should 
first  petition  the  king  for  his  consent :  and  if  that  cannot 
be  had,  they  may  meet  secretly  and  in  small  numbers,  for 
mutual  consultation  and  advice  about  the  work  of  God ;  and 
not  by  keeping  up  the  formality  of  their  set  numbers,  times, 
places,  and  orders,  provoke  the  king  against  them. 

6.  The  contempt  of  synods  by  the  Separatists,  and  the 
placing  more  power  in  synods  than  ever  God  gave  them  by 
others,  yea,  and  the  insisting  on  their  circumstantial  orders, 
making  them  like^a  civil  senate  or  court,  have  been  the  two 
extremes  which  have  greatly  injured  and  divided  the 
churches,  throughout  the  world. 

Quest,  cviii.  To  wham  doth  it  belong  to  appoint  dai/s  and  as- 
semblies Jor  public  humiliation  and  thanksgiving  f 

Answ.  The  answer  of  the  last  question  may  serve  for  this. 
1.  The  magistrate  only  may  do  it  by  way  of  laws,  or  civil 
mandate  enforced  by  the  sword. 

2.  The  pastors  may  do  it  in  case  of  necessity,  by  pasto- 
ral advice  and  exhortation,  and  nunciative  command  in  the 
name  of  Christ. 

3.  The  people  may  do  it  by  petition. 

4.  As  ordinary  church-assemblies  must  be  held  if  the 


QUEST.  CIX.]      CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  466 

magistrate  forbid  them,  (of  which  next^  so  must  extraordi- 
nary ones,  when  extraordinary  causes  make  it  a  duty. 

5.  When  the  magistrate  forcibly  hindereth  them,  natu- 
ral impossibility  resolveth  the  question  about  our  duty. 

Quest.  CIX.  May  we  omit  church-assemblies  on  the  Lord's  day, 

if  the  magistrate  forbid  them  f 

Answ.  1.  It  is  one  thing  to  forbid  them  for  a  time,  upon 
some  special  cause,  (as  infection  by  pestilence,  fire,  war,  &c.) 
and  another  to  forbid  them  statedly  or  profanely. 

2.  It  is  one  thing  to  omit  them  for  a  time,  and  another 
to  do  it  ordinarily. 

3.  It  is  one  thing  to  omit  them  in  foimal  obedience  to 
the  law ;  and  another  thing  to  omit  them  in  prudence,  or  for 
necessity,  because  we  cannot  keep  them. 

4.  The  assembly  and  the  circumstances  of  the  assembly 
must  be  distinguished. 

(1.)  If  the  magistrate  for  a  greater  good,  (as  the  com- 
mon safety,)  forbid  church-assemblies  in  a  time  of  pestilence, 
assault  of  enemies,  or  fire,  or  the  like  necessity,  it  is  a  duty 
to  obey  him.  1.  Because  positive  duties  give  place  to  those 
great  natural  duties  which  are  their  end :  so  Christ  justified 
himself  and  his  disciples*  violation  of  the  external  rest  of 
the  sabbath.  "  For  the  sabbath  was  made  for  man,  and  not 
man  for  the  sabbath.''  2.  Because  affirmatives  bind  not 
*  ad  semper,' and  out-of-season  duties  become  sins.  3.  Be- 
cause one  Lord's  day  or  assembly  is  not  to  be  preferred  be- 
fore many,  which  by  the  omission  of  that  one  are  like  to  be 
obtained. 

(2.)  If  princes  profanely  forbid  holy  assemblies  and  pub- 
lic worship,  either  statedly,  or  as  a  renunciation  of  Christ 
and  our  religion  ;  it  is  not  lawfol  formally  to  obey  them. 

(3.)  But  it  is  lawful  prudently  to  do  that  secretly  for 
the  present  necessity,  which  we  cannot  do  publicly,  and  to 
do  that  with  smaller  numbers,  which  we  cannot  do  with 
greater  assemblies,  yea,  and  to  omit  some  assemblies  for  a 
time,  that  we  may  thereby  have  opportunity  for  more  :  which 
is  not  formal  but  only  material  obedience. 

(4.)  But  if  it  be  only  some  circumstances  of  assembling 
that  are  forbidden  us,  that  is  the  next  case  to  be  resolved. 

VOL.  V.  H    H 


46Q  CHitl9TUN  oiHi^CTOItY.  [PART   Ill- 

Quest,  a^x,.  My^  w€  9b^  tk^  wagishrate  tf  he  (mfy  Jorbid  m 

worshifpmg  God,  in  mch  a  pim^%  ^  amnttjf,  ctr  i»  mok 

V^(4mb^s^  or  the  like  f 

Answ.  We  must  distinguish  between  such  a  determina- 
tiom  of  cirQumstane^,  |BK)tde»»  ^  aceid^nts*  as  plaiBly  des:^ 
troy  the  worship  ov  the  e^A,  and  a^Qh  a»  4o  not.  For  in- 
stance,  1.  He  that  saith.  You  shall  never  assemble  but  once 
sv  year,  or  never  but  at  midnight ;  or  never  above  sii^  or  seven 
minutes  at  once,  See.  doth  hut  d^rmin^  the  circumataMe 
of  time :  but  he  doth  it  sa  aa  la  dealroy  the  worsbiqp^  vihkh 
caiupK>.(  sp.  be  done,  in  eonsistenoy  wilb  its  ends.  But  he 
that  shall  say.  You  shall  not  meet  till  nine  o'clock,  nor  stay 
in,  UiQ  night,  8(«.  doth  no  auck  thing. 

$o  3.  He  that  saitW  You  sJball  not  asaenUe  but  at  forty 
miles  distance  one  from  another ;  off  yon  shall  meet  only  in 
%  ropn^  t^at  will  hold  bukt  the  twentie^  part  of  the  church ; 
or  you  shall  never  preach  in  any  city  or  populous  place,  but 
in  ^  wiidjernesa  far  fron^  the  inhabitants,  8(c.  <kotk  but  de- 
t^rnun^.  the  ciicnmstance  of  place.  But  lie  so  doth  it,  as 
U^s  t^destvoy  oir  fru^tvatntiLe  work  which  God  command- 
nth  n^*  But  so  doth  not  he  that  only  boundeth  eburches  by 
parish  honn4p«  or  forhiddeth  inconvenient  places. 

3«  Sq  he  that  ^aith,  Yom  shall  n^v!er  siee4  uvwder  a  kM^ 
,  4f^  thou6nin<l  togeth^r^  oi  neiver  above  five  or  six,  doth  but 
d^t^mrane  the  aoci^ent  of  number.  Bml  he  so  doth  it  as  to 
dentroy  tho  work  and  end^  For  the  first  will  he  imposttible ; 
an4  i^L.  tha  aecond  way  di^y  nust  keep  chofck^assembliss 
without  ministers,  when  the«e  ia  nol  so  many  as  for  every 
such  little  number  to  have  one.     But  so  doth  not  he  that 

only  saith.  You  shall  n^t^t  m»^  abQ^^  t«n  thonsnnd^  nor  un- 
d^  ten. 

4.  ^  he  that  saith»  You^  ahall  not  he«r  a  Trtniterian,  bal 
W  Arian  it  or  you  shall  hear  only  oni&  that  cannot  preach 
the  ^a^entiala  of  religiQn«  or  that  cries  down  godlinese  ilsdf ; 
or  you.  shaU  h€^  non^hnit,  such  aa  were  ordain^  at  Jetasa^ 
\em  or  Rqu^,  or  none  hut  such  as.  subscribe  the  coonoi)  of 
Ji^^t^  ^^  doth  but  cktermine  what  peisfiA  we  shaU  hear. 
But  he  so  doth  it  as  to  destroy  the  wovk  and  end.     But  so 

doth  not  hes  that  on^  %aith.  Yan  shnU  heat  only  this  able 
mini^ter>  rather  than  that- 


QUEST.  CXI.]      CHRISTIAN  ECCLE8IAI»TIC8.  467 

2.  1  need  not  Btand  on  the  application.  In  the  latter 
ease  we  owe  formal  obedience.  In  the  former  we  must  suf- 
fer^  and  not  obey. 

For  if  it  be  meet  bo  to  obey^  it  is  meet  in  obedience  to  give 
over  God's  worship.  Christ  said,  **  When  they  persecute 
yon  in  one  city,  flee  to  another :''  but  be  never  said.  If  they 
forbid  you  preaching  in  any  city,  or  populous  place,  obey 
them.  He  that  said,  "  Preach  the  Gospel  to  every  ci*ea- 
ture,  and  to  all  nations,  and  all  the  world,''  and  that  "  would 
have  all  men  to  be  saved  and  to  come  to  the  knowledge  of 
the  truth  ■*/'  doth  not  allow  us  to  forsake  the  sotds  c^  all 
that  dwell  in  cities  and  populous  places,  and  preach  only  to 
some  few  cottagers  elsewhere :  no  more  than  he  will  allow 
us  to  love,  pity,  and  relieve  the  bodies  only  of  those  few,  and 
take  none  for  our  neighbours  that  dwell  in  cities,  but  with 
priest  and  Levite  to  pass  them  by. 

Quest.  CXI.  Miut  subjects  or  servants  forbear  weekli/  lectures, 
reading,  or  such  helps,  above  the  Lord^s  datfs  worship,  if 
princes  or  masters  do  command  it  f 

Answ.  1.  There  is  great  difference  between  a  mere  sub- 
ject, or  person  governed,  and  a  servant,  slave,  or  child. 

2.  There  is  great  difference  between  such  as  are  hinder- 
ed by  just  cause  and  real  necessities,  and  such  as  are  hin- 
dered only  through  profane  malignity. 

(1 .)  Poor  people  have  not  so  much  leisure  from  their  call- 
ings,  as  the  rich :  and  so  providing  for  their  families  may, 
at  that  time,  by  necessity  become  the  greater  and  the  pre- 
sent duty. 

(2.)  So  it  way  be  with  soldiers,  judges,  and  others,  that 
have  present  urgent  work  of  pwblic  consequence ;  wbena 
others  have  no  such  impediment. 

(3.)  He  that  is  the  child  or  slave  of  another,  oris  hifs 
own  by  pf opriety,  is  more  at  his  power,  than  he  that  is  only 
a  subject,  and  so  is  but  to  be  governed  in  order  to  his  own 
and  the  common  good; 

(4.)  A  servant  that  hath  absolutely  hired  himself  to  an- 
other, is  for  that  time  near  the  condition  of  a  slave :  but  he 

"  Matt.  X.  IS.  Marl  vi.  15.  Matt  xiviii.  19.  1  Urn  ii.  4.  STun.  «5.  f6. 
W.  1 — 3. 


468  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PABT  III. 

that  is  hired  but  with  limitations.^  and  exceptions  of  liberty, 
(expressed  or  understood,)  hath  right  to  the  excepted  liberty. 

(5.)  If  the  king  forbid  judges,  soldiers,  or  others,  whose 
labours  are  due  to  the  public,  to  hear  sermons  at  the  time 
when  they  should  do  their  work  ;  or  if  pareuts,  or  masters 
so  forbid  children  and  servants,  they  must  be  obeyed,  while 
they  ei^clude  not  the  public  worship  of  the  Lord's  own  day, 
nor  nec^sary  prayer  and  duty  in  our  private  daily  cases. 

(6.)  Bi,it  he  that  is  under  such  bondage  as  hindereth  the 
needfol  helps  of  his  soul,  should  be  gone  to  a  freer  place,  if 
lawfully  he  can.  But  a  child,  wife,  or  such  as  are  not  free, 
must  trust  on  God's  help  in  the  use  of  such  means  as  he  al- 
loweth  them^ 

(7.)  A  prince,  or  tutor,  or  schoolmaster,  who  is  not  a 
proprietor  of  the  person,  but  only  a  governor,  is  not  to  be 
obeyed  formally  and  for  conscience  sake,  if  he  forbid  his 
subjects  or  scholars  such  daily  or  weekly  helps  for  their  sal- 
vation as  they  have  great  need  of,  and  have  no  necessity  to 
forbear ;  such  as  are  hearing  or  assembling  with  the  church 
on  the  week  days  at  convenient  time,  reading  the  Scriptures 
daily,  or  good  books,  accompanying  with  men  fearing  God, 
praying,  &c. :  because  God  hath  conmnanded  these  when  we 
can  per^onn  them. 

Qu^st.  ex  II.   Whether  religious  worship  may  be  given  to  aerea^ 

turef  and  what  f 

Answ.  While  the  terms  of  the  question  remain  ambi- 
guous, it  is  incapable  of  an  answer. 

1.  By  worship  is  meant  either  'cultus  in  genere,'  any 
honour  expressed  to  another ;  or  some  special  acts  of  ho- 
nour. We  must  understand  the  question  in  the  .first  gene- 
ral sense,  or  else  we  cannot  answer  it,  till  men  tell  us,  what 
acts  of  honouring  they  m^ean. 

9.  By  religious  is  meant  either  in  general^  that  which 
we  are  bound  to  by  God,  or  is  done  by  virtue  of  a  religious* 
that  is,  a  divine  obligation,  and  so  is  made  part  of  our  reli- 
gion ;  that  is,  of  our  obedience  tQ  God  :  or  else  by  religions  is 
meant  divine  or  that  which  is  properly  due  to  God.  The  ques- 
tion must  be  taken  in  the  first  general  sense ;  or  else  it  is  no 


QUEST.  CXII.]      CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  469 

question,  but  ridiculous,  (to  ask  whether  we  may  give  Ood's 
proper  worship  to  a  creature). 

And  so  I  answer,  1.  By  way  of  distinction.  2.  Of  so- 
lution. 

(1.)  We  must  distinguish  between  the  honour  of  wor^ 
shipping  acts  of  the  mind,  and  of  the  body.  (2.)  Between' 
idolatry  as  against  the  first  commandment,  and  idolatry  or 
scandid  as  against  the  second. 

Af,  Prop.  1.  There  is  due  to  every  creature,  a  true  esti- 
mation of  it  according  to  the  degree  of  its  dignity  or  good- 
ness ;  and  a  love  proportionable  :  as  also  a  belief,  a  trust,  a 
fear,  proportionable  to  every  man's  credibility,  fidelity, 
power,  &c. 

2.  There  is  an  eminent  degree  therefore  of  estimation, 
reverence,  and  love,  and  trust  due  to  good  men  above  bad, 
and  to  those  in  heaven  above  those  on  earth ;  and  a  pecu- 
liar honour  to  rulers  as  such,  which  is  not  due  to  their  infe- 
riors. 

3*.  This  is  to  .be  expressed  by  the  body,  by  convenient 
actions. 

4.  The  highest  honour  which  we  owe  to  any,  is  for  the 
image  of  Ood  in  them,  viz.  1.  His  natural  image,  as  men. 
2.  His  moral  image,  as  saints.  3.  His  relative  image  of 
supereminency,  as  superiors.  And  so  it  is  God  in  them 
first,  and  they  next  as  the  images  of  God,  who  are  to  be  ho- 
noured. 

5.  There  is  no  honour  to  be  given  to  any  creature,  but 
that  of  which  God  himself  is  the  end ;  viz.  as  it  referreth  to 
his  glory. 

6.  Therefore  all  honour  given  to  men  must  be  thus  far 
religious  honour  (or  worship)  :  for  as  all  things  are  sancti- 
fied to  and  by  saints,  so  all  things  that  religious  men  do, 
must  be  religiously  done  ^ 

7.  As  persons,  so  places,  books,  words,  utensils,  times, 
&c.  must  be  honoured  for  God's  sake,  as  they  are  related 
to  God,  with  such  estimations  and  expressions  as  are  suita- 
ble to  their  relations^ 

Neg.l.  No  creature  must  be  esteemed  to  be  a  god ;  nor 
any  of  God's  proper  attributes  or  honour  given  to  any  crea- 
ture whatsoever. 

•iTim.  iv.  5.    TiU  i.  i5.     1  Cor.  x.  14.     iPet.it.S. 


470  CHRISTIAN  DIRECTORY.  [PART    III. 

2.  No  creature  must  be  esteemed  better,  or  greats,  or 
wiser,  than  it  is  ;  (as  far  as  we  have  means  to  know  it). 

3.  Whatsoever  outward  expressions  of  honour  (by  word 
or  deed)  are  appropriated  to  the  true  God,  1.  By  Divine  in- 
stitution ;  2.  Or  by  nature ;  3.  Or  by  received  osage,  that 
expression  of  honour  ought  not  to  be  used  to  a  creature, 
were  the  heart  never  so  free  from  honouring  it.  (1.)  Be- 
cause it  is  bodily  idolatry :  (2.)  And  scandal  as  being  idola- 
try interpretatively,  in  the  just  sense  of  others  p. 

4.  Whatsoever  outward  expressions  of  honour  idolaters 
have  used,  and  do  use  to  signify  their  inward  idolatry,  or 
taking  a  creature  or  a  fiction  to  be  God,  and  so  make  it  a 
'  tessera,'  or  symbol,  or  professing  sign  of  that  their  idolatry, 
if  those  actions  are  so  used  or  esteemed  among  us,  or  within 
the  notice  of  our  actions,  it  is  unlawful  for  us  to  use  the  like 
to  any  creature.  Because  the  use  of  their  expression,  maketh 
it  to  be  a  profession  of  idolatry  by  us,  and  so  to  be  inter- 
pretative idolatry  and  scandal :  for  to  use  professing  sym- 
bols is  to  profess. 

Except  when  there  is  some  notorious  reason  to  use  the 
same  words  or  actions  to  another  lawful  signification,  which 
is  of  greater  weight  than  the  scandal ;  and  we' make  it  as 
public  ta  obviate  the  scandal,  that  we  do  it  not  to  the  ido- 
later's intents. 

For  example.  If  the  Mahometans  make  it  a  symbol  of 
their  religion,  to  say  '  God  is  but  one,'  upon  a  false  suppo- 
sition that  the  Christians  make  more  gods  than  one  ;  yet  it 
is  lawful  for  us  to  use  that  symbolical  word  to  a  better  end. 
But  if  they  add  to  their  symbol, '  and  Mahomet  is  his  pro- 
phet,' we  must  not  use  that,  because  it  is  1.  Symbolical  of 
a  false  religion ;  2.  And  a  falsehood  of  itself. 

So  if  they  make  it  a  distinctive  note  of  their  religious 
meetings,  to  congregate  the  people  by  voice  and  not  by 
bells ;  when  it  will  be  taken  for  a  professing  their  religion  to 
do  the  same,  we  must  avoid  it:  but  not  when  there  is 
great  cause  for  it,  (as  if  we  have  no  other  means,)  and  the 
reason  against  it  or  scandal  may  be  well  avoided. 

5.  Image  worship,  (or  bowing  or  otherwise  worshipping 

P  1  Cor.  vi.  9.  X.  17.  Rev.  xxi.  8.  xxii.  15.  Acts  xriL  16.  GaU  v.  tO. 
fd.  Comroandmcnt.  Rev.  xxii.  8,  9.  ii.  14.  j^.  1  Cor.Tiii.  z.  I9.f8.  iJohn 
V.  fl.     Dan.  iU. 


QUEST.  GXII.]      CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIABTICS.  471 

towards  an  imitge  as  an  object^)  in  the  time  of  Divine  wbr* 
sfaipf  or  when  we  otherwise  pretend  to  be  worehipping  Qodv 
ie  BO  gross  an  appearance  of  inward  idolatry^  (either  fts  visi- 
bly describing  Ood  to  be  like  a  creature>  or  else  as  seeming 
to  mean  what  idolaters  did  by  that  action,)  that  God  hath 
thought  meet  to  forbid  it  lo  all  mankind  by  a  special  law^ 
(Command.  2i) 

6.  The  scandal  of  seeming  idolatry  is  a  heinoas  sin,  and 
not  to  be  excused  by  the  contrary  nleatiing  of  the  heart>  no 
more  than  lying>  idolatrous  ptofessionii  are.  Because  to 
blaspheme  QoA  as  if  he  were  like  a  creature^  or  to  tell  the 
world  by  our  actions  that  a  creature  is  Qod>  are  both  very 
heinous.  And  so  is  it  to  murder  our  brethren*s  souls,  by 
tempting  them  to  the  like  i. 

7.  It  is  no  appearance  of  idolatry  to  kneel  to  a  kingj  or  A 
father,  or  superior,  when  we  are  professing  nothing  but  to  ho- 
nour them  with  due  honour.  But  when  the  church  assembleth 
professedly  to  worship  God>  if  then  they  mix  expressions  of 
yeneration  to  angels,  and  saints  in  heaven,  or  to  a  king,  or 
any  creature,  in  their  worshipping  of  God>  without  a  very 
notorious  signification  of  sufficiebt  difference,  it  will  seem 
a  joining  them  in  part  of  the  same  Divine  honour  ^ 

8.  So  we  may  put  off  our  hats  to  the  chair  of  state,  or 
king's  image,  yea  and  kneel  towards  it  as  to  him^  if  he  com- 
mand it  in  due  time  and  place,  when  it  is  human  worship 
only  which  we  profess.  But  to  kneel  or  bow  as  an  act  of 
honour  towards  the  image  of  king,  saints,  or  angels,  in  the 
time  of  our  professed  worshipping  of  God,  is  scandalous, 
and  an  appearance  that  we  give  them  a  part  of  that  which 
we  are  giving  to  God. 

9.  Yet  it  is  not  unlawful  even  in  the  sacred  assemblies, 
to  bow  to  our  superior  at  out  entrance^  or  going  out^  or  in 
the  intervals  of  God*6  worship ;  because  the  time,  and  cus-^ 
torn,  and  manner  may  sufficiently  notify  the  distinction,  and 
prevent  the  scandal. 

10.  If  any  presumptuous  clergymen  on  pretence  of  their 
authority,  will  bring  imi^es  into  the  churches^  and  set  them 

<i  Rom.  zl.  4.  1  Kingi  xiz.  16.  Rev.  xiii.  8,  9.  Josh,  rxiii.  7.  f  Kings 
xvii.  35.    £xod.  xx.  5. 

^  Geu.  xxvii.  29.     xxxii.  10.     xliv.  8.     Exod.  xi.  6.     S  Kings  v.  18.     Geti 
xti.  43.     Ruth  ii.  10.     1  Sam.  xxv.  tS.  41. 


472  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

before  us  in  Divine  worship,  as  objects  only  of  remembrance, 
and  means  of  exciting  our  affections  to  God»  that  they  may 
shew  '  quam  proxime  se  accedere  posse  ad  peccatum  sine 
peccato/  how  near  they  can  come  \o  sin  without  sin,  it  is 
not  meet  for  any  good  Christians  to  follow  them  in  their 
presumption,  nor  by  obeying  them  to  invite  them  to  pro- 
ceed in  their  church  tyranny  *•  Though  I  now  determine 
not,  whether  in  case  of  necessity,  a  man  may  not  be  present 
with  such  a  church,  if  their  worship  of  God  himself  be 
sound,  supposing  him  sufficiently  to  notify  his  dissent,  and 
that  he  do  not  himself  scandalously  direct  his  worship  to- 
ward such  images.  (As  in  the  Lutheran  churches  we  may 
suppose  they  do  not.) 

Quest,  ex  III.   What  images,  and  what  use  of  images  is  lawful 

or  unlawful  f 

Answ.  1.  It  is  unlawful  to  make  any  image  of  God.  Be- 
cause it  would  be  a  blaspheming  of  him,  as  pretending  him 
to  be  like  to  that  which  he  is  not  like  to,  that  is,  a  creature'. 

Object,  '  Man  is  God's  image :  it  is  lawful  to  make  an 
image  of  man  ;  and  so  an  image  of  God's  image,  and  that 
may  be  a  secondary  image  of  God.' 

Answ.  1.  It  is  the  soul  of  man,  of  which  no  image  can 
be  drawn  or  made,  which  is  the  image  of  God,  and  not  the 
body.  2.  The  image  of  him  who  '  secundum  quid'  as  to 
the  soul  is  God's  image,  is  not  God*s  image,  but  man's 
'  quoad  corpus,'  as  to  another  part.  We  need  not  contend 
much  about  the  name,  whether  this  may  be  called  a  remote 
image  of  God  (though  undoubtedly  unfit).  But  we  must 
not  really  take  it  to  be  like  him,  or  use  it  for  his  image. 

Object,  '  God  hath  imprinted  his  image  on  the  whole 
creation ;  e.  g.  he  is  called  a  consuming  fire;  therefore  fire 
may  be  pictured  as  his  image.' 

■  Lev.  XV9U  1.    Gal.  ii.  4i  5.     v.  I.     1  Cor.  vii.  fS. 

*  iBa.  xl.  18. 25.  zItL  5.  Ezod.  xx.  4.  Gen.  i.  «6.  v.  1.  Deot.  !▼.  id- 
IB.  S3.  f5.  ▼.  8.  XTUff.  2  Chron.  xxxiii.  7.  Eaek.  Tiii,  S.  5.  Duuiii.  Rom. 
i.  23.  Heb.  ziL  29.  Col.  iii.  10.  Deut.  ix.  £xod.  xxiil.  f4.  xxxit.  13.  Dear. 
Til.  5.  1  Kings  xiv.  9. 23.  2  Kings  xvii.  19.  2  Chnm.  xiv.  3.  5.  Hab.  ii.  18. 
Jer.x.  8.  Deut.  xxvii.  15-  Isa.  xvii.  8.  xru29.  2  CbroD.  zzriii.  2.  xxxiv.  3,4^ 
Hos.  xiii.  2.  Exek.  xri.  17.  xxui.  14.  xxz.  13.  Hos.  x.  1,  2.  2  Kings  ZJU.  7- 
Jer.TiU.l9.     li.  47. 


QUEST.  CXIII.]      CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  473 

Answ.  The  same  answer  serveth  as  to  the  fonner  objec- 
tion. And  it  is  not  all  the  impressions  and  '  vestigia^  of 
God's  power,  wisdom,  and  goodness,  which  is  called  his 
image;  as  the  house  is  not  the  image  of  the  builder,  or  a 
clock  of  a  clockmaker,  8cc.  And  if  God  be  metaphorically 
called  fire,  as  he  is  called  a  lion,  8cc.  because  of  the  simili'- 
tude  of  some  operation  or  effect,  it  foUoweth  not  that  these 
are  his  image ;  much  less  that  the  image  of  these  is  his 
image. 

2.  No  image  may  be  made  to  be  a  teacher  of  lies :  as  we 
may  not  lie  by  words,  so  neither  by  images.  Therefore 
false  stories,  or  false  images  of  realities,  when  made  as  true, 
and  pretended  to  be  true  images  or  representations,  are  un-- 
lawful. 

3.  Therefore  it  is  unlawful  to  make  an  image  of  a  spirit^ 
pretending  it  to  be  a  true  image.     Because  it  will  be  a  lie. 

4.  It  is  unlawful  so  to  make,  place,  or  use  any  image,  as 
is  like  to  do  more  harm  than  good. 

5.  Therefore  it  is  unlawful  so  to  make,  place,  or  use 
them,  as  that  they  are  like  to  tempt  a  man  to  any  sin,  unless 

.  necessity  for  some  greater  good  require  it.     (Of  which  more 
anon.) 

6.  Therefore  all  images  of  such  idols  or  feigned  deities 
are  unlawful,  as  are  like  to  be  any  temptation  to  any  to  be- 
lieve in  them,  or  worship  them. 

7.  Therefore  also  all  images  of  such  creatures  as  others 
use  to  give  unlawful  worship  or  honour  to,  are  unlawful  when 
they  are  like  to  be  a  temptation  to  us  or  others  to  do  the 
like.  As  among  Papists  the  image  of  the  crucifix,  the  vir* 
gin  Mary,  and  angels  may  not  be  made,  placed,  or  used  so 
as  may  tempt  any  to  worship  them  sinfully  as  they  use 
to  do. 

8.  The  image  of  an  over-honoured  or  falsely  honoured 
person,  (though  not  adored,)  may  not  be  so  made,  placed  or 
used,  as  tendeth  to  tempt  others  also  to  such  honour.  As 
of  Mahomet,  or  ApoUonius,  (as  Alexander  Severus  placed 
him  and  others,  with  Abraham  and  Christ  in  his  '  lararium' 
or  chapel).  And  many  give  too  much  honour  by  images  to 
Alexander,  Caesar,  and  such  other  great  thieves  and  mur- 
derers of  mankinds 

9.  It  is  unlawful  to  make  lascivious  images  of  naked 


474  CHRISTIAN    DIRKCTORY.  [PART   II1« 

persons,  and  place  or  use  them  ao,  as  tendetb  to  be  a  temp- 
tation to  lust  or  immodesty.  A  common  sin  of  persons  of 
unclean  imaginations. 

10*  It  is  also  unlawful  so  to  represent  plays^  pompous 
honours,  splendid  cloathing  or  buildings  as  tendeth  moire  to 
tempt  the  beholders  to  sinful  desires,  than  to  any  gOod. 

11.  It  is  unlawful  to  place  images  in  churches  or  in  se-> 
cret  before  our  eyes  when  we  are  worshipping  Godi  when  it 
tendeth  to  corrupt  the  imagination,  or  by  possessing  it,  to 
hinder  the  spiritual  exercise  of  the  mind^  Which  is  the  or- 
dinary effect  of  images. 

.12.  It  is  unlawful  to  use  images  scandalously,  as  any  of 
the  aforesaid  sinners  use  them,  though  we  do  it  not  with  the 
same  intent.  That  is,  so  to  use  them,  as  is  interpretatirely 
or  in  outward  appearance  the  same  with  their  use :  because 
by  so  doing  we  shall  dishonour  God  as  they  do,  and  harden 
them  in  sin.  Therefore  images  in  churches  or  oratories,  in 
those  countries  where  others  use  them  sinfully^  or  near  such 
countries,  where  the  same  may  harden  men  in  iheit  sin,  is 
evil* 

13.  It  is  unlawful  to  make  talismans  or  shapes,  upon 
false  suppositions  that  the  very  shape  naturally  disposetb 
the  matter  to  receive  such  influences  of  the  stars,  by  which 
it  shall  preserve  men  from  plagues,  fire,  wild-beasts,  ser- 
pents, diseases,  or  shall  otherwise  work  wonders ;  for  which 
Gaffarel  vainly  pleadeth  at  large :  such  as  they  call  natural- 
ly magical  and  charming  shapes. 

14*  Much  more  unlawful  is  it  purposely  to  make  shapes 
to  be  symbols  or  instruments  by  which  the  devil  shall  ope* 
rate,  whether  it  be  for  good  or  evil :  it  being  unlawful  so  far 
to  use  him. 

15.  So  is  it  to  make  such  shapes,  on  conceit  that  God 
or  good  angelo  will  operate  in  or  by  them.  As  some  use  the 
cross  or  other  images,  to  defend  them  from  devils,  to  cure 
the  tooth^ache  -  or  other  diseases,  or  such  like  use :  when 
God  hath  neither  appointed  any  such  means  to  be  used,  for 
such  ends,  nor  promised  any  such  blessing  or  operation  by 
them. 

16.  It  is  unlawful  to  place  the  image  of  a  tutelary  saint 
or  angel  in  house,  church,  or  town,  on  supposition  that  we 
shall  be  the  safer  while  that  image  is  there  placed ;  or  else 


QUEST.  CXIil.]     CHRISTIAN   ECCLESIASTICS.  475 

to  profess  our  trust  in  that  particular  guardian.  Because 
no  man  knoweth  what  angel  God  doth  make  his  guardian> 
nor  can  we  distinguish  them ;  much  less  that  he  maketh 
such  or  such  a  saint  our  guardian.  And  men's  own  (fooU 
ish)  choosing  such  a  one  to  be  their  guardiian,  will  not  make 
them  so.  Nor  hath  God  appointed  or  promised  to  bless 
any  such  imagery. 

17.  It  is  sinfdl  to  use  such  amorous  images  of  the  per- 
sons towards  whom  your  lust  is  kindled,  as  tendeth  to  in- 
crease or  keep  up  that  lust,  or  to  make  profession  or  osten- 
tation of  it.  As  lustful  persons  use  to  carry  or  keep  the 
pictures  of  those  on  whom  they  dote. 

18.  It  is  unlawful  to  make  such  use  of  the  pictures  of 
our  deceased  friends,  as  tendeth  to  increase  our  inordinate 
sorrow  for  them. 

19.  It  is  unlawful  to  make  such  images,  monuments  or 
memorials  of  the  best  and  holiest  persons  or  martyrs,  as 
may  endanger  or  tempt  men  to  any  inordinate  veneration  of, 
or  confidence  in  the  persons  honoured. 

20.  Inward  images  of  God  imprinted  on  the  fantasy  are 
sinful :  and  so  are  other  such  false  or  sinful  images  as  afore- 
mentioned, though  they  be  not  made  externally  for  the  use 
of  the  eye. 

21.  I  think  it  is  unlawful  to  make  an  image,  or  any  equal 
instituted  sign  to  be  the  public  common  symbol  of  the 
Christian  religion  (though  it  be  but  a  professing  sign) ;  be- 
cause God  having  already  instituted  the  symbols  or  public 
'  tesseree'  of  our  Christian  profession  or  religion,  it  is  usur- 
pation to  do  the  like  without  his  commission.  As  the  king 
having  made  the  wearing  of  the  George  and  star  the  badge 
of  the  order  of  the  garter,  would  take  it  ill,  if  any  shall  mak^ 
another  badge  of  the  order,  much  more  if  they  impose  it  on 
all  of  the  order :  though  I  presume  not  to  condemn  it. 

1.  All  images  painted  or  engraven  are  not  unlawful ;  for 
God  himself  commanded  and  allowed  the  use  of  many  in 
the  Old  Testament.  And  Christ  reprehendeth  not  Caesar's 
image  on  his  coin  ". 

2.  The  civil  use  of  images  in  coins,  sign-posts,  banners, 

«  9  Ounon.  iu,  10.  Matt.  xsii.  SO.  Numb.  xxi.  9.  t  Kififv  x.  17.  1  King<( 
▼u.  18, 19.  i5,  36.  39,30, 


476  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.         [PART  III. 

ornaments  of  buildings,  or  of  books,  or  chambers,  ot  gar- 
dens, is  not  unlawful. 

3.  As  the  word  '  image'  is  taken  in  general  for  signs, 
there  is  no  question  but  they  are  frequently  to  be  used ;  as 
all  a  man's  words  are  the  images,  that  is,  the  signifiers  of 
his  mind  :  and  all  a  man's  writings  are  the  same  made  visible. 
It  is  therefore  a  blind,  confounding  error  of  some  now 
among  us  (otherwise  very  sober,  good  men)  who  accuse  all 
forms  of  prayer,  and  of  preaching  as  sinful,  because  (say 
they)  they  are  idols,  or  iinages  of  prayer  and  of  preaching ; 
they  are  neither  engraven  nor  painted  images  of  any  crea- 
ture ;  but  all  words  are  or  should  be  signs  of  the  speaker's 
mind.  And  if  you  will '  secundum  quid'  call  only  the  inward 
desires  by  the  name  of  prayer,  then  the  words  are  the  signs 
of  such  prayer.  But  because  prayer  in  the  full  sense  is  de* 
sire  expressed,  therefore  the  expressions  are  not  the  signs 
of  such  prayer,  but  part  of  the  prayer  itself,  as  the  body  is 
of  the  man  :  nor  is  a  form,  that  is  fore-conceived  or  pre^ 
meditated  words  (whether  in  mind  or  writing)  any  more  an 
image  of  prayer,  than  extemporate  prayer  is.  All  words  are 
signs,  but  never  the  more  for  being  premeditated  or  written. 
And  according  to  this  opinion,  all  books  are  sinful  images, 
and  all  sermon-notes,  and  the  printing  of  the  Bible  itself, 
and  all  pious  letters  of  one  friend  to  another,  and  all  cate- 
chisms :  strangers  will  hardly  believe,  that  so  monstrous  an 
opinion  as  this,  should  in  these  very  instances  be  maintain- 
ed, by  men  otherwise  so  understanding  and  truly  godly, 
and  every  way  blameless,  as  have  and  do  maintain  it  at  this 
day. 

4.  The  making  and  using  of  the  image  of  Christ,  as  bom, 
living,  preaching,  walking,  dying  (a  crucifix),  rising,  as- 
cending, is  not  unlawful  in  itself,  though  any  of  the  fore- 
mentioned  accidents  may  make  it  so  in  such  cases.  As 
Christ  was  man  like  one  of  us,  so  he  may  be  pictured  as  a 
man. 

Object.  '  His  Divine  nature  and  human  soul  are  Christ, 
and  these  cannot  be  pictured ;  therefore  an  image  of  Christ 
cannot  be  made.' 

Answ.  It  is  not  the  name,  but  the  thing  which  I  speak 
of:  choose  whether  you  will  call  it  an  image  of  Christ,  •  se- 
cundum corpus,'  or  an  image  of  Christ's  body.     You  can- 


QUEST.  CXIII.]    CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  477 

not  picture  the  soul  of  a  mau»  and  yet  you  may  draw  the 
picture  of  a  man'a  body. 

5.  It  is  a  great  part  of  a  believer's  work,  to  have  Christ's 
image  very  much  upon  his  imagination  and  so  upon  his 
mind''.  As  if  he  saw  him  in  the  manger,  in  his  temptations, 
in  his  preaching,  in  his  praying,  watching,  fasting,  weepings 
doing  good,  as  crowned  with  thorns,  sis  crucified,  &c.,  that 
a  crucified  Saviour  being  still  as  it  were  before  our  eyes, 
we  may  remember  the  price  of  our  redemption,  and  the  ex- 
ample which  we  have  to  imitate  ;  and  that  we  are  not  to  live 
like  a  Dives  or  a  Caesar,  but  like  the  servants  of  a  crucified 
Christ.  A  crucifix  well  befitteth  the  imagination  and  mind 
of  a  believer. 

6.  It  is  a  great  part  of  true  godliness,  to  see  God's 
image  in  the  glass  of  the  creation  ;  to  love  and  honour  his 
image  on  his  saints,  and  all  the  impressions  of  his  power, 
wisdom  and  goodness  on  all  his  works ;  and  to  love  and  ho- 
nour him  as  appearing  in  them  ^. 

7.  It  is  lawful  on  just  occasion,  to  make  the  image  of 
fire  or  light  as  signifying  the  inaccessible  light  in  which 
God  is  said  to  dwell,  and  the  glory  in  which  he  will  appear 
to  the  blessed  in  heaven  '.  For  by  many  such  resemblances 
the  Scripture  setteth  these  forth,  in  Rev.  i.  xxi.  xxii,  &c. 
And  Moses  saw  God's  back  parts,  viz.  aysreated  glory. 

8.  It  is  lawful  to  represent  an  angel  on  just  occasionn, 
in  such  a  likeness  as  angels  have  assumed  in  apparitions ; 
or  as  they  are  described  in  Ezekiel  or  elsewhere  in  Scrip- 
ture, so  be  it  we  take  it  not  for  an  image  of  their  true  spiri- 
tual nature,  but  an  improper  representation  of  them,  like  a 
metaphor  in  speech  *• 

9.  It  is  lawful  (seasonably  and  in  fit  circumstances)  to 
use  images,  1 .  For  memory.  2.  For  clearer  apprehension. 
3.  For  more  passionate  affection,  even  in  religious  cases ; 
which  is  commonly  called  the  historical  use  of  them.  For 
these  ends  the  Geneva  Bible,  and  some  other,  have  the 
Scripture  histories  in  printed  images;  to  shew  the   Papists 

«  Rom.  TiU.  «9.  Rrr.  i.  IJ..  &c.  «  Cor.  ir.  4^  Col.  I.  15.  Phil.  iiL 
8—10.  &c. 

y  1  Cor.  xl  7,     «  Cor.  iii.  18.    Col.  Hi.  10. 

*  Excel.  xxT.  18, 19.     xxxvii.  8, 9. 

«  1  Kings  Ti.  «4--«7.  E«ek.  x.  «.  4.  7. 9. 14.  1  Kings  vii.  t9.  3d.  viiL  6. 
7.     1  Sani.iv.  4.     2  Kings  xix.  15.     PwJ.  Ixxx.  I.     xcix.  1.    Is«.  ?i.«.  6. 


478  CHRISTIAN    DIRKCTORY.  [FART   III. 

that  it  is  not  all  images,  or  all  use  of  them,  that  they  w^n 
against.  And  so  men  were  wont  to  picture  Dives  in  his 
feasting,  with  Lazarus  in  rags,  over  their  tablesi,  to  ound 
them  of  the  sinfulness  of  sensuality.  And  so  the  sacied 
histories  aie  ordinarily  painted,  as  useful  ornaments  of 
rooms,  which  may  profit  the  spectators. 

10.  Thus  it  is  lawful  to  honour  the  memory  of  learned* 
great  and  virtuous  persons,  saints  and  martyrs,  by  keeping 
their  images;  and  by  the  beholding  of  them  to  be  remem- 
bered of  our  duty,  and  excited  to  imitation  of  them''. 

11.  It  is  lawf\il  to  use  hieroglyphics,  or  imi^es  expres- 
sing virtues  and  vices ,  as  men  commonly  make  images  to 
decipher  prudence,  temperance,  charity,  fortitude,  justice, 
Sec  and  envy,  sloth,  pride,  lust,  8lc  As  they  do  of  the  five 
senses,  and  the^our  seasons  of  the  year,  and  the  several 
parts  of  man's  sge,  and  the  several  ranks  and  qualities  of 
persons,  8cc. 

12.  Thus  it  is  lawful  to  represent  the  devil,  and  idols, 
when  it  tendeth  but  to  make  them  odious.  For  as  we  must 
not  take  their  names  into  our  mouths  ^,  that  is,  when  it 
tendeth  to  honour  them,  or  tempt  men  to  it ;  and  yet  may 
name  them  as  Elias  did  in  scorn,  or  as  the  prophets  did  by 
reproof  of  sin ;  so  is  it  also  in  making  representations  of 
them.  Even  as  a^drunkard  may  be  painted  in  bis  fihh  and 
folly  to  bring  shame  and  odium  on  the  sin. 

13.  It  is  lawful  to  use  hieroglyphics  instead  of  letters, 
ia  teaching  children,  or  in  letters  to  friends ;  or  to  make 
images  to  stand  as  characters  instead  of  words,  and  so  to 
use  them  even  about  sacred  things. 

14.  As  it  is  lawful  to  use  arbitrary  professing  signs  eveii 
about  holy  things,  which  signify  na  more  than  words,  and 
have  by  nature  or  custom  an  aptitude  to  such  a  use ;  whiW 
it  is  extended  no  farther,  than  to  open  our  own  minds ;  so  it 
may  be  lawful  to  use  such  a  characteristieid  or  bieroglypki- 
cal  image  to  that  end,  when  it  hath  the  same  aptitude,^  but 
not  otherwise.  As  a  circuhtr  figure  or  ring  being  a  kiero* 
glyphic  of  perpetuity,  and  so  of  constancy,  is  used  as  a  sig- 
nificant profession  of  constancy  in  marriage ;  and  so  the  re« 
ceiving  of  each  other's  picture,  might  be  used.     And  so  in 

^  lit  Beaoe  fcooes  vkor.  UhiBtrium. 

<*  PsbI.  xvf.  4.    Exod.  x»H.  15.    Eph.  v.  .*%. 


QUBST.  CXIII.]    CHmiSTIAN  ECGLBSIASTIC8.  ,  47^ 

ooYenanting,  or  taking  an  oath,  the  professing  sign  is  left 
to  the  custom  of  the  country ;  whether  we  signify  our  con- 
sent by  gesture,  words,  action,  writing.     And  as  it  is  lawful 
to  make  an  image  on  a  seal  which  hath  a  sacred  significa- 
tion,  (as  a  flaming   heaHi  ou  an  altar,  a  Bible,  a  praying 
saint,  &c.)  as  weU  as  to  write  a  religious  motto  on  a  seal ; 
so  is  it  lawful  to  put  this  sea)  to  a  subscribed  coyenant  with 
Ood  and  his  church,  or  our  king  and  country,  when  we  hay^ 
a  lawful  call  to  seal  such  a  covenant**.     But  if  law  or  cus- 
tom would  make  such  a  seal,  to  be  the  common  badge  or 
symbol  of  the  Christian  religion,  I  think  it  would  become 
unlawful. 

As  the  crucifix  for  ought  I  know  might  thus  have  been 
arbitrarily  used  as  a  seal,  or  as  a  transient,  arbitrary  profes- 
sing sign,  as  the  cross  was  by  the  ancients  at  the  beginning. 
If  any  man  had  scorned  me  for  believing  in  a  crucified 
Christ,  I  know  not  but  I  might  have  made  a  crucifix  by  art, 
act  or  gesture,  to  tell  him  that  I  am  not  ashamed  of  Christ ; 
as  well  as  I  may  tell  him  so  by  word  of  mouth.     But  if  men's 
institution  or  custom,  shall  make  this  a  symbol  or  badge  of 
a  Christian,  and  twist  it  in  baptism,  or  adjoin  it,  as  a  dedi* 
eating  sign,  and  as  the  common  professing  symbol  that  every 
baptized  person. must  use,  to  signify  and  declare  that  he  is 
not  ashamed  of  Christ  crucified,  but  believetb  in  him,  and 
will  manfully  fight  under  bis  banner  against  the  flesh,  the 
world,  and  the  devil  to  the  death  :  though  he  call  it  but  a 
professing  sign,  and  say,  he  doth  but  signify  his  own  mind, 
and  not  God's  act  and  grace ;  I  should  wish  him  to  distin- 
guish between  a  private  or  arbitrary  act  of  profession,  and  a 
common  public  badge  and  professing  symbol  of  our  reli- 
gion ;  and  tell  him  that  I  think  the  instituting  of  the  lattev 
belongs  to  OtoA  alone ;  and  that  he  hath  made  two  sacra- 
ments to  that  end ;  which  sacraments  are  essentially  such 
symbols  and  badges  of  our  profession,  and  are  dedicating 
signs  on  the  receiver's  part ;  and  that  Christ  crucified  is  the 
chief  grace  or  mercy  given  to  the  church,  and  his  sacrifice 
is  his  owii  act :  and  dierefere  objectively,  the  grace,  anrf 
act  of  Qod  also,  is  here  signified ;  and  therefore  on  two  ac- 
counts set  together,  I  fear  this  use  of  the  crucifix  is  a  sin  : 
1.  As  it  is  an  image>  (though  it  should  be  tnmsient>  used 

^  Neh.  ix.  98.      Eftth.  Tiii.  8. 


480  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  Ill^r 

aa  a  medium  in  God's  worship,  and  so  forbidden  in. the  se- 
cond commandment,  (for  it  is  not  a  mere  circumstance  of 
worship,  but  an  outward  act  of  worship).    2.  Because  it  is 
a  new  human  sacrament,  or  hath  too  much  of  the  essence  of 
a  sacrament,  and  so  it  is  an  usurpation  of  his  prerogatire 
that  made  the  sacraments :  for  as  I  said,  it  belongeth  to  the 
king  to  make  the  common  badge  or  symbol  of  his  own  sub- 
jects, or  any  order  honoured  by  him.     And  the  general  giv- 
eth  out  his  own  colours;  and  though  one  may  arbitrarily 
wear  another  colour,  yet  if  any   shall  give  out  common 
colours  to  his  army,  regiment  or  troop  beside  his  own,  to  be 
the  symbol  or  badge  of  his  soldiers,  I  think  he  would  take  it 
for  too  much  boldness.     Yet  if  only  an  inferior  captain  gave 
but  subordinate  colours,  not  to  notify  a  soldier  of  the  army 
as  such,  but  to  distinguish  his  troop  from  the  rest,  it  were 
not  so  much  as  the  other :  so  if  a  bishop  or  ruler  did  but 
make  such  a  symbol  by  which  the  Christians  of  his  charge 
might  be  discerned  from  all  others,  and  not  as  a  badge  of 
Christianity  itself,  though  I  know  no  reason  for  such  dis- 
tinction, and  it  may  be  faulty  otherwise,  yet  would  it  not  be 
this  usurping  of  sacramental  institution,  which  now  I  speak 
of.     All  professing  signs  are  not  symbols  of  Christianity. 
Christ  hath  done  his  own  work  well  already ;  his  colours, 
sacraments  or  symbols  are  sufficient;  we  need  not  devise 
more,  and  accuse  his  institutions  of  insufficiency ;  nor  make 
more  work  for  ourselves  in  religion,  when  we  leave  undone 
so  much  that  he  hath  made  us. 

15.  All  abuse  of  images  will  not  warrant  us  to  separate 
from  the  church  which  abuseth  them ;  nor  is  all  such  abuse, 
idolatry.  If  the  church  or  our  rulers  will  against  our  will 
place  images  inconveniently  in  churches,  we  may  lawfully 
be  there,  so  that  they  be  not  symbols  of  idol  worship,  or  of  a 
religion  or  worship  so  sinful  in  the  substance,  as  that  God  will 
not  accept  it ;  and  so  be  it  we  make  no  sinful  use  of  those 
inconvenient  images  ourselves.  Though  mere  temptation 
and  scandal  make  them  sinful  in  those  that  so  abuse  them, 
and  set  them  up ;  yet  he  that  is  not  the  author  of  that  temp- 
tation or  scandal,  may  not  forsake  God's  worship,  because 
that  such  things  are  present,  nor  is  to  be  interpreted  a  con- 
senter  to  them,  while  be  cometh  only  about  lawful  worship. 


QUEST.  CXIII.]   CHUATIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  481 

(%nd  perhaps  hath  fit  opportunity  ^at  other  times  to  profess 
his  dissent). 

16.  It  is  lawful  to  preserve  the  honest  and  sober  love  to 
our  friends,  by  keeping  their  pictures  ;  or  to  shew  our  love 
by  decent  monuments. 

17.  Where  we  may  use  creatures  themselves  to  profit  us 
by  the  sight,  we  may  (ordinarily)  use  the  images  of  those 
creatures.  As  the  sight  of  trees,  fruits,  cities,  8cc.  may  de- 
light us,  and  mind  us  of  the  power,  wisdom  and  goodness 
of  God,  (or  the  sight  of  the  sun,  moon,  stars,  &c.) ;  so  may 
the  pictures  of  the  same  things.  And  as  a  dead  body,  ske- 
leton or  skull,  may  profitably  mind  us  of  our  latter  end ;  so 
may  the  picture  of  any  of  these,  which  we  may  more  conve- 
niently keep. 

18.  It  is  not  unlawful  to  pray  before  or  towards  an  image, 
in  a  room  where  images  are  placed  only  for  ornament,  and 
we  have  no  respect  to  them  as  a  medium  or  object  of  our 

worship,  (except  by  accident  as  aforesaid). 

19.  It  is  not  unlawful  to  make  an  image  (out  of  the  cases 
of  accidental  evil  before  named)  to  be  '  objectum  vel  me- 
dium excitans  ad  cultum  Dei,' '  an  object  or  medium  of  our 
consideration,  exciting  our  minds  to  worship  God.'  (As  a 
death's-head,  or  a  crucifix,  or  an  historical  image  of  Christ 
or  some  holy  man,  yea,  the  sight  of  any  of  God's  creatures, 
may  be  so  holily  used,  as  to  stir  up  in  us  a  worshipping 
affection,  and  so  is  '  medium  cultus  excitans  vel  efficienter.') 
But  no  creature,  or  image,  (I  think)  may  lawfully  be  made 
the  '  medium  cultum  vel  terminus,  in  genere  causae  finalis,' 
a  worshipped  medium,  or  the  '  terminus,'  or  the  thing  which 
we  worship  mediately,  on  pretence  of  representing  God,  and 
that  we  worship  him  in  it  ultimately.  And  this  I  take  to 
be  the  thing  forbidden  directly  in  the  second  commandment ; 
viz.  To  worship  a  creature  (with  mind  or  body)  in  the  act  of 
Divine  worship,  as  representing  God,  or  as  the  mediate 
term  of  our  worship,  by  which  we  send  it  unto  God,  as  if  it 
were  the  more  acceptable  to  him.  So  that  it  is  lawful  by 
the  sight  of  a  crucifix  to  be  provoked  to  worship  God  ;  but 
it  is  unlawful  to  offer  him  that  worship,  by  offering  it  to  the 
crucifix  first,  as  the  sign,  way,  or  means  of  our  sending  it  to 

God. 

20.  Yet  a  creature  may  be  honoured  or  worshipped  yntht 

VOL.  ▼.  XI 


482  CHRISTIAN   DIRRCTORY.  [PART   III. 

such  worship  as  is  due  to  him,  by  the  means  of  such  a  re- 
presenting '  terminus  *  or  image.  *  If  the  king  command  his 
subjects  to  bow  towards  his  image  or  throne  when  he  is  ab- 
sent, as  aa  act  of  honour,  or  human  worship  to  himself,  it  is 
lawful  so  to  do,  God  having  not  forbid  it.  But  Gk>d  hath 
forbid  us  to  do  so  by  himself,  because  he  hath  no  image,  and 
is  confined  to  no  place,  and  to  avoid  the  danger  and  ap- 
pearance of  idolatry. 

21.  Yet  is  it  lawful  to  lift  up  our  hand  and  eyes  to- 
wards heaven,  as  the  place  of  Ood's  glory ;  and  I  con- 
demn not  the  ancient  churches  that  worshipped  towards 
the  east.  But  it  was  not  heaven,  or  the  sun,  or  east 
that  they  worshipped,  or  to  which  they  sent  their  wor- 
ship, as  any  'terminus  medius,'  or  thing  mediately  wor- 
shipped ;  but  only  to  God  himself,  whose  glory  is  in  the 
heavens. ' 

Quest,  ex IV.    Whether  stage-plays,  where  the  virtuous  ami 

vidaus  are  personated,  be  lawful  ? 

Because  this  is  a  kind  of  imagery,  the  question  may  be 
here  fitly  handled.  But  I  have  said  so  much  before  of 
stage-plays,  and  the  sin  that  is  used  in  them.  Part  i.  Chap. 
18.  that  I  have  nothing  more  to  say  here,  but  only  to  de- 
cide this  particular  case  of  conscience  concerning  them* 

As  I  am  not  willing  to  thrust  any  man  into  extremes, 
nor  to  trouble  men  with  calling  those  sins,  which  God 
hath  not  forbidden  ;  so  I  have  reason  to  advise  men 
to  go,  in  doubtful  cases,  on  the  safer  side,  much  more  to 
dissuade  them  from  undoubted  sin,  and  especially  from 
great  and  multiplied  sins  \  and  therefore  I  must  thus  decide 
the  question. 

1.  It  is  not  absolutely  unlawful  to  personate  another 
man,  nor  doth  the  second  commandment  forbid  such  living 
images  in  this  extent.  I  pass  by  the  instance  of  the  woman 
of  Tekoah,  2  Sam.  xiv. ;  because  the  bare  history  proveth 
not  the  lawfulness.  But  Paul's  speaking  as  of  himself  and 
ApoUos  the  things  which  concerned  others,  was  approve- 
able ;  and  as  Christ  frequently  taught  by  parables,  so  his 
parables  were  a  description  of  good  and  evil,  by  the  way 
of  feigned  history,  as  if  such  and  such  things  had  been 


QUEST.  CXIV.]    CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  483 

done  by  siich  persons  as  nevei*  were.  And  this  fiction  is  no 
falsehood  ;  for  the  hearer  knowetb  that  it  is  not  meant  as 
an  historical  narrative,  but  a  parable ;  and  it  is  but  an  im^e 
in  words,  or  a  painted  doctrine.  And  if  a  person  and  action 
Inay  be  feigned  by  words,  I  know  not  where  it  is  forbidden 
jlo  feign  them  by  personal  representation.  Therefore  to  per- 
sonate another  is  not  simply  a  sin. 

2.  To  personate  good  men  in  good  actions,  is  not  simply 
unlawful  4  because,  1.  It  is  not  unlawful  as  it  is  personate 
ing,  as  is  shewed.  2.  Nor  as  lying;  because  it  is  not  an 
asserting,  but  a  representing ;  nor  so  taken. 

3.  To  personate  a  bad  man,  in  a  bad  action,  is  nuMMln- 
bious ;  but  seemeth  not  in  all  cases  to  be  unlawfbL  To 
pass  by  David's  feigning  himself  mad  (as  of  uncertain  qua- 
lity,) it  is  common  with  preachers,  to  speak  oft  the  words 
of  wicked  men,  as  in  their  names  or  persons,  to  disgrace 
them:  and  Prov.  v.  11,  12,  &c.  cometh  near  it  And  whe- 
ther Job  be  a  history,  or  a  dialogue  personating  such 
speakers,  is  doubted  by  the  most  learned  expositors. 

4.  I  think  it  possible  to  devise  and  act  a  comedy  of  tra- 
gedy, which  should  be  lawful,  and  very  edifying.  It  might 
be  so  ordered  by  wise  men. 

5.  I  think  I  never  knew  or  heard  of  a  lawful  stage-play, 
comedy  or  tragedy,  in  the  age  that  I  have  lived  in ;  and 
that  those  now  commonly  used,  are  not  only  sins,  but  hei- 
nous, aggravated  sins ;  for  these  reasons, 

1.  They  personate  odious  vices  commonly  viciously,  that 
is,  1.  WiUiout  need,  reciting  sinful  words,  and  representing 
sinful  actions  ;  which  as  they  were  evil  in  the  first  conunit- 
ting,  so  are  they  in  the  needless  repetition.  ''  But  fomica*- 
.tion,  and  all  uncleanness,  or  covetousness,  (or  lust)  let  it 
not  be  once  named  among  you  as  becometh  saints ;  neither 
filthiness,  nor  foolish  talking,  nor  jesting  which  are  not  con^ 

.venient ;  but  rather  giving  of  thanks. For  it  is  a  shame 

even  to  speak  of  those  things  which  are  done  of  them  in 
secret®."  2*  Because  they  are  spoken  and  acted  commonly 
without  that  shame,  and  hatred,  and  grief  which  should 
rightly  affect  tlie  bearers  with  an  abhorrence  of  them ;  and 
therefore  tend  to  reconcile  men  to  sin,  and  to  tempt  them  to 
take  it  but  for  a  matter  of  sport.  .      . 

«  Ephes.  ▼.  s.  IS. 


484  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

2.  There  are  usually  so  many  words  materially  false, 
(though  not  proper  lies)  used  in  such  actings  of  good  and 
"evil,  as  is  unsavoury,  and  tendeth  to  tempt  men  to  fiotioa 
and  false  speaking. 

3.  There  are  usually  such  multitudes  of  Tain  words 
poured  out  on  the  circumstantials,  as  are  a  sinthemaelTes^ 
and  tempt  the  hearers  to  the  like. 

4.  They  usually  mix  such  amorous  or  other  such  en- 
snaring expressions  or  actions,  as  are  fitted  to  kindle  men's 
sinful  lusts,  and  to  be  temptations  to  the  evils  which  they 
pretend  to  cure. 

5.  A  great  deal  of  precious  time  is  wasted  in  them,  which 
might  have  been  much  better  spent ;  to  all  the  lawful  ends 
which  they  can  intend. 

6.  It  is  the  preferring  of  an  unmeet  and  dangerous  ve^ 
creation,  before  many  fitter ;  God  having  allowed  us  so 
great  choice  of  better,  it  cannot  be  lawful  to  chooser  worsen 
The  body,  which  most  needeth  exercise,  with  moat  of  the 
spectators,  hath  no  exercise  at  all ;  and  the  mind  might  be 
much  more  fruitfully  recreated  many  ways ;  by  variety  of 
books,  of  converse,  by  contemplating  Ood  and  his  woriu» 
by  the  fore-thoughts  of  the  heavenly  glory,  &c.  So  that  it 
is  unlawful,  as  unfitted  to  its  pretended  ends. 

7.  It  usually  best  suite th  with  the  most  carnal  minds, 
and  more  corrupteth  the  afiectipns  and  passions,  as  fiill  ex* 
perience  proveth :  those  that  most  love  and  use  them  are 
not  reformed  by  them,  but  commonly  are  the  most  loose, 
ungodly,  sensual  people. 

8.  The  best  and  wisest  persons  least  relish  them,  and 
are  commonly  most  against  them.  And  they  are  best  able 
to  make  experiment,  what  doth  most  help  or  hurt  the  goal. 
Therefore  when  the  sensual  say,  '  We  profit  by  them,  as 
much  as  by  sermons,'  they  do  but  speak  according  to  their 
own  sense  and  lust ;  as  one  that  hath  the  greenHsicknesa 
may  say,  '  Coals,  and  clay,  and  ashes  do  me  more  good  thaa 
meat ;'  because  they  are  not  so  fit  to  judge,  as  those  that 
have  a  healthful  state  and  appetite.  Ajid  it  seldom  pleaaedi 
the  conscience  of  a  dying  man,  to  remember  the  time  he 
spent  at  stage-plays . 

9.  Usually  there  is  much  cost   bestowed   on   them, 


q:u£8T.  cxit.]   christian  ecclbsiastics.  485 

which  might  be  better  employed,  and  therefore  is  un  ' 
lawful. 

10.  God  hath  appointed  a  stated  means  of  instructing 
souls,  by  parents,  ministers,  &c.,  which  is  much  more  fit  and 
powerful ;  therefore  that  time  were  better  spent.  And  it  is 
doubtful  whether  play-houses  be  not  a  stated  means  of  maa's 
institution,  set  up  to  the  same  pretended  use  as  the  church 
and  ministry  of  Christ,  and  so  be  not  against  the  second 
eommandment,  For  my  part  I  cannot  defend  them,  if  any 
shall  say  that  the  devil  hath  apishly  made  these  his  churches^ 
in  competition  with  the  churches  of  Christ. 

11.  It  seemeth  to  me  a  heinous  sin  for  pla3rera  to  live 
upon  this  as  a  trade  and  function,  and  to  be  educated  forit^. 
and  maintained  in  it.     That  which  might  be  used  as  a  re- 
creation, may  not  always  be  mflde  a  trade  of. 

12.  There  is  no  mention  that  ever  such  plays  were  used 
in  Scripture  times  by  any  godly  persons. 

13.  The  primitive  Christians  and  churches  were  com- 
monly against  them ;  many  canons  are  yet  to  be  seen,  by 
which  they  did  condemn  them.  Read  but  Dr.  J.  Reignolds 
against  Albericus  Gentilis,  and  you  shall  see  unanswerable 
testimonies,  from  councils,  fathers,  emperors,  kings,  and  all 
sober  antiquity  against  them.  * 

14.  Thousands  of  young  people  in  our  time  have  been 
all4one  by  them ;  some  at  the  gallows,  and  many  appren- 
titoes  who  run  out  in  their  accounts,  neglect  their  master's 
business,  and  turn  to  drunkenness,  and  whoredom,  and  de* 
bauchery,  do  confess  that  stage-plays  were  not  the  last  or 
least  of  the  temptations  which  did  overthrow  them. 

15.  The  best  that  can  be  said  of  these  plays  is,  that  they 
are  controverted  and  of  doubtful  lawfulness ;  but  there  are 
other  means  enough  of  undoubted  and  uncontroverted  law- 
ivlness,  for  the  same  honest  ends ;  and  therefore  ijb  is  a  sin 
to  do  that  which  is  doubtful  without  need. 

Upon  all  these  reasons,  I  advise  all  that  love  their  time, 
their  souls,  their  God  and  happiness,  to  turn  away  frcun 
these  nurseries  of  vice,  and  to  delight  themselves  in  the  law 
d  ordinances  of  their  Saviour  ^ 

'  Pial.  i.  f ,  S. 


49&     -  CHRISTIAN   DIRECTORY.  [pART  lit. 

Qaest.  cxT.  Is  it  ener  unlawful  to  tut  the  known  symbob  emi 

badges  of  idolatry  ? 

Ansic.  1.  Ordinarily  it  is  unlawful,  as  being  the  thing 
forbidden  in  the  second  commandment.  For  he  that  useth 
them,  1.  Is  corporally  idolatrous,  whatever  his  secret 
thoughts  may  be,  2.  And  he  is  interpretatirely  an  idolater^ 
and  actually  persuadeth  others  to  be  so.  i 

2.  But  yet  though  no  man  may  ever  use  such  symbok 
of  idolatry  formally,  '  qui  tales,'  as  such ;  yet  materially 
he  may  use  them  in  some  cases. 

As  1.  When  an  idolater  will  take  an  ordinance  of  God, 
and  an  appointed  duty,  and  turn  it  into  a  symbol  of  hift 
idolatry :  (as  in  the  foregoing  instance  of  the  Mahometans). 
We  may  not  therefore  forsake  that  duty  ;  but  we  must  do  it 
in  such  a  manner,  as  may  sufficiently  disclaim  the  idolater's 
use  of  it.  As  if  any  idolaters  will  make  a  symbol  of  some 
Scripture  texts,  or  of  the  Lord's  day,  or  of  the  sacramental 
bread  and  wine,  8cc. ;  we  must  not  therefore  disuse  th^n. 

2.  When  a  thing  indifferent  is  made  an  idolatrous  sym- 
bol or  badge,  though  I  must  not  use  it  as  idolaters  do,  yet  if 
any  act  of  Divine  providence  make  it  become  necessary  as 
a  moral  difty,  I  may  be  obliged  to  use  it,  disclaiming  the 
idolater's  manner  and  end :  and  then  it  will  be  known  tiutt  I 
use  it  not  as  their  symbol.  As  if  a  man,  by  famine  or  a 
swoon,  were  dying  in  an  idol's  temple,  I  might  give  him 
meat  or  drink  there  to  save  his  life,  though  such  as  was  a 
badge  of  their  idolatry,  while  I  disclaim  Uieir  ends  and  uAe. 
The  reason  is,  1.  Because  at  such  a  time  it  is  a  natural 
duty,  and  therefore  may  not  be  omitted  for  fear  of  Bcandal, 
or  seeming  sin,  which  at  that  time  is  no  sin.  2.  Because 
Christ  hath  taught  us  in  the  instance  of  Inmself  and  his  dis-^ 
ciples,  that  positive  commands  give  place  to  natural,  *  csste^ 
ris  paribus.'  And  that  the  sabbath  was  made  for  man,  and 
not  man  for  the  sabbath ;  and  that  we  must  learn  what  'this 
meaneth,  *'  I  will  have  mercy  and  not  sacrifice.''  And  if  we 
must  break  the  rest  of  the  sabbath  for  the  life,  yea,  the  feed^ 
ing  of  an  ox  or  ass,  much  more  of  a  man :  and  the  positives 
of  the  second  commandment  must  be  regulated  as  the  posi- 
tives of  the  fourth.    3.  And  the  scandal  in  such  a  case  may 


QUEST.  CXVI4]     CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  487 

be  avoided,  by  declaring  that  I  do  disclaim  their  use  and 
ends. 

In  a  country  where  kneeling  or  being  uncovered  to  the 
prince  is  a  civile  honouring  custom,  if  the  prince  should  be 
a  Caligula,  and  command  the  subjects  to  worship  him  and 
his  image  as  a  god,  and  make  bowing,  kneeling,  or  being 
uncovered  the  badge  or  symbol  of  it ;  here  I  would  ordina- 
rily avoid  even  that  which  before  was  a  duty,  because  it  was 
but  by  accident  a  duty»  and  now  interpreted  a  heinous  sin.. 
But  in  case  that  the  life  of  any  man  lay  on  it,  or  that  the 
scandal  on  religion  for  my  denying  civil  honour  to  the 
prince,  would  be  greater  and  of  more  perilous  consequence, 
than  the  scandal  of  seeming  idolatry,  I  would  perform  that 
civil  honour  which  I  did  before,  and  which  Qod  enjoineth 
me  to  perform  to  my  prince.  But  I  would  avoid  the 
scandal,  by  open  protesting  (seasonably)  against  the 
idolatry. 

Quest,  cxvi.  Is  it  urUawful  to  use  the  badge  or  symbol  of  any 

error  or  sect  in  the  worship  of  God  ? 

jdnsw.  1.  It  is  unlawful  to  use  it  formally  as  such. 

2.  But  not  materially,  when,  1.  There  are  just  and 
weighty  reasons  for  it.    2.  And  I  may  disown  the  error. 

For  1.  All  sects  and  erroneous  persons  may  turn  holy 
words  and  duties  into  symbols  of  their  errors.  2.  All 
Christians  in  the  world  being  imperfect,  do  sometimes  err 
in  matter  or  manner  in  their  worship.  And  he  that  will  ma- 
terially avoid  all  the  badges  or  symbols  of  their  errors,  shall 
have  no  communion  with  any  church  or  Christian.  3.  As 
we  must  do  our  best  so  to  avoid  all  their  errors,  that  we 
choose  them  not,  i^d  make  them  not  formally  our  ow^  prac- 
tice ;  (as  tautologies,  vain  repetitions,  disorders,,  unfit 
phrases,  &c.  We  must  ourselves  when  we  are  the  speakers 
do  as  much  better  as  we  can).  So  we  must  not  therefore 
separate  from  them  that  do  use  them,  nor  deny  them  our 
communion  when  they  use  them;  else  we  must  separate 
from  all  others,  and  all  others  from  us.  4.  But  when  we 
are  present  with  them,  our  minds  must  disown  all  the  faults 
of  the  holiest  prayer  in  the  world  which  we  join  in  :  we  may 
be  bound  to  stay  with  them,  and  join  in  all  that  ii^good  and 


408  CHBISTIAN  DIBICTORT.  [PART  III. 

warrantable,  and  yet  as  we  go  along,  to  disown  in  o«r  minds 
all  that  we  know  to  be  amiss. 

Quest,  cxvii.  Are  all  indifferent  thinp  made  unlawful  tou$, 
which  shall  be  abused  to  idaUUrmu  worship  f 

Answ,  You  must  distinguish,  1.  Of  the  symbols  of 
idolatry  before  spoken  of,  and  other  bye-abuses.  2.  Of  an 
abuse  done  in  former  ages  or  remote  countries,  and  in  our 
own  age  and  country.  3.  Of  the  reasons  inriting  us  to  use 
them,  whether  necessary  or  not. 

1.  The  case  of  symbols  or  badges  is  not  here  spoken  of, 
but  other  abuses.  * 

2.  An  abuse  committed  in  the  age  and  place  we 
bre  in,  or  any  other,  which  will  by  the  scandal  embolden 
others  to  the  like,  may  not  be  complied  in  ¥rithoiit  so 
great  reason,  as  will  notably  preponderate  the  evil  con- 
sequents. 

3.  But  yet  in  many  cases  such  abused,  indifferent 
things,  may  after  be  lawfully  «sed  by  believers.  For 
instance : 

1.  Names  may  be  things  indifierent,  abused  to  idolatry, 
and. yet  lawfully  used  by  us:  as  the  name  'God,  Deus, 
Lord,  Holy,  Just,  Good,  temple,  altar,  sacrifice,  priest, 
heaven,  sun,  moon,  Jupiter,  Saturn,'  and  a  hundred  such  : 
I  mean  these  letters  and  syllables  in  these  languages.  That 
these  names  are  all  in  themselves  indifferent  appeareth  in 
that  they  are  neither  naturally  necessary,  nor  by  God*8  in- 
stitution, but  arbitrary  signs  of  human  invention  and  choice : 
for  we  may  easily  and  lawfoUy  make  new  words  to  signify 
all  the  same  things  that  these  do :  and  that  they  are  abused 
to  idolatry  is  notoriously  known  :  and  that  yet  they  are  law* 
folly  used,  the  practice  of  all  Christians,  English  and  Latin, 
even  the  most  scrupulous  themselves  doth  judge. 

2.  And  the  use  of  temples  (those  individuals  which  haw 
been  used  to  idolatry)  is  lawful. 

3.  So  also  of  bells,  pulpits,  cups,  tables,  and  fonts,  and 
other  utensils. 

4.  The  Bible  itself,  as  it  is  this  individual  book  retlMr 
than  another^  is  a  thing  indifferent.  Yet  it  may  be  read  in 
after  it  bath  been  abused  to  idolatry. 


OyEST.  OXTIII.]  CHRISTIAN  ECCLEBIASTipS.  480 

6.  If  the  king  would  give  not  only  the  ganneiits,  but  tlM 
money«  lands,  lordships,  houses,  which  have  been  coose* 
crated  or  otherwise  abused  to  idolatry,  to  any  poor  people^ 
or  most  of  the  scrupulous,  they  would  think  it  lavrful  to  re- 
cetye  and  use  them ;  yea,  it  is  lawful  to  dedicate  the  wmmt 
knda  and  money  afterwards  to  holy  use*,  and  to  maintain 
religious  worship. 

6.  Otherwise  it  were  in  the  power  of  any  idolater  when- 
ever he  pleased,  to  deprive  all  the  Christian  world  of  their 
Christian  liberty,  and  to  make  nothing  indifierent  to  im^ 
seeing  they  can  abuse  them  all. 

7.  Yea,  almost  nothing  is  then  already  indiiSerent,  thert 
being  few  things  that  some  person  in  some  time  and  place 
hath  not  abused  to  idolatry. 

9.  If  the  question  be  only  of  all  individual  things  abused 
to  idolatry,  the  decision  now  given  will  hold  good ;  but  if  it 
be  also  of  all  species  of  such  things,  it  will  be  a  dishonour 
to  a  man's  reason  to  make  a  question  (^  it. " 


Quest,  cxviii.  M4^  we  use  the  names  of  week-days 

idolatry  honoured  their  idoh  with ;  as  Sunday,  Momdoj^ 
Saturday,  and  the  rest  ?     And  so  the  months? 

Answ.  1.  It  were  to  be  wished  that  the  custom  weie 
changed ;  1.  Because  the  names  have  been  so  grossly  abused : 
2.  And  we  have  no  need  of  them :  3.  And  as  the  Papists 
say,  *  Our  monuments,  temple-nanes,  and  othet  relies 
among  you  prove  ours  to  be  the  old  religion,  and  keep  pea^ 
session  for  us  till  it  be  restored.'  So  the  heathens  say  to  %U 
the  Christians,  '  Your  very  names  of  your  days  and  months 
prove  our  religion  to  be  older  than  yours,  and  keep  possoa'- 
sion  for  us,  till  it  be  restored.' 

2.  It  is  meet  that  we  wisely  do  o«r  duty  towards  the  rcK 
formation  of  this  abuse. 

3.  But  yet  long  custom  and  sound  doctrine  lul^  so  t&t 
taken  away  the  scandal  and  ill  effects,  that  rather  than  be 
an  offence  to  any  by  seeming  singularity,  it  is  as  lawful  stiH 
to  use  these  names,  as  it  was  to  Luke  to  use  the  names  of 
Oastor  and  PoUux,  Jupiter  and  Mercury,  historieally. 

.4.  In  such  cases,  the  true  solution  of  the  question  auist 
be,  by  weifrhing  accidents  and  foreseen  consequents  together 


490  CHRISTIAN  DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

wisely  and  impartially ;  and  he  that  can  foresee  which  way 
is  likely  to  do  most  good  or  hurt^  may  satisfactorily  know 
his  duty. 


Quest,  cxix.  Is  it  lawful  to  pra^  secretly  when  we 
first  into  the  church,  espedalbf  when  the  church  is  otherwiae 
employed  f 

Answ.  1.  This  is  a  thing  which  Ood  hath  given  as  no 
particular  law  about ;  but  the  general  laws  must  regu- 
late us,  **  Let  all  be  done  decently,  in  order,  and  to  edifi- 
cation/' 

2.  Our  great  and  principal  business  in  coming  to  the 
church-assembly,  is  to  join  with  them  in  the  public  worship ; 
and  this  is  that  accordingly,  as  our  great  business,  we  must 

•  intend  and  do.       J.vi'V  .  :. . 

3.  In  a  place  where;  superstition  makes  ignorant  peo- 
ple think  it  a  matter  of  necessity,  so  to  begin  with  secret 
prayer^  when  the  church  is  otherwise  employed,  the  use  of 
it  is  the  more  scandalous,  as  encouraging  them  in  their 
error. 

4.  It  is  the  best  way  to  come  before  the  public  worship 
begin,  and  then  they  that  think  it  most  decent  may  do  it 
without  scruple  or  just  offence. 

5.  But  as  a  man's  heart  may  put  up  a  short  ejaculation 
as  he  walketh  up  the  church,  without  losing  what  else  he 
might  hear,  so  a  man  may  on  his  knees  be  so  brief,  as  that 
his  loss  shall  be  but  small ;  and  whether  his  profit  preponde- 
rate that  little  time's  loss,  he.can  judge;  better  than  another. 
Therefore  though  I  like  best  keeping  to  concord  with  the 
assembly  in  our  devotion,  yet  these  are  things  in  which  it 
ill  beseemeth  Christians  to  judge  or  despise  each  other ;  and 
I  shall  take  on  either  side  the  judging  and  despising  of  those 
that  differ  from  us,  to  be  a  far  greater  sin,  than  the  doing  or 
not  doing  of  the  thing. 

Object.  *  Is  it  not  called,  in  Eccles.  t.  1,  2.  **  The  sacri- 
fice of  fools  who  know  not  they  do  evil  V* ' 

Anew.  No  :  I  have  wondered  to  hear  that  text  so  ordir 
narily  thus  perverted.  The  text  is,  *\  Keep  thy  foot  when 
>thou  goest  to  the  house  of  God,  and  be  more  ready  to  hear, 
-.than  to  offer,  the  sacrifice  of  fools.— —"  Whichiis  no  more. 


QUBST.  CXXI.]     CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIAaTICS.  491 

than  that  it  is  the  imagination  and  custom  of  fools  t6  think 
to  please  God  by  their  sacrifices,  and  bringing  somewhat  to 
him,  while  they  refuse  or  neglect  to  hear  his  conmiands  and. 
obey  him.  Whereas  obedience  is  better  than  sacrifice^  and 
the  sacrifice  of  the  wicked  is  abomination  to  the  Lord ;  and: 
he  that  tumeth  away  his  ear  from  hearing  the  law,  his  prayer 
is  abominable  ;  and  because  they  hate  instruction — r-r  they 
shall  cry  and  God  will  not  hear  them.  Therefore  be  first 
careful  to  hear  what  God  saith  to  thee,  and  to  learn  his  will* 
and  do  it,  and  then  bring  thy  sacrifice  to  him :  leave  thy  gift 
at  the  altar,  and  go  and  be  reconciled  to  thy  brother :  obey, 
first,  and  then  come  and  offer  thy  gift.  This  is  all  the. 
meaning  of  the  text.  See  also  Psal.  1.  8. ;  and  comparie^ 
these  cited  texts,  1  Sam.  xv.  22.  Prov.  xv.  8.  xxL  17. 
Matt.  v.  &c.  But  whether  we  should  begin  with  prayer  or 
hearing  when  we  enter  into  the  church,  God  hath  left  tOk 
prudence  to  be  decided  by  the  general  rules.  . 

Quest,  cxx.  May  a  preacher  kneel  down  in  the  pulpit,  and  use, 
his  private  prayers,  when  he  is  in  the  assembly  ? 

Answ.  This  will  have  the  same  answer  with  the  former ; 
and  therefore  I  shall  trouble  the  reader  with  no  more. 

Quest.  CXXI.  May  a  minister  pray  publicly  in  his  ownname. 
singly,  for  himself  or  others  ?  Or  only  in  the  churcVs  name, 
as  their  mouth  to  God  f  .  -  ■, 

Answ.  It  is  good  to  be  as  exact  in  order  and  decency  as 
we  can ;  but  they  that  would  not  have  other  men's  cerempr 
nies  brought  in  on  that  pretence,'  should  not  bring  in  their 

own  made  doctrines.  ' 

■  ■  'w 

1.  Jt  is  certain  that  all  the  assembly  come  thither,  not 
only. to  hear,  a  prayer,  but  to  pray  as  well  as  the  minister; 
and.therefore  the  practice  of  all  churches  in  the  world  (as  if 
seen  in  all  the  littirgies)  is  for  the  minister  to  speak  in  the 
plural  number,  and  usu^ly  to  pray  in  the  church's  name. 
And  so  he  is  both  their  guide  and  mouth  in  prayer.  There- 
fore even  when  he  prayeth  for  himself,  it  is  usually  most  fit 
(or  very  fit)  for  him  rather  to  say,  'We  beseech  thee  give 
the  spc^er  thy  assistance,  8ic.,'  than  '  I  beseech  thee.' 


493  cHEisTiAN  DiEEcitmr;.        [part  nu 

3.  And  even  Babjectivcly  it  is  not  inconvenient  to  vpeak 
of  himself  in  the  third  person,  'Give  him/  or  'Give  the 
speaker  ihj  help/  instead  of  *  Gire  me/ 

3.  Bnt  they  that  will  place  a  necessity  in  either  of  these, 
and  make  the  contrary  a  sin,  must  have  more  knowledge 
than  I  haye  to  be  able  to  prove  it. 

For,  1.  In  the  latter  case  the  minister  doth  not  pray  in 
his  own  person,  but  only  for  his  own  person,  when  he  saith, 
*'  We  beseech  thee  give  me  thy  help,'  8tc. 

2.  And  I  know  no  word  of  God  that  saith,  either  that 
the  minister  is  only  the  mouth  of  the  people,  or  that  he  is  txi 
speak  only  in  their  names,  or  that  he  may  not  pray  tar  biai.- 
self  or  them  in  his  ministerial  capacity  in  the  first  person  ■• 

For,  1.  He  is  a  minister  of  Christ  fpr  the  church,  and 
not  the  minister  of  the  ehurch  property.  And  he  is  subcr- 
^nate  to  Christ  in  his  priestly  office,  as  well  as  in  his  teachp 
ing  and  ruling  office  ;  and  the  priests  did  always  take  it  fot 
their  office,  not  only  to  speak  as  the  people's  mouth,  but  as 
sub-mediatora  or  intercessors  for  them  to  God;  and  as  thed 
they  were  types  of  Christ  by  standing  between  God  and  the 
people,  so  they  were  his  officers  as  well  as  types  ;  and  so 
they  are  his  officers  to  this  day :  and  as  they  teach  and . 
rule  in  his  name  by  office,  so  do  they  intercede  in  his  name; 
all  men  confess  that  they  may  do  this  in  private  ;  and  where 
is  it  forbidden  to  be  done  in  public  ? 

9.  And  there  are  some  cases  in  which  it  is  most  fit  that 
it  should  be  so.  That  is,  when  it  is  supposed  diat  the  con- 
gregation doth  not  join  with  him.  As,  1.  When  the  whole 
church  is  fallen  into  some  error  of  judgment,  (as  who  hath 
not  many)  and  he  knoweth  that  they  differ  from  him»  it  is 
more  fit  for  him  to  pray  as  a  sub-interc«ssor  for  them  in  his 
own  person,  than  to  speak  as  in  their  persons,  who  be  knoip* 
eth  join  not  with  him.  For  that  hath  a  plain  untoith  in  it. 
2.  If  the  whole  church  be  feUen  into  some  Uttle  sin,  which 
seduction  yet  hindereth  them  from  repenting  of,  he  wevt 
better  confess  it,  and-  profess  sorrow  for  it,  i»  his  own  per* 
son,  than  in  their's  that  join  not  with  him  in  it.  3>  ^VImii 
he  prayeth  for  somewhat  fcr  himself  and  them,  Aat  is  above 

f  1  nm  ii.  1,  t.    Im.  Jit.  16.    Jcr^  nsni.  la^    ▼«.  IS^    uiiuf.    W9Wn%.  & 

siii.s.4kf9.   tSMB.vii5.  w.|9.sa.   sCor.mr.   Pbtf.i.9.   C0LI9.3. 

1  TheM.  r,  «d.     f  Thets.  i.  11.     1  Theif.  iii.  10. 


aU£BT.  CXXII.]  CMEISTIAN    BCC1.EftlASTICS.  403 

iheir  noderstandkig  (as  for  direction  in  Home  difficult  con- 
4povendeB>  &cO  I  know  not  that  he  ift  bound  to  apeak  in 
their  names  that  understand  him  not. 

Therefore  this  is  no  business  for  Christians  that  are  not 
jpossesK^  with  a  proud,  peeTish,  self-conceited,  quarrelsooMB 
humour,  to  censure  or  despise  a  minister  for ;  nor  should 
Buy  introduce  that  false  doctrine  of  man's  invention  infto  the 
tdiureh,  that  the  minister  is  only  to  pray  in  public  as  the 
people's  moudi.    But  the  power  of  prejudice  is  greats 

-Quest.  CXXII.  May  the  name,  'priests,'  *  sacrifice*  and*  altars, 
be  iauffulfy  now  used  instead  of, '  Christ's  ministers/  *woTr 
ship,'  and  the  '  holy  table?' 

Amw.  1.  He  that  useth  them  in  design  to  bring  in  the 
Popish  transubstantiation  and  real  sacrifice  of  the  mass, 
ddtii  heinously  sin  in  such  a  design  and  case. 

2.  In  a  time  and  place  where  diey  may  not  be  used  with- 
out scandal,  or  tempting  or  encouraging  any  to  their  errors, 
the  Scandal  will  be  a  grieyous  sin. 

3.  The  New  Testament  useth  all  the  Greek  names  which 
we  translate.  Priests,  Sacrifice  and  Altai's,  therefore  we  may 
use  the  same  in  Greek ;  and  our  translation  and  English 
inames  are  not  intolerable.  If '  priest'  come  from  '  presby- 
ter' I  need  not  prove  that ;  if  it  do  not,  yet  all  ministers  are 
subordinate  to  Christ  in  his  priestly  office  as  essentially  as 
in  the  rest.  And  Rev.  i.  6.  v.  10.  xx.  6.  it  is  said,  that 
we  are  or  shall  be  made  priests  of  God,  and  unto  God.  And 
1  Pet.  ii.  5.  we  are  ''  an  holy  priesthood,"  and  ver.  9.  a 
'*  royal  priesthood : "  if  this  be  said  of  all,  then  especially 
of  ministers. 

And  the  word  '  sacrifice'  is  jised  of  us  and  our  offered 
worship,  1  Pet.  ii.  5.  Heb.  xiii.  15,  16.  Phil.  iv.  18.  Eph. 
T.  2,    Rom.  xii.  1. 

And  Heb.  xiii.  10.  saith,  '*  We  have  an  altar  whereof 
they  partake  not,"  8cc.  And  the  word  is  frequently  used 
in  the  Revelations,  chap.  vi.  9.  viii.  3.  5.  xvi.  7.  Sec.  in 
relation  to  Gospel  times.  We  must  not  therefore  be  quar- 
relsome against  the  bare  names,  unless  they  be  abused  to 
nome  ill  use. 

4.  The  aneiettl  iadieTB  and  ohnrches  did  ever  use  all 


494  CHRISTIAN  DIRBCTORY.  [PART  III. 

these  words  so  familiarly  without  any  question  or  scruple 
raised  about  them,  either  by  the  orthodox  or  any  heretici 
that  at  present  I  can  remembier  to  have  ever  read  of,  that  w6 
should  be  the  more  wary  how  we  condemn  the  bare  words, 
lest  thence  we  give  advantage  to  the  Papists  to  make  them 
tell  their  followers,  that  all  antiquity  was  on  their  side  ^ 
which  were  very  easy  for  them  to  prove,  if  the  controversy 
were  about  the  names  alone.  Extremes  and  passionate  im- 
prudence do  give  the  adversaries  great  advantages. 

5.  The  names  of  sacrifice  and  altar,  were  used  by  the  an- 
cient churches,  not  properly,  but  merely .  in  allusion  to  the 
Jewish  and  heathen  sacrifices  and  altars,  together  with  a 
tropical  use  from  the  Christian  reasons  of  the  names. 

As  the  Lord's  supper  is  truly  the  commemoration  of 
'Christ's  sacrifice ;  and  therefore  called  by  Protestants,  a 
•commemorative  sacrifice  ;  so  that  our  controversy  with  the 
Papists,  is  not,  whether  it  may  be  called  a  sacrifice ;  but 
whether  it  be  only  the  sacrament  of  a  sacrifice,  or  a  sacra- 
mental, commemorative  sacrifice,  or  also  a  real,  proper. sa- 
crifice of  the  very  body  and  blood  itself  of  Christ.  For  we 
acknowledge,  that 'This  is  a  sacrifice,'  is  no  more  tropical  a 
speech,  than  '  This  is  my  body  and  blood.' 

6.  Yet  it  must  be  noted,  that  the  Scripture  useth  the 
word  *  sacrifice'  about  ourselves,  and  our  thanksgivings,  .and 
praises,  and  works  of  charity,  rather  than  of  the  Lord's  sup- 
per :  and  the  word  '  priests'  of  all  men  lay  or  clergy  that 
offer  these  foresaid  sacrifices  to  God.  Though  the  ancient 
doctors  used  them  familiarly,  by  way  of  allusion,  of  the  sa- 
crament and  its  administrators. 

7.  In  a  word,  as  no  Christian  must  use  these  or  any 
words,  to  false  ends  or  senses,  or  deceiving  purposes,  ,nor 
yet  to  scandal ;  so  out  of  these  cases,  the  words  are  lawful ; 
and  as  the  fathers  are  not  to  be  any  further  condemn^  for 
using  them,  than  as  the  words  (which  they  foresaw  not) 
have  given  advantage  to  the  Papists,  to  bring. in  an  ill  sense 
and  doctrine ;  so  those  that  now  live  in  churches  and  coun- 
tries where  the  public  professed  doctrine  doth  free  them 
from  the  suspicion  of  a  Popish  ill  3ense,  should  not  be  judg- 
ed or  quarrelled  with  for  the  terms  ;  but  all  sober  Chris- 
tians should  allow  each  other  the  liberty  of  .such  phrases 
without  censorioushess  or  breach  of  charity,  or  peaces 


Q.CXXIII.]       CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS. 

Quest,  cxxiii.  May  the  communion-tables  be  turned  altars 
wise,  and  railed  ini  And  is  it  lawful  to  come  up  to  the 
rails  to  communicated 

r 

Answ.  The  answer  to  this  is  mostly  the  same  with  that 
to  the  foregoing  question.  1.  God  hath  given  us  no  par-, 
ticular  command  or  prohibition  about  these  circumstances ; 
but  the  general  rules,  for  unity,  edification,  order  and  decen- 
cy ;  whether  the  table  shall  stand  this  way  or  that  way,  here 
or  there,  &c.,  he  hath  not  particularly  determined. 

2.  They  that  turn  the  table  altar-wise  and  rail  it  in,  out 
of  a  design  to  draw  men  to  Popery,  or  in  a  scandalous  way 
which  will  encourage  men  to,  or  in  J^opery,  do  sin. 

3.  So  do  they  that  rail  in  the  table  to  signify  that  the  vul* 
gar  or  lay  Christians  must  not  come  to  it;  but  be  kept  at  a 
distance;  when  Christ  in  his  personal  presence  admitted 
his  disciples  to  communicate  at  the  table  with  himself. 

4.  But  where  there  are  no  such  ends,  but  only  to  imitate 
the  ancients  that  did  thus,  and  to  shew  reverence  to  the  ta^ 
ble  on  the  account  of  the  sacrament,  by  keeping  away  dogs, 
keeping  boys  from  sitting  on  it :  and  the  professed  doctrine 
of  the  church  condemneth  transubstantiation,  the  real  cor- 
poral presence,  &c.  (as  ours  doth).  In  this  case  Christians 
should  take  these  for  such  as  they  are,  indifferent  things, 
and  not  censure  or  condemn  each  other  for  them;  nor  should 
any  force  them  upon  those  that  think  them  unlawful. 

5.  And  to  communicate  is  not  only  lawful  in  this  case, 
where,  we  cannot  prove  that  the  minister  sinneth,  but  even 
when  we  suspect  an  ill  design  in  him,  which  we  cannot 
prove ;  yea,  or  when  we  can  prove  that  his  personal  inter- 
pretation of  the  place,  name,  situation  and  rails  is  unsound ; 
for  we  assemble  there  to  comimunicate  in,  and  according  to 
the  professed  doctrine  of  Christianity  and  the  churches,  and 
our  own  open  profession,  and  not  after  every  private  opin- 
ion and  error  of  the  minister.  As  I  may  receive  from  an 
Anabaptist  or  Separatist  notwithstanding  his  personal 
errors ;  so  may  I  from  another  man,  whose  error  destroyed! 
not  his  ministry,  nor  the  ordinance,  as  long  as  I  consent 
not  to  it,  yea,  and  with  the  church  profess  my  dissent. 

6.  Yet  '  csBteris  paribus,'  every  free  man  that  hath  his 
choice,  should  choose  to  communicate  rather  where  there  is 


480  CHftlSTIAN   UIRBCTOSSr.  [PART  III. 

most  purity  and  least  eiror*  tkan  with  those  that  swerve 
more  from  regular  ezactDess. 

Quest,  cxxiv.  Is  it  lawful  to  use  David's  psalms  in  our  assem- 
blies? 

m 

Amm.  Yes :  L  Christ  used  them  at  his  last  sapper,  as 
is  most  probable;  and  he  ordinarily  joined  with  the  Jews 
that  used  them ;  and  so  did  the  apostles. 

2.  It  is  confessed  lawful  to  read  or' say  them ;  therefore 
also  to  sing  them*  For  saying  and  singing  difference  not 
the  main  end. 

3.  They  are  suitable  to  our  use,  and  were  the  liturgy  of 
the  Jewish  church,  not  on  a  ceremonial  account,  but  for 
tiiBt  fitness  which  is  common  to  us  with  them. 

4.  We  are  commanded  in  the  New  Testament  to  sing 
psalms ;  and  we  are  not  commanded  to  compose  new  ones; 
Aor  can  every  one  make  psalms,  who  is  commanded  to  sing 
psalms.  And  if  it  be  lawful  to  sing  psalms  of  our  own  or 
our  neighbour's  making,  much  more  of  God's  making  by  his 
Spirit  in  his  prophets  '\ 

Object.  *  They  are  not  suitable  to  all  our  cases,  nor  to  sll 
in  the  assembly.' 

Answ,  1.  We  may  use  them  in  that  measure  of  suitable- 
ness to  our  cases  which  they  have.  You  may  join  with  a 
man  in  prayer  who  expresseth  part  of  your  wants,  though 
he  express  not  all.  Else  you  must  join  with  no  man  in  the 
world. 

2.  If  ungodly  men  are  present  when  the  faithful  speak  to 
Gk>d,  must  we  not  speak  our  proper  case,  because  they  are 
present  ?  The  minister  in  church-administrations  spefJueth 
principally  in  the  name  of  the  faithful,  and  not  of  hypocrites. 
Must  he  leave  out  of  his  prayers  all  that  is  proper  to  the 
godly,  merely  because  some  wicked  men  are  there  ?  No 
more  must  the  church  do  in  singing  unto  God. 

3.  They  thett  cannot  speak  every  word  in  a  psalm  just  as 
their  own  case,  may  yet  speak  it  as  instructive ;  otherwise 
they  might  not  read  or  say  it. 

^  Matt.  xxvj.  30.  Mark  ziv.  26.  JLake  \r.  16.  vi.  6.  John  tL  59.  zTiiL  tO. 
Mark  i.  «1.  SS.  99.  iii.  1.  ▼i.S.  1  Chron  zvL  7.  PiaLcv.  9.  xcr.  S.  James 
T.  IS.    1  Chran.  xvt  9.' 


Q.  CXXVI.]         CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  497 

But  the  sectarian  objections  against  singing  David's 
psalms  are  so  frivolous,  that  I  will  not  tire  the  reader  with 
any  more*. 

Quest,  c XXV.  May  psalms  be  used  as  prayers,  and pr€uses  and 
thanksgivings,  or  only  as  instructive  ?  Even  the  reading  as 
well  as  the  singing  of  them  ? 

Answ.  The  sober  reader  who  knoweth  not  what  errors 
others  hold,  will  marvel  that  I  trouble  men  with  such  ques- 
tions. But  I  have  oft  been  troubled  with  those  that  (having 
no  other  shift  to  deny  the  lawfulness  of  written  and  set 
forms  of  prayer)  do  affirm  that  psalms  are  neither  to  be  read 
or  sung  at  all  as  prayers,  but  only  as  doctrinal  Scriptures 
for  instruction  ^.     But  that  this  is  false  appeareth, 

1.  In  that  those  that  are  real,  material  prayers,  and 
praises  and  thanksgivings,  and  were  penned  to  that  very 
use,  as  the  titles  shew,  and  those  that  were  so  used  by  the 
Jewish  synagogues  where  Christ  was  ordinarily  present, 
may  be  so  used  by  us :  but  such  are  the  psalms  both  as  said 
and  sung. 

2.  And  those  that  we  are  commanded  to  sing  as  psalms, 
and  have  Christ's  example  so  to  use  (who  sung  a  hymn  or 
psalm  of  praise  at  his  last  supper),  we  also  may  so  use. 
But,  8cc. 

3.  And  those  that  are  by  Ood's  Spirit  fitted  for  our  use 
in  prayer,  praise  and  thanksgiving,  and  never  forbidden  so 
to  be  used,  may  by  us  be  so  used :  but  such  are  the  psalms, 
&c.     I  will  weary  you  with  no  more. 

Quest,  cxxvi.  Are  our  church-tunes  lawful,  being  of  mhrCs 

invention  ? 

Answ.  Yes :  they  are  a  lawful  invention,  allowed  us  by 
Ood,  and  fitted  to  the  general  rules  of  edification.  Scrip- 
ture is  no  particular  rule  for  such  modes  and  circumstances. 

Object  'They  breed  a  carnal  pleasure  by  the  melody, 
which  is  not  fit  for  spiritual  devotion.' 

Answ*  1.  It  is  a  lawful,  sensitive  pleasure,  sanctified  to  a 

*  James  V.  15*     Epb.  v.  19*     Col.  Hi.  16. 

^  Psal.  ixxii.  «0.     zc.  Title,     \x\vn.  Title*     xvii.  Title,  &c. 

VOL.    v.  K  K 


4M  CHEISTIAN  DIR^TOtY.^  [PABt    III. 

hdy  twe,  not  hindering,  bat  gt^atly  helping  the  sonl,  in 
spiritual  worahip. 

Either  you  call  it  carnal,  because  it  gratifieth  the  sinftil, 
corrupt  inclinations  of  man ;  or  only  because  it  is  sensitive, 
or  a  pleasure  in  the  imagination  and  lower  faculties.  If  the 
former,  1.  There  is  nothing  in  it  which  is  a  necessary  cause 
of  any  sinful  pleasure,  nor  any  impediment  to  spiritual  plea- 
sure. 2.  But  a  lustful  person  will  turn  all  sensitive  pleasure 
into  sin ;  our  meat,  and  drink,  and  clothes,  and  houses,  and 
friends,  and  health :  the  bread  and  wine  in  the  sacrament 
maybe  thus  abused ^ 

2.  But  yt)u  must  know,  that  as  our  bodies  are  here 
united  to  our  souls,  so  they  act  together,  and  while  the  sen- 
sitive part  is  subordinate  to  the  rational,  it  is  serviceable  to 
it,  and  not  a  hindrance :  when  you  come  to  have  souls  that 
are  separated  from  the  body,  you  shall  use  no  bodily  instru- 
ments ;  and  yet  even  then  it  is  uncertain  to  us,  whether  the 
sensitive  powers  of  the  soul  do  not  accompany  it,  and  be 
not  used  by  it.  But  certainly  in  the  meantime,  he  that  will 
not  use  sense,  shall  not  use  reason.  And  he  that  acteth  not 
sensibly,  acteth  not  as  a  man  ;  it  is  not  a  sin  to  be  a  man ; 
and  therefore  not  to  see,  to  hear,  to  taste,  to  smell,  &c.  Nor 
is  it  a  sin  to  taste  sweetness  in  our  meat  or  drink,  nor  is  it  a 
sinful  pleasure  for  the  eyes  to  behold  the  light,  or  the  varie- 
ty of  the  beauteous  works  of  God,  or  to  take  pleasure  in 
them.  "  His  works  are  great,  sought  out  of  all  them  that 
have  pleasure  therein ""." 

You  know  not  what  it  is  to  be  a  man,  if  you  know  not 
that  God  hath  made  all  the  senses,  to  ]be  the  inlets  of  objects, 
and  so  of  holy  pleasure  into  the  soul.  Would  he  have  given 
us  eyes,  and  ears,  and  appetites,  and  made  his  creatures 
sweet  and  beauteous,  that  all  might  either  be  sin  or  useless 
to  us?  No :  all  things  are  sanctified,  and  pure  to  the  pure  °. 
The  sense  is  the  natural  way  to  the  imagination,  and  that  to 
the  understanding ;  and  he  that  will  have  no  sensible  and 
natural  pleasure,  shall  have  no  spiritual  pleasure  :  and  he 
that  will  have  none  but  sensitive  pleasure,  were  better  have 
none  at  all.  It  is  therefore  a  foolish  pretence  of  spirituality, 
to  dream  of  acting  without  our  senses,  or  avoiding  those  de- 

«  Luke  xii.  17—19.    xvl  «0— M.  ■  Pad.  cxI,  t. 

»  Rom.  viii.  18. St.    Titus  i.  15.    Rom.  xir.  fO.     1  Cor.  Kt.  tl.    S  Cor.  W.  15* 


Q.  CXXVII.j       CHRISTIAN  fiCCLBSIASTICS.  490 

lights,  which  may  and  must  be  sanctified  to  us.  Harmony 
and  melody  are  so  high  a  pleasure  of  the  sense,  that  they  are 
nearest  to  rational  delights,  if  not  participating  of  them, 
and  exceedingly  fitted  to  elevate  the  mind  and  affections 
unto  God. 

And  as  it  is  the  very  nature  of  true  holiness,  to  be  so 
suited  to  holy  things,  as  that  they  may  be  our  delight,  and 
he  is  the  genuine  saint,  and  the  best  of  Christians,  who  most 
delighteth  in  God  and  holiness  :  so  that  is  the  best  means 
to  make  us  the  best  Christians,  which  helpeth  us  best  to 
these  delights ;  and  if  any  thing  on  earth  be  like  to  heaven, 
it  is  to  have  our  delight  in  God.  And  therefore  if  any  thing 
may  make  us  heavenly,  it  is  that  which  raiseth  us  to  such 
delights.  And  therefore  a  choir  of  holy  persons,  melodious- 
ly singing  the  praises  of  Jehovah,  are  most  like  to  the  an- 
gelical society"*. 

Quest,  ex XVI I.  Is  church-music  by  organs  or  such  instruments, 

lawful "? 

Answ,  I  know  that  in  the  persecuted  and  poorer  times 
of  the  church,  none  such  were  used  (when  they  had  not 
temples,  nor  always  a  fixed  meeting  place).  And  that  the 
author  of  the  Quest,  et  Resp.  in  Justin  Martyr  speaketh 
against  it :  (which  Perkins  and  others  cite  to  that  purpose.^ 
And  I  grant, 

1.  That  as  it  is  in  the  power  of  weak,  diseased  Chris- 
tians, to  make  many  things  unlawful  to  their  brethren  lest 
we  be  hurtful  to  them,  and  to  deprive  us  of  much,  not  only 
of  our  liberties  but  our  helps ;  so  in  abundance  of  congre- 
gations, church-music  is  made  unlawful  by  accident,  through 
their  mistake.  For  it  is  unlawful  ('  cseteris  paribus')  by  an 
unnecessary  thing  to  occasion  divisions  in  the  churches ; 
but  where  one  part  judge th  church-music  unlawful,  for, 
another  part  to  use  it,  would  occasion  divisions  in  the 
churches,  and  drive  away  the  other  part.  Therefore  I  would 
wish  church-music  to  be  nowhere  set  up,  but  where  thecon- 

"  Psal.  d. 

■  Rev.  xvw.  S«  5.  The  ▼oice  of  harpers  harping  with  their  harpt,  is  ordinarilj 
expounded  of  poblic  worship. 


500  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART    III. 

gregation  can  accord  in  the  use  of  it  *,  or  at  least  where  they 
will  not  divide  thereupon. 

2.  And  I  think  it  unlawful  to  use  such  strains  of  music 
as  are  light,  or  as  the  congregation  cannot  easily  be  brought 
to  understand ;  much  more  on  purpose  to  commit  the  whole 
work  of  singing  to  the  choristers,  and  exclude  the  congre- 
gation. I  am  not  willing  to  join  in  such  a  church  where  I 
shall  be  shut  out  of  this  noble  work  of  praise. 

3.  But  plain^  intelligible  church-music,  which  occasion- 
eth  not  divisions,  but  the  church  agreeth  in,  for  my  part  I 
never  doubted  to  be  lawful.  For,  1 .  God  set  it  up  long  af- 
ter Moses'  ceremonial  law,  by  David,  Solomon,  &c. 

2.  It  is  not  an  instituted  ceremony  merely,  but  a  natural 
help  to  the  mind's  alacrity :  and  it  is  a  duty  and  not  a  sin 
to  use  the  helps  of  nature  and  lawful  art,  though  not  to  in- 
stitute sacraments,  &c.  of  our  own.  As  it  is  lawful  to  use 
the  comfortable  helps  of  spectacles  in  reading  the  Bible,  so 
is  it  of  music  to  exhilarate  the  soul  towards  God  ^ 

3.  Jesus  Christ  joined  with  the  Jews  that  used  it,  and 
never  spake  a  word  against  it. 

4.  No  Scripture  forbiddeth  it,  therefore  it  is  not  un- 
lawful. 

5.  Nothing  can  be  against  it,  that  I  know  of,  but  what 
is  said  against  tunes  and  melody  of  voice.  For  whereas 
they  say  that  it  is  a  human  invention ;  so  are  our  tunes  (and 
metre,  and  versions).  Yea,  it  is  not  a  human  invention ; 
as  the  last  psalm  and  many  others  shew,  which  call  us  to 
praise  the  Lord  with  instruments  of  music. 

And  whereas  it  is  said  to  be  a  carnal  mind  of  pleasure, 
they  may  say  as  much  of  a  melodious,  harmonious  concert 
of  voices,  which  is  more  excellent  music  than  any  instru- 
ments. 

And  whereas  some  say  that  they  find  it  do  them  harm, 
so  others  say  of  melodious  singing :  but  as  wise  men  say 
they  find  it  do  them  good.  And  why  should  the  experience 
of  some  prejudiced  self-conceited  person,  or  of  a  half-man 
that  knoweth  not  what  melody  is,  be  set  against  the  expe- 
rience of  all  others,  and  deprive  them  of  all  such  helps  and 
mercies,  as  these  people  say  they  find  no  benefit  by. 

»  1  Sam.  xviii.  6-  1  Chron.  xr.  16.  9  Chron  ▼.  13.  vii.  6.  xxiiL  13. 
xxxiv.  tf2.     Psal.  xcviii.     xcix.     cxiix.     cl. 


Q.  CXXIX.]    CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  501 

And  as  some  deride  church«music  by  many  scornful 
names,  so  others  do  by  singing  (as  some  congregations  near 
me  testify,  who  these  many  years  have  forsaken  it,  and  will 
not  endure  it :  but  their  pastor  is  fain  to  unite  them,  by  the 
constant  and  total  omission  of  singing  psalms).  It  is  a 
great  wrong  that  some  do  to  ignorant  Christians,  by  putting 
such  whimsies  and  scruples  into  their  heads,  which  as  soon 
as  they  enter,  turn  that  to  a  scorn,  and  snare,  and  trouble, 
.which  might  be  a  real  help  and  comfort  to  them,  as  it  is  to 
others. 

Quest*  cxxviii.  Is  the  LorcPs  day  a  sabbath,  atidso  to  be  cal- 
led and  kept,  and  that  of  Divine  institution  f  And  is  the 
seventh-day  sabbath  abrogated?  i^c. 

Amw,  All  the  cases  about  the  Lord's  day  (except  those 
practical  directions  for  keeping  it,  in  the  Economical  part 
of  this  book)  I  have  put  into  a  peculiar  treatise  on  that 
subject  by  itself;  and  therefore  shall  here  pass  them  over, 
referring  the  reader  to  them  in  that  discourse. 

Quest,  cxxix.  Is  it  lawful  to  appoint  human  holy  days,  and 

observe  them  ? 

Answ.  This  also  1  have  spoke  to  in  the  aforesaid  Trea- 
tise, and  in  my  "  Disput.  of  Church  Government  and  Cer." 
Briefly,  1.  It  is  not  lawful  to  appoint  another  weekly  sab- 
bath, or  day  wholly  separated  to  the  commemoration  of  our 
redemption ;  for  that  is  to  mend  (pretendedly)  the  institu- 
tions of  God  ;  yea,  and  to  contradict  him  who  hath  judged 
one  day  only  in  seven  to  be  the  fittest  weekly  proportion. 

2.  As  part  of  some  days  may  be  weekly  used  in  holy  as- 
semblies, so  may  whole  days  on  just,  extraordinary  oc- 
casions, of  prayer,  preaching,  humiliation,  and  thanks- 
giving. 

3.  The  holy  doctrine,  lives,  and  sufferings  of  the  mar- 
tyrs and  other  holy  men,  hath  been  so  great  a  mercy  to  the 
church,  that  (for  any  thing  I  know)  it  is  lawful  to  keep  an- 
niversary thanksgivings  in  remembrance  of  them,  and  to  en- 
courage the  weak,  and  provoke  them  to  constancy  and 
imitation. 


502  CHRISTIAN   DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

4.  But  to  dedicate  days  or  temples  to  them  in  any 
higher  tenee^  as  the  heathens  and  idolaters  did  to  their 
heroes  is  unlawful ;  or  any  way  to  intimate  an  attribution  of 
divinity  to  them,  by  word  or  worship. 

5.  And  they  that  lire  among  such  idolaters  must  take 
heed  of  giving  them  scandalous  encouragement. 

6.  And  they  that  scrupulously  fear  such  sin  more 
than  there  is  cause*  should  not  be  forced  to  sin  against 
their  consciences. 

7.  But  yet  no  Christians  should  causelessly  refuse  that 
which  is  lawful,  nor  to  join  with  the  churches  in  holy  ex- 
ercises on  the  days  of  thankful  commemoration  of  the 
apostles,  and  martyrs,  and  excellent  instruments  in  the 
church ;  much  less  petulantly  to  work  and  set  open  shops 
to  the  offence  of  others ;  but  rather  to  persuade  all  to  imi- 
tate the  holy  lives  of  those  saints  to  whom  they  give  such 
honours. 

Quest,  cxxx.  How  far  are  the  Holy  Scripiures  a  law  and 

perfect  rule  tousf 

Anno.  1.  For  all  thoughts,  words,  affections,  and  ac- 
tions, of  Divine  faith  and  obedience  ;  (supposing  still  God's 
law  of  nature).  For  it  is  no  believing  God  to  believe  what 
he  never  revealed ;  nor  any  trusting  God,  to  trust  that  he 
will  certainly  give  us  that  which  he  never  either  directly  or 
indirectly  promised ;  nor  any  obeying  God,  to  do  that  which 
he  never  commanded. 

2.  The  contents  will  best  shew  the  extent ;  whatever  is 
revealed,  promised,  and  commanded  in  it,  for  that  it  is  a 
perfect  rule.  For  certainly  it  is  perfect  in  its  kind  and  to 
its  proper  use. 

3.  It  is  a  perfect  rule  for  all  that  is  of  universal  moral 
necessity  :  that  is,  whatever  it  is  necessary  that  man  believe, 
think,  or  do,  in  all  ages  and  places  of  the  world,  this  is  of 
Divine  obligation.  Whatever  tlie  world  is  universally 
bound  to  (that  is,  all  men  in  it,)  it  is  certain  that  God's 
law  in  nature,  or  Scripture,  or  both,  bindeth  them  to 
it.  For  the  world  hath  no  universal  king  or  lawgiver 
but  God. 

4.  God's  own  laws  in  nature  and  Scripture  are  a  perfect 


QUESTS  CXXX.]     CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIAMTICS.  603 

rule  for  all  the  duties  of  the  understanding,  thoughts,  affec^ 
tions,  passions,  immediately  to  be  exercised  on  God  him^ 
self;  for  no  one  else  is  a  discemer  or  judge  of  such  mat- 
ters P . 

5.  It  perfectly  containeth  all  the  essential  and  integral 
parts  of  the  Christian  religion ;  so  that  nothing  is  of  itself 
and  directly,  any  part  of  the  Christian  religion  which  is  not 
there. 

6.  It  instituteth  those  sacraments  perfectly,  which  are 
the  seals  of  God's  corenant  with  man,  and  the  delivery  of 
the  benefits,  and  which  are  the  badges  or  symbols  of  the 
disciples  and  religion  of  Christ  in  the  world. 

7.  It  determineth  what  faith,  prayer,  and  obedience  shall 
be  his  appointed  means  and  conditions  of  justification,  adop- 
tion, and  salvation.  And  so  what  shall  be  professed  and 
preached  in  his  name  to  the  world. 

8.  It  is  a  perfect  instrument  of  donation  or  conveyance 
of  our  right  to  Christ,  and  of  pardon,  and  justification,  and 
adoption,  and  the  Holy  Spirit's  assistances,  and  of  glory. 
As  it  is  God's  covenant,  promise,  or  deed  of  gift. 

9.  It  instituteth  certain  ministers  as  his  own  church- 
officers,  and  perfectly  describeth  their  office,  as  instituted 
by  him. 

10.  It  instituteth  the  form  of  his  church  universal 
which  is  called,  his  body ;  and  also  of  particular  holy  so- 
cieties for  his  worship  ;  and  prescribeth  them  certain  duties, 
as  the  common  worship  there  to  be  performed. 

1 1 .  It  determineth  of  a  weekly  day,  even  the  first,  to  be 
separated  for,  and  used  in  this  holy  worship. 

12.  It  is  a  perfect  general  rule  for  the  regulating  of  those 
things,  which  it  doth  not  command  or  ^forbid  in  particular. 
As  that  all  be  done  wisely,  to  edification,  in  charity,  peace, 
concord,  season,  order,  &c. 

13.  It  giveth  to  magistrates,  pastors,  parents,  and 
other  superiors,  all  that  power  by  which  they  are  autho- 
rized, to  oblige  us  under  God,  to  any  undetermined  par- 
ticulars. 

14.  It   is   the  perfect  rule   of   Christ's  judging,    re- 

P  3  Tiro,  lit  16.    «  Pet.  L  fO.    S  Tim.  iii.  IS.    Rom.  iv.  4i    xti 
JohDT.S9.     AcUxTiLX.  11.    John  six.  S4.iS.  36,57. 


504  CHRISTIAN   DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

warding,  and  punishing  at  last,  according  to  which  he 
will  proceed. 

15.  It  is  the  only  law  that  is  made  by  primitive 
power. 

16.  And  the  only  law  that  is  made  by  infidlible  wis- 
dom. 

17.  And  the  only  law  which  is  faultless,  and  hath  no- 
thing in  it  that  will  do  the  subject  any  harm. 

18.  And  the  only  law  which  is  from  absolute  power,  the 
rule  of  all  other  laws,  and  from  which  there  is  finally  no  ap- 
peal ">• 

Thus  far  the  Holy  Scripture  with  the  law  of  nature  is  our 
perfect  rule.     But  not  in  any  of  the  following  respects. 

1.  It  is  no  particular  revelation  or  perfect  rule  of  natural 
sciences,  as  physics,  metaphysics,  &c. 

2.  It  is  no  rule  for  the  arts,  for  medicine,  music,  arith- 
metic, geometry,  astronomy,  grammar,  rhetoric,  logic ;  nor 
for  the  mechanics,  as  navigation,  architecture  ;  and  all  the 
trades  and  occupations  of  men ;  no,  not  husbandry  by  which 
we  have  our  food. 

3«  It  is  no  particular  rule  for  all  the  mutable,  subor- 
dinate duties  of  any  societies.  It  will  not  serve  instead  of 
all  the  statutes  of  this  and  all  other  lands,  nor  tell  us,  when 
the  terms  shall  begin  and  end,  nor  what  work  every  pa- 
rent and  master  shall  set  his  children  and  servants  in  bis  fa- 
mily, &c. 

4.  It  is  no  full  rule  in  particular  for  all  those  political  ' 
principles  which  are  the  ground  of  human  laws ;  as  whether 
each  republic  be  monarchical,  aristocratical,  or  democrati- 
cal ;  what  person  or  of  what  family  shall  reign ;  who  shall 
be  his  o&cers  and  judges,  and  how  diversified ;  bo  of  his 
treasury,  munition,  coin,  8cc. 

5.  It  is  no  rule  of  propriety  in  particular,  by  which  every 
man  may  know  which  is  his  own  land,  or  house,  or  goods, 
or  cattle. 

6.  It  is  no  particular  rule  for  our  natural  actions  ;  what 
meat  we  shall  eat ;  what  clothes  we  shall  wear ;  so  of  our 
rest,  labour,  &c. 

7.  It  is  no  particular  law  or  rule  for  any  of  all  those  ac- 
tions and  circumstances  about  religion  or  God's  own  ordi- 

<i  Pwl.  xii.  6.    xix.  7— '10.    czix. 


QUEST.  CXXXI.]   CHRISTIAN  .  ECCLESIASTICS.  505 

nances,  which  he  hath  only  commanded  in  general,  and  left 
in  specie  or  particular  to  be  determined  by  man  according  to 
his  general  laws ;  but  of  these  next. 

Quest.  CXXXI.  W/hU  additions  or  human  inventions  in  or  about 
religion,  not  commanded  in  Scripture,  are  lawful  or  un-- 
lawful? 

Answ,  1.  These  following  are  unlawful.  1.  To  feign 
any  new  article  of  faith  or  doctrine,  any  precept,  pro- 
mise, threatening,  prophecy,  or  revelation,  and  falsely  to 
father  it  upon  God,  and  say,  that  it  is  of  him,  or  his  special 
Word.' 

2.  To  say  that  either  that  is  written  in  the  Bible  which  is 
not,  or  that  any  thing  is  the  sense  of  a  text  which  is  not ;  and 
so  that  any  thing  is  a  sin  or  a  duty  by  Scripture  which  is  not. 
Or  to  father  apocryphal  books,  or  texts,  or  words  upon  the 
Spirit  of  Christ. 

3.  To  make  any  law  for  the  church  universal,  or  as  ob- 
ligatory to  all  Christians  ;  which  is  to  usurp  the  sovereignty 
of  Christ  ;  for  which  treasonable  usurpation  it  is  that 
Protestants  call  the  pope.  Antichrist. 

4.  To  add  new  parts  to  the  Christian  religion. 

5.  To  make  any  law,  which  it  did  properly  belong  to  the 
Universal  Sovereign  to  have  made,  if  it  should  have  been 
made  at  all :  or  which  implieth  an  accusation  of  ignorance, 
oversight,  error,  or  omission,  in  Christ  and  the  Holy 
Scriptures. 

6.  To  make  new  laws  for  men's  inward  heart-duties  to- 
wards God. 

7.  To  make  new  sacraments  for  the  sealing  of  Christ's 
covenant  and  collation  of  his  benefits  therein  contained,  and 
to  be  the  public  *  tesserae,'  badges  or  symbols  of  Christians 
and  Christianity  in  the  world. 

8.  To  feign  new  conditions  of  the  covenant  of  God,  and 
necessary  means  of  our  justification,  adoption,  and  sal- 
vation. 

9.  To  alter  Christ's  instituted  church-ministry,  or  add 

'  Dent.  zii.  32.  Rev.  xxiL  18.  Col.  u.  16—23.  Matt.  zv.  3.  8,  9.  Gal.  i. 
8,  9.  Jer.  v.  12.  zir.  14.  zziii.  25,  26.  32.  Exek.  xiii.  9.  19-  zzii.  28. 
Zech.  ziii. 


d06  CHRISTIAN   PIRECTOMY.  [PART  III. 

any  thai  are  aupra-ordinate,  oo-ordinate,  or  derogatory  to 
their  office,  or  that  stand  on  the  like  pretended  ground,  and 
for  equal  ends. 

10.  To  make  new  spiritual  societies  or  church-forms 
which  shall  be  either  supra-ordinate,  coordinate,  or  dero- 
gatory to  the  forms  of  Christ's  institution  *• 

11.  Any  impositions  upon  the  churches  (be  the  thing 
never  so  lawful)  which  is  made  by  a  pretended  power  not 
derived  from  God  and  the  Redeemer  ^ 

12.  Any  thing  that  is  oontrary  to  the  church's  good  and 
edification,   to   justice,    charity,   piety,  order,   unity,  or 


13.  Any  unnecessary  burden  imposed  on  the  consciences 
of  Christians ;  especially  as  necessary  either  to  their  salva- 
tion,  communion,  liberty,  or  peace. 

14^  And  the  exercise  of  any  power,  pretended  to  be 
either  primitive  and  underived,  or  infallible,  or  impeccable, 
or  absolute. 

15.  In  general,  any  thing  that  is  oontrary  to  the  autho- 
rity, matter,  form,  obligation,  honour,  or  ends  of  the  laws  of 
Gk>d,  in  nature  or  Scripture. 

16.  Any  thing  which  setteth  up  those  Judaical  laws  and 
ceremonies  which  Christ  hath  abrogated,  in  that  form  and 
respect  in  which  he  abrogated  them. 

17.  Where  there  is  a  doubt  among  sober,  conscionable 
Christians,  lest  in  obeying  man  they  should  sin  against  (}od 
and  disobey  his  laws,  and  the  matter  doubted  of  is  confess- 
ed unnecessary  by  the  imposers  :  so  infinite  is  the  distance 
between  Ood  and  man,  and  so  wholly  dependent  on  him  are 
the  highest,  that  they  should  be  exceedingly  unwilling  to 
vie  with  the  authority  of  their  Maker  in  men's  consciences, 
or  to  do  any  thing  unnecessary  which  tendeth  to  <M>mpel 
men  to  tread  down  God's  authority  in  their  consciences, 
and  to  prefer  man's.  Much  more  unwilling  should  they  be, 
to  silence  the  sober  preachers  of  Christ's  Gospel  upon  such 
aoGOunts. 

•  Gal.li.  5.  t  Acts  zt.  S4,  S6.  «S. 

•  SCor.  X.  8.  xiii.  iO.  1  Cor.  zW.  5.  If.  €6.  f  Cor.  xii.  19.  Epbet.  iv. 
lt«  16t    1  Tim.  i.  4. 


QURtlT.  CXXXII.J  CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  507 

Quest«  cxxxii.  h  it  unlawful  to  obey  in  all  those  ca9e9^  where 
ii  is  unlawful  to  impou  and  command?  Or  in  whai 
cases  f  And  how  far  pastors  must  be  beUefjed  and 
obeyed  f 

Answ.  I  must  intreat  the  reader  carefully  to  diatiu-' 
guish  here,  1.  Between  God's  law  forbidding  rulers 
to  do  evil ;  and  his  law  forbidding  subjects  or  private 
men. 

2.  Between  obedience  formally  so  called ;  which  is,  when 
we  therefore  obey  in  conscience,  because  it  is  commanded, 
and  the  commander's  authority  is  the  formal  reason  and  ob- 
ject of  our  obedience  :  and  obedience  material  only,  which 
is  properly  no  obedience,  but  a  doing  the  thing  which  is 
commanded  upon  other  reasons,  and  not  at  all  because  it  is 
commanded. 

3.  Between  formal  obedience  to  the  office  of  the  ruler  in 
general,  and  formal  obedience  to  him,  as  commanding  this 
very  matter  in  particular. 

4.  Between  such  authority  in  the  ruler  as  will  warrant 
his  impositions  before  God  for  his  own  justification ;  and 
such  authority  as  may  make  it  my  duty  to  obey  him*  And 
so  I  answer, 

1.  We  shall  not  be  judged  by  those  laws  of  God  which 
made  the  ruler's  duty,  but  by  that  which  made  our  own.  It 
is  not  all  one  to  say,  '  Thou  shalt  not  command  it,'  and  to 
say,  '  Thou  shalt  not  do  it.' 

2.  Whatever  God  absolutely  forbiddeth  men  to  do,  w« 
must  not  do  whoever  command  it. 

3.  There  are  many  of  the  things  forementioned  abso- 
lutely and  always  unlawful,  as  being  evil  of  themselves^ 
which  no  man  may  either  command  or  do ;  and  there  are 
some  of  them,  which  are  only  evil  by  accident,  which  may 
not  be  commanded,  but  may  be  done  when  contrary,  weigh- 
tier accidents  do  preponderate. 

4.  Many  such  things  may  be  done  materially  on  other 
reasons  (as  for  the  church's  good,  the  furtherance  of  the 
Gospel,  the  winning  of  men  to  God,  the  avoiding  of  scandal, 
or  of  hurt  to  others  or  ourselves,  8cc.)  when  they  are  not  to 
be  done  in  formal  obedience,  out  of  conscience  to  the  au- 
thority imposing ;  (as  if  it  be  commanded  by  one  that  hath 
no  just  power). 


508  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.         [PART  IIL 

5.  Our  actions  may  participate  of  obedience  in  general, 
as  being  actions  of  subjects,  when  they  are  not  obedience 
in  the  full  and  perfect  formality  as  to  ihe  particular.     The 
last  leaf  of  Rich.  Hooker's  eighth  book  of  Eccles.  Polit.  will 
shew  you  the  reason  of  this.     He  that  hath  not  just  power 
to  command  me  this  one  particular  act,  yet  may  be  my 
ruler  in  the  general,  and  I  am  bound  to  honour  him  in  gene- 
ral as  my  ruler ;  and  to  disobey  him  in  a  thing  lawfiil  for 
me  to  do,  though  not  for  him  to  command,  may  be  disho- 
nouring of  him,  and  an  appearance  of  disobedience  and  de- 
nial of  his  power**.     A  parent  is  forbidden  by  God  to  com- 
mand his  child  to  speak  an  idle  word,  or  do  a  vain  and  use- 
less action,  (much  more  a  hurtful).     Yet  if  a  parent  should 
command  a  child  to  speak  an  idle  word,  or  do  a  vain  action, 
the  duty  of  obedience  would  make  it  at  that  time  not  to  be 
vain  and  idle  to  him  ;  yea,  if  he  bid  him  throw  away  a  cup 
of  wine,  or  a  piece  of  bread,  which  is  evil  when  causeless, 
the  child  may  be  bound  to  do  it :  not  only  because  he  know- 
eth  not  but  the  parents  may  have  lawful  ends  and  reasons 
for  their  command,  (as  to  try  and  exercise  his  obedience;) 
but  also  if  he  were  sure  that  it  were  not  so ;  because  he  is  a 
subject,  and  the  honouring  of  a  parent  is  so  great  a  good, 
and  the  dishonouring  him  by  that  disobedience  may  have 
such  ill  consequences,  as  will  preponderate  the  evil  of  the 
loss  of  a  cup  pf  wine,  &c.     Yet  in  this  case^  the  act  of  obe- 
dience is  but  mixed :  it  is  an  act  of  subjection  or  honour  to 
a  parent,  because  in  general  he  is  a  governor :  but  it  is  but 
materially  obedience  in  respect  of  that  particular  matter, 
which  we  know  he  had  no  authority  to  command. 

6.  In  this  respect  therefore,  a  ruler  may  have  so  much 
power  as  may  induce  on  the  subject  an  obligation  to  obey, 
and  yet  not  so  much  as  may  justify  his  commands  before 
God,  nor  save  himself  from  Divine  punishment. 

I  add  this  so  distinctly,  lest  any  should  misapply  Mr. 
Rich.  Hooker's  doctrine  aforesaid,  Eccl.  Pol.  lib.  viii.  p. 
223,  224.  '  As  for  them  that,  exercise  power  altogether 
against  order,  though  the  kind  of  power  which  they  have 
may  be  of  God,  yet  is  their  exercise  thereof  against  God, 
and  therefore  not  of  God,  otherwise  than  by  permission  as 
all  injustice  is. — ■ Usurpers  of  power,  whereby  we  do  not 

•  £ph«  T.  JM.    Col.  iii.  tO.  tS.    Rom.  xiu.  1—6. 


QUEST.  CXXXII.]    CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  509 

mean  them  that  by  violence  have  aspired  unto  places  of 
highest  authority,  but  theni  that  use  more  authority  than 
they  did  ever  receive  in  form  and  n^anner,  beforementioned. 

Such  usurpers  thereof,  as  in  the  exercise  of  their 

power,  do  more  than  they  have  been  authorized  to  do,  can- 
not in  conscience  bind  any  man  to  obedience.' 

Lest  any  should  gather  hence  that  they  are  never  bound 
in  conscience  to  obey  tteir  parents,  their  king,  their  pas- 
tors, in  any  point  wherein  they  exercise  more  power  than 
God  gave  them,  I  thought  meet  to  speak  more  exactly  to 
that  point,  which  needed  this  distinguishing.  For  the 
ground  is  sure  that  '  There  is  no  power  but  of  God ;  and 
that  God  hath  given  no  man  power  against  himself,  his  laws 
and  service :'  but  yet  there  are  many  cases  in  which  God 
bindeth  children  and  subjects  to  obey  their  superiors,  in 
such  matters  as  they  did  sinfully  command. 

7.  It  greatly  concerneth  all  sober  Christians  therefore  to 
be  well  studied  in  the  law  of  God,  that  we  may  certainly  know 
what  those  things  are  which  God  hath  absolutely  forbidden 
us  to  do,  whoever  command  them,  and  to  distinguish  them 
from  things  that  depend  on  mutable  accidents :  that  as  the 
three  witnesses  and  Daniel "",  we  may  be  true  to  God  what- 
ever we  suffer  for  it ;  and  yet  may  obey  men  in  all  that  is 
our  duty  to  them. 

Thus  the  apostles  knew  that  no  man  had  power  from 
God  to  silence  them,  or  persecute  them  for  the  Gospel. 
Therefore  they  would  not  obey  those  that  forbad  them  to 
preach  :  and  yet  they  would  appear  before  any  magistrate 
that  commanded  them,  and  obey  their  summons ;  and  so  we 
may  do  even  to  an  usurper,  or  a  private  man. 

8.  The  principal  and  most  notable  case,  in  which  we 
must  obey  when  a  ruler  sinfully  commandeth,  is,  when  the 
matter  which  he  commandeth  is  not  such  as  is  either  for- 
bidden us  by  God,'  or  out  of  the  verge  of  his  place  and  call- 
ing at  all  to  meddle  with  and  command,  nor  yet  such  as  is 
destructive  of  our  duty  to  God;  but  such  as  in  general  be- 
longeth  to  his  office  to  determine  of  according  to  God's  ge- 
neral rules;  but  he  misseth  it  in  the  manner  and  goeth 
against  those  rules ;  yet  not  so  far  as  to  destroy  the  duty 
we  owe  to  God,  or  the  end  of  it. 

s  Dan.  ill.    ti. 


AlO  CHRISTIAN   DIRSCTOKY.  [PART  Iff; 

For  instance,  it  is  not  in  the  ruler's  power  to  determine 
whether  there  shall  be  preaching  or  none,  tme  doctrine  or 
(Use,  &c.  But  it  is  in  his  power  to  regulate  the  circum- 
stances of  time,  place,  8cc.  (next  to  be  recited.)  Now  if  he 
do  these  to  order,  unity,  and  edification,  I  will  obey  him  for- 
mally and  fully  for  conscience  sake.  If  he  so  do  it  as  is 
destructive  to  the  end,  (as  is  aforesaid,)  as  to  say,  you  shall 
flseet  only  at  twenty  miles  distance,  or  only  at  midnight, 
fcc.  I  will  obey  him  no  farther  than  necessity  and  the  com- 
mon good  requireth  me.  If  he  do  it  only  with  a  tolerable 
inconvenience,  (as  to  say,  you  shall  meet  no  where  but  in 
the  open  fields,  &c.)  I  will  obey  for  conscience  sake,  as  I 
am  in  general  a  subject  bound  to  honour  the  magistrate ; 
but  not  as  he  nameth  an  unmeet  circumstance,  in  that  res- 
pect my  obedience  shall  be  but  material. 

I  need  not  handle  it  as  a  distinct  question.  Whether  pas- 
tors are  to  be  believed  or  obeyed  any  farther  than  they  show 
a  word  of  God  revealing  or  commanding  th6  particular 
thing  t  Divine  faith  and  obedience  is  one  thing,  and  human 
is  another.  1.  If  as  a  preacher  he  shall  say, '  This  is  God's 
word,  believe  it  and  obey  it  as  such,'  you  must  believe  with 
ahuman  faith  that  it  is  more  likely  that  he  knoweth  what  he 
saith,  than  you  do,  (unless,  (1.)  You  see  evidence;  (2.)  Or 
the  consent  of  more  credible  persons  to  be  against  him,  and  / 
then  you  are  not  to  believe  him  at  all).  Even  as  a  child  be- 
Ueveth  his  teacher  in  order  to  learn  the  things  himself,  so 
you  are  so  far  to  take  his  word  while  you  are  learning  to 
know  whether  it  be  so  or  not.  But  not  to  rest  in  it  as  cer- 
tain, nor  to  take  your  belief  of  him  and  obedience  to  him,  to 
be  a  l)elieving  and  obeying  God  formally,  though  a  duty. 

Quest,  cxxxiii.  What  are  the  additions  or  inventions  of  men, 
which  are  not  forbidden  by  the  Word  of  God,  (whether  Ay 
r%ilers  or  by  private  men  invented)  f 

Answ.  This  is  handled  under  the  Directions  for  Wor^ 
ship ;  to  which  I  refer  the  reader,  as  also  for  part  of  the  an- 
swer to  the  former  cases.  Yet  here  I  shall  trouble  you  with 
so  much  repetition,  as  to  say,  that, 

1.  Such  inventions  and  additions  are  lawful  as  Ood  hath 


QUEST.  GXXXIII.]  CHRISTIAN  ECCLBSIASTICS.  61 1 

conunaaded  men,  (rulers,  pastors,  parents,  or  prirate  per-> 
sons,)  to  make  under  the  regulation  of  his  general  laws. 

2.  All  such  additions  are  lawful  as  are  merely  subordi- 
nate and  subservient  to  God's  laws  and  orders,  and  not  for- 
bidden by  him,  among  the  forementioned  prohibited  addh» 
tions. 

Instances  are  many.  1  •  All  such  modes  of  a  duty  as  are 
necessary  '  in  genere,'  or  one  way  or  other  to  be  determined 
of,  but  left  to  human  prudence  as  to  particulars.  As,  1. 
Whether  I  shall  (this  week  or  month)  publish  the  Gospel  by 
speaking,  or  by  writing,  or  by  printing.  2.  Whether  I  shall 
use  this  method  or  that,  or  another  method  in  this  sermon* 
3.  Whether  I  shall  use  these  phrases  and  words,  or  other 
words.  4.  Whether  I  shall  use  notes  for  my  memory  or 
not.  And  whether  large  ones  or  short  ones.  6.  Whe- 
ther I  shall  be  an  hour  or  two  in  preaching.  6.  Whether  I 
shall  preach  with  a  loud  voice  or  a  low.  7.  Whether  I  shall 
at  this  time  more  endeavour  explication  or  application,  com- 
fort or  terror,  reprehension  or  direction,  &o.  All  which  are 
to  be  varied  by  man's  lawful  invention  according  to  God^a 
general  rules. 

2.  It  is  also  lawful  and  needful,  that  our  own  invention 
or  our  superior's,  according  to  God's  general  law,  do  deter- 
mine of  the  particular  subjects  of  our  office;  which  Scrip- 
ture doth  not  particularly  determine  of,  viz.  1.  Scripture 
telleth  not  ministers  what  country,  parish,  or  church  they 
shall  bestow  their  labours  in.  2.  Nor  to  how  many  they 
shall  be  a  pastor.  3.  Nor  what  text  or  subject  they  shaU 
preach  on.  4.  Nor  what  singular  persons  they  shall  apply  • 
comfort,  counsel,  or  terror  to,  this  or  that.  6.  Nor  whom 
they  shall  admit  to  the  sacrament,  (but  by  the  general  rale 
or  description).  6.  Nor  whom  they  should  openly  rebuke 
or  excommunicate.  7.  Nor  whom  they  shall  absolve.  It 
telleth  them  not  whom  the  persons  be  to  whom  the  Scrip- 
ture character  doth  belong,  in  any  of  these  cases.  8.  Nor 
whether  the  witnesses  say  truly  or  falsely  who  accuse  a 
man.  9.  Nor  whether  the  accused  be  to  be  taken  as  guilty 
of  heresy,  scandal,  or  schism,  8cc. 

3.  It  is  also  a  lawful  invention  of  man,  to  find,  choose, 
and  use,  such  natural  helps,  as  are  useful  to  further  us  in  the 
obedience  of  God's  laws»  and  the  practice  of  his  worship. 


512  CHRISTIAN  DIRECTORY.  [PART  III« 

and  are  not  forbidden  by  him.  Yea,  '  in  genere '  tbey  are 
commanded,  and  yet  never  particularly  determined  of  in  the 
Scripture;  as,  1.  What  will  clear  a  preacher's  voice,  to 
speak  audibly.  2.  The  advantage  of  a  pulpit  to  be  above 
the  people.  3.  The  use  of  spectacles  to  ihem  that  need 
them  to  read  the  Scripture.  4.  The  translating  of  the 
Scriptures  into  our  native  language.  6.  Which  translation 
of  many  we  shall  use  in  the  churches.  6.  The  printing  of 
the  Bible.  7.  The  dividing  it  into  chapters  and  verses.  8. 
The  printing  of  good  books,  to  expound  and  apply  the 
Scripture;  commentaries,  sermons,  &c.  9.  The  forms  of 
school-exercises,  disputations,  &c.,  to  prepare  students  for 
the  ministry ;  and  what  books  of  divinity  tutors  shall  read 
to  their  pupils,  or  every  student  shall  have  in  his  library. 

10.  The  manner  and  tune  of  singing  psalms  in  the  churches. 

11.  Whatversion  or  metre  to  use,  this  or  that.  12.  What 
form  of  catechism,  (verbal,  written,  or  printed,)  to  use 
among  many,  in  the  church  or  family.  13.  Whether  to  pray 
in  the  same  words  often,  or  in  various.  14.  Whether  to 
use  words  of  our  own  composing  or  invention  primarily,  or 
of  other  men's ;  and  that  by  direction,  persuasion,  or  com- 
mand. 15.  To  use  a  written  or  printed  form,  or  neither ;  to 
read  it  on  the  book,  or  speak  it  by  memory.  16.  To  use 
Scripture  forms  only,  of  prayer,  praise,  psalms  and  hymns, 
or  those  that  are  of  later  composure  also.  17.  To  print  the 
Bible  and  use  it  with  marginal  notes,  and  contents,  or  with- 
out. 18.  To  baptize  in  a  river,  well,  pool,  or  font.  19.  To 
have  sponsors  or  witnesses  of  the  parent's  trustiness,  and 
the  child's  covenant,  or  not.  20.  At  how  many  days  old 
children  shall  be  baptized.  21.  Whether  they  shall  be 
named  in  baptism,  or  before,  or  after.  22.  Whether  one  of 
the  ministers  shall  be  a  tutor  or  teacher  to  the  rest  that  are 
younger.  23.  How  far  the  rest  shall  submit  their  j  udgments 
to  one  that  is  eldest  and  ablest,  and  be  ruled  by  him.  24. 
Whether  there  shall  be  any  deaconnesses  in  the  church. 

25.  Whether  a  church  shall  have  one  minister,  two,  or  more. 

26.  Who  shall  be  the  men.  27.  What  space  of  ground 
shall  be  the  church  bounds,  for  the  co-habitation  of  the 
members.  28.  How  many  neighbour  churches  shall  make 
a  synod  ;  and  which  be  they  ?  29.  How  many  members  a 
synod  shall  consist  of.     30.  Who  shall  be  president.     Or 


Q.  CXXXIII.]         CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  5J3 

whether  any.  And  who  shall  gather  the  votes.  31.  Who 
shall  record  their  acts^  as  scribe.  32.  What  messenger 
shall  carry  them  to  the  churches.  33.  What  letters  for  cor- 
respondence and  communion  shall  be  written  to  the 
churches.  34.  When  pastors  shall  remove  from  one  church 
to  another ;  and  to  which.  35.  Who  shall  be  ordained  mi- 
nisters to  preach,  baptize,  and  gather  churches.  36.  How 
many  the  ordainers  shall  be.  37.  Whether  there  shall  be 
any  music  by  instruments  in  the  church  or  house,  for  the 
praises  of  God ;  and  what.  38.  Who  shall  lead  the 
psalm.  39.  Who  shall  read.  40*  What  words  the  church's 
profession  of  faith  shall  be  expressed  by.  41.  By  what 
signs  the  church  shall  signify  their  consent ;  whether  lifting 
up  the  hand,  standing  up,  bowing  the  head,  or  by  voice,  or 
writing.  42.  By  what  sign  or  ceremony  men  shall  take  an 
oath  ;  whether  lifting  up  the  hand  towards  heaven,  or  laying 
it  on  a  book,  or  kissing  the  book,  8&c.  43.  Whether  the 
people  at  the  sacrament  sit  near  the  table,  or  keep  farther 
off.  44.  Whether  it  be  put  into  each  person's  hand,  or  they 
take  it  themselves.     With  many  more  such  like. 

4.  And  it  is  a  lawful  invention  to  determine  of  mere  cir- 
cumstances  of  time  and  place  which. God  hath  not  deter- 
mined of  in  Scripture :  as,  1 .  At  how  many  times  in  the 
year  or  week,  baptism  shall  be  administered.  2.  At  what 
age  persons  be  admitted  to  the  Lord's  supper.  3.  On  what 
days  and  hours  of  the  week  there  shall  be  lectures,  or 
church-assemblies.  4.  How  oft«nd  when  ministers  shall 
catechise  and  instruct  the  people  privately.  6.  On  what 
hour  the  church  shall  assemble  on  the  Lord's  days,  and  re- 
ceive the  sacrament.  6.  How  long  prayer,  reading,  and 
sermon  shall  be.  7.  At  what  hour  to  end  the  public  exer- 
cises. 8.  At  what  hours  to  pray  in  families  or  in  secret. 
9.  How  often  disciplinary  meetings  shall  be  held,  for  the 
trial  of  accused  members.  10.  How  often  synods  shall 
meet ;  and  how  long  continue.     Of  holy  days  before. 

6.  The  same  is  to  be  said  for  the  places  of  holy  exer- 
cises. 1.  What  edifices  the  church  shall  have  for  such 
uses?  2.  In  what  places  they  shall  be  situate?  3.  Where 
the  pulpit  shall  stand?  4.  And  where  the  font?  6.  And 
where  the  table?     6.  Where  each  of  the  people  shall  sit? 

VOL.    v.  L    L 


614  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

7.  Where  synods  shall  meet?     8.  How  many  temples  shall 
be  in  a  city,  &c. 

6.  The  same  is  to  be  said  of  all  accidental,  subordinate 
officers :  as  lecturers,  clerks,  door-keepers,  church-wardens 
and  many  more  before  mentioned. 

7.  The  same  is  to  be  said  of  church-utensils :  as  table, 
cups,  linen,  pulpits,  fonts,  clock,  hour-glass,  bells,  seats, 
decent  habit  of  clothes,  Sec. 

8.  The  same  may  be  said  of  decent  gestures,  not  parti- 
cularly x^ommanded  :  as  what  gesture  to  preach  in,  standing 
or  sitting  ?  What  gesture  to  read  in  ?  What  gesture  to 
hear  in  ?  What  gesture  to  sing  psalms  in  ?  Whether  to  be 
covered  or  bare-headed  ?  In  what  gesture  to  receive  the 
Lord's  supper  ?  (In  which  Scripture  no  more  regulateth  us, 
than  of  the  room,  the  hour  of  communicating,  the  number 
of  communicants,  the  place  ;  in  all  which  Christ's  example 
was  not  a  particular  law.) 

9.  The  same  may  be  said  of  order.  1.  Whether  the  pas- 
tor shall  begin  with  prayer,  reading,  or  exhortation?  2. 
Whether  the  people  shall  begin  with  prayer  or  ejaculations 
privately?  3.  Whether  we  shall  make  but  one  or  two  long 
continued  prayers,  or  many  short  ones  ?  4.  Whether  we 
shall  pray  before  sermon  immediately,  and  after,  in  the  pul- 
pit or  in  the  reading  place  ?  5.  When  the  psalms  shall  be 
said  or  sung,  and  how  many?  6.  How  many  chapters  shall 
be  read  ?  and  which  and  in  what  order  ?  7.  Whether  bap-: 
tism  shall  be  before,  or  after,  or  when?  8.  When  the  cate- 
chumens and  learners  «hall  be  dismissed,  and  the  proper 
eucharistical  church-exercises  begin  ?  9.  When  collections 
made,  &c. 

But,  O  Lord,  have  compassion  on  thy  scattered  flocks, 
who  are  afflicted  and  divided  by  the  imperiousness  of  those 
pastors,  who  think  it  not  enough  for  the  exercise  of  their 
domination,  to  promote  all  thine  own  holy  laws  and  doc- 
trines, and  to  make  their  own  canons  in  all  these  cases,  or 
such  like ;  but  they  must  needs  make  more  work  than  all 
this  Cometh  to,  for  themselves  and  for  their  flocks,  even  un- 
to those  distractions,  and  dissipations,  and  fierce  persecu- 
tions and  contentions,  which  many  hundred  years  have  ex- 
ercised the  Greek  and  Latin  churches,  and  many  more 
throughout  the  world. 


Q.  CXXXIV.]  CHRISTIAN   KCCLKSIASTICS.  515 

Quest.  CXXXIV.   What  are  the  mischiefs  of  ufdawful  additions 

in  religion  ? 

Answ.  Alas!    many  and  great.      1.    They  tend  to  de- 
throne Christ  from  his  sovereignty,  and  legislative  preroga- 
tive.   2.  And  to  advance  man,  blind  and  sinful  man  into 
his  place.     3.  And  thereby  to  debase  religion,  making  it 
but  a  human  or  a  mixed  thing ;  (and  it  can  be  no  more  no- 
ble than  its  author  is;.     4.  And  thereby  they  debase  also 
the  church  of  God,  and  the  government  of  it,  while  they 
make  it  to  be  but  a  human  policy,  and  not  Divine.     6.  They 
tend  to  depose  God  from  his  authority  in  men's  consciences, 
and  to  level  or  join  him  there  but  with  man.     6.  They  tend 
to  men's  doubtfulness   and  uncertainty  of  their  religion ; 
seeing  man  is  fallible,  and  so  may  his  constitutions  be.     7. 
They  tend  to  drive  out  all  true  religion  from  the  world, 
while  man  that  is  so  bad  is  the  maker  of  it ;  and  it  may  be 
suspected  to  be  bad,  that  is  made  by  so  bad  an  author.     & 
And  it  taketh  off  the  fear  of  God,  and  his  judgment;  for  it 
is  man  that  must  be  feared,  so  far  as  man  is  the  maker  of  the 
law.     And  it  destroyeth  the  consolation  of  believers,  which 
consisteth  in  the  hopes  of  a  reward  from  God  ;  for  he  that 
serveth  man,  must  be  rewarded  by  man ;  and  though  they 
do  not  exclude  God,  but  join  him  with  themselves,  yet  this 
mixture  debaseth  and  destroyeth  religion,  as  the  mixture  of 
God  and  mammon  in  men's  love,  and  as  mixed  and  debased 
metals  do  the  sovereign's  coin.     9.  It  hardeneth  infidels  and 
hindereth  their  conversion ;  for  they  will  reverence  no  more 
of  our  religion  than  we  can  prove  to  be  Divine :  and  when 
they  find  one  part  of  it  to  be  human,  they  suspect  the  rest 
to  be  so  to,  and  contemn  it  all ; .  even  as  Protestants  do  Po- 
pery, for  the  abundance  of  human  trinkets  and  toys  with 
which  we  see  them  exercise,  and  delude  their  silly  followers. 

10.  It  is  the  great  engine  of  dividing  all  the  churches,  and 
breeding  and  feeding  contentions  in  the  Christian  world. 

11.  And  because  men  that  will  command,  will  be  obeyed, 
and  they  that  are  absolutely  subjected,  to  God,  will  obey 
none  against  him,  whatever  it  cost  them  (as  Dan.  iii.  vi. 
Heb.  xi.  Luke  xiv.  26.  33.  Matt.  v.  10—12.)  therefore  it 
hath  proved  the  occasion  of  bloody  persecutions  in  the 


516  CHRISTIAN   DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

churches,  by  which  professed  Christians  draw  the  guilt  of 
Christian  blood  upon  themselves  12.  And  hereby  it  hath 
dolefully  hindered  the  Gospel,  while  the  persecutors  have 
silenced  many  worthy,  conscionable  ministers  of  it.  13. 
And  by  this  it  hath  quenched  charity  in  the  hearts  of  both 
sides,  and  taught  the  sufferers  and  the  afflicters  to  be  equally 
bitter  in  censuring  if  not  detesting  one  another.  14.  And 
the  infidels  seeing  these  dissensions  and  bitter  passions 
among  Christians,  deride,  and  scorn,  and  hate  them  all.  16. 
Yea,  such  causes  as  these  in  the  Latin  and  Greek  churches 
have  engaged  not  only  emperors  and  princes  against  their 
own  subjects,  so  that  chronicles  and  books  of  martyrs  per- 
petuate their  dishonour,  as  Pilate's  name  is  in  the  creed ; 
but  also  have  set  them  in  bloody  virars  among  themselves. 
These  have  been  the  fruits,  and  this  is  the  tendency  of 
usurping  Christ's  prerogative  over  his  religion  and  worship 
in  his  church. 

And  the  greatness  of  the  sin  appeareth  in  these  aggrava- 
tions. 1.  It  is  a  mark  of  pitiful  ignorance  and  pride,  when 
dust  shall  thus  (like  Nebuchadnezzar)  exalt  itself  against 
God,  to  its  certain  infamy  and  abasement. 

2.  It  sheweth  that  men  little  know  themselves,  that 
think  themselves  fit  to  be  the  makers  of  a  religion  for  so 
many  others  ;  and  that  they  have  base  thoughts  of  all  other 
men,  while  they  think  them  unfit  to  worship  God  any  other 
way,  than  that  of  their  making ;  and  think  that  they  will  all 
so  far  deny  God  as  to  take  up  a  religion  that  is  made  by 
man. 

3.  It  shews  that  they  are  much  void  of  love  to  others, 
that  can  thus  use  them  on  so  small  occasion. 

4.  And  it  sheweth  how  little  true  sense  or  reverence  of 
Christian  religion  they  have  themselves  who  can  thus  debase 
it,  and  equal  their  own  inventions  with  it. 

5.  And  it  leaveth  men  utterly  inexcusable,  that  will  not 
take  warning  by  so  many  hundred  years'  experiences  of 
most  of  the  churches  through  the  world.  Even  when  we  see 
the  yet  continued  divisions  of  the  Eastern  and  Western 
churches,  and  ail  about  a  human  religion  (in  the  parts  most 
contended  about) :  when  they  read  of  the  rivers  of  blood 
that  have  been  shed  in  Piedmont,  France,  Germany,  Belgia, 
Poland,  Ireland,  and  die  flames  in  England,  and  many  o^er 


Q.  CXXXY.]         CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.     ^  517 

nations,  and  all  for  the  human  parts  of  men's  religion  !  He 
that  will  yet  go  on  and  take  no  warning,  may  go  read  the 
eighteenth  and  nineteenth  of  the  Revelation,  and  see  what 
joy  will  be  in  heaven  and  earth,  when  Ood  shall  do  justice 
upon  such. 

But  remember  that  I  speak  all  this  of  no  other  than 
those  expressly  here  described. 

Quest.  CXXXY.  What  are  the  mischiefs  of  metCs  error  on  the 
other  extreme,  who  pretend  that  Scripture  is  a  rule  where  it 
is  not,  and  deny  the  aforesaid  lawful  thirds,  on  pretence  that 
Scripture  is  a  perfect  rtUe  (say  some,  for  all  things)  f 

Answ.  1.  They  fill  their  own  minds  with  a  multitude  of 
causeless  scruples,  which  on  their  principles  can  never  be 
resolved,  and  so  will  give  themselves  no  rest* 

2.  They  make  themselves  a  religion  of  their  own,  and 
superstition  is  their  daily  devotion;  which  being  erroneous, 
will  not  hang  together,  but  is  full  of  contradictions  in  itself; 
and  which  being  human  and  bad,  can  never  give  true  stabi- 
lity to  the  soul. 

3.  Hereby  they  spend  their,  days  much  in  melancholy 
troubles,  and  unsettled,  distracting  doubts  and  fears;  instead 
of  the  joys  of  solid  faith,  and  hope,  and  love. 

4.  And  if  they  escape  this,  their  religion  is  contentious, 
wrangling,  censorious,  and  factious,  and  their  zeal  flieth 
out  against  those  that  differ  from  their  peculiar  superstitions 
and  conceits. 

5.  And  hereupon  they  are  usually  mutable  and  unsettled 
in  their  religion ;  this  year  for  one,  and  the  next  for  another; 
because  there  is  no  certainty  in  their  own  inventions  and 
conceits. 

6.  And  hereupon  they  still  fall  into  manifold  parties,  be- 
cause each  man  maketh  a  religion  to  himself,  by  his  mis- 
interpretation of  God's  Word;  so  that  there  is  no  end  of 
their  divisions. 

7.  And  they  do  a  great  deal  of  hurt  in  the  church,  by 
putting  the  same  distracting  and  dividing  conceits  into  the 
heads  of  others.  And  young  Christians,  and  women,  and 
ignorant,  well  meaning  people,  that  are  not  able  to  know 
who  is  in  the  right,  do  often  turn  to  that  party  which  they 


fil8  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART    III. 

think  most  strict  and  godly,  (though  it  be  such  as  our 
Quakers).  And  the  very  good  conceit  of  the  people  whom 
they  take  it  from,  doth  settle  so  strong  ^  prejudice  in  their 
mind,  as  no  argument  or  evidence  scarcely  can  work  ont ; 
and  so  education,  converse,  and  human  estimation,  breedeth 
a  succession  of  dividers,  and  troublers  of  the  churches. 

8.  They  sin  against  God  by  calling  good  evil,  and  light 
darkness,  and  honouring  superstition,  which  is  the  work  of 
•atan,  with  holy  names. 

9.  They  sin  by  adding  to  the  Word  of  Ood  ;  while  they 
say  of  abundance  of  lawful  things,  '  This  is  unlawful,  and 
that  is  against  the  Word  of  God,'  and  pretend  that  their 
'  Touch  not,  taste  not,  handle  not,'  is  in  the  Scriptures.  For 
while  they  make  it  a  rule  for  every  circumstance  in  parti- 
cular, they  must  squeeze,  and  force,  and  wrest  it,  to  find 
out  all  those  circumstances  in  it  which  were  never  there ; 
and  so  by  false  expositions  make  the  Scriptures  another 
thing. 

10.  And  how  great  a. sin  is  it  to  father  satan's  works  on 
God,  and  to  say  that  all  these  and  these  things  are  forbid- 
den or  commanded  in  the  Scripture,  and  so  to  belie  the 
Lord  and  the  Word  of  truth. 

11.  It  engageth  all  subjects  against  their  ruler's  laws 
and  government,  and  involveth  them  in  the  sin  of  den3ring 
them  just  obedience;  while  all  the  statute  book  must  be 
found  in  the  Scriptures,  or  else  condemned  as  unlawful. 

12.  It  maintaineth  disobedience  in  churches,  and  causeth 
schisms  and  confusions  unavoidably ;  for  they  that  will 
neither  obey  the  pastors,  nor  join  with  the  churches,  till 
they  can  shew  Scriptures  particularly  for  every  translation, 
method,  metre^  tune,  and  all  that  is  done,  must  join  with  no 
churches  in  the  world. 

13.  It  bringeth  rebellion  and  confusion  into  families, 
while  children  and  servants  must  learn  no  catechism,  hear 
no  minister,  give  no  account,  obeerve  no  hours  of  prayer, 
nay,  nor  do  any  work,  but  what  there  is  a  particular  Scrip- 
ture for. 

14.  It  sets  men  on  enthusiasdcal  expectations,  and  ii^ 
rational,  scandalous  worshipping  of  God,  while  all  men 
must  avoid  all  those  methods,  phrases,  books,  helps,  which 
are  not  expressly  or  particularly  in  Scripture,  and  men  must 


Q.  CXXXVI.]        CHRISTIAN   ECCLESIASTICS.  51P 

not  use  their  own  inventions,  or  prudence  in  the  right  order- 
ing of  the  works  of  religion. 

15.  It  destroyeth  Christian  love  and  concord,  while  men 
are  taught  to  censure  all  others,  that  use  any  thing  in  God's 
worship  which  is  not  particularly  in  Scripture,  and.  so  to 
censure  all  true  worshippers  in  the  world. 

16.  Yea,  it  will  tempt  men  at  last  to  be  weary  of  their 
own  religion,  because  they  will  find  it  an  unsatisfactory, 
uncomfortable,  tiresome  thing,  to  do  their  own  superstitious 
work. 

17.  And  they  will  tempt  all  that  they  draw  into  this 
opinion,  to  be  weary  of  religion  also.  And  truly  had  not 
God's  part,  which  is  wise,  and  good,  and  pleasant,  prevailed 
against  the  hurtfulness  of  men's  superstition,  which  is  foolish-, 
bad,  and  unpleasant,  religion  had  ere  this  been  cast  off  as  a 
wearisome,  distracting  thing ;  or,  which  is  as  bad,  been  used 
but  to  delude  men. 

18.  Yea,  it  will  tempt  men  at  last*to  infidelity ;  for  sar 
tan  will  quickly  teach  them  to  argue,  that  if  Scripture  be  a 
perfect,  particular  rule,  for  forty  things  that  were  never 
there,  then  it  is  defective,  and  is  not  of  God,  but  an  under- 
taking of  that  which  is  not  performed,  and  therefore  is  but 
a  deceit. 

19.  And  the  notoriousness  and  ridiculousness  of  this 
error,  will  tempt  the  profane  to  make  religious  people  a 
scorn. 

20.  Lastly,  and  rulers  will  be  tempted  in  church  and 
state,  to  take  such  persons  for  intolerable  in  all  societies^ 
and  such  whose  principles  are  inconsistent  with  government 
And  no  thanks  to  this  opinion,  if  they  be  not  tempted  to  disr 
like  the  Scripture  itself,  and  instead  of  it  to  fly  to  the  Par 
pists'  traditions,  and  the  church's  legislative  sovereignty  or 
wor^e.  .  . 

But  here  also  remember  that  I  charge  none  with  all  this, 
but  those  before  described. 

Quest,  cxxxvi.  How  shall  we  know  what  parts  of  Scripture 
precept  or  example,  were  intended  for  universal »  constant 
obligations,  and  what  were  but  for  the  time  and  persons  that 
they  Ubere  then  directed  to? 


530  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART    III. 

Amw.  It  is  not  to  be  denied,  but  some  things  in  Scrip- 
tnre»  even  in  the  New  Testament,  are  not  laws,  much  less 
universal  and  perpetual.  And  the  difference  is  to  be  found 
in  the  Scripture  itself.     As, 

1*  All  that  is  certainly  of  universal  and  perpetual  obli- 
gation, which  is  but  a  transcript  of  the  universal  and  per- 
petual law  of  nature. 

2.  And  all  that  which  hath  the  express  characters  of 
universality  and  perpetuity  upon  it ;  and  such  are  all  the 
substantial  parts  of  the  Gospel ;  as,  "  Except  ye  repent,  ye 
shall  all  perish  '.**  ''  Except  a  man  be  bom  again,  he  can- 
not enter  into  the  kingdom,  of  heaven  '.**  "  He  that  behev- 
eth  in  him,  shall  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life*." 
"  He  that  believeth  and  is  baptized,  shall  be  saved,  and  he 
that  believeth  not,  shall  be  damned  ^.''  ''Without  holiness 
none  shall  see  Ood^.'*  ''  Go,  preach  the  gospel  to  all  na- 
tions, baptizing  them,  8cc.,  teaching  them  to  observe  all 
things  that  I  have  commanded  you  ^."  Abundance  such 
texts  have  the  express  characters  of  universality  and  perpe- 
tuity (which  many  call  morality). 

3.  And  with  these  we  may  number  those  which  were 
given  to  all  the  churches,  with  commands  to  keep  them,  and 
propagate  them  to  posterity. 

4.  And  those  that  have  a  plain  and  necessary  connexion 
to  these  before  mentioned. 

6.  And  those  which  plainly  have  a  full  parity  of  reason 
with  them  ;  and  where  it  is  evident  that  the  command  was 
given  to  those  particular  times  and  persons,  upon  no  reasons 
proper  to  them  alone,  but  such  as  were  conmion  to  all 
others.  I  deny  not  but  (as  Amesius  noteth  after  others) 
many  ceremonial  and  temporary  laws^  are  urged  (when  they 
are  made)  with  natural  and  perpetual  motives :  but  the  rea- 
sons of  making  them  were  narrower,  whatever  the  reasons 
of  obeying  them  maybe. 

On  the  other  side,  narrow  and  temporary  precepts  and 
examples,  1.  Are  void  of  all  these  foresaid  characters.  2.  They 
are  about  materials  of  temporary  use.  3.  Or  they  arp  but 
the  ordering  of  such  customs  as  were  there  before,  and  were 
proper  to  those  countries.     4.   And  many    speeches  are 

y  Uke  xiii.  S.  5.  «  Johniiu  5.5-  •  Jolm  iH.  16. 

>  Mark  »▼!.  16.  e  Heb.  xii.  14.  *  Matt  iitHL  19,  fO. 


Q.  CXXXVI.]     CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  621 

plainly  appropriated  to  the  time  and  persons.  6.  And  ma- 
ny actions  were  manifestly  occasional,  without  any  intima- 
tion of  reason  or  purpose  of  obliging  others  to  imitation. 

For  instance,  1.  Christ's  preaching  sometimes  on  a 
mountain,  sometimes  in  a  ship,  sometimes  in  a  house,  and 
sometimes  in  the  synagogues,  doth  shew  that  all  these  are 
lawful  in  season  on  the  like  occasion :  but  he  purposed  not 
to  oblige  men  to  any  one  of  them  alone. 

2.  So  Christ's  giving  the  sacrament  of  his  body  and 
blood,  in  an  upper  room,  in  a  private  house  after  supper, 
to  none  but  ministers,  and  none  but  his  family,  and  but  to 
twelve,  and  on  the  fifth  day  of  the  week  only,  and  in  the 
gesture  of  a  recumbent,  leaning,  sitting ;  all  these  are  plain- 
ly occasional,  and  not  intended  as  obliging  to  imitation  : 
for  that  which  he  made  a  law  of,  he  separated  in  his 
speeches,  and  commanded  them  to  do  it  in  remembrance  of 
him  till  his  coming.  And  Paul  expoundeth  the  distinction, 
1  Cor.  xi.  in  his  practice. 

So  the  promise  of  the  spirit  of  revelation  and  miracles 
is  expounded  by  the  event,  as  the  seal  of  the  Gospel  and 
Scripture,  proper  to  those  times  in  the  main. 

So  the  primitive  Christians  selling  their  estates,  and 
distributing  to  the  poor,  or  laying  it  down  at  the  apostles' 
feet,  was  plainly  appropriated  to  that  time,  or  the  like  oc- 
casions, by  the  reason  of  it ;  which  was  suddenly  to  shew 
the  world  what  the  belief  of  heaven  through  the  promises 
of  Christ,  could  make  them  all,  and  how  much  their  love 
was  to  Christ  and  one  another,  and  how  little  to  the  world ; 
and  also  by  the  cessation  of  it,  when  the  persecutions  aba- 
ted, and  the  churches  came  to  any  settlement ;  yea,  and  at 
first  it  was  not  a  thing  commanded  to  all,  but  only  volun- 
tarily done. 

So  the  women's  veil,  and  the  custom  of  kissing  each 
other  as  a  token  of  love,  and  men's  not  wearing  long  hair, 
were  the  customs  of  the  country  there  ordered  and  im- 
proved by  the  apostles  about  sacred  things ;  but  not  intro- 
duced into  other  countries  that  had  no  such  custom* 

So  also  anointing  was  in  those  countries  taken  for  salu- 
brious, and  refreshing  to  the  body,  and  a  ceremony  of  in- 
itiation into  places  of  great  honour :  whereupon  it  was  used 
about  the  sick,  and  God's  giving  the  gift  healing  in  those 


622  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART    111. 

times  was  frequently  conjunct  with  this  means.  So  that 
hence  the  anointing  of  the  sick  came  up  ;  and  the  ancient 
Christians  turned  it  into  an  initiating  ceremony,  because 
we  are  kings  and  priests  to  God.  Now  these  occasions  ex- 
tend not  to  those  countries  where  anointing  neither  was  of 
such  use,  or  value,  or  signification. 

So  also  Paul's  becoming  a  Jew  to  the  Jews,  and  being 
shaved,  and  purifying  himself,  and  circumcising  Timothy, 
are  evidently  temporary  compliances  in  a  thing  then  lawful, 
for  the  avoiding  of  offence,  and  for  the  furtherance  of  the 
Gospel,  and  no  obligatory,  perpetual  law  to  us.  And  so 
most  divines  think  the  eating  of  things  strangled,  and  blood, 
were  forbidden  for  a  time  to  them  only  that  conversed  with 
the  Jews,  Acts  xv.  Though  Beckman  have  many  reasons 
for  the  perpetuity,  not  contemptible. 

So  the  office  of  deaconesses  (and  some  think  of  deacons) 
seemeth  to  be  fitted  to  that  time,  and  state,  and  condition 
of  Christians.  And  where  the  reasons  and  case  are  the  same, 
the  obligations  will  be  the  same.  In  a  word,  the  text  itself 
will  one  way  or  other  shew  us,  when  a  command  or  example 
is  universally  and  durably  obligatory,  and  when  not. 

Quest,  cxxxvii.  How  much  of  the  Scripture  is  necessary  to 
salvation,  to  be  believed,  and  understood  1 

Answ.  This  question  is  the  more  worthy  consideration, 
that  we  may  withal  understand  the  use  of  catechisms,  con- 
fessions and  creeds  (of  which  after),  and  the  great  and  ten- 
der mercies  of  God  to  the  weak,  and  may  be  able  to  answer 
the  cavils  of  the  Papists  against  the  Scriptures,  as  insuf- 
ficient to  be  the  rule  of  faith  and  life,  because  much  of  it  is 
hard  to  be  understood. 

1.  He  that  believeth  God  to  be  true,  and  the  Scripture 
to  be  his  Word,  must  needs  believe  all  to  be  true,  which  he 
believeth  to  be  his  Word. 

2.  All  the  Scripture  is  profitable  to  our  knowledge,  love 
and  practice ;  and  none  oi  it  to  be  neglected,  but  a&  to  be 

loved,  reverenced  and  studied,  in  due  time  and  order,  by 

them  that  have  time  and  capacity  to  do  it. 

3.  All  the  Holy  Scriptures,  either  as  to  matter  or  words, 
are  not  so  necessary,  as  that  no  man  can  be  saved,  wjio  doth 


Q.  CXXXVII.]      CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  523 

not  either  believe  or  anderstand  them ;  but  some  parts  of  it 
are  more  necessary  than  others. 

4.  It  is  not  of  necessity  to  salvation  to  believe  every 
book  or  verse  in  Scripture,  to  be  canonical,  or  written  by 
the  Spirit  of  Ood.  For  as  the  Papists'  canon  is  larger  than 
that  which  the  Protestants  own ;  -so  if  our  canon  should 
prove  defective  of  any  one  book,  it  would  not  follow  that 
we  could  not  be  saved  for  want  of  a  8u£Seient  faith.  The 
churches  immediately  after  the  apostles'  time,  had  not  each 
one  all  their  writings,  but  they  were  brought  together  in 
time,  and  received  by  degrees,  as  they  had  proof  of  their 
being  written  by  authorized,  inspired  persons.  The  second 
of  Peter,  James,  Jude,  Hebrews  and  Revelations  were  re- 
ceived in  many  churches  since  the  rest.  And  if  some  book' 
be  lost,  (as  Enoch's  prophecy,  or  Paul's  epistle  to  the  Lao- 
diceans,  or  any  other  of  his  epistles  not  named  in  the  rest) 
or  if  any  hereafter  should  be  lost  or  doubted  of,  as  the  Can- 
ticles, or  the  second  or  third  epistles  of  John,  the  epistle  of 
Jade,  &c.,  it  would  not  follow,  that  all  true  faith  and  hope 
of  salvation  were  lost  with  it. 

It  is  a  controversy  whether  1  John  v.  7.  and  some  other 
particular  verses  be  canonical  or  not,  because  some  Greek 
copies  have  them,  and  some  are  without  them  :  but  whoever 
erreth  in  that  only,  may  be  saved. 

5.  There  are  many  hundred  or  thousand  texts  of  Scrip- 
ture, which  a  man  may  possibly  be  ignorant  of  the  meaning 
of,  and  yet  have  a  saving  faith,  and  be  in  a  state  of  salvation. 
For  no  man  living  understandeth  it  all. 

6.  The  Holy  Scripture  is  an  entire  comely  body,  which 
conlaineth  not  only  the  essential  parts  of  the  true  religion, 
but  also  the  integral  parts,  and  the  ornaments  and  many  ac- 
cidents ;  which  must  be  distinguished,  and  not  all  taken  to 
be  equal  •. 

7.  So  much  as  contained!  the  essentials  of  true  religion, 
must  be  understood  and  believed  of  necessity  to  salvation  ; 
and  so  much  as  containeth  the  integrals  of  religion  doth 
greatly  conduce  to  our  salvation,  both  that  we  may  be  the 
sorer  and  the  better  Christians,  as  having  greater  helps  to 
both. 

The  very  adjuncts  also  have  their  use  to  make  us  the 

•  Rom.  liv.  ir,  18.     xfii.  8—10.    1  Cor.  xv.  2—6.    Mark  xvi.  16. 


524  .     CHRISTIAN  DIRECTORY.  [PART    III. 

more  adorned  ChriBtians,  and  to  promote  our  knowledge  of 
greater  things. 

Quest,  cxxxviii.  How  may  we  know  the  fundamentals,  essen^ 
tiab,  or  what  parts  are  necessary  to  salvation  ?  And  is  the 
Papists*  way  allowable  that  (some  of  them)  deny  that  dis- 
tinction, and  make  the  difference  to  be  only  in  the  degrees  of 
merits  opportunities  of  knowledge  f 

Answ.  1.  Those  Papists*  perverseness  can  mean  no  better 
than  that  Christianity  itself  is  not  necessary  to  salvation,  to 
those  that  have  not  opportunity  to  know  it  (as  Johnson's 
Rejoinder  to  me,  and  Sancta  Clara  and  many  others  plain- 
ly intimate)  and  were  that  never  so  true  and  certain,  it  were 
nothing  to  the  question  between  them  and  us,  which  is, 
What  are  the  essentials  of  Christianity  ?  And  what  is  neces- 
sary to  salvation,  where  Christianity  is  necessary?  or  where 
the  Christian  religion  is  made  known,  and  men  may  come  to 
the  knowledge  of  it,  if  they  will  do  their  best?  This  is  the 
true  state  of  our  controversy  with  them.  And  whereas  they 
would  make  all  the  parts  of  Christian  faith  and  practice 
equally  necessary,  where  men  have  a  capacity  and  ability  to 
know,  believe  and  practice  them,  it  is  a  gross  deceit,  un- 
worthy of  men  pretending  to  a  mediocrity  of  knowledge  in 
the  nature  of  religion ;  and  thereby  they  make  all  sins  and 
errors  as  equal  as  all  duties  and  truths.  Whereas,  1.  There 
is  no  man  that  hath  not  some  error  and  some  sin.  2.  There 
is  no  man  that  doth  all  that  ever  he  was  able  to  do,  to  un- 
derstand all  the  truth.  3.  Therefore  there  is  no  man  whose 
errors  themselves  are  not  (many  of  them  at  least)  culpable 
or  sinful.  4.  And  they  that  distinguish  between  mortal  and 
venial  sins,  and  yet  will  not  distinguish  between  mortal  and 
venial  errors,  are  either  blind,  or  would  keep  others  blind. 
As  it  is  not  so  damning  a  sin  for  a  man  to  think  a  vain 
thought,  or  to  speak  a  vain  word,  as  not  to  love  God,  or  ho- 
liness, (no,  though  he  was  more  able  to  have  forborne 
that  idle  word,  than  to  have  loved  Ood;)  so  it  is  not  so  mor- 
tal a  sin,  (that  is,  inconsistent  with  a  justified  state)  to  mis- 
take in  a  small  matter,  (as  who  was  the  father  of  Arphazad, 
or  what  year  the  world  was  drowned  in,  &rC.)  as  to  blaspheme 
the  Holy  Qhost,  or  deny  Jesus  Christ  to  be  the  Saviour  of 


Q.  CXXXVIII.]    CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  525 

the  world,  or  to  deny  that  there  is  a  God,  or  everlasting 
life,  or  a  difference  between  good  and  evil.  All  sins  are  not 
equal  in  magnitude  or  danger.  Therefore  all  errors  are  not 
equal  in  magnitude,  sinfulness  or  danger.. 

2.  And  what  priest  is  able  to  know  whom  to  take  for  a 
Christian,  and  baptizable  upon  such  terms  as  these?  Who 
knoweth  just  what  opportunities  of  knowledge  othec  men 
have  had,  and  what  impediments?  And  will  they  indeed 
baptize  a  man  that  is  a  heathen^  because  he  had  not  oppor- 
tunity to  come  to  the  knowledge  of  Christianity  ?  I  think 
they  will  not :  or  will  they  deny  baptism  to  one  that  know- 
eth and  believeth  only  all  the  articles  of  the  creed,  and  the 
chief  points  of  religion,  because  lie  knoweth  not  as  much 
more,  as  he  had  opportunity  to  know?  I  think  not.  Do 
not  these  men  perceive  how  they  condemn  themselves  ?  For 
do  they  not  say  themselves,  that  baptism  to  the  due  receiv- 
er washeth  away  sin,  and  puts  the  person  in  a  state  of  life  ? 
O  when  will  God  deliver  his  poor  church  from  factious  de^ 
ceivers  ? 

3.  Either  Christianity  is  something,  and  discernible,  or 
nothing,  and  undiscernible.  If  the  latter,  then  Christians 
are  not  to  be  distinguished  from  heathens  and  infidels.  If 
the  former,  then  Christianity  hath  its  constitutive  parts,  by 
which  it  is  what  it  is.  And  then  it  hath  essential  parts  dis- 
tinguishable from  the  rest. 

4.  The  word  '  fundamentals' being  but  a  metaphor,  hath 
given  room  to  deceivers  and  contenders  to  make  a  contro- 
versy, and  raise  a  dust  about  it.  Therefore  I  purposely  use 
the  word  '  essentials'  which  is  not  so  liable  to  men's  cavils. 

5.  Those  are  the  essentials  of  Christianity,  which  are  ne- 
cessary to  the  baptism  of  the  adult.  Know  but  that,  and 
you  answer  all  the  pratings  of  the  Papists,  that  bawl  out  for 
a  list  of  fundamentals.  And  sure  it  is  not  this  day  unknown 
in  the  Christian  world,  either  what  a  Christian  is,  or  who  is 
to  be  baptized :  do  not  the  priests  know  it,  who  baptize  all 
that  are  christened  in  the  world  ?  And  why  is  baptism 
called  our  christening,  if  it  make  us  not  Christians  ?  And 
why  hath  Christ  promised,  that  "  he  that  believeth  and  is 
baptized,  shall  be  saved  '; "  if  that  so  much  faith  as  is  ne- 


526  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART    III. 

cessary  to  baptism,  will  not  also  serve  to  a  man's  state  of 
salvation  ? 

6.  The  baptismal  covenant  of  grace  therefore  is  the  es- 
sential part  of  the  Gospel,  and  of  the  Christian  religion ; 
and  all  the  rest  are  integrals,  and  accidents  or  adjuncts. 

7.  This  covenant  containeth, 

I.  Objectively,  1.  Things  true  as  such,  2.  Things  good 
as  such/  3.  Things  practicable  or  to  be  done,  as  such :  the 
'  Credenda,  Diligenda,  (et  Eligenda)  et  Agenda ;'  as  the  ob- 
jects of  man's  intellect,  will,  and  practical  power. 

The  '  Credenda'  or  things  to  be  known  and  believed  are, 
1.  God  as  God,  and  our  God  and  Father,  2.  Christ  as  the 
Saviour,  and  our  Saviour,  3.  The  Holy  Ghost  as  such,  and 
as  the-Sanctifier  and  our  Sanctifier  (as  to  the  offer  of  these 
relations  in  the  covenant). 

The  '  Diligenda'  are  the  saihe  three  persons  in  these  three 
relations  as  good  in  themselves  and  unto  us,  which  inclu- 
deth  the  grand  benefits  of  reconciliation  and  adoption,  jus- 
tification, and  sanctification,  and  salvation. 

The  '  Agenda'  in  the  time  of  baptism  that  make  us 
Christians,  are  1.  The  actual  dedition,  resignation  or  dedi- 
cation of  ourselves,  to  God  the  Father,  Son  and  Holy  Ghost 
in  these  relations.  2.  A  promise  or  vow  to  endeavour  faith- 
fully to  live  according  to  our  undertaken  relations  (though 
not  in  perfection);  that  is,  as  creatures  to  their  Creator, 
and  their  reconciled  God  and  Father  ;  as  Christians  to  their 
Redeemer,  their  Teacher,  their  Ruler,  and  their  Saviour; 
and  as  willing  receivers  of  the  sanctifying  and  comfoiting 
operations  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

II.  The  objects  tell  you  what  the  acts  must  be  on  our 
part;  1.  With  the  understanding,  to  know  and  believe ;  2. 
With  the  will  to  love,  cho6se,  desire,  and  resolve  ;  and  3. 
Practically  to  deliver  up  ourselves  for  the  present,  and  to 
promise  for  the  time  to  come.  These  are  the  essentials  of 
the  Christian  religion. 

8.  The  creed  is  a  larger  explication  of  the '  credenda,'  and 
the  Lord's  prayer  of  the '  diligenda,'  or  things  to  be  willed, 
desired,  and  hoped  for ;  and  the  decalogue  of  the  natural 
part  of  the  '  agenda.' 

9.  Suffer  not  your  own  ignorance,  or  the  Papists' cheats 
to  confound  the  question,  about  fundamentals,  as  to  the 


Q.  CXXXVIII.]      CHRISTIAN  ECCLBSIASTICS.  527 

matter,  and  as  to  the  expressing  words.     It  is  one  thing  to 
ask.  What  is  the  matter  essential  to  Christianity  ?  And  ano- 
ther. What  words,  symbols,  or  sentences  are  essential  to  it  ? 
To  the  first,  I  have  now  answered  you.     To  the  second  I 
say,  1.  Taking  the  Christian  religion  as  it  is,  an  extrinsic 
doctrine  '  in  signis,'  so  the  essence  of  it  is,  words  and  signs 
expressive  or  significant  of  the  material  essence.     That  they 
be  such  in  specie  is  all  that  is  essential.     And  if  they  say, 
'  But  which  be  those  words  V     I  answer,  2.  That  no  par- 
ticular words  in  the  world  are  essential  to  the  Christian  re- 
ligion.    For,  (1.)  No  one  language  id  essential  to  it.     It  is 
not  necessary  to  salvation  that  you  be  baptized,  or  learn  the 
creed  or  Scriptures,  in  Hebrew,  or  Greek,  or  Latin,  or  En- 
glish, so  you  learn  it  in  any  language  understood.    (2.)  It 
is  not  necessary  to  salvation  that  you  use  the  same  words  in 
the  same  language,  as  long  as  it  hath  more  words  than  one 
to  express  the  same  thing  by.     (3.)  It  is  not  necessary  to 
salvation,   that  we  use  the  same  (or  any  one  single)  form, 
method,  or  order  of  words,  as  they  are  in  the  creeds  without 
alteration.     And  therefore  while  the  ancients  did  tenacious- 
ly cleave  to  the  same  symbol  or  creed,  yet  they  used  va- 
rious words  to  express  itby^    (As  may  be  seen  in  Irenseus, 
Tertullian,  Origen,  and  Ruffin  elsewhere  cited  by  me,   so 
that  it  is  plain,   that  by  the  same  symbol  they  meant  the 
same  matter,  though  expressed  in  some  variety  of  words.) 
Though  they  avoided  such  variety  as  might  introduce  varie- 
ty of  sense  and  matter. 

10.  Words  being  neediiil,  1.  To  make  a  learner  under- 
stand; 2.  To  tell  another  what  he  understandeth ;  it  fol- 
loweth  that  the  great  variety  of  men's  capacities  maketh  a 
great  variation  in  the  necessity  of  words  or  forms.  An  En-. 
glishman  must  have  them  in  English,  and  a  Frenchman  in 
French.  An  understanding  man  may  receive  all  the  essen- 
tials in  a  few  words :  but  an  ignorant  man  must  have  many 
words  to  make  him  understand  the  matter.  To  him  that 
understandeth  them,  the  words  of  the  baptismal  covenant 
express  all  the  essentials  of  Christianity :  but  to  hin^  that 
understands  them  not,  the  creed  is  necessary  for  the  expli- 
cation :  and  to  him  that  understandeth  not  that,  a  cate- 
chism, or  larger  exposition  is  necessary.    This  is  the  plain 

'  See  the  Appendix  to  my  Reformed  Pastor. 


528  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

explication  of  this  question,  which  many  PapistiTBeem  loath 
to  understand. 

Qaest.  cxxxix.  What  is  the  use  and  authority  of  the  creed  f 
And  is  it  of  the  apostles*  ffwning  or  not  f  And  is  it  the 
Wordof  God,  or  not? 

Answ.  1.  The  use  of  the  creed  is,  to  be  a  plain  explica- 
tion of  the  fieiith  professed  in  the  baptismal  covenant.  1. 
For  the  fuller  instruction  of  the  duller  sort,  and  those  that 
had  not  preparatory  knowledge,  and  could  not  sufficiently 
understand  the  meaning  of  the  three  articles  of  the  cove- 
nant, what  it  is  to  believe  in  God  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
Ohost  without  more  words.  2.  And  for  the  satisfaction  of 
the  church,  that  indeed  men  understood  what  they  did  in 
baptism,  and  professed  to  believe. 

2.  The  creed  is  the  Word  of  God,  as  to  all  the  doctrine 
or  matter  of  it,  whatever  it  be  as  to  the  order  and  composi- 
tion of  words. 

3.  That  is  oft  by  the  ancients  called  the  apostles',  which 
containeth  the  matter  derived^by  the  apostles,  though  not 
in  a  form  of  words  compiled  by  them. 

4.  It  is  certain  that  all  the  words  now  in  our  creed,  were 
not  put  in  by  the  apostles,  1.  Because  some  of  them  were 
not  in,  till  long  after  their  days.  2.  Because  the  ancient 
'  formulee'  agree  not  in  words  among  themselves  '. 

5.  It  is  not  to  be  doubted  of,  but  that  apostles  did  ap- 
point and  use  a  creed  commonly  in  their  days.  And  that 
it  is  the  same  with  that  which  is  now  called  the  apostles*  and 
the  Nicene  in  the  main ;  but  not  just  the  same  composure 
of  words,  nor  had  they  any  such  precise  composure  as  can 
be  proved.     But  this  much  is  easily  provable ; — 

(1.)  That  Christ  composed  a  creed  when  he  made  his  co- 
venant, and  instituted  baptism.  Matt,  xxviii.  19. 

(2.)  That  in  the  Jewish  church,  where  men  were  educat- 
ed in  the  knowledge  of  the  Scriptures,  and  expectation  of 
the  Messiah,  it  was  supposed  that  the  people  had  so  much 
preparatory  knowledge,  as  made  them  the  more  capable  of 
baptism,  as  soon  as  they  did  but  seriously  profess  to  be- 

V  Vid.  Usher  and  Vosiioiu  de  SjfiDtwIis. 


Q.  CXXXIX.]        CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  529 

UeTe,  and  consent  to  the  terms  of  the  covenant;  and  there- 
fore they  were  presently  baptized.  Acts  ii.  38 — 40. 

(3.)  That  this  could  not  be  rationally  supposed  among 
the  Gentiles,  and  common,  ignorant  people  of  the  worlds 
And  'ignorantis  non  est  consensus/  He  doth  not  cove- 
nant who  understandeth  not  the  covenant,  as  to  what  is  pro- 
mised him,  and  what  he  promiseth. 

(4.)  That  the  apostles  baptized,  and  caused  others  to 
baptize  many  thousands,  and  settle  many  churches,  before 
any  part  of  the  New  Testament  was  written,  even  many  and 
many  years. 

(5.)  That  the  apostles  did  their  work  as  well  and  better 
than  any  that  succeeded  them. 

(6.)  That  their  successors  in  the  common  ministry,  did 
as  far  as  any  church  history  leadeth  us  up,  instruct  and  ca- 
techise men  in  the  meaning  of  the  baptismal  covenant, 
(which  is  the  Christian  faith,)  before  they  baptized  them  i 
yea,  they  kept  them  long  in  the  state  of  catechumens  usu- 
ally, before  they  would  baptize  them.  And  after  baptized 
but  twice  a  year,  at  Easter  and  Whitsuntide,  (as  our  liturgy 
noteth).  And  they  received  an  account  of  their  tolerable 
understanding  of  religion,  before  they  would  receive  them 
into  the  church. 

(7.)  No  doubt  then  but  the  apostles  did  cause  the  bap- 
tizable  to  understand  the  three  curticles  of  Christ's  own  creed 
and  covenant,  and  to  give  some  account  of  it  before  they 
baptized  them,  ordinarily  among  the  Gentiles* 

(8.)  No  doubt  therefore  but  they  itsed  many  more  expli- 
catory words,  to  cause  them  to  understand  those  few. 

(9.)  There  is  neither  proof  nor  probability,  that  they 
used  a  composition  of  just  the  same  words,  and  no  more  or 
less  :  because  they  had  to  do  with  persons  of  several  capa* 
cities,  some  knowing,  who  needed  fewer  words,  and  some 
ignorant  and  dull,  who  needed  more :  nor  is  any  such  com- 
position come  down  to  our  hands**. 

(10.)  But  it  is  more  than  probable,  that  the  matter  open- 
ed by  them  to  all  the  catechumens  was  still  the  same,  when 
the  words  were  not  the  same.  For  God's  promises  and 
man's  conditions  are  still  the  same,  (where  the  Gospel  com- 
isth).     Though  since  by  the  occasion  of  heresies,  some  few 

»»  Heb.  T.  11.  H.     vi.  1—3. 
VOL.  V.  MM 


630  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART   111. 

material  clauses  are  inserted.    For  all  Christians  had  one 
Christianity^  and  must  go  one  way  to  heaven. 

(11.)  It  is  also  more  than  probable,  that  they  did  not 
needlessly  vary  the  words,  lest  it  should  teach  men  to  vary 
the  matter :  but  that  all  Christians  before  baptism,,  did  make 
the  sanle  profession  of  faith  as  to  the  sense,  and  very  much 
the  same  as  to  the  very  words ;  using  necessary  caution, 
and  yet  avoiding  unnecessary  precisenees  of  formality :  but 
so  as  to  obviate  damnable  heresies,  that  the  Christian  pro- 
fession might  attain  its  ends. 

(12.)  lastly,  no  doubt  but  this  practice  of  the  apostles 
was  exemplary,  and  imitated  by  the  churches,  and  that  thus 
the  essentials  of  religion  were,  by  the  tradition  of  the  creed 
and  baptism,  delivered  by  themselves,  as  far  as  Christianity 
went,  long  before  any  book  of  the  New  Testament  was 
written :  and  every  Christian  was  an  impresr,  or  transcript, 
or  specimen  of  it^  And  that  the  following  churches  using 
the  same  creed,  (wholly  in  sense,  and  mostly  in  words,)  might 
so  far  well  call  it  the  apostles'  creed :  as  they  did  both  the 
Western  and  the  Nicene. 

Quest  cxL.  What  is  the  use  of  catechisms  ? 

Answ.  To  be  a  more  familiar  explication  of  the  essen- 
tials of  Christianity,  and  the  principal  integrals,  in  a  larger 
manner  than  the  creed.  Lord's  prayer,  and  decalogue  do ; 
that  the  ignorant  may  the  more  easily  understand  it.  Eve- 
ry man  cannot  gather  out  of  the  Scripture  the  greatest  mat- 
ters in  the  true  method,  as  distinct  from  all  the  rest :  and 
therefore  it  is  part  of  the  work  of  the  church's  teachers,  to 
do  it  to  the  hands  and  use  of  the  ignorant. 

Quest.  cxLi.  Could  ani/  of  us  have  known  by  the  ScrifHares 
ahne,  the  essentiab  of  religUm  from  the  rest,  tf  tradUum 
had  not  given  them  to  us  in  the  creed,  as  from  apostoHeal 
eoUedicnf 

Answ.  Yes :.  for  the  Scripture  -itself  telletli  us  what  is 
necessary  to  salvation :  it  describeth  to  us  the  covenant  of 
grace,  both  promises  and  conditions :  and  it  were  strange  if 

*  t  Tiro.  i.  IS.    2  Cor.  in.  «,  5. 7,     Heb.  viii.  10.    x.  16. 


QUEST.  CXLIII.]   CHRISTIAN  ECGLSSIASTICS.  SSI 

SO  Ittge  a  volume,  should  not  at  plainly  tell  ns  what  is  tie* 
cessary  to  salvation,  as  fewer  words !  The  Scripture  hath 
not  less  than  the  creed,  but  more. 

Quest.  cxLii.  What  is  the  best  method  of  a  true  catechism  or 

sum  of  theology  i 

Answ.  God  willing  I  shall  tell  the  church  my  opinion  of 
that  at  large,  in  a  peculiar  Latin  treatise,  called,  ^'  Methodne 
Theologin,^'  which  here  I  cannot  do..  Only  I  shidl  say,  that 
among  all  the  great  variety  of  methods  us^d  in  these  times, 
I  think  none  cometh  nearer  the  order  of  the  matter,  (which 
is  the  true  commendation  of  a  method,)  than  those  which 
open  theology,  1 .  In  the  breviate  of  the  baptismal  cove* 
nant.  2.  In  the  three  explicatory  sums,  the  creed.  Lord's 
prayer,  and  decalogue,  with  the  added  Gospel  precepts.  3. 
In  the  largest  form,  which  is  the  whole  Scripture.  And  that 
our  common  English  catechism,  and  Pareeus  or  Ursine,  and 
many  such  who  use  that  common  easy  method,  are  more 
truly  methodical,  than  most  that  pretend  to  greater  accu- 
rateness ;  (though  I  much  commend  the  great  industry  of 
such  as  Dudley,  Fenner,  Gomarus,  and  especially  Oeoige 
Sohnius.) 

Quest.  cxLiii.   What  is  the  use  of  various  church-confessions  or 

articles  of  faith  1 

Answ,  I  will  pass  by  the  very  ill  use  that  is  made  of 
them  in  too  many  countries,  where  unnecessary  opinions  or 
uncertain  are  put  in,  and  they  that  can  get  into  favour  with 
the  secular  power,  take  advantage  under  pretence  of  ortho- 
doxness  and  uniformity,  truth  and  peace,  to  set  up  their 
opinions  and  judgments  to  be  the  common  rule  for  all  to 
bow  to,  though  wiser  than  themselves:  and  to  silence  all 
ministers,  and  scatter  and  divide  the  flocks  that  will  not  say 
or  swear  as  they  do,  that  is,  that  they  are  wise  men,  and  are 
in  the  right. 

The  true  and  commendable  use  of  various  church  pro- 
fessions, or  confessions  of  faith  is,  1.  To  be  an  instruction 
io  the  more  ignorant  how  to  understand  the  Scriptures  in 
most   of  the  most  weighty  points.    2.  To  be  an  enimiera- 


532  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

tion  of  those  doctrines,  against  which  no  minister  shall  be 
allowed  to  preach,  and  according  to  which  he  is  to  instract 
the  people.  3.  To  be  a  testimony  to  all  neighbour  and  fo- 
reign churches  in  an  heterodox,  contentious,  and  suspicious 
age,  how  we  understand  the  Scriptures,  for  the  confuting 
of  scandals  and  unjust  suspicions,  and  the  maintaining  com- 
munion in  faith,  and  charity,  and  doctrine. 

Quest.  cxLiv.  May  not  the  subscribing  of  the  whole  Scr^tures 
serve  turn  far  all  the  aforesaid  ends,  without  creeds,  cate- 
chisms, or  confessions  ? 

Answ.  1.  By  subscribing  to  the  Scriptures  you  mean 
either,  generally  and  implicitly  that  all  in  them  is  true  and 
good,  (though  perhaps  you  know  not  what  is  in  it).  Or  else 
particularly  and  explicitly,  that  every  point  in  it  is  by  yoa 
both  understood  and  believed  to  be  true. 

In  the  first  sense,  it  is  not  sufficient  to  salvation :  for 
this  implicit  faith  hath  really  no  act  in  it,  but  a  belief  that 
all  that  God  saith  is  true ;  which  is  only  the  formal  object 
of  faith,  and  is  no  more  than  to  believe  that  there  is  a  God, 
(for  a  liar  is  not  a  God).  And  this  he  may  do,  who  never 
believed  in  Christ,  or  a  word  of  Scripture,  sis  not  taking  it  to 
be  God's  word  ;  yea,  that  will  not  believe  that  God  forbid- 
deth  his  beastly  life.     Infidels  ordinarily  go  thus  far. 

In  the  second  sense  (of  an  explicit,  or  particular  actual 
belief),  the  belief  of  the  whole  Scripture  is  enough  indeed, 
and  more  than  any  man  living  can  attain  to*  No  man  un- 
derstandeth  all  the  Scripture.  Therefore  that  which  no  man 
hath,  is  not  to  be  exacted  of  all  men,  or  any  man  in  order  to 
ministration  or  communion.  While,  1.  No  man  can  sub- 
scribe to  any  one  translation  of  the  Bible,  that  it  is  not 
faulty,  being  the  work  of  defectible  man.  2.  And  few  have 
such  acquaintance  with  the  Hebrew,  and  Chaldee,  and 
Greek,  as  to  be  able  to  say  that  they  understand  the  original 
languages  perfectly.  3.  And  no  man  that  understands  the 
words,  doth  perfectly  understand  the  matter.  It  foUoweth 
that  no  man  is  to  be  forced  or  urged  to  subscribe  to  all 
things  in  the  Scriptures,  as  particularly  understood  by  bim, 
with  an  explicit  faith.    And  an  implicit  is  not  half  enough. 

2.  The  true  mean  therefore  is  the  ancient  way,  1.  To 


QUEST.  CXLV.]    CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  533 

select  the  essentials  for  all  Christians,  to  be  believed  parti- 
cularly and  explicitly.  2.  To  collect  certain  of  the  most 
needful  integrals,  which  teachers  shall  not  preach  against. 
3.  And  for  all  men  moreover  to  profess  in  general  that  they 
implicitly  believe  all  which  they  can  discern  to  be  the  holy 
canonical  Scripture,  and  that  all  is  true,  which  is  the  Word 
of  God  ;  forbearing  each  other  even  about  the  number  of  ca- 
nonical books  and  texts. 

And  it  is  the  great  wisdom  and  mercy  of  God,  which  hath 
so  ordered  it,  that  the  Scripture  shall  have  enough  to  exer- 
cise the  strongest,  and  yet  that  the  weakest  may  be  igno- 
rant of  the  meaning  of  a  thousand  sentences,  without  dan- 
ger of  damnation,  so  they  do  but  understand  the  marrow  or 
essentials,  and  labour  faithfully  to  increase  in  the  knowledge 
of  the  rest  ^. 

Quest.  CXLV.  May  not  a  man  be  saved  that  believeth  all  the 
essentials  of  religion,  as  coming  to  him  by  verbal  tradition, 
and  not  as  contained  in  the  Holy  Scriptures,  which  perhaps 
he  never  kneto  f 

Answ.  1.  He  that  believeth  shall  be  saved,  which  way 
ever  he  cometh  by  his  belief;  so  be  it  it  be  sound  as  to  the 
object  and  act ;  that  is,  if  it  contain  all  the  essentials,  and 
they  be  predominantly  believed,  loved,  and  practised. 

2.  The  Scriptures  being  the  records  of  Christ's  doctrine 
delivered  by  himself,  his  Spirit,  and  his  apostles,  it  is  the 
office  of  ministers,  and  the  duty  of  all  instructors  to  open 
these  Scriptures  to  those  they  teach,  and  to  deliver  particu- 
lars upon  the  authority  of  these  inspired,  sealed  records 
which  contain  them. 

3.  They  that  thus  receive  particular  truths,  from  a 
teacher  explaining  the  Scripture  to  them,  do  receive  them 
in  a  subordination  to  the  Scripture,  materially,  and  as  to  the 
teacher's  part ;  though  not  formally,  and  as  to  their  own 
part :  and  though  the  Scripture  authority  being  not  under- 
stood by  them,  be  not  the  formal  object  of  their  faith,  but 
only  God's  authority  in  general.* 

4.  They  that  are  ignorant  of  the  being  of  the  Scripture, 
hav^  a  great disadvant^e  to  their  faith. 

k  iCor.Tiii.  1— 3.    xUi.!— 4.    RoBi.nii.t8. 


534  CHRISTIAN    DIRUCTORY.  [PART    III. 

6.  Yet  w^  oannot  say,  but  it  may  be  the  oaae  of  thou- 
sands to  be  saved  by  die  Gospel  detiverad  by  traditiQit« 
without  reaolying  tli^ir  fidth  iato  the  c^utkcirity  of  the 
Scriptures.    For, 

1.  This  was  the  case  of  all  the  Christians  (as  to  the  New 
Testament)  who  lived  before  it  was  written ;;  and  there  axe 
several  articles  of  the  Creed  now  necessary,  which  the  Old 
Testament  doth  not  reveal  ^ 

2.  This  may  be  the  case  of  thousands  in  ignorant 
countries,  where,  the  Bible  being  rare,  is  to  moat  un* 
known  *. 

3.  This  may  be  the  caae  of  thousands  of  children  who 
are  taught  their  creed  and  catechism,  before  they  underatsMud 
what  the  Bible  is. 

4.  This  may  be  the  case  of  thousands  among  the  Pa* 
pists,  where  some  perverse  priests  do  keep  not  only  the 
reading,  but  the  knowledge  of  the  Scriptures  from  the 
peopH^  for  fear  lest  they  should  be  taught  to  resolve  their 
faith  into  it ;  and  do  teach  th^m  onjy  the  articles  of 
faith  and  catechism,  as  known  by  the  church's  tradition 
alone. 

Quest.  cxLvi.  Is  the  Scripture  fit  for  all  Christians  to  readp 

being  so  obscure  f 

Answ.  1.  The  essentials  and  points  necessary  to  salva- 
tion are  plain. 

%  Wq  are  frequently  and  vehemently  compianded  to 
delight  in  it,  and  pieditate  in  it  day  and  i^ght ;  to  search  it ; 
to  teach  it  our  very  children,  speaking  of  it  at  home  9Jii 
abroad,  lying  down  and  rising  up,  and  to  writ^  it  on  jtf^ 
posts  of  our  houses,  and  on  our  dQor^i  ^c* 

3.  1%  iip  ^nit^d  to  t)ie  necessity  and  underMw^dipg  pf  t^^ 
meanest,  tp  giv^  Jigbt  to  the  ^vaple^  and  to  mak^  the  veyy 
foolish  wise  ^. 

4«  Ths  aiu^ent  fathforii  a<id  Christiiim  w^r^  £|l)  of  tiw 
mind. 

5.  All  the  Christian  churches  of  the  worlds  havQ  h<9f^ 

I  MaU.  XVI.  16.  "  Rom.  i.  9, 10.  ISr-lA. 

B  John  V.  59.  PmU.  i.  t.  Deut.  tI  t\,  Ptat.  xSx.  t^tU  S  Tim.  liL  13. 
Paal.  ciix.  98.  IQfti  lU.  IM.     AcU^inUll.     sUi 


QUEST.  CXJLVI.]      CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  53& 

used  to  read  it  openly  to  all,  even  to  the  simplest ;  and  if 
they  may  hear  it,  they  may  read  the  same  words  which  they 
hear. 

6.  Ood  blessed  the  ignorant  Ethiopian  eunuch  when 
he  found  him  reading  the  Scriptures,  though  he  knew  not 
the  sense  of  what  he  read,  and  sent  him  Philip  to  instruct 
him  and  convert  him. 

7.  Timothy  was  educated  in  the  knowledge  of  the  Scrip- 
tures in  his  childhood. 

8.  That  which  is  written  to  and  for  all  men,  may  be  read 
by  all  that  can :  but  the  Scripture  was  written  to  and  for 
all^ &c. 

Object.  *  But  there  are  many  things  in  it  hard  to  be  un- 
derstood.' 

Amw.  1.  And  there  are  many  things  easy  to  be  under* 
stood.  2.  We  never  said  that  men  should  not  use  the  help 
of  their  teachers,  and  all  that  they  can  to  understand  it.  3. 
Were  not  those  teachers  once  ignorant  ?  And  yet  they  did 
read  it  by  the  help  of  teachers ;  and  so  may  others.  4.  As 
the  king  for  concord  commandeth  all  the  schoolmasters  to 
teach  one  grammar ;  so  God  maketh  it  the  minister's  office 
to  instruct  people  in  the  Scriptures.  And  were  it  not  a 
question  unworthy  of  a  schoolmaster,  to  dispute, '  Whether 
the  scholars  must  learn  by  their  book,  or  by  their  master?' 
Yea,  to  conclude  that  it  must  be  by  their  master,  and  not 
by  their  book  :  or  that  they  must  never  open  their  book,  but 
when  their  master  is  just  at  hand  to  teach  them  The  doc- 
trine o{^Ab  Papists  who  tell  us  that  the  Scriptures  should 
not  be  read  by  the  vulgar,  it  being  the  rise  of  ail  heresies,  i| 
so  inhuman  and  impious,  as  savoureth  of  gross  enmity  to^ 
Scriptures,  and  to  knowledge,  that  were  there  no  other,  it 
would  make  the  lovers  of  religion  and  men's  souls,  to  pray 
earnestly  to  Christ  to  save  his  flocks  from  such  seducers, 
who  so  Jewishly  use  the  key  of  knowledge. 

Object.  *  But  many  wrest  the  Scriptures  to  their  own 
destruction,  and  what  heresy  is  not  defended  as  by  their 
authority**? 

Answ.  1.  And  many  thousands  receive  saving  knowledge 
and  grace  by  them.  The  law  of  the  Lord  is  perfect,  con- 
verting the  soul.     All  Scripture  is  profitable  to  instruction, 

•  STIm.  UL  15.    Bom.  xv.  4.     Mfttt.zii.S4. 

rtPetifi.16.    PmI.  dz.  5.  S— 10.    tTliii.ia.  16.  lPct.i.  tS. 


536     -  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY*  [PART  III. 

8&C.,  to  make  the  man  of  Ood  perfect.  It  is  th^  incormp- 
tible  seed  by  which  we  are  bom  again,  and  the  sincere  milk, 
by  which  we  are  nourished. 

2.  And  is  it  not  as  true,  1.  That  the  law  of  the  land  is 
abased  by  every  false  pretender,  lawyer,  and  corrupt  judge? 
What  title  so  bad,  that  is  not  defended  in  Westminster 
Hall  sometimes,  under  pretence  of  law  ?  And  what  action 
so  bad,  that  some  pretend  not  law  for  ?  What  then  ?  Must 
the  law  be  forbidden  the  common  people  for  this  ? 

2*  Nay,  what  is  so  much  abused  to  unrighteousness 
and  sin  as  reason  itself?  What  heresy  or  crime  do  not 
men  plead  reason  for  ?  Must  reason  therefore  be  forbidden 
the  vulgar? 

3.  Yea,  contrarily,  this  signifieth  that  law  and  reason  are 
so  far  from  being  things  to  be  forbidden  men,  that  they  are 
indeed  those  things  by  which  nature  and  necessity  have 
taught  all  the  world  to  try  and  discern  right  from  wrong, 
good  from  bad  ;  otherwise  good  and  bad  men  would  not  all 
thus  agree  in  pretending  to  them»  and  appealing  to  their  de- 
cisions* 

4.  If  many  men  are  poisoned  or  killed  in  eating  or  drink- 
ing ;  if  many  men's  eye-sight  is  abused  to  mislead  them  into 
sin.  Sec,  the  way  is  not,  to  eat  nothing  but  what  is  put  into 
our  mouths ;  nor  to  put  out  our  eyes,  or  wink,  and  be  led 
only  by  a  priest ;  but  to  use  both  the  more  cautiously,  with 
the  best  advice  and  help  that  we  can  get. 

5.  And  do  not  these  deceivers  see,  that  their  reason 
pleadeth  as  strongly  that  priests  and  prelates  themselves 
should  never  read  the  Scripture,  (and  consequently  that  it 
should  be  banished  out  of  the  world)  ?  For  who  that  is 
awake  in  the  world  can  be  ignorant,  that  it  is  priests  and 
prelates,  who  have  been  the  leaders  of  almost  all  heresies 
and  sects ;  who  differ  in  their  expositions  and  opinions  ? 
and  lead  the  vulgar  into  all  the  heresies  which  they  fall 
into  ?  Who  then  should  be  forbidden  to  read  the  Scripture^ 
but  priests  and  prelates,  who  wrest  them  to  their  own  and 
other  men's  destruction  ? 

Quest.  cxLvii.  How  far  is  tracUiian,  and  mtn*s  u>ord$ 
and  mimstry  to  be  used  or  trusted  in,  in  ike  exercise 
of  faith? 


QUEST.  CXLIX.]   CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  537 

Answ,  1.  The  churches  and  ministers  received  the  Gos- 
pel in  Scripture  from  the  apostles,  and  the  creed  as  the  sum- 
mary of  faith ;  and  they  delivered  it  down  to  others,  and 
they  to  us. 

2.  The  ministers  by  office  are  the  instructors  of  the  peo- 
ple in  the  meaning  of  it :  and  the  keepers  of  the  Scriptures, 
as  lawyers  are  of  the  laws  of  the  land  \ 

Quest.  cxLviii.  How  know  we  the  true  canon  of  Scripture 

from  apocrypha  ? 

Amw.  By  these  means  set  together:  1.  There  is  for  the 
most  part,  a  special  venerable  excellency  in  the  books  them- 
selves, which  helpeth  us  in  the  distinct  reception  of 
them. 

2.  The  tradition  of  infallible  church-history  telleth  us, 
which  books  they  are  which  were  written  by  men  inspired 
by  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  who  sealed  their  doctrine  with  mi- 
racles in  those  times ;  it  being  but  matter  of  fact  (which 
books  such  men  wrote  whom  God  bare  witness  to)  infallible 
church-history  (such  as  we  have  to  know  which  are  the  sta- 
tutes of  the  land,  and  which  are  counterfeit)  is  a  sufficient 
notification  and  proof. 

3.  The  sanctifying  Spirit  still  in  all  ages  and  Christians, 
attesteth  the  Divinity  and  truth  of  the  doctrine  of  the  main 
body  of  the  Bible,  especially  the  Gospel ;  and  then  if  we 
should  err  about  the  authority  of  a  particular  book,  it  would 
not  overthrow  our  faith.  It  is  not  necessary  to  salvation  to 
believe  this  particular  text  to  be  Divine ,  but  it  is  sin  and 
folly  to  doubt  causelessly  of  the  parts,  when  the  Spirit  at- 
testeth the  doctrine  and  the  body  of  the  book.  I  pass 
these  things  briefly,  because  I  have  more  largely  handled 
them  elsewhere. 

Quest.  cxLTx.  Is  the  public  reading  of  the  Scripture  the  pro- 
per  work  of  a  minister  f  or  may  a  layman  ordinarily  doitf 
or  another  officer  f 


Answ.  In  such  cases  as  I  before  shewed  that  a  layman 

4  Heb.  iu  $,  4.     *  Pet.  L  17— SI.     9  John  i.  1—6.  it.  6.     S  Tim,  ii.  t. 
THofi.  5. 


638 


CHRISTIAN    DIHECTORY.         [PART  ICl 


L 


may  preach,  he  may  also  read  the  Scriptures.     Of  whid| 
look  back.  ^ 

2.  No  doubt  but  it  U  a  work  well  beseeming  the  on 
dained  ministers  or  pastors,  and  an  integral  part  of  theii 
office ;  and  should  not  be  put  off  by  them  when  they  cat 
do  it.  1 

3.  When  they  need  help,  the  deacons  are  ordainad! 
ministers,  authorized  to  help  them  in  such  work,  and  mot) 
fit  to  do  it.  '] 

4.  Whether  in  a  case  of  neceBBity  a  layman  may  not  cm; 
dinarily  read  the  Scripture  to  the  congregation,  is  a  casa' 
that  I  am  loath  to  determine,  being  loath  to  suppose  auch  k. 
necessity.  But  if  the  minister  cannot,  and  there  be  no  di 
con,  1  cannot  prove  it  unlawful  for  a  layman  to  do  it  nndflV 
the  direction  of  the  pastor.  I  lived  some  time  under  an  ol4 
minister  of  about  eighty  years  of  age  (who  never  preached 
himself),  whose  eye-sight  failing  him,  and  having  not  miun* 
tenauce  to  keep  an  assistant,  he  did  by  memory  say  tbtf 
Common-prayer  himself,  and  got  a  tailor  one  year,  and 
thresher  or  poor  day-labourer  another  year  to  read  all  tluf; 
Scriptures.  Whether  that  were  not  better  than  nothing,  1< 
leave  to  consideration. 

And  [  think  it  is  commonly  agreed  on,  that  where  ther* 
is  no  minister,  it  is  better  for  the  people  to  meet  and  hear  » 
taymaa  read  the  Scriptures  and  some  good  books,  than  to 
have  no  public  helps  and  worship. 

Quest.  CL.  hit  fawful  to  read  the  apocri/pha,  or  any  gtwA 
books  beiidei  the  Scriptures  to  the  church  f^  A»  A*^ 
mHies.  ^c.  ?  ^1 

Aiuw.  I.  It  is  not  lawful  to  read  them  as  Ood'a  Wor^^ 
or  to  pretend  them  to  be  the  Holy  Scriptures,  for  that  is  H 
falsehood,  and  an  addition  to  God's  Word. 

2.  It  is  not  lawful  to  read  them  scandalously,  in  a  title 
and  manner  tending  to  draw  the  people  to  believe  that  they 
are  God's  Word,  or  without  a  sufficient  distinguishing  of 
tliem  from  the  Holy  Scriptures. 

3.  If  any  one  of  the  apocryphal  books,  (as  Judith,  Tobit, 
Bel  and  the  Dragon,  Sec.)  be  as  fabulous,  false,  and  bad 
our  Protestant  writers  (Keignoldus,  Amesius,  Whitakert^' 


QUEST.  CLI.]        CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIAiTICS.  539 

Chamier,  and  abundance  more)  affirm  them  to  he,  it  is  aot 
lawful  ordinarily  to  read  them,  in  that  honourable  way  nn 
chapters  called  lessons  are  usually  read  in  the  assemblies. 
Nor  is  it  lawful  so  to  read  heretical.  f(Lbttlous>  or  erroneQiM 
books. 

But  it  is  lawful  to  read  publicly,  apocryphal  apd  humcgf^ 
writings,  homilies^  or  edifying  sermons,  pn  these  conditions 
following. 

1.  So  be  it  they  be  indeed  sowd  doctrine,  holy,  and 
fitted  to  the  people's  edification. 

2.  So  be  it  they  be  not  read  scandalously  without  suffix* 
cient  differencing  them  from  God's  Book* 

3.  So  they  be  not  read  to  exQlude  or  hinder  ibe 
reading  of  the  Scriptures,  or  any  other  necessajry  churcb<' 
duty. 

4.  So  they  be  not  read  to  keep  up  an  ignorant,  lazy  mi- 
nistry that  can  or  will  do  no  better ;  nor  to  exercise  the  mi«- 
nister's  sloth,  and  hinder  him  from  preaching. 

6.  And  especially  if  authority  command  it,  and  ^ 
church's  agreement  require  it,  as  a  signification  what  dPOr 
trine  it  is  which  they  profess. 

6.  Or  if  the  church's  necessities  require  it;  as  if  tbey 
haye  no  minister,  or  no  one  that  can  do  so  much  to  their 
edification  any  oth«r  way. 

7.  Therefore  the  use  of  cfitechisms  is  confessed  lawftd  in 
the  church,  by  almost  all. 

Quest.  CLI.  Ma^  ckutrchrOiwaMm  (m  held  where  there  u,n§ 
mmiiter?  Or  whai  puiU^  worthip  may  he  so  perfimned 
by  laymen  ?  (As  among  infidels,  or  Papists,  vfhfire  per- 
secution hath  killed,  imprisoned,  or  expelled  the  minis^ 
ters.) 

Answ.  1.  Such  an  assembly  as  hath  no  pastor,  or  nkiisr 
ter  of  Christ,  is  not  a  church,  in  a  political  sense,  as  4liis 
word  signifieth  a  society  oonsistiiig  of  pastor  and  flock  ;  but 
it  may  be  a  church  in  a  larger  nense,  as  the  word  signbSeth 
(mly  a  community  or  assooiatioa  of  privata  Christians  for 
i;autual  help  in  holy  things. 

2.  fiueh  an  asseinbly  ought  on  ih«  Loid's  days,  and  at 
other  fit  tioies  to  me^  tpgi^^MT  for  nuutMl  help,  and  tke 


540  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

public  worshipping  of  Ood,  as  they  may,  rather  than  not  to 
meet  at  all. 

3.  In  those  meetings  they  may  do  all  that  foUoweth.  1. 
They  may  pray  together ;  a  layman  being  the  speaker.  2. 
They  may  sing  psalms.  3.  They  may  read  the  Scriptures. 
4.  They  may  read  some  holy,  edifying  writings  of  Divines, 
or  repeat  some  minister's  sermons.  5.  Some  that  are  most 
able  may  speak  to  the  instruction  and  exhortation  of  the 
rest,  as  a  master  may  do  in  his  family,  or  neighbours  to  stir 
up  God's  graces  in  each  other,  as  was  opened  before.  And 
some  such  may  catechize  the  younger  and  more  ignorant. 
6.  They  may  by  mutual  conferences  open  their  cases  to 
each  other,  and  communicate  what  knowledge  and  expe- 
rience they  have,  to  the  praise  of  God  and  each  other's  edi- 
fication. 7.  They  may  make  a  solemn  profession  of  their 
faith,  covenant,  and  subjection  to  God  the  Father,  Son,  and 
Holy  Ghost :  and  all  this  is  better  than  nothing  at  all. 

But,  1.  None  of  them  may  do  any  of  this  as  a  pastor, 
ruler,  priest,  or  office-teacher  of  the  church.  2.  Nor  may 
they  baptize.  3.  Nor  administer  the  Lord's  supper.  4. 
Nor  excommunicate  by  sentence,  (but  only  executively 
agree  to  avoid  the  notoriously  impenitent).  5.  Nor  absolve 
ministerially,  or  as  by  authority ;  nor  exercise  any  of  the 
power  of  the  keys,  that  is,  of  government.  6.  And  they 
must  do  their  best  to  get  a  pastor  as  soon  as  they  are 
able. 

Quest.  CLii.  Is  it  lawful  to  mbscribe  or  profess  full  assent  and 
consent  to  any  religious  books  besides  the  Scripture,  seeing  all 
are  fallible  f 

Answ.  1 .  It  is  not  lawful  to  profess  or  subscribe  that 
any  book  is  more  true  or  better  than  it  is ;  or  that  there  is 
no  fault  in  any  that  is  faulty ;  or  to  profess  that  we  believe 
any  mortal  man  to  be  totally  infallible  in  all  that  he  shall 
write  or  say,  or  impeccable  in  all  that  he  shall  do. 

2.  Because  all  men  are  fallible,  and  so  are  we  in  judg- 
ing, it  is  not  lawful  to  say  of  any  large  and  dubious  books, 
in  which  we  know  no  fault,  that  there  is  no  fault  or  error  in 
them ;  we  being  uncertain,  and  it  being  usual  for  the  best 
men  even  in  their  best  writings,  prayers,  or  workB  to  be 


QUEST.  CLIII.]     CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS^  641 

faulty,  as  the  consequent  or  effect  of  our  common,  culpable 
imperfection.  But  we  may  say,  that  we  know  no  fault  or 
error  in  it,  if  indeed  we  do  not  know  of  any. 

3.  It  is  lawful  to  profess  or  subscribe  our  assent  and 
consent  to  any  human  writing  which  we  judge  to  be  true 
and  good,  according  to  the  measure  of  its  truth  and  good- 
ness ;  as  if  church-confessions  that  are  sound  be  offered  us 
for  our  consent,  we  may  say  or  subscribe,  '  I  hold  all  the 
doctrine  in  this  book  to  be  true  and  good.'  And  by  so  do- 
ing I  do  not  assert  the  infallibility  of  the  authors,  but  only 
the  verity  of  the  writing.  1  do  not  say  that  he  cannot  err, 
or  that  he  never  erreth ;  but  that  he  erreth  not  in  this,  as  far 
as  I  am  able  to  discern. 

Quest.  CLIII.  May  we  lawfully  swear  obedience  in  all  things 
lawful  and  honest,  either  to  usurpers,  or  to  our  lawful 
pastors  f 

Answ,  1.  If  the  question  were  of  imposing  such  oaths, 
I  would  say,  that  it  was  many  a  hundred  years  before  the 
churches  of  Christ  (either  under  persecution,  or  in  their 
prosperity  and  glory)  did  ever  know  of  any  such  practice, 
as  the  people  or  the  presbyters  swearing  obedience  to  the 
bishops  And  when  it  came  up,  the  magistracy,  princes, 
and  emperors  fell  under  the  feet  of  the  pope  ;  and  the  clei^ 
grew  to  what  we  see  it  in  the  Roman  kingdom,  called  a 
church.  And  far  should  I  be  from  desiring  such  oaths  to 
be  imposed. 

2.  But  the  question  being  only  of  the  taking  such  oaths, 
and  not  the  imposing  of  them,  I  say,  that  (1.)  It  is  not  law- 
ful to  swear  obedience  to  an  usurper,  civil  or  ecclesiastical, 
'  in  licitis  et  honestis  ;'  because  it  is  a  subjecting  ourselves 
to  him,  and  an  acknowledging  that  authority  which  he  hath 
not ;  for  we  can  swear  no  further  to  obey  the  king  himself 
but  in  things  lawful  and  honest ;  and  to  do  so  by  an  usur- 
per is  an  injury  to  the  king,  and  unto  Christ. 

(2.)  But  if  the  king  himself  shall  command  us  to  swear 
obedience  to  a  subordinate  civil  usurper,  he  thereby  ceaseth 
to  be  an  usurper,  and  receiveth  authority,  and  it  becometh 
our  duty.  And  if  he  that  was  an  ecclesiastical  usurper, 
'  quoad  personam,'  that  had  no  true  call  to  a  lawful  office. 


642  CHRISTIAN    DIRRCl*ORY.  [PART  111. 

ahtli  after  haye  a  call,  or  if  any  thing  faU  out,  which  shail 
make  it  our  duty  to  consent  and  call  him,  then  the  impedi- 
ment from  his  usurpation  is  removed. 

(3.)  It  is  not  lawful,  though  the  civil  magistrate  com- 
mand us  to  swear  obedience  even  '  in  licitis  et  honeatis/  to 
such  an  usurper,  whose  office  itself  is  unlawful,  or  forbidden 
by  Christ,  as  he  is  such  an  officer.  No  Protestant  thinketh 
it  lawful  to  swear  obedience  to  the  pope  as  pope  ;  nor  do 
any  that  take  lay-elders  to  be  an  unlawful*  office,  think  it 
lawful  to  swear  obedience  to  them  as  such. 

(4.)  If  one  that  is  in  an  unlawful  ecclesiastical  office,  be 
also  at  once  in  another  that  is  lawful,  we  may  swear  obedi* 
ence  to  him  in  respect  of  the  lawful  office.  So  it  is  lawful 
to  swear  obedience  to  the  pope  in  Italy,  as  a  temporal  prince 
in  his  own  dominions ;  and  to  a  cardinal,  (as  Richelieu, 
Mazarine,  Ximenes,  8ic.)  as  the  king's  ministers,  exercising 
a  power  derived  from  him :  so  it  is  lawful  for  a  tenant, 
where  law  and  custom  requireth  it,  to  swear  fidelity  to  a 
lay-elder,  as  his  landlord  or  temporal  lord  and  master.  And 
so  the  old  nonconformists,  who  thought  the  English  prelacy 
an  unlawful  office,  yet  maintained  that  it  is  lawful  to  take 
the  oath  of  canonical  obedience,  because  they  thought  it 
was  imposed  by  the  king  and  laws,  and  that  we  swear  to  them 
not  as  officers  claiming  a  Divine  right  in  the  spiritual  go- 
vernment, but  as  ordinaries,  or  officers  made  by  the  king  to 
exercise  so  much  of  ecclesiastical  jurisdiction  under  him,  as 
he  can  delegate ;  according  to  the  oath  of  supremacy,  in 
which  we  all  acknowledge  the  king  to  be  supreme  in  ell  ec- 
clesiastical causes ;  that  is,  not  the  supreme  pastor,  bishop, 
or  spiritual  key-bearer  or  ruler,  but  the  supreme  civil  ruler 
of  the  church,  who  hath  the  power  of  the  sword,  and  of  de- 
terauning  all  things  extrinsic  to  the  pastoral  office ;  and  so 
of  the  coercive  government  of  all  pastors  and  churches,  as 
well  as  of  other  subjects.  And  if  prelacy  were  proved  never 
so  unlawful,  no  doubt  but  by  the  king's  command  we  may 
swear  or  perform  formal  obedience  to  a  prelate,  as  he  is  the 
king's  officer.  Of  the  nonconformists'  judgment  in  this, 
read  Bradshaw  against  Canne,  &c. 

(5.)  But  in  such  a  case  no  oath  to  inferiors  is  lawful  with- 
out the  consent  of  the  sovereign  power,  or  at  least  against 
his  will. 


QUEST.  CLIII.]     CHRLSTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  643 

(6.)  Though  it  be  a  duty  for  the  flock  to  obey  every  pres- 
byteff  yet  if  they  would  make  all  the  people  swear  obedience 
to  them,  all  wise  and  conscionable  Christians  should  dis- 
sent from  the  introduction  of  such  a  custom,  and  deny  such 
oaths  as  far  as  lawfully  they  may  :  that  is, 
'  1.  If  the  king  be  against  it,  we  muBt  refuse  it. 
2.  If  he  be  neutral  or  merely  pasRive  in  it,  we  must 
refuse,  unless  some  apparent  necessity  for  the  church's 
good  require  it. 

1.  Because  it  savoureth  of  pride  in  such  presbyters. 

2.  Because  it  is  a  new  custom  in  the  church,  and  con- 
trary to  the  ancient  practice. 

3.  It  is  not  only  without  any  authority  given  them  by 
Christ,  that  they  exact  such  oaths,  but  also  contrary  to  the 
great  humility,  lowliness,  and  condescension,  in  which  be 
describeth  his  ministers,  who  must  be  great,  by  being  the 
servants  of  all  ^, 

4.  And  it  tendeth  to  corrupt  the  clergy  for  the  future. 

5.  And  such  new  impositions  give  just  reason  to  princes 
and  to  the  people  to  suspect  that  the  presbyters  are  aspiring 
after  some  inordinate  exaltation,  or  have  some  ill  project  for 
the  advancement  of  themselves. 

(7.)  But  yet  if  it  be  not  only  their  own  ambition  which 
imposeth  it,  but  either  the  king  and  laws  command  it,  or 
necessity  require  it  for  the  avoidance  of  a  greater  evil,  it 
may  be  lawful  and  a  duty  to  take  an  oath  of  obedience  to  a 
lawful  presbyter  or  bishop  ;  because,  1.  It  is  a  duty  to 
obey  them.  2.  And  it  is  not  forbidden  us  by  Christ  to  pro- 
mise or  swear  to  do  our  duty,  (even  when  tiiey  may  sin  in 
demanding  such  an  oath). 

(8.)  If  an  office  be  lawful  in  the  essential  parts,  and  yet 
have  unlawful  integrals,  or  adjuncts,  or  be  abused  in  exer- 
cise, it  will  not  by  such  additions  or  abuses  be  made  unlaw-  ' 
ful  to  swear  obedience  to  the  officer  as  such. 

(9.)  If  one  presbyter  or  bishop  would  make  another 
presbyter  or  bishop  to  swear  obedience  to  him  with- 
out authority,  the  case  is  the  same  as  of  the  usurpers 
before  mentioned. 

'  Matt.  xxii.  4.  10.  Luke  xxii.  97,  &c  Mark  iz.  55.  1  Pet.  v.  s,  $, 
1  Cor.  Ix.  19.     IT.  1.     J  Cor.  it.  5. 


544  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  llf. 

Quest.  CLiv.  Must  all  our  preaching  be  upon  a  text  of  SayH 

ture? 

Answ.  L  In  many  cases  it  may  be  lawful  to  preach 
without  a  text*;  to  make  sacred  orations  like  Ghregory  Na- 
zianzen's,  and  homilies  like  Macarius's,  Ephrem  Syrus's^ 
and  many  other  ancients,  and  like  our  own  church-homilies. 

2.  But  ordinarily  it  is  the  fittest  way  to  preach  upon  a 
text  of  Scripture  ^  1.  Because  it  is  our  very  office  to  teach 
the  people  the  Scripture.  The  prophets  brought  a  new 
word  or  message  from  God ;  but  the  priests  did  but  keep, 
interpret,  and  preach  the  law  already  received  :  and  we  are 
not  successors  of  the  inspired  prophets,  but  as  the  priests 
were,  teachers  of  God's  received  Word.  And  this  practice 
will  help  the  people  to  understand  our  office.  2.  And  it 
will  preserve  the  due  esteem  and  reverence  of  the  Holy 
Scriptures,  which  the  contrary  practice  may  diminish. 

Quest.  CLV.  Is  not  the  law  of  Moses  abrogated,  and  the  whole 
Old  Testament  out  of  date,  and  therefore  not  to  be  readpub- 
licly  and  preached  oni 

Answ,  1.  The  covenant  of  innocency  is  ceased  '  cessante 
subditorum  capacitate,'  as  a  covenant  or  promise.  And  so 
are  the  positive  laws  proper  to  Adam,  in  that  state,  and  to 
many  particular  persons  since. 

2.  The  covenant  mixt  of  grace  and  works,  proper  to  the 
Jews,  with  all  the  Jewish  law  as  such,  was  never  made  to 
us,  or  to  the  rest  of  the  world  ;  and  to  the  Jews  it  is  ceased 
by  the  coming  and  more  perfect  laws  and  covenant  of 
Christ. 

3.  The  prophecies  and  types  of  Christ,  and  the  promises 
made  to  Adam,  Abraham,  and  others  of  his  coming  in  the 
flesh,  are  all  fulfilled,  and  therefore  not  useful  to  all  the 
ends  of  their  first  making:  and  the  many  prophecies  of 
particular  things  and  persons  past  and  gone  are  accom- 
plished. 

4.  But  the  law  of  nature  is  still  Christ's  law :  and  that 
law  is  much  expounded  to  us  in  the  Old  Testament :  and  if 
God  once,  for  another  use',  did  say, '  this  is  the  law  of  na^ 

•  Acts  ii.    iii.    Luke  iv.  18.  <  Mai.  ii.  7. 


QUEST.  CLV.]      CHRISTIAN   BCCLESIAMTICS.  &4i 

ture/  the  trath  of  these  words  as  a  Divine  doctrine  and  ex- 
position of  the  law  of  nature  is  still  the  same. 

5.  The  covenant  of  grace  made  with  Adam  and  Noah  for 
all  mankind,  is  still  in  force  as  to  the  great  benefits  and  main 
condition,  that  is,  as  to  pardon  given  by  it  to  true  penitent 
believers,  with  aright  to  everlasting  life,  and  as  to  the  obli- 
gation to  sincere  obedience  for  salvation :  though  not  as  to 
the  yet  future  coming  of  Christ  in  the  flesh*  And  this  law 
of  grace  was  never  yet  repealed  any  further  than  Christ's 
coming  did  fulfil  it  and  perfect  it :  therefore  to  the  rest  of 
the  world  who  never  can  have  the  Gospel  or  more  perfect 
testament  as  Christians  have,  the  former  law  of  grace  is  yet 
in  force.  And  that  is  the  law,  conjoined  with  the  law  of 
nature,  which  now  the  world  without  the  church  is  under : 
under,  I  say,  as  to  the  force  of  the  law,  and  a  former  promul- 
gation made  to  Adam  and  Noah,  and  some  common  intima- 
tions of  it  in  merciful  forbearances,  pardons,  and  benefits.; 
though  how  many  are  under  it  as  to  the  knowledge,  recep- 
tion, and  belief,  and  obedience  of  it,  and  consequently  are 
saved  by  it,  is  more  than  I  or  any  man  knoweth. 

6.  There  are  many  prophecies  of  Christ  and  the  Chris- 
tian church  in  the  Old  Testament  yet  to  be  fulfilled,  and 
therefore  are  still  God's  Word  for  us. 

7.  There  are  many  precepts  of  God  to  the  Jews  and  to 
particular  persons,  given  them  on  reasons  common  to  them 
with  us ;  where  parity  of  reason  will  help  thence  to  gather  our 
own  duty  now. 

8.  There  are  many  holy  expressions  (as  in  the  Psalms), 
which  are  fitted  to  persons  in  our  condition,  and  came 
from  the  Spirit  of  God  ;  and  therefore  as  such  are  fit  for  us 
now. 

9.  Even  the  fulfilled  promises,  types,  and  prophecies, 
are  still  God's  words,  that  is,  his  Word  given  to  their  seve- 
ral proper  uses :  and  though  much  of  their  use  be  changed 
or  ceased,  so  is  not  all :  they  are  yet  useful  to  us,  to  confirm 
our  faith,  while  we  see  their  accomplishment,  and  see  how 
much  God  still  led  his  church  to  happiness  in  one  and  the 
same  way. 

10.  On  all  these  accounts  therefore  we  may  still  read 

VOL.  V.  N    N 


546  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART   IlL 

the  Old    Testament,   and  preach   upon  it  in  ihe  public 
churches**. 

Quest.  cLvi.  Must  we  believe  that  Moses's  lam  did  ever  bud 
other  nations ;  or  that  any  other  parts  of  the  Scriftmrt 
bound  them,  or  belong  to  them'?  or  that  the  Jews  were  all 
Gods  visible  church  on  earth  f 

0 

Apisw.  I  conjoin  these  three  questions  for  dispatch. 

1.  1.  Some  of  the  matter  of  Moses's  law  did  bind  all 
nations ;  that  is,  the  law  of  nature  as  such. 

2.  Those  that  had  the  knowledge  of  the  Jewish  law, 
were  bound  collaterally  to  believe  and  obey  all  the  exposi- 
tions of  the  law  of  nature  in  it,  and  all  the  laws  wbich  were 
given  upon  reasons  common  to  all  the  world ;  (as  about  de- 
grees of  marriage,  particular  rules  of  justice,  &c.)  As  if  I 
beard  God  from  heaven  tell  another  that  standeth  by  me, 
'  Thou  shalt  not  marry  thy  father's  widow ;  for  it  is  abomi- 
nable,' I  ought  to  apply  that  to  me,  being  his  subject  which 
is  spoken  to  another  on  a  common  reason  '. 

3.  All  those  Gentiles  that  would  be  proselytes,  and  join 
with  the  Jews  in  their  policy,  and  dwell  among  them,  were 
bound  to  be  observers  of  their  laws.  But,  L  The  law  of 
nature  as  Mosaical,  did  not  formally  and  directly  bind  other 
nations.  2  Nor  were  they  bound  to  the  laws  of  their  pe- 
culiar policy,  civil  or  ecclesiastical,  which  were  positives. 
The  reason  is,  (1.)  Because  they  were  all  one  body  of  poli- 
tical laws,  given  peculiarly  to  one  political  body.  Even  the 
decalogue  itself  was  to  them  a  political  law.  (2.)  Because 
Moses  was  not  authorized  or  sent  to  be  the  mediator  or  deli- 
verer of  that  law  to  any  nation  but  the  Jews.  And  being 
never  in  the  enacting  or  promulgation  sent  or  directed  to  the 
rest  of  the  world,  it  could  not  bind  them* 

XL  As  to  the  second  question.  Though  the  Scripture  as 
a  writing  bound  not  all  the  world,  yet»  1.  The  law  of  nature 
as  such  which  is  recorded  in  Scripture  did  bind  all.     2.  The 

»  f  Tim.  iii.  15.  Roro.  iv.4.  xvi.  6.  Matt.  xxH.  f9.  Loke  txW.  f7.  St, 
45.  John  V.  39.  Acts  xrii.  2.  11.  xyiiu  S4,  25.  John  xx.  9.  vii.  38.  4f.  x. 
3^.  xnl  18.  xix.  24.28.  Luke  W.  18.  21.  2  Tim.  iii.  16.  3  Pet.  i.  19,  2a 
Acts  viii.  32,  S3.  35.     Rom.  i.  2. 

«  Rom.  i.  20,  21.  ii.  Exod.  xii.  19.43.  48,  49.  xx.  10.  Ler.  xrn.  It.  15. 
xTiii.  26.    xxiv.  16.  ff.    Nomb.ix.  14—16.  29,30.     xix.  10.     Deut;  i.  16. 


QUEST.  CLVI.]      CHRiaTIAN  £CCLft8IA8TlCS.  &47 

coTenant  of  grace  wak  inade  with  all  mankind  in  Adam  and* 
Noah :  and  they  were  bound  to  promulgate  it  by  traditioa 
to  all  their  offspring.  And  no  doub);  so  they  did ;  whether* 
by  word,  (as  all  did,)  or  by  writing  also,  (as  it  is  likely  some 
did,  as  Enoch's  prophecies  were  it  is  likely  delivered,  oj^else 
they  had  not  in  terms  been  preserved  till  Jude's  time)ii  3. 
And  Ood  himself  as  aforesaid  by  actual  providences,  par- 
doning, and  benefits  given  to  them  thfi4!  deeerred  hell,  did 
in  part  promulgate  it  himself.  4.  The  neighbour  nations 
might  learn  much  by  God's  doctrine  and  dealing  with  the 
Jews  y. 

III.  To  the  third  question,  1  answer,  1.  The  Jews  were  a 
people  chosen  by  Ood  out  of  all  the  nations  of  the  earth,  tO' 
be  a  holy  nation,  and  his  peculiar  treasure,  having  a  pecu- 
liar Divine  law  and  covenant,  and  many  great  privileges,  to^ 
which  the  rest  of  the  worid  were  strangers )  so  that  they 
were  advanced  above  all  other  kingdoms  of  the  world, 
though  not  in  wealth,  nor  worldly  power,  nor  largeness  of 
dominion,  yet  in  a  special  deamess  unto  Ood '. 

2.  But  they  were  not  the  only  people  to  whom  God* 
made  a  covenant  of  grace  in  Adam  and  Noah,  as  distinct 
from  the  law  or  covenant  of  innocency. 

3.  Nor  were  they  the  only  people  that  professed  to  wor- 
ship the  true  God ;  neither  was  holiness  and  salvation  con- 
fined to  them  ;  but  were  found  in  other  nations.  Therefore 
though  we  have  but  little  notice  of  the  state  of  other  king^ 
doms  in  their  times,  and  scarcely  know  what  national  chur- 
ches, (that  is,  whole  nations  professing  saving  faith,)  there 
were,  yet  we  may  well  conclude  that  there  were  other  visible 
churches  besides  the  Jews.  For,  1.  No  Scripture  denietb 
it;  and  charity  then  must  hope' the  best.  2.  The  Scrip- 
tures of  the  Old  Testament  give  us  small  account  of  other 
countries,  but  of  the  Jews  alone,  witji  some  of  their  neigh- 
bours. 3.  Shem  was  alive  in  Abraham's  days,  (yea,  about 
34  years  after  Abraham's  deatid,  and  within  12  y^ars  of  Ish- 
maers  death,  viz.  till  about  An.  Mundi  2158).  And  so 
great  and  blessed  a  man  as  Shem,  caimot  be  thought  to  be 

3  PaaL   cxlv.   9.     Qiii.  19.      c.  1.     Ro9)*  xiv.   11.     AcU  xxxiv.  36.    Ji^f 

xiv.  15. 

s  Deat.  xiY.  S,.5.  vii.  2.  69  7.  £sod.  six.  5.  yi*  7,  8.  LeV.  xx..t4.  Cd. 
Dcut.  !▼.  fO,  53.    xrii.  13.     xxxiii.  29.     Rom.  HL  1—3. 


548  CHRISTIAN  DIRECTORY.  [PART    111. 

less  than  a  king,  andto  have  a  kingdoiH governed accordii^ 
to  his  holiness ;  and  so  that  there  was  wi^  him  not  only  a 
church,  but  a  national  church,  or  holy  kingdom.  4.  And 
Melchizedec  was  a  holy  king  and  priest ;  and  therefore  had 
a  kingdom  holily  governed ;  and  therefore  not  only  a  visible 
but  also  a  national  churchy  (supposing  that  he  was  not 
Shem,  as  the  Jews  and  Broughton,  &c.  think ;  for  the  si- 
tuation of  his  country  doth  make  many  desert  that  opinion). 
5.  And  Job  and  his  friends  shew  that  there  were  churches 
then  besides  the  Jews.  6.  And  it  is  not  to  be  thought  that 
all  Ishmael's  posterity  suddenly  apostatized.  7.  Nor  that 
Esau's  posterity  had  no  church  state :  (for  both  retained 
circumcision).  8.  Nor  is  it  like  that  Abraham's  offspring 
by  Keturah  were  all  apostates,  being  once  inchurched.  For 
though  the  special  promise  was  made  to  Isaac's  seed,  as  the 
peculiar  holy  nation,  8lc.  yet  not  as  the  only  children  of 
God,  or  persons  in  a  state  of  salvation.  9.  And  the  passa- 
ges in  Jonah  about  Nineveh  give  us  some  such  intimations 
also.  10.  And  Japhet  and  his  seed  being  under  a  special 
blessing,  it  is  not  like  that  they  all  proved  apostates.  And 
what  was  in  all  other  kingdoms  of  the  world  is  little  known 
to  us. 

We  must  therefore  take  heed  of  concluding  (as  the  proud 
Jews  were  at  Jast  apt  to  do  of  themselves,)  that  because  they 
were  a  chosen  nation  privileged  above  all  others,  that  there- 
fore the  Redeemer  under  the  law  of  grace  made  to  Adam, 
had  no  other  churches  in  the  world,  and  that  there  were 
none  saved  but  the  Jews  and  proselytes  *. 

Quest.  CLvii.  Mtist  we  think  accordingly  of  the  Christian 
churches  now,  that  they  are  only  advanced  above  the  rest  of 
the  world  as  the  Jews  were,  but  not  the  only  people  that  are 
saved? 

Answ.  This  question  being  fitter  for  another  place,  what 
hope  there  is  of  tlie  salvation  of  the  people  that  are  not 
Christians,  I  have  purposely  handled  in  another  treatise  (in 
my  "  Method.  Theologiae"),  and  shall  only  say  now,  1.  That 
those  that  receive  not  Christ  and  the  Gospel  revealed  and 

•  It  if  thu  JewUh  pride  of  their  own  preragttiires  which  IVuil  ao  raoeh  labouivth 
Jn  all  hi*  epistles  to  pull  down. 


QU£ST.  CLVII.]  CHRISTIAN    ECCLESIASTICS.  549 

offered  to  them  cannot  be  saved  ^.  2.  That  all  those  shall 
be  saved,  (if  such  there  be)  who  never  had  sufficient  means 
to  know  Christ  incarnate^  and  yet  do  faithfully  perform  the 
common  conditions  of  the  covenant  of  grace  as  it  was  made 
with  Adam  and  Noah ;  and  particularly  all  that  are  truly 
sanctified,  who  truly  hate  ail  known  sin,  and  love  God  as 
God  above  all,  as  their  merciful,  reconciled,  pardoning  Fa^ 
ther,  and  lay  up  all  their  hopes  in  heaven,  in  the  everlasting 
fruition  of  him  in  glory,  and  set  their  hearts  there,  and  for 
those  hopes  deny  the  interest  of  the  flesh,  and  all  things  of 
this  world  ^. 

3.  But  how  many  or  who  doth  this  abroad  in  all  the 
kingdoms  of  the  world,  who  have  not  the  distinct  knowledge 
of  the  articles  of  the  Christian  faith,  it  is  not  possible  for  us 
to  know. 

4.  But  (as  Aquinas  and  the  schoolmen  ordinarily  con- 
clude this  question)  we  are  sure  that  the  chUrch  haUi  this 
prerogative  above  all  others,  that  salvation  is  incompa- 
rably more  common  to  Christians,  than  to  any  others,  as 
their  light,  and  helps,  and  means  are  more.  The  opinions 
of  Justin,  and  Clem.  Alexandn,  Origen,  and  many  other  an- 
cients, of  the  heathens'  salvation  I  suppose  is  known.  In 
short : 

L  It  seems  plain  to  me,  that  all  the  world  that  are  no 
Christians,  and  have  not  the  Gospel,  are  not  by  Christ's  in- 
carnation put  into  a  worse  condition  than  they  were  in  be- 
fore ;  but  may  be  saved  on  the  same  terms  that  they  might 
have  been  saved  on  before^. 

2.  That  Christ's  apostles  were  in  a  state  of  salvation  be- 
fore they  believed  the  articles  of  Christ's  dying  for  sin,  his 
resurrection,  ascension,  the  giving  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and 
Christ's  coming  to  judgment,  as  they  are  now  to  be  be- 
lieved •. 

3.  That  all  the  faithful  before  Christ's  coming  were  sa- 
ved by  a  more  general  faith  than  the  apostles  had,  as  not 
being  terminated  in  this  person,  Jesus,  as  the  Messiah,  but 
only  expected  the  Messiah  to  come  ^ 

b  Mark  xvi.  16.    John.  iiL  16—20.    i.  11,  If. 

^  Psal.  xix.  1— -5.    Acts  x.  9,  3.  35.    Kom.  it 

•>  1  Tim.  U.4.  iv.  10.    Tit.  U.  11.    John  i. «9.  iii.  )7.  iv.  4«.     Rom.!.  SI. 

•  John  i.  5.  &c.    ix.  12.  &c.     Matt.  xvi.  Sf,     John  zii.  16.     Luke  xvni.94. 

'  Mai.  Hi.  1,  9.     John  it,  $5. 


CH^ItiTlAN    DIRECTORY.  [j^ART  Hi. 

4.  That  •as  more  articles  are  necessary  to  those  tliat 
have  the  Gospel,  than  to  those  that  have  it  nojt,  and  to  those 
sinoe  Chiist's  incarnation  that  hear  ofhim»  them  to  the  Jews 
before,  so  'before,  there  were  more  things  necessary  even  to 
•those  Jews  ('that  had  a  shorter  creed  than  that  which  the 
i^ostles  believed  before  the  resurrection)  than  was  to  the 
rest  of  the  world  that  had  not  promises,  prophecies,  types 
and  laws,  so  particular^  distinct  and  full  as  they  had^. 

5.  That  the  promises,  covenant  or  law  of  grace  was  made 
io  all  lapsed  mankind  in  Adam  and  Noah  ^. 

6.  That  this  law  or  covenant  is  still  of  the  same  tenor, 
and  not  repealed*. 

7.  That  this  covenant  giveth  pardmiing  mercy,  and  sal- 
vaticm,  and 'promiseth  victory  over  satan,  to  and  by  the  ho- 
ly seed  ^. 

8.  Xhat  the  condition  on  man's  psirt,  is  repentance^  and 
s&ith  in  ^Ood  as  a  merciful  God  thus  paidoning  sin,  and  sa- 
viqg  the  penitent  believer.  But  just  ihow  particular  or  dis- 
tinct their  belief  of  the  incarnation  lof  Christ  was  to  he,  is 
Jiard  to  determine  ^ 

9.  But  after  Christ's  incarnation,  'even  tbey  that  *know  it 
not,  yet  are  not  by  the  first 'covenant  bound  to  believe  that 
the  Messiah  is  yet  to  be  incarnate,  or  the  Word  made  flesh; 
for  vthoy  are  not  bound  to  believe  an  untruth».and  that  as  the 
condition  of  salvation  "n. 

10.  Men  were' saved  hy  Christ  aboutfour  thousand  years 
before  he  wastnan, and  had  suffered,  saitisfied  ormetited as 
man. 

11.  The  whole  course  of  God^s  actuail  ^piovidence  since 
the  fall,  hath  so  iiUed  the  world  with  mercies  eontraiy  to 
f^&an's  damei it,  ^hat  it  (is<an  actual  uwrecscd  rproolamation  of 
the  pardoning  law  of  grace;  (which  is  thereby  inow-iiacanie 
even  the  law  of  nature,  that  is,  of  lapsed,  pardoned  natme, 
as  the  first  was  th^  natural  law^of  > inboeenoe  \ 

f  IlcAta.ii.  til.  14.'S6.     Ldke  zii.'47,  4^.    x«l  10. 
^  ^fiMifi&i.lS.   >k..l— 4. 
*  Psal.  czxxTU    ciH.37.    c..5. 
k  Gen.  ill.  15.    Jotiah  iiL  9,  10.     iv.  S. 

I  Jonah  ibid.    Rom.  ii.  4.     Luke  xiii.  3.  5.    Acts  x.  55.    John  iii.  19—21. 
»  1  John  iv.  f,  3.     1  Tim.  Ui.  16. 

»  Roto.  i.sO,  tl.  Acts  xiT.  17.  Rom.  IL  15,  16.  Psal.  xix.  1—5.  Pro?.!. 
«0— 14.     Exod,  xxxiv.  6.    Jer.  Iii.  It.    John  iv,  I.      Lake  tI,  S6.    xviii.  IS, 


QUEST.  CLVII.]  CHRISTIAN   £iCCL£;^ASTlCS.  &^l 

'  12.  ChriBt  giveth  a  great  deal  of  mercy  to  the9i  that 
never  heard  of  him  or  know  him :  and  he  giveth  far  more 
mercy  to  believers,  than  they  ihavie  a  particular  knowledge 
or  belief  of**. 

13.  There  is  no  salvation  but  by  Christ  the  Sayiour  of 
the  world ;  though  there  be  more  mercy  firom  Christ,  than 
there  is  faith  in  Christ  p. 

14.  No  man  could  ever  be  saved  without  believing  in 
God  as  a  merciful,  pardoning,  saving  God,  though  many 
have  been  saved  who  knew  not  the  person  of  Christ,  deter* 
minately.  For  he  that  cometh  to  God  must  believe  that 
God  is,  and  that  he  is  the  rewarder  of  them  that  diligently 
seek  him;  who  is  no  respecter  of  persons,  but  in  every  na- 
tion, he  that  feareth  God  and  worketh  righteousness  is  ac- 
cepted of  bim^i. 

15.  All  nations  on  earth  that  have  not  the  Gospel,  are 
obliged  by  God  to  the  use  of  certain  means,  and  improve- 
ment of  certain  mercies,  in  order  or  tendency  to  their  salva- 
tion.    And  it  is  their  sin  if  they  use  them  nof^. 

16.  God  hath  appointed  no  means  in  vain,  whi6h  men 
must  either  not  use,  or  use  despairingly.  But  his  command 
to  use  any  means  for  any  end,  containeth  (though  not  an  ex- 
plicit promise,  yet)  great  and  comfortable  encouragement  to 
use  that  means  in  hope '. 

17.  Therefore  the  world  is  now  in  comp^ison  of  the 
Catholic  church,  much  like  what  it  was  before  Christ's  in- 
carnation in  comparison  of  the  Jews'  church ;  who  yet  had 
many  ways  great  advantage,  though  God  was  not  the  God 
of  the  Jews  only,  but  jilso  of  the  Gentiles,  who  had  a  law 
written  on  their  hearts,  and  an  accusing  or  excusing  con- 
science. 

18.  Those  over-doing  divines  who  pretend  to  be  certain, 
that  all  the  world  are  damned  that  are  not  Christians,  do  add 
to  God's  Word,  and  are  great  agents  for  satan  to  tefnpt 
men  to  infidelity,  and  to  atheism  itself,  and  to  dissuade  man 

o  Psol.  cxlv.  9.     1  Tim.  iv.  10.     Bom.  x.  SO. 

P  Acta  IF.  12.    Jobo  zlv.  6. 

<i  Ueb.  XL  6.    Acts  X.  35.     2  Thess.  i.  11, 12.    Jer.  x.  25.    Rom.  x.  12—15. 

'  Acts  xiv.  17.  xTiL  27—30.  Rom.  i.  19—22.  ii.  4.  7.  10.  14,  15.  tsa. 
It.  6,  7. 

■  Joiwh  iv.  2.  iii.  10.  Acts  x.  35.  M«l.iii.  14.  Isa.  xIt.IR.  I^^nt.  xxkU. 
47.    MsU'ulO.    Prov.  i.  22<'-24.    Geo.  iv.  7.    Rom.  ii.  Hi. 


662  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART    111. 

kind  from  discerning  the  infinite  goodness  of  Ood ;  and  oc- 
casion many  to  deny  the  immortality  of  the  sool,  rather  than 
they  will  believe,  that  five  parts  in  six  of  the  world  now,  and 
almost  all  before  Christ's  incarnation,  have  immortal  souls 
purposely  created  in  them,  to  be  damned  vrithout  any  pro- 
pounded means  and  possibility-natural  of  remedy ;  and  as  I 
know  they  will  pour  out  their  bitter  censure  on  these  lines 
(which  I  could  avoid  if  I  regarded  it  more  than  truth)  so 
with  what  measure  they  mete,  it  shall  be  measured  to  them : 
and  others  will  damn  diem  as  confidently  as  they  damn  al- 
most all  the  world :  and  I  will  be  bold  to  censure  that  they 
are  Undoers  of  the  church  by  Over-doing.  See  more  in  my 
"Vindication  of  God's  Goodness/' 

Quest.  cLviii.  Should  not  ChrisUans  take  up  with  Scripiure' 
wisdom  only,  without  sttid^ng  philosophy  wnd  other  heathens* 
humoft  learning  f 

Answ.  I  have  already  proved  the  usefulness  of  common 
knowledge  called  human  learning,  by  twenty  reasons  in  my 
book  called  ''  The  Unreasonableness  of  Infidelity, ''  Part  it. 
sect.  23.  p.  163.  to  which  I  refer  the  reader:  and  only  say 
now,  1.  Grace  presupposeth  nature  ;  we  are  men  in  order  of 
nature  at  least  before  we  are  saints,  and  reason  is  before  su- 
pernatural revelation.  2.  Common  knowledge  therefore  is 
subservient  unto  faith  :  we  must  know  the  Creator  and  his 
works ;  and  the  Redeemer  restoreth  us  to  the  due  know- 
ledge of  the  Creator :  human  learning  in  the  sense  in  ques- 
tion is  also  Divine,  God  is  the  author  of  the  light  of  nature, 
as  well  as  of  grace.  We  have  more  than  heathens,  but  must 
not  therefore  have  less,  and  csLst  away  the  good  that  is  com- 
mon to  them  and  us ;  else  we  must  not  have  souls,  bodies, 
reason,  health,  time,  meat,  drink,  clothes,  &c,  because  hea- 
thens have  them.  God's  works  are  honourable,  sought  out 
of  all  them  that  have  pleasure  therein;  and  physical  philo- 
sophy is  nothing  but  the  knowledge  of  God's  works.  3. 
And  the  knowledge  of  languages  is  necessary  both  for  hu- 
man converse,  and  for  the  understanding  the  Scriptures 
themselves.  The  Scriptures  contain  not  a  Greek  and  He- 
brew grammar  to  understand  the  languages  in  which  they 
are  written,  but  suppose  us  otherwise  taught  those  tongues 


gUKHT.  CliVIII.J  CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  553 

that  we  may  interpret  them.    4.  The  use  of  the  Gospel  is 
not  to  teach  us  all  things  needful  to  be  known,  but  to  teach 
us,  on  supposition  of  our  common  knowledge,  how  to  ad- 
vance higher  to  supernatural  saving  knowledge,  faith,  love 
and  practice.     Scripture  telleth  us  not  how  to  build  a  house, 
to  plough,  sow,  weave,  or  make  our  works  of  art.     Every 
one  that  leameth  his  country  tongue  of  his  parents  hath  hu- 
man learning  of  the  same  sort  with  the  learning  of  Greek 
and  Hebrew :  he  that  leameth  not  to  read,  cannot  read  the 
Bible.     And  he  that  understandeth  it  not  in  the  original 
tongues,  must  trust  other  men's  words  that  have  human 
learning,  or  else  remain  a  stranger  to  it  ^ 
'    But  though  none  but  proud  fools  will  deny  the  need  of 
that  human  learning  which  improveth  nature,  and  is  subser- 
vient to  our  knowledge  of  supernatural  revelations,  yet  well 
doth  Paul  admonish  us,  to  take  heed  that  none  deceive  us 
by  vain  philosophy,  and  saith  that  the  wisdom  of  the  world 
is  foolishness  with  God,  and  that  the  knowledge  of  Christ 
crucified  is  the  true  Christian  philosophy  or  wisdom.     For 
indeed  the  dark  philosophers  groping  after  the  knowledge 
of  God,  did  frequently  stumble,  and  did  introduce  abun- 
dance of  logical  and  physical  vanities,  uncertainties  and 
falsities,  under  the  name  of  philosophy,  by  mere  niceties 
and  high  pretendings,  seeking  for  the  glory  of  wisdom  to 
themselves ;  when  as  it  is  one  thing  to  know  God's  works 
and  God  in  them,  and  another  thing  to  compose  a  system  of 
physics  and  metaphysics  containing  abundance  of  errors 
and  confusion,  and  jumbling  a  few  certainties  with  a  great 
many  uncertainties  and  untruths,  and  every  sect  pulling 
down  what  others  asserted,  and  all  of  them  disproving  the 
methods  and  assertions  of  others,  and  none  proving  their 
own.     And  the  truth  is,  after  all  latter  discoveries,  there  is 
yet  so  much  error,  darkness,  uncertainty  and  confusion  in 
the  philosophy  of  every  pretending  sect,  (the  Peripatetics, 
the  Stoics,  the  Pythagoreans  and  Platonists,  much  more 
the  Epicureans,  the  Lullianists,  the  Cartesians,  Telesius, 

'  Prov.  ii— tL  Pnl.  xcii.  5,  6.  cIt.  f4,  25.  cxiii.  5,  6.  ctU.  8.  15.  SI. 
IxvL  3,  4.  cxi.  2—6.  cxlv.  7^11.  17—19.  AcU  ii.  6—9.  xxi.  40.  xxiv.  9. 
1  Cor.  xiv.  2.  4.  9. 13, 14.  19.  S6,  27.  Rev.  ix.  11.  xit.  16.  ^.9.  Psal.  xix. 
1 — 3.  xciv.  10.  cxxxix.  6.  Pror*  iL  1—4.  S— 10.  12.  1  Cor.  xt.  34.  Prov. 
xix.  2.  Job  xxzii.  8.  xxxvili.  36.  Yet  I  refer  the  reader  to  my.  ''Treetiae  ef 
Knowledge,"  which  iheweth  the  vanity  of  pretended  leemhig. 


6M  VMRISTIAN   DIRECTORY.  [|PART  III. 

Campanella>  Patricius^  Gassendus^  Sec.)  that  it  is  a  wonder 
tihat  any  that  ever  tborougUy  tried  them,  can  be  so  wea^  aa 
to  glory  much  of  the  ^certaiuties  and  methods  of  any,  which 
hitherto  are  so  palpably  uncertain,  and  full  of  certain  errors. 
We  may  therefore  make  use  of  all  true  human  learning,  re- 
al and  organical,  (and  he  is  the  happy  scholar  who  fasten- 
eth  upon  the  Certain  and  Useful  parts  well  distinguished 
from  the  rest,  and  truly  useth  them  ib  their  great  and  pro- 
per ends):  but  niceties  and  fooleries  which  some   spend 
their  lives  in  for  mere  ostentation,  and  also  uncertain  pre- 
sumptions, should  be  much  neglected ;  and  the  great,  cer- 
tain, necessary,  saving  verities  of  morality  and  the  Gospel 
must  be  dearly  loved,  and  thankfully  embraced,  and   stu- 
diously leained,  and  faithfully  practised^  by  all  that  would 
|>rove  wise  men  at  last ". 

Quest.  cLix.  If  we  think  that  Scripture  and  the  law  of  nature 
do  in  aHjf  point  contradict  each  other,  which  may  be.  the  stand- 
ard bif  which  the  other  mufit  be  tried  ? 

Ajisw.  1.  It  is  certain  that  they  never  do  contradict  each 
other :  2.  The  law  of  nature  is  either  that  which  is  very 
dear  by  natural  evidence,  or  that  which  is  dark  (as  degrees 
of  consanguinity  unfit  for  marriage,  the  evil  of  officious  lies, 
&c.)<  3.  The  Scriptures  also  have  their  plain  and  their  ob- 
scurer parts.  4.  A  dark  Scripture  is  not  to  be  expounded 
contrary  to  a  plain,  natural  veiity.  5.  A  dark  and  doubtful 
point  in  nature  is  not  to  be  expounded  contrary  to  a  plain 
and 'Certain  Scripture.  6.  To  suppose  that  there  be  an  ap- 
fMirent  oontradiction  in  cases  of  equal  clearness  or  doubt- 
fldneas,  is  a  case  not  to  be  supposed ;  but  he  that  should 
have  such  a  dream,  muat  do  as  he  wo^ld  do  if  he  thought 
itwp  texts  to  be  contradictory,  that  is,  he  m)xsi  better  study 
.till  he  doth  see  his  error;  still  remembering. that  natural 
4^vid^nQe  hath  this  advantage,  that  it  is,  i.  First  .ux  order, 

"  Col.  ii.  8,  9.  i».  1  Cor.  ti.  1. 4—6. 13.  lit.  19-  2  Cor.  i.  Iff.  Job  xxwm, 
its.  .Prov.  i.7.  if .  10.  JohQxvii.3.  Gal.iv^  9.  £pb.  4u*  10.  1  John  ii.  13, 
14.  Col.  i.  9.  tr,  «S.  £i)^.  vi.  19.  1  Cor.  iL  11.  CoL  iiL  16.  Actsxvii.18, 
19.  &C  £ph.iv.  ISi  19.  Hqs.  iv.  1.  n.  6.  Psal.cnix.  99.  9  Pet.  iii.  18.  i.  3. 
5.8.  Col.ii.  3.  iiU  10.  PhiL  iii.  8.  £ph.  iii.  1^.'  ^  17.  Rool  i.  SO,  21. 
EccL  i.  16— 18*  1  Cor.  «iii.  1^  1 1.  xiii.  S«-r4.  8.  IMim.  ii.  SO.  Jmi^  Mi.  13, 14 . 
17.     Jer.  iv.  *t2,     1  GttT.  viil  S. 


QUEST.  CLX.]     CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  A66 

2.  And  most  common  and  received  by  all ;  but  supemar- 
tural  evidence  bath  this  advantage,  that  it  is  for  the  moat 
part  the  most  clear  and  satisfactory  '. 

Quest.  CLX.  May  we  not  look  thai  God  should  yet  give  us 
more  revelations  of  his  will,  than  there  are  already  made  in 
Scripture  ? 

Answ.  You  must  distinguish  between,  1.  New  laws  or 
covenants  to  oiiankind,  and  new  predictions  or  informations 
of  a  particular  person.  2.  Between  what  may  possibly  be, 
and  what  we  may  expect  as  icertain  or  probable.  And  so  J 
conclude, 

1.  That  it  is  ciertain  that  God  will  make  no  other  oove^ 
nant,  testament  or  universal  law,  for  the  government  of 
mankind  or  the  church  as  a  rule  of  duty  and  of  judgment. 
Because  he  hath  oft  told  us,  that  this  covenant  and  law  is 
perfect,  and  shall  be  in  .force  as  .our  rule  till  the  end  of  the 
world  y. 

Object,  '  So  it  was  said  of  the  law  of  Moses,  that  it  ^was 
to  stand  for  ever,  yea,  of  many  ceremonies  in  it.' 

Answ.  1.  It  is  in  the  original  only, '  for  ages  and  ages  ; ' 
or  '  to  generations  and  generations/ -which  we  translate  '  for 
ever,'  when  it  signifieth  but  '  to  many  generations.'  2.  It 
is  nowhere  said,  of  Moses's  law  as  such,  that  it  should  con- 
tinue either  tilLthe  end  of  the  world,  or  till  the  day  c^ju^g*- 
ment,  as  it  is  said  of  ithe 'Gospel.  And  3.  It  is  not  said  that 
he  will  add  no  more  to  the  former  testament,  but  oontrarily, 
ihat  he  will  make  a  Jiew  covenant  .with  ithem,  &c.  But  here 
in  .the  Gospel  he  peremptorily  resolveth  against  all  innox^i^ 
tionsand  additions'. 

2.  It  is  certain  that  God  will  make  no  new  Scripturcor 
inspired  Word  as  an  infallible,  universal  rule  for  the  exposi- 
tion of  the  W.ord  already  written.  For,  1.  This  were  an 
addition  which  ^heJlath  disclaimed,  and,  2.  It  would  imply 
such  an  insufficiency  in.the  Goapelto  its  ends  (as  being  not 
intelligible)  as  is  contrary  to  its  asserted  perfection,  and,  3. 

»  1  John  i.  1—3.     Heb.  ii.  3,  4. 

y  Gai:i;r— 9.     Matt.  xxnii.«0.    «  Thess.i."lO.  11.    llUAxvi.15,16. 
>  Rev  xiv.  6.     xzii.  18,  19.     Heb.  vii.  SB,  29.    1  llro.  i.  )6.    Rom.  tu  «2. 
Johu  V.  *i2,  24.     vi  f7.  40.  47-    xu.  50.     Ueb.  i.  7—9. 


556  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

It  would  be  contrary  to  that  established  way  for  the  under- 
standing of  the  Scripture,  which  Ood  hath  already  settled 
and  appointed  for  us  till  the  end  *. 

3.  It  is  certain  that  God  will  give  all  his  servants  in 
their  several  measures,  the  help  and  illumination  of  his  Spi- 
rit, for  the  understanding  and  applying  of  the  Gospel. 

4.  It  is  possible  that  God  may  make  new  revelations  to 
particular  persons  about  their  particular  duties,  events  or 
matters  of  fact,  in  subordination  to  the  Scripture,  either  by 
inspiration,  vision,  or  apparition,  or  voice ;  for  he  hath  not 
told  us  that  he  will  never  do  such  a  thing.  As  to  tell  them, 
what  shall  beial  them  or  others  ;  or  to  say, '  Go  to  such  a 
place,  or.  Dwell  in  such  a  place,  or.  Do  such  a  thing,'  which 
is  not  contrary  to  the  Scripture,  nor  co-ordinate,  but  only 
a  subordinate  determination  of  some  undetermined  case,  or 
the  circumstantiating  of  an  action. 

6.  Though  such  revelation  and  prophecy  be  possible, 
there  is  no  certainty  of  it  in  general,  nor  any  probability  of 
it  to  any  one  individual  person^  much  less  a  promise.  And 
therefore  to  expect  it,  or  pray  for  it,  is  but  a  presumptuous 
tempting  of  God  **. 

6.  And  all  sober  Christians  should  be  the  more  cautious 
of  being  deceived  by  their  own  imaginations,  because  cer- 
tain experience  telleth  us,  that  most  in  our  age  that  have 
pretended  to  prophecy,  or  to  inspirations,  or  revelations, 
have  been .  melancholy  cracked-brained  persons,  near  to 
madness,  who  have  proved  deluded  in  the  end ;  and  that  such 
crazed  persons  are  still  prone  to  such  imaginations. 

7.  Therefore  also  all  sober  Christians  must  take  heed  of 
rash  believing  every  prophet  or  pretended  spirit,  lest  they 
be  led  away  from  the  sacred  rule,  and  before  they  are  aware, 
be  lost  in  vain  expectations  and  conceits. 

Quest.  CLxi.  Is  not  a  third  rule  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  or  more 
perfect  kingdom  of  love  to  be  expected,  as  dijfferent  from  the 
reign  of  the  Creator  and  Redeemer  f 

Answ.  1.  The  works  'ad  extra'  and  the  reign  of  the  Fa- 
ther, Word  and  Spirit  are  undivided.     But  yet  some  things 

•  Eph.  i.  18,19. 

k  Micah  ii.  11.     I  Kings  xxiL  SI,  St.     1  John  \r.  1,  S.     1  Then.  ii.  S. 


QUEST.  CLXI.J    CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  557 

are  more  eminently  attributed  to  one  person  in  the  Trinity, 
and  some  to  another  ^. 

2.  By  the  law  and  covenant  of  innocency,  the  Creator 
eminently  ruled  omnipotently.  And  the  Son  ruled  eminent- 
ly sapientially,  initially  under  the  covenant  of  promise  or 
grace  from  Adam  till  his  incarnation  and  the  descent  of  the  . 
Holy  Ghost,  and  more  fully  and  perfectly  afterward  by  the 
Holy  Ghost.  And  the  Holy  Ghost  ever  since  doth  rule  in 
the  saints  as  the  Paraclete,  Advocate  or  Agent  of  Christ, 
and  Christ  by  him,  eminently  by  holy  love  ;  which  is  yet 
but  initially :  but  the  same  Holy  Ghost  by  perfect  love 
shall  perfectly  rule  in  glory  for  ever ;  even  as  the  Spirit  of 
the  Father  and  the  Son.  We  have  already  the  initial  king- 
dom of  love  by  the  Spirit,  and  shall  have  the  perfect  king- 
dom in  heaven ;  and  besides  the  initial  and  the  perfect  there 
is  no  other.  Nor  is  the  perfect  kingdom  to  be  expected  be- 
fore the  day  of  judgment,  or  our  removal  unto  heaven ;  for 
our  kingdom  is  not  of  this  world.  And  they  that  sell  all 
and  follow  Christ,  do  make  the  exchange  for  a  reward  in 
heaven  ;  and  they  that  suffer  persecution  for  his  sake,  must 
rejoice  because  their  reward  in  heaven  is  great :  and  they 
that  relieve  a  prophet  or  righteous  man  for  the  sake  of 
Christ,  and  that  lose  any  thing  for  him,  shall  have  indeed 
an  hundred  fold  (in  value)  in  this  life,  but  in  the  world  to 
come  eternal  life.  We  shall  be  taken  up  in  the  clouds  to 
meet  the  Lord  in  the  air,  and  so  shall  we  ever  be  with  the 
Lord  :  and  those  are  the  words  with  which  we  must  comfort 
one  another,  and  not  Jewishly  with  the  hopes  of  an  earthly 
kingdom.  And  yet  "  we  look  for  a  new  heaven  and  a  new 
earth  wherein  dwelleth  righteousness,  according  to  his  pro- 
mise." But  who  shall  be  the  inhabitants,  and  how  that 
heaven  and  earth  shall  differ,  and  what  we  shall  then  have 
to  do  with  earth,  whether  to  be  overseers  of  that  righteous 
earth  (and  so  to  judge  or  rule  the  world)  as  the  angels  are 
now  over  us  in  this  world,  are  things  which  yet  I  understand 
not  S 

^  John  V,  ««.  «5.    ProT.  i,  «0,  21. 

«  Matt.  V.  1 1, 1«.  Loke  xrul  tt,  23.     Matt.  x.  41, 42.     Luke  vi.  23.     xti  20. 

1  Cor.  xii.  2,  5.     t.  1. 3.  8.     Matt,  xviii.  10.     1  Tliess.  iv  17,  18.     Mark  zii.  25. 

2  Pet.  ill.  11—13.     1  Pet.  i.  4.    Heb.  x.  34.     xii,  13.     Col.i.  5.    PhU,  iii.  20, 21. 


558  CHRISTIAN  DtRECTORY.  [pARTFII. 

Quest.  CLxii.  Majf  we  not  look  far  miitatinhereqfierf 

Answ.  1.  The  answer  to  Quest,  clx.  may  serve  to  this. 
1.  God  may  work  miracles  if  he  please,  and  hath  not  told  mm 
that  he  never  will  \ 

2.  But  he  hath  not  promised  to  us  that  he  will,  and 
tlierefore  we  cannot  believe  such  a  promise,  nor  expect  them 
as  a  certain  thing.  Nor  may  any  pray  for  the  gift  of  mira- 
cles. 

3.  But  if  there  be  any  probability  of  them,  it  will  be  to 
those  that  are  converting  infidel  nations,  when  they  may  be 
partly  of  such  use  as  they  were  at  firsts 

4.  Yet  it  is  certain,  that  God  still  sometimes  woilceth 
miracles :  but  arbitrarily  and  rarely,  which  may  not  put  any 
individual  person  in  expectation  of  them. 

Object.  '  Is  not  the  promise  the  same  to  us  as  to  the 
apostles  and  primitive  Christians,  if  we  could  bat  believe 
as  they  did  ? ' 

.  Answ.  1 .  The  promise  to  be  believed  goeth  before  the 
faith  that  believeth  it,  and  not  that  faith  before  the  promise. 
2.  The  promise  of  the  Holy  Ghost  was  for  perpetuity,  to 
sanctify  all  believers  :  but  the  promise  of  that  special  gift 
<vf  miracles,  was  for  a  time,  because  it  was  for  a  special  use ; 
that  is,  to  be  a  standing  seal  to  the  truth  of  the  Gospel, 
which  all  after  ajjes  may  be  convinced  of  in  point  of  fact, 
aTid  so  may  still  have  the  use  and  benefit  of*.  And  pro- 
vidence (ceasing  miracles),  thus  expoundeth  tlie  promise. 
And  if  miracles  must  be  common  to  all  persons  and  ages, 
they  would  be  as  no  miracles.  And  we  have  seen  those 
that  most  confidently  believed  they  should  work  them,  all 

fail. 

But  I  have  written  so  largely  of  this  point  in  a  set  dis- 
putation in  my  Treatise  called  "  The  Unreasonableness  of 
Infidelity,"  fully  proving  those  first  miracles  satisfactory 
and  obligatory  to  all  following  ages,  that  I  must  thither  now 
refer  the  reader.  ^ 

Quest.  CLX  111.  Is  th£  Scripture  to  be  tried  by  the  Spirit, 
or  the  Spirit  by  the  Scripture,  and  which  of  them  is  to  be 
preferred^ 

A  Luke  xxHi.  8.  «  1  Cor,  xii.  28,29.     Heb.  ii.  5,  4     John  x.  41. 


QUBST.  CLXIII.]  CHKiaTIAN  BCGLESIASTICS.  559 

Ansto,  I  put  the  <q[ti€stTon  time  confusedly,  for  the  sake 
of  those  that  use  to  do  so,  to  shew  them  how  to  get  out  of 
their  own  confusion.  You  must  distinguish,  1.  Between 
the  Spirit  in  itself  considered,  and  the  Scripture  in  itself. 
2.  Between  the  several  operations  of  the  Spirit.  3.  Be- 
tween the  several  persons  that  bare  the  Spirit.  And  so  you 
must  conclude, 

1.  That  the  Spirit  in  itself  is  infinitely  more  excellent 
than  the  Scripture.  For  the  Spirit  is  God,  and  the  Scrip- 
ture is  but  the  work  of  God. 

2.  The  operation  of  the  Spirit  in  the  apostles  was  more 
excellent  than  the  operation  of  the  same  Spirit  now  in  us ; 
a»  producing  more  excellent  effects,  and  more  infallible. 

3.  Therefore  the  Holy  Scriptures  which  were  the  infalli- 
ble dictates  of  the  Spirit  in  the  apostles,  are  more  perfect 
than  any  of  our  apprehensions  which  come  by  the  same  Spi- 
rit (which  wc  have  not  in  so  great  a  measure  0« 

4.  Therefore  we  must  not  try  the  Scriptures  by  our  most 
spiritual  apprehensions,  but  our  apprehensions  by  the 
Scriptures :  that  is,  we  must  prefer  the  Spirit^s  inspiring 
the  apostles  to  indite  the  Scripture,  before  the  Spirit's  illu- 
minating of  us  to  understand  them,  or  before  any  present  in- 
spirations, the  former  being  the  more  perfect;  because 
Christ  gave  the  apostles  the  Spirit  to  deliver  us  infallibly 
his  own  commands,  and  to  indite  a  rule  for  following  ages  ; 
but  he  giveth  us  the  Spirit  but  to  understand  and  use  that  . 
rule  aright^. 

5.  This  trying  the  Spirit  by  the  Scriptures,  is  not  a 
setting  of  the  Scripture  above  the  Spirit  itself;  but  is  only 
a  trying  the  Spirit  by  the  Spirit:  that  is,  the  Spirit's  opera- 
tions in  ourselves  and  his  revelations  to  any  pretenders  now, 
by  the  Spirit's  operations  in  the  apostles,  and  by  their  reve- 
lations recorded  for  our  use.  For  they  and  not  we  are  called 
foundations  of  the  church^. 

f  1  John  iv.  1,  t.  6.     John  xviii.  37.     vui.  47. 

f  Acts  xvii.  II,  12.  Malt.  v.  18.*  Rom.  xvi.  26.  Matt,  xxviii.  20.  Luke 
X.  16. 

*»  Rev.  ii.  2.  Judc  17.  2  PetfH.  2.  Epbes.  ir.  11,  12.  1  Cor.  xn,  28,  29. 
Ephes.  ii.  20. 


560  CHRISTIAN  DIRECTORY.         [PART  III. 

Quest,  chxiv.  Haw  is  a  pretended  prophet  or  revelation  to 

be  tried  f 

Answ.  1.  If  it  be  contrary  to  the  Scripture  it  ib  to  be  re- 
jected as  a  deceit  K 

2.  If  it  be  the  same  thing  which  is  in  the  Scripture,  we 
have  it  more  certainly  revealed  already ;  therefore  the  reve* 
lation  can  be  nothing  but  an  assistance  of  the  person's  &ith, 
or  a  call  to  obedience,  or  a  reproof  of  some  sin  ;  which  every 
man  is  to  believe  according  as  there  is  true  evidence  that 
indeed  it  is  a  Divine  revelation  or  vision ;  which  if  it  be 
not,  the  same  thing  is  still  sure  to  us  in  the  Scripture. 

3.  If  it  be  something  that  is  only  besides  the  Scripture 
(as  about  events  and  facts,  or  prophecies  of  what  will  befall 
particular  places  or  persons)  we  must  first  see  whether  the 
evidence  of  a  Divine  revelation  be  clear  in  it  or  not ;  and 
that  is  known,  1.  To  the  person  himself,  by  the  self-attesting 
and  convincing  power  of  a  Divine  revelation,  which  no  man 
knoweth  but  he  that  hath  it ;  (and  we  must  be  very  cautious 
lest  we  take  false  conceptions  to  be  such).  2.  But  to  himself 
and  others  it  is  known,  (1.)  At  present  by  clear,  uncontrolled 
miracles,  which  are  Qod's  attestation ;  which  if  men  shew, 
we  are  bound  (in  this  case)  to  believe  them.  (2.)  For  the 
future,  by  the  event,  when  things  so  plainly  come  to  pass, 
as  prove  the  prediction  to  be  of  Ood.  He  therefore  that 
giveth  you  not  by  certain  miracles  uncontrolled,  a  just  proof 
that  he  is  sent  of  God,  is  to  be  heard  with  a  suspended  be- 
lief; you  must  stay  till  the  event  shew  whether  he  say  true 
or  not ;  and  not  act  any  thing  in  the  mean  time  upon  an  un- 
proved presumption  either  of  the  truth  or  falsehood  of  his 
words  ^, 

4.  If  you  are  in  doubt  whether  that  which  he  speaketh 
be  contrary  to  God's  Word  or  not,  you  must  hear  him  with 
a  proportionable  suspicion,  and  give  no  credit  to  him  till 
you  have  tried  whether  it  be  so  or  not. 

5.  It  is  a  dangerous  snare  and  sin  to  believe  any  one's 
prophecies  or  revelations  merely  because  they  are  very  holy 
persons,   and  do  most  confidently  aver  or  swear  it.     l^or 

*  Acts  zvii.  11.    1  Cor.  xv.  5,  4.    John  x.  35.    xiz.  24.  28.  36,57. 
k  Johniiuf.     ziii.  19.     xiv.  90.    Lake  xxi.  7.  9.  28.  31.  36.     Matt.  v.  18. 
xiiv.  34.     xzi.  )•. 


QU£S1\  CLXVI.]   CHRISTIAN    £CCLE8IA8TIC8.         .  501 

they  may  be  deceived  themselves.  As  also  to  take  hys- 
terical, or  melancholy  delirations  or  conceptions  for  the 
revelations  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  so  to  father  falsehood 
upon  God. 

Quest.  CLXv.  May  one  be  saved  who  believeth  that  the  <Scnp- 
ture  hath  any  mistake  or  error y  and  beKeveth  it  not  all  ? 

Answ.  The  chief  part  of  the  answer  to  this  must  be 
fetched  from  what  is  said  before  about  fundamentals.  L 
No  man  can  be  saved  who  believeth  not  that  God  is  no  liar, 
and  that  all  his  Word  is  true ;  because  indeed  he  believeth 
not  that  there  is  a  God  K 

2.  No  man  can  be  saved  who  believeth  not  the  points 
that  are  essential  to  true  godliness ;  nor  any  man  that  hear- 
eth  the  Word,  who  believeth  not  all  essential  to  Christianity^ 
or  the  Christian  covenant  and  religion^ 

3.  A  man  may  be  saved  who  believeth  not  some  books 
of  Scripture,  (as  Jude,  2  Peter,  2  John,  3  John,  Revelations,) 
to  be  canonical,  or  the  Word  of  God ;  so  he  heartily  believe 
the  rest,  or  the  essentials. 

4.  He  that  thinketh  that  the  prophets,  sacred  historians, 
evangelists,  and  apostles,  were  guided  to  an  infallible  deli- 
very and  recording  of  all  the  great,  substantia],  necessary 
points  of  the  Gospel,  but  not  to  an  infallibility  in  every  bye- 
expression,  phrase,  citation,  or  circumstance,  doth  disad- 
vantage his  own  faith  as  to  all  the  rest ;  but  yet  may  be 
saved,  if  he  believe  the  substance  with  a  sound  and  practi- 
cal belief"". 

Quest.  CLXvi.  Who  be  they  that  give  too  little  to  the 
Scripture,  and  who  too  rnitch;  and  what  is  the  danger 
of  each  extreme  f 

Answ.  1.  It  is  not  easy  to  enumerate  all  the  errors  on 
either  extreme ;  but  only  to  give  some  instances  of  each.  1. 
They  give  too  little  to  the  Scripture  who  deny  it  to  be  in- 
dited by  inspiration  of  the  infallible  Spirit  of  God,  and  to  be 

I  RcT.  vi.  10.  xii.  9. 11.  xxi.  5.  zxii.  6.  1  John  ii.  8.  ▼•  20.  i  Cor.  i. 
18.     1  Cor.  XT.  1— S,  &c 

*  Mark  xW.  16.    Rom.  x.  IS,  13.  John  iiL  16. 18.     1  Jofanir.  t,  S, 

VOL.  V.  O    O 


MS  CHKISTIAN    DlR£CTaKt.        [PART  III. 

wholly  true.  2.  And  they  that  detraet  from  some  purti  or 
\io6ks  of  it  ivhile  they  believe  the  rest.  3.  And  they  th»t 
think  it  is  not  given  as  a  law  of  Qod,  and  as  a  rule  of  fiidi 
and  life.  4.  And  they  that  think  it  is  not  an  universal  law 
and  rule  for  all  the  world,  but  for  some  parts  only  (supposing 
the  predication  of  it).  5.  And  they  that  think  it  an  imper- 
fect law  and  rule,  which  must  be  made  up  with  the  supple- 
ment of  traditions  or  revelations.  6.  And  they  that  think 
it  was  adapted  only  to  the  time  it  was  written  in,  and  not 
to  our's,  as  not  foreseeing  what  would  be.  7.  And  they 
that  think  it  is  culpably  defective  in  method.  8.  And  they 
that  think  it  culpably  defective  in  phrase,  aptness,  or  elegan- 
cy of  style.  9.  And  they  that  think  that  it  containeth  not 
all  that  was  necessary  or  fit  for  universal  determination,'  of 
that  kind  of  things  which  it  doth  at  all  universally  deter^ 
mine  of;  as  e.  .g«  that  it  made  two  sacraments,  but  not  all 
of  that  kind  that  are  fit  to  be  made^  but  hath  left  men  to  in- 
vent and  make  more  of  the  same  nature  and  use.  10.  And 
those  that  think  that  it  is  fitted  only  to  the  learned,  or  only 
to  the  unlearned,  only  to  princes,  or  only  to  subjects,  &c. 
11.  And  those  that  think  that  it  is  but  for  a  time,  and  then 
by  alteration  to  be  perfected  as  Moses's  law  was.  12.  And 
those  that  think  that  the  pope,  princes,  or  prelates,  or  any 
men  may  change  or  alter  it  °. 

IL  Those  give  too  much  (in  bulk,  but  too  little  in  vir- 
tue) to  Scripture,  1.  Who  would  set  them  up  instead  of  the 
whole  law  and  light  of  nature,  as  excluding  this  as  useless 
where  the  Scripture  is. 

2.  And  they  that  feign  it  to  be  instead  of  all  grammars, 
logic,  philosophy,  and  all  other  arts  and  sciences,  and  to  be 
a  perfect,  particular  rule  for  every  ruler,  lawyer*  physician, 
mariner,  architect,  husbaodman,  and  tradesman,  to  do  his 
work  by. 

3.  And  they  that  feign  it  to  be  fully  suflGicientto  all  men 
to  prove  its  own  authority  and  truth,  without  the  subsidiary 
use  of  that  church-history  and  tradition  which  telleth  us  the 
supposed  matters  of  fact,  and  must  help  us  to  know  what 
books  are  canonical  and  whatnot;  and  without  historical 
evidence,  that  these  are  the  true  books  which  the  prophets 

B  James  IT.  It.  Is8.zxziti.  ti.  Rev.  xzii.  18,  19.  Matt,  xzriit.  SO.  In. 
vni.  16.  SO.    PnU  six.  7,  8.   czU.  ISO.    Pro?,  xiv.  SO.  tt.  rm.  5.    VtuU  xii.  St. 


C|t7EaX«  CLXVI J   JDHRISTIAN  ECCLBSiASTICS.         608 

mnd  apostles  wrote,  and  the  miracles  and  providences  whick 
have  attested  them  \ 

4.  And  those  that  think  that  it  is  sufficient  for  it9  own 
promulgation^  or  the  people's  instruction,  without  the  mi- 
nistry of  man  to  preserve,  deliver,  translate,  expound,  and 
preach  it  to  the  people. 

5.  And.  those  that  think  it  sufficient  to  sanctify  men, 
without  the  concourse  of  the  Spirit's  illumination,  vivifica- 
tion  and  inward  operation  to  that  end  p. 

6.  And  they  that  say  that  no  man  can  be  saved  by  the 
knowledge,  belief,  love,  and  practice  of  all  the  substantial 
parts  of  Christianity  brought  to  him  by  tradition,  parents, 
or  preachers,  who  tell  him  nothing  of  the  Scriptures,  but  de- 
liver him  the  doctrines  as  attested  by  miracles  and  the  Spi- 
rit without  any  notice  of  the  book. 

7.  And  those  that  say  that  Scripture  alone  must  be  made 
use  of  as  to  all  the  history  of  Scripture  times,  and  that  it  is 
unlawful  to  make  use  of  any  other  historians,  (as  Josephus 
and  such  others). 

8.  And  they  that  say,  no  other  books  of  divinity  but 
Scripture  are  useful,  yea  or  lawful  to  be  read  of  Christians ; 
or  at  least  in  the  church. 

9.  And  they  that  say  that  the  Scriptures  are  so  Divine, 
not  only  in  matter,  but  in  method  and  style,  as  that  there  is 
nothing  of  human  (inculpable)  imperfection  or  weakness  in 
them. 

10.  And  those  that  say  that  the  logical  method,  and  the 
phrase  is  as  perfect  as  Ood  was  able  to  make  them. 

11.  And  they  that  say  that  all  passages  in  Scripture, 
historically  related,  are  moral  truths ;  and  so  make  the 
devil's  words  to  Eve,  of  J[ob,  to  Christ,  &c.,  to  be  all 

true. 

12.  And  they  that  say  that  all  passages  in  the  Scrip- 
ture were  equally  obligatory  to  all  other  places  and  ages, 
as  to  those  that  first  received  them,  (as  the  kiss  of  peace, 
the  veils  of  women,  washing  feet,  anointing  the  sick,  dea- 
connesses,  &c«). 

13.  And  they  that  make  Scripture  so  perfect  a  rule  to 
our  belief,  that  nothing  is  to  be  taken  for  certain,  that 

•  1  John  L 1—^    3  John  It.    Ileb.  ii.  S,  4.   Jobn  ii.  fi.   £plies.ir.  S— 16. 
PjohufiSS.    Roai.Tiu.9.     t  Jolm  iiU  94.    Jolinfii.5,  6. 


564  CHRISTIAN  DIRECTORjr.  [PART  HI. 

Cometh  to  us  any  other  way,  (as  natural  knowledge,  or  hiB- 
torical). 

14.  And  those  that  think  men  may  not  translate  the 
Scripture,  turn  the  psalms  into  metre,  tune  them,  diride  the 
Scripture  into  chapters  and  verses.  See.,  as  being  derogatory 
alterations  of  the  perfect  Word, 

15.  And  those  that  think  it  so  perfect  a  particular  rule 
of  all  the  circumstances,  modes,  adjuncts,  and  external  ex- 
pressions of  and  in  Ood's  worship,  as  that  no  such  may  be 
invented  or  added  by  man,  that  is  not  there  prescribed ;  as 
time,  place,  vesture,  gesture,  utensils,  methods,  words,  and 
many  other  things  mentioned  before  ^. 

16.  And  those  that  Jewishly  feign  a  multitude  of  unprov- 
ed mysteries  to  lie  in  the  letters,  order,  numbers,  and  proper 
names  in  Scripture,  (though  I  deny  not  that  there  is  much 
mystery  which  we  litUe  observe). 

17.  They  that  say  that  the  Scripture  is  all  so  plain, 
that  there  are  no  obscure  or  difficult  passages  in  them, 
which  men  are  in  danger  of  wresting  to  theiF  own  des- 
truction. 

18.  And  they  that  say  that  all  in  the  Scripture  is  so 
necessary  to  salvation  (even  the  darkest  prophecies), 
that  ttiey  cannot  be  saved  that  understand  them  not  all : 
or  at  least  endeavour  not  sthdiously  and  particularly  to  un- 
derstand them  ^. 

19.  And  they  that  say  that  every  book  and  text  must 
of  necessity  to  salvation  be  believed  to  be  canonical  and 
true. 

20.  And  those  that  say  that  God  hath  so  preserved  the 
Scripture,  as  that  there  are  no  various  readings  and  doubt- 
ful texts  thereupon  •,  and  that  no  written  or  printed  copies 
have  been  corrupted,  (when  Dr.  Heylin  tells  us,  that  the 
king's  printer  printed  the  seventh  commandment,  'Thou 
shalt  commit  adultery.')    All  these  err  in  overdoing. 

III.  The  dangers  of  the  former  detracting  from  the  Scrip- 
ture are  these,  1.  It  injnreth  the  Spirit  who  is  the  author  of 
the  Scriptures.  2.  It  striketh  at  the  foundation  of  our  faith, 
by  weakening  the  records  which  are  left  us  to  believe ;  and 
emboldeneth  men  to  sin,  by  diminishing  the  authority  of 

4  1  Cor.  xW.  35. 40.  f6.  r  Heb.  ▼.  10— It. 

•  Of  which  tee  Lod.  Ctpelhis  CrH,  Sacr. 


QUEST.  CLXVIl.]      CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.         565 

God's  law ;  and  weakeneth  our  hopes,  by  weakening  the 
promises.  3.  It  shaketh  the  universal  government  of 
Christ,  by  shaking  the  authority  or  perfection  of  the  laws 
by  which  he  govemeth.  4.  It  maketh  way  for  human  usur- 
pations, and  traditions,  as  supplements  to  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures ;  and  leaveth  men  to  contrive  to  amend  God's  Word 
and  worship,  and  make  co-ordinate  laws  and  doctrines  of 
their  own.  6.  Ithindereth  the -conviction  and  conversion 
of  sinners,  and  hardeneth  them  in  unbelief,  by  questioning 
or  weakening  the  means  that  should  convince  and  turn 
them.  6.  It  is  a  tempting  men  to  the  cursed  adding  to 
God's  Word. 

IV.  The  dangers  of  overdoing  here  are  these;  1.  It 
leadeth  to  downright  infidelity ;  for  when  men  find  that  the 
Scripture  is  imperfect  or  wanting  in  that  which  they  fancy 
to  be  part  of  its  perfection,  and  to  be  really  insufficient,  e. 
g.  to  teach  men  physics,  logic,  medicine,  languages.  See., 
they  will  be  apt  to  say,  '  It  is  not  of  God,  because  it  hath 
not  that  which  it  pretends  to  have.'  2.  God  is  made  the 
author  of  defects  and  imperfections.  3.  The  Scripture  is 
exposed  to  the  scorn  and  confutation  of  infidels.  4.  Papists 
are  assisted  in  proving  its  imperfection.  But  I  must  stop, 
having  spoke  to  this  point  before  in  Quest.  35.  and  partly 
Quest.  30.  31.  33.  more  at  large. 

Quest.  CLXvii.  Haw  far  do  good  men  now  preach  and  pray 

by  the  Spirit  ? 

Answ.  1.  Not  by  such  inspiration  of  new  matter  from 
God  as  the  prophets  and  apostles  had  which  indited  the 
Scriptures. 

2.  Not  so  as  to  exclude  the  exercise  of  reason,  memory, 
or  diligence  :  which  must  be  as  much  and  more  than  about 
any  common  things. 

3.  Not  so  as  to  exclude  the  use  and  need  of  Scripture,  mi- 
nistry, sermons,  books,  conference,  examples,  use,  or  other 
means  and  helps. 

But  1.  The  Spirit  indited  that  doctrine  and  Scripture 
which  is  our  rule  for  prayer  and  for  preaching. 

2.   The  Spirit's   miracles   and  works    in  and  by  the 


560  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  UK 

apostles  seal  that  doctrine  to  n%,  and  confiim  oar  fiuth 
in  it^ 

8.  The  Spirit  in  our  faithful  pastors  and  teachers  teach- 
eth  us  by  thtei  to  pray  and  preacli  *. 

4.  The  Spirit  by  illumination^  quickening,  and  sanctifi- 
cation,  giveth  us  an  habitual  acquaintance  with  our  sins,  our 
wants,  with  the  Word  of  ptecept  and  promise,  ^ith  God, 
with  Christ,  with  grace,  with  heaven.  And  it  giveth  us  a 
habit  of  holy  love  to  God,  and  goodness  and  thankfulness 
foir  mercy  and  faith  in  Christ,  and  the  life  to  come,  and  de* 
sires  of  perfection,  and  hatred  of  sin ;  and  he  diat  hath  all 
these,  hath  a  constant  habit  of  prayer  in  him;  for  prayer  it 
nothing  but  the  expression  with  the  tongue  of  these  graces 
in  the  heart ;  so  that  the  Spirit  of  sanctifieation  is  thereby 
a  Spirit  of  adoption  and  of  supplication.  And  he  that  hath 
freedom  of  utterance  can  speak  that  which  Ood's  Spirit  hath 
put  into  his  very  heart,  and  made  him  esteem  his  greatest 
knd  nearest  concernment,  and  the  most  necessary  and  ex- 
cellent thing  in  all  the  world.  This  id  the  Spirit's  prinoi* 
pal  help  ". 

6.  The  same  Spirit  doth  incline  our  hearts  to  the  dili- 
gent use  of  all  those  means,  by  which  his  abilities  mxif  be 
increased  ;  as  to  read,  and  hear,  and  confek*^  and  to  use  our- 
selves to  prayer,  and  to  meditation,  self>examinati6to,  &c. ' 

6.  The  same  Spirit  helpeth  us  in^e  use  of  all  these 
means,  to  profit  by  them,  and  to  make  them  all  effectual  on 
our  hearts. 

7.  The  same  Spirit  concurreth  with  means,  habits,  rea- 
son, and  our  own  endeavours,  to  help  us  in  the  veiy  act  of 
praying  and  preaching :  1.  By  illuminating  our  minds  to 
know  what  to  desire  and  say.  2.  By  actuating  our  wiUs  to 
love,  and  holy  desire,  and  oUier  affections.  3.  By  qnicken- 
ing  and  exciting  us  to  a  liveliness  and  fervency  in  alL  And 
so  bringing  our  former  habits  into  acts,  the  grace  of  pntyer 
is  the  heart  and  soul  of  gifts ;  atnd  thus  tike  Spirit  ieacheth 
us  to  prayy.  >     r 

t  Heb.  ii.  9,  4.     1  Pet  i.  {.  St.  •  f  Then.  i.  11. 

«  John  ill.  5,  6.  Rom.  viH.  8,  9. 15, 16.  16,  «7.  «  Tlni.  i.  7.  Neh.  h.  «0. 
1st.  zi.  S.  Ezek.  xxxri.  S6.  zxxtu.  14b  G«l.  ir.  6.  Zech.  xu.  10.  Esek.  Xfii». 
31.     xL  19. 

y  Rom.  viL  6.  John  W.  S3,  24.  vii.  38,  39.  1  Cor.  ii.  10, 11.  Vi.  H.  ir. 
S  Cor.  IT.  13.  Gal.  V.  5.  16— 18.  S5.  Ephcs.  iii.  16.  v.  9.  18.  vi.  18.  1  Theis. 
V.  19. 


QU^&T.  CLXVIII.]  CHRISTIAN  ECCL£«IA8TIC8.        fi67 

Yea>  the  same  Spirit  thus  by  common  helps  assisteth 
even  bad  men  in  praying  and  preaching,  giving  them  com* 
mon  habits  and  acts  that  are  short  of  special  saving  grace. 
Whereas  men  left  to  themselves  without  Qod's  Spirit,  have 
none  of  all  these  aforementioned  helps.  And  so  the  Spirit 
is  said  to  intercede  for  as  by  exciting  oar  unexpressible 
groans ;  and  to  help  our  infirmities  when  we  know  not  what 
to  ask  as  we  ought '. 

Quest.  CLx  viii.  Are  not  our  own  reasons,  studies,  memory,  striV' 
ings,  books,  forms,  methods,  and  ministry  needless,  yea,  a 
hurtful  quenching  or  preventing  of  the  Spirit,  and  setting  i/^ 
our  own,  instead  of  the  Spirit's  operation  ? 

Answ.  1.  Yes:  if  we  do  it  in  a  conceit  of  the  sufficiency 
of  ourselves  ",  our  reason,  memory,  studies,  books,  forms, 
&c.  without  the  Spirit :  or  if  we  ascribe  any  thing  to  any 
of  these  which  is  proper  to  Christ  or  to  his  Spirit.  For 
such  proud  self-  sufficient  despisers  of  the  Spirit,  cannot  rea- 
sonably expect  his  help  :  I  doubt  among  men  counted  learn- 
ed and  rational  there  are  too  many  such^  that  know  not 
man's  insufficiency  or  corruption,  nor  the  necessity  and  use 
of  that  Holy  Ghost  into  whose  name  they  were  baptized, 
and  in  whom  they  take  on  them  to  believe.  But  think  that 
all  that  pretend  to  the  Spirit  are  but  fanatics  and  enthu- 
siasts, and  self-conceited  people ;  when  yet  the  Spirit  him- 
self saith,  *'  If  any  man  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  the 
same  is  none  of  his  ^.''  And  ''  Because  we  are  sons  Gt>d 
hath  sent  forth  the  Spirit  of  his  Son  into  our  hearts,  whece- 
by  we  cry  Abba,  Father  **." 

2.  But  if  we  give  to  reason,  memory,  study,  books,  me* 
thods,  forms,  &c  but  their  proper  place  in  subordination  to 
Christ  and  to  his  Spirit,  they  are  so  far  from  being  quenchera 
of  the  Spirit,  that  they  are  necessary  in  their  places,  and 
such  means  as  we  must  use,  if  ever  we  will  expect  the  Spi- 
rit's help.  For  the  Spirit  is  not  given  to  a  brute  to  makst 
him  a  man,  or  rational ;  nor  to  a  proud  despiser,  or  idle  neg- 

»  Rora.  viii.  116.  '  John  xv.  1.  S — 5.7. 

^  Even  among  them  that  in  their  ordination  heard  "  Recefve  ye  the  Holj 
Ghost,*'  and  "  Over  which  the  Holy  Ghost  hath  made  jou  overseers." 
«  Ilom.  viii.  9.  *  G»l.  i^  6. 


5ti8  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

lecter  of  Ood'8  appointed  means,  to  be  instead  of  means ; 
nor  to  be  a  patron  to  the  vice  of  pride  or  idleness,  which  he 
Cometh  chiefly  to  destroy ;  but  to  bless  men  in  their  labo- 
rious use  of  the  means  which  God  appointed  him  :  read  but 
ProY.  i.  20,  &c.  ii.  iii.  ▼.  vi.  viii.,  and  you  will  see  that 
knowledge  must  be  laboured  for,  and  instruction  heard; 
and  be  Uiat  will  lie  idle  till  the  Spirit  move  him,  and  will 
not  stir  up  himself  to  seek  God,  or  strive  to  enter  in  at  the 
strait  gate,  nor  give  all  diligence  to  make  his  calling  and 
election  sure  *,  may  find  that  the  spirit  of  sloth  hath  des- 
troyed him,  when  he  thought  the  Spirit  of  Christ  had  been 
saying  him.  He  that  hath  but  two  articles  in  his  creed 
must  make  this  the  secoqd  ;  for  he  that  "  cometh  to  God 
must  believe  that  God  is,  and  that  he  is  the  rewarder  of  them 
that  diligently  seek  him  ^." 

Quest*  CLXix.  How  doth  the  Holy  Ghost  set  bishops  over  the 

churches^ 

Answ.  1.  By  making  the  office  itself,  so  far  as  the  apos^ 
ties  had  any  band  in  it,  Christ  himself  having  made  Uieir 
office*. 

2.  The  Holy  Ghost  in  the  electors  and  ordainers  direct- 
eth  them  to  discern  the  fitness  of  the  persons  elected  and 
ordained,  and  so  to  call  such  as  God  approveth  of,  and 
oalleth  by  the  Holy  Ghost  in  them :  whidi  was  done,  1. 
By  the  extraordinary  gift  of  discerning  in  the  apostles.  2. 
By  the  ordinary  help  of  God's  Spirit  in  the  wise  and  faith- 
ful electors  and  ordainers  ever  since  ^ 

3,  The  Holy  Ghost  doth  qualify  them  for  the  work,  by 
due  life,  light  and  love,  knowledge,  willingness  and  active 
ability ;  and  so  both  inclining  them  to  it,  and  marking  out 
the  persons  by  his  gifts  whom  he  would  have  elected  and 
ordained  to  it :  which  was  done,  1.  At  first  by  extraordi- 
nary gifts.  2.  And  ever  since  by  ordinary.  (1.)  Special 
and  saving  in  some.  (2.)  Common,  and  only  fitted  to  the 
church's  instruction  in  others.  So  that  whoever  is  not 
competently  qualified,  is  not  called  by  the  Holy  Ghost; 

•  Im.  Ixi?.  7.     Matt.  vii.  13.  14.     «  Pet.  I  10. 

f  Hcb.  xi.  6.  f  AcU  11.  28. 

^  Acti  1. 14.    liii.  «.     XV.  28,  &c      xiv.  23. 


QUEST.  CLXX.]   CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  569 

when  Christ  ascended,  he  gave  '*  gifts  to  men,  some  apos- 
tles, prophets,  and  evangelists,  some  pastors  and  teachers, 
for  the  edifying  of  his  body ',"  &c. 

Quest.  CLXX.  Are  temples,  fonts,  utensils,  church-lands,  much 
more  the  ministers,  holy  ?  And  what  reverence  is  due  to 
them  as  holy  ? 

Answ.  The  question  is  either  '  de  nomine '  whether  it  be 
fit  to  call  them  holy ;  or  '  de  re,'  whether  they  have  that 
which  is  called  holiness. 

I.  The  word  '  holy '  signifieth  in  God,  essential  transcen* 
dent  perfection ;  and  so  it  cometh  not  into  our  question.  In 
creatures  it  signifieth,  1.  A  Divine  nature  in  the  rational 
creature  (angels  and  men)  by  which  it  is  made  like  Ood,  and 
disposed  to  him  and  his  service,  by  knowledge,  love  and 
holy  vivacity ;  which  is  commonly  called  real  saving  holi- 
ness as  distinct  firom  mere  relative.  2.  It  is  taken  for  the 
relation  of  any  thing  to  God  as  his  own  peculiar  appro- 
priated to  him ;  so  infinite  is  the  distance  between  God  and 
us,  that  whatever  is  his  in  a  special  sense,  or  separated  to 
his  use,  is  called  holy  ;  and  that  is,  1.  Persons.  2.  Things. 
1.  Persons  are  either,  (1.)  In  general  devoted  to  his  love 
and  service.  (2.)  Or  specially  devoted  to  him  in  some 
special  oflBice;  which  is,  (1.)  Ecclesiastical.  (2.)  Econo- 
mical. (3.)  Political.  Those  devoted  to  this  general  ser- 
vice are,  (L)  Either  heartily  and  sincerely  so  devoted,  (who 
are  ever  sanctified  in  the  first  real  sense  also).  (2.)  Or  only 
by  word  or  outward  profession.  2.  Things  devoted  to  God 
are,  1.  Some  by  his  own  immediate  choice,  designation, 
and  command.  2.  Or  by  general  directions  to  man  to  do  it. 
And  these  are,  1.  Some  things  more  nearly.  2.  Some 
things  more  remotely  separated  to  him.  None  of  these 
must  be  confounded ;  and  so  we  must  conclude, 

1.  All  that  shall  be  saved  are  really  holy  by  a  Divine 
inclination  and  nature,  and  actual  exercise  thereof;  and  re- 
latively holy  in  a  special  sense,  as  thus  devoted  and  sepa- 
rated to  God. 

2.  All  the  baptized  and  professors  (not  apostate)  are 

♦  Ephes.  iv.  7— lO.     1  Cor.  xii.  1«,  IS.  fS,  «9, 


570  CHRISTIAN  DIR£CTORY.  [PART  III4 

relatively   holy,   as   verbally   devoted    and    separated   to 
God. 

3.  All  that  are  ordained  to  the  sacred  ministry  are  re- 
latively holy,  as  devoted  and  separated  to  that  office.  And 
the  well  qualified  are  also  really  holy,  as  their  quHlifications 
are  either  special  or  common. 

4.  All  that  are  duly  called  of  God  to  the  place  of  kings, 
and  judges,  and  rulers  of  families,  are  relatively  sacred,  as 
their  offices  and  they  are  of  God  and  for  him,  and  devoted 
to  him. 

5.  Temples  and  other  utensils  designed  by  God  himself, 
are  holy,  as  related  to  him  by  that  designation. 

6.  Temples,  utensils,  lands,  8cc.,  devoted  and  lawfully 
separated  by  man,  for  holy  uses,  are  holy,  as  justly  related 
to  God  by  diat  lawful  separation.  To  say  as  some  do,  that 
^  They  are  indeed  consecrated  and  separated,  but  not  holy,' 
is  to  be  ridiculously  wise  by  self-contradiction,  and  the 
masterly  use  of  the  word  *  holy '  contrary  to  custom  and 
themselves. 

7.  Ministers  are  more  holy  than  temples,  lands,  or  uten- 
sils, as  being  more  nearly  related  to  holy  things.  And 
things  separated  by  God  himself  are  more  holy  than  those 
justly  separated  by  man.     And  so  of  days. 

8.  Things  remotely  devoted  to  God,  are  holy  in  their 
distant  place  and  measure ;  as  the  meat,  drink,  house,  lands, 
labours  of  every  godly  man,  who  with  himself  devoteth  all 
to  God  ;  but  this  being  more  distant,  is  yet  a  remoter  degree 
of  holiness  ^. 

II.  Every  thing  should  be  reverenced  accordii^  to  the 
measure  of  its  holiness ;  and  this  expressed  by  such  signs, 
gestures,  actions,  as  are  most  fit  to  honour  God,  to  whom 
they  are  related ;  and  so  to  be  uncovered  in  church,  and 
use  reverent  carriage  and  gestures  there,  doth  tend  to  pre- 
serve  due  reverence  to  God  and  to  his  worship  ^ 

k  Mark  tL  30.  Col.  i.  «i.  Tit  L  8.  1  Pet.  i.  15, 16.  ui.  5.  S  Pet.  iiL  11. 
Exod.  zxii.  31.  1  Cor.  i.  1-^.  ▼!.  9—11.  Heb.  xii.  14.  Til.  ui.  5.  5,  6.  n. 
IS,  14.  1  Pet.  u.  5.  9.  Ezod.  ziz.  6.  Rom.  i.  1,  f .  1  Cor.  in.  17.  vil.  14. 
Zech.  ii.  If.  Hag.  ii.  12.  Lake  i.  70.  7f •  Ban  viii.  28.  ix.  2.  Nmd.  uxl  6. 
▼i.  8.  20.  Lev.  xvi.  4.  33.  Exod.  xiix.  6. 33.  Ptel.  buxix.  20.  Niun.  xxzv.  25- 
2  Tim.  iii.  15.  Isa.  Iviii.  13.  Psal.  xlii.  4.  2  Pet.  i.  18.  21.  Ptal.  Izxzvii.  1. 
Num.  ▼.  17.    Exod.  iii.  5.     1  Sam.  xxi.  5.    Neh.  tiii*  9 — 11. 

»  I  Cor.  xvi.  20. 


Q.  CLXXI.]  CHRISTIAN  BCCLESIAftTICS.  f71 

Quest.  CLX XI.  What  is  focrUege,  and  whai  not  f 

Answ,  I.  Sacrilege  is  robbing  Ood  by  the  unjust  aliena- 
tion of  holy  things.  And  it  is  measured  according  as  things 
are  diversified  in  holiness ;  as» 

1.  The  greatest  sacrilege  is  a  profane,  unholy  alienating 
a  person  to  the  flesh  and  the  world,  from  Ood,  and  his  love, 
and  his  service,  who  by  baptism  was  devoted  to  him.  And 
so  all  wicked  Christians  are  grossly  sacrilegious. 

2.  The  next  is  alienating  consecrated  persons  from  the 
sacred  work  and  office,  by  deposing  kings,  or  by  unjust  si- 
lencing or  suspending  true  ministers,  or  their  casting  off 
God's  work  themselves.  This  is  far  greater  sacrilege  than 
alienating  lands  or  utensils. 

3.  The  next  is  the  unjust  alienating  of  temples,  utensils, 
lands,  days,  which  were  separated  by  Ood  himself"^. 

4.  And  next  such  as  were  justly  consecrated  by  man ;  as 
is  aforesaid  in  the  degrees  of  holiness. 

II.  It  is  not  sacrilege,  1.  To  cease  from  the  ministry  or 
other  holy  service,  when  sickness,  disability  of  body,  or 
violence  utterly  disable  us. 

2.  Nor  to  alienate  temples,  lands,  goods,  or  utensils, 
when  providence^maketh  it  needful  to  the  church's  good ; 
so  the  fire  in  London  hath  caused  a  diminution  of  the  num- 
ber of  churches :  so  some  bishops  of  old,  sold  the  church 
plate  to  relieve  the  poor :  and  some  princes  have  sold  some 
church-lands  to  save  the  church  and  state  in  the  necessities 
of  a  lawful  war. 

3.  It  is  not  sacrilege  to  alienate  that  which  man  devoted, 
but  Ood  accepted  not,  nor  owned  as  appropriate  to  him 
(which  his  prohibition  of  such  a  dedication  is  a  proof  oO« 
As  if  a  man  devote  his  wife  to  chastity,  or  his  son  to  the 
ministry  against  their  wills  :  or  if  a  man  vow  himself  to  the 
ministry  that  is  unable  and  hath  no  call :  or  if  so  much 
lands  or  goods  be  consecrated,  as  is  superfluous,  useless, 
and  injurious  to  the  common  welfare  and  the  state.  Alienar 
tion  in  these  cases  is  no  sin. 

■  Rom.  ii.  29.  9  Pet.  ii.  20—92.  Heb.  tL  6,  7.  x.  26—29.  1  TbeM.  VL 
15, 16.  Lev.  six.  S.  Heb.  xiL  16.  Acts  ¥.  5,  &c.  Ssek.  uH.  96.  xln.  90. 
xlW.  9S. 


67ft  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART    III. 

Quest.  cLXXii.  Are  aU  religious  and  private  meeting$,  forbid- 
den by  rulers,  unlawful  conventicles  f  Or  are  any  such  ne- 
cessary f 

Answ.  Though  both  such  meetings  and  our  prisons  tell 
UB  how  greatly  we  now  differ  about*  this  point,  in  the  appli- 
cation of  it  to  persons  and  our  present  case,  yet  I  know  no 
difference  in  the  doctrinal  resolution  of  it  among  most  sober 
Christians  at  all :  (which  makes  our  case  Strang^.) 

For  aught  I  know,  we  are  agreed, 

1.  1.  That  it  is  more  to  the  honour  of  the  church,  and  of 
religion,  and  of  God,  and  more  to  our  safety  and  edification, 
to  have  Ood's  worship  performed  solemnly,  publicly,  and  in 
great  assemblies,  than  in  a  comer,  secretly,  and  widi  few  \ 

2.  That  it  is  a  great  mercy  therefore  where  the  rulers 
allow  the  church  such  public  worship. 

3.  That  '  ceeteris  paribus'  all  Christians  should  prefer 
such  public  worship  before  private ;  and  no  private  meetings 
should  be  kept  up,  which  are  opposite  or  prejudicial  to  such 
public  meetings. 

4.  And  therefore  if  such  meetings  (or  any  that  are  unne- 
cessary to  the  ends  of  the  ministry,  the  service  of  God  and 
good  of  souls,)  be  forbidden  by  lawful  rulers,  they  must  be 
forborne. 

II.  But  we  are  also  agreed,  1.  That  it  is  not  the  place 
but  the  presence  of  the  true  pastors  and  people  that  make 
the  church  ^. 

2.  That  God  may  be  acceptably  worshipped  in  all  places 
when  it  is  our  duty. 

3.  That  the  ancient  churches  and  Christians  in  times  of 
persecutions,  ordinarily  met  in  secret  against  the  ruler's 
will,  and  their  meetings  were  called  conventicles,  (and  slan- 
dered, which  occasioned  Pliny's  examination,  and  the  right 
he  did  them). 

4.  That  no  minister  must  forsake  and  give  over  his  work 
while  there  is  need,  and  he  can  do  it  p. 

»  Pial.  i.  9*  4, 5.  zxii.  95.  uxv.  18.  zl.  9,  10.  Acts  xzviii.  ult  Heb.  z. 
f5.     Aetszz.  7.     i.  15.    ii.  44.     1  Cor.  xiv.  S3. 

^  1  Gqr.  xvi.  19.    Boni.  zvL  5.     Acts  xii.  12.    Col.  iv.  15. 

P  Matt,  sviii.  30.  1  Cor.  ix.  16.  1  Thess.  ii.  15,  16.  AcU  iv.  19.  Sec  Dr. 
{ianuDoiid  iu  loc. 


Q.CLXXII.]       CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  675 

5.  That  where  there  are  many  thousands  of  ignorant  and 
ungodly  persons,  and  the  public  ministers,  either  through 
their  paucity,  (proportioned  to  the  people,)  or  their  disabi- 
lity, unwillingness,  or  negligence,  or  all,  are  insu£Bicient  for 
all  that  public  and  private  ministerial  work,  which  Ood 
hath  appointed  for  the  instruction,  persuasion,  and  salva- 
tion of  such  necessitous  souls^  there  is  need  of  more  minis- 
terial help  ^. 

6.  That  in  cases  of  real  (not  counterfeit)  necessity,  they 
that  are  hindered  from  exercising  their  ministerial  office 
publicly,  should  do  it  privately>  if  they  have  true  ordination^ 
and  the  call  of  the  people's  necessity,  desire,  and  of  oppor- 
tunity ;  so  be  it  they  do  it  in  that  peaceable,  orderly,  and 
quiet  manner,  as  may  truly  promote  the  interest  of  religion, 
and  detract  not  from  the  lawful  public  ministry  and  work. 

7.  That  they  that  are  forbidden  to  worship  God  publicly, 
unless  they  will  commit  some  certain  sin,  are  so  prohibited 
as  that  they  ought  not  to  do  it  on  such  terms '. 

8.  That  the  private  meetings  which  are  held  on  these 
forementioned  terms,  in  such  cases  of  necessity,  are  not  to  be 
forsaken,  though  prohibited :  though  still  the  honour  of  the 
magistrate  is  to  be  preserved,  and  obedience  given  him  in 
all  lawful  things.  And  such  meetings  are  not  sinful  nor 
dishonourable  (to  the  assemblers ;)  for  as  TertuUian  (and 
Dr.  Heylin  after  him)  saith,  '  Cum  pii,  cum  boni  coeunt, 
non  factio  dicenda  est,  sed  curia  :*  *  when  pious,  and  good 
people  meet,  (especially  as  aforesaid,)  it  is  not  to  be  called 
a  faction,  but  a  court.'    Thus  far  I  think  we  all  agree. 

And  that  the  church  of  England  is  really  of  this  mind  is 
certain;  1.  In  that  they  did  congregate  in  private  them- 
selves, in  the  time  of  Cromwell's  usurpation,  towards  the 
end  when  he  began  to  restrain  the  use  of  the  Common 
Prayer.  2.  In  that  they  wrote  for  it:  see  Dr.  Hide  "Of  the 
Church,"  in  the  beginning.  3.  Because  both  in  the  reign  of 
former  princes,  since  the  reformation,  and  to  this  day,  many 
laborious  conforming  ministers,  have  still  used  to  repeat 
their  sermons  in  their  houses,  where  many  of  the  people 
came  to  hear  them.  4.  Because  the  liturgy  alloweth  private 
baptism,  and  restraineth  not  any  number  from  being  pre- 

\  1  niD.  ii.  S.    Acts  viii.  4.    1  Joho  iii.  17.    %  Tim.  !▼.  I—^.    Heb.  x.  €5. 
'  See  much  of  this  cue  baodled  before  Quest.  109, 110. 


574  CHRISTIAN   DIRECTORY,  [PAtt7  tlU 

sent,  Bor  the  minister  from  instructing  them  in  the  use  of 
baptism,  (which  is  the  sum  of  Christianity).  5.  Because 
the  liturgy  commandeth  the  visitation  of  the  sick^  and  al* 
loweth  the  minister  th^re  to  pray  and  instruct  the  person  ac- 
cording to  his  own  ability,  about  repentance,  faith  in  Chris^t 
and  preparation  for  deatih  and  the  life  to  come,  and  forbid- 
deth  not  the  friends  and  neighbours  of  the  sick  to  be  pre- 
sent. 6.  Because  the  liturgy  and  canons  allow  private  coni^ 
munion  with  the  sick,  lame,  or  aged  that  cannot  come  to 
the  assembly ;  where  the  nature  of  that  holy  work  is  to  be 
opened,  and  the  eucharistical  work  to  be  performed ;  and 
some  must  be  present,  and  the  number  not  limited.  7.  And 
as  these  are  express  testimonies,  that  all  private  meetings 
are  not  disallowed  by  the  church  of  England,  so  there  are 
other  instances  of  such  natural  necessity  as  they  are  not  to 
be  supposed  to  be  against.  As,  (L)  For  a  captain  to  pray, 
and  read  Scripture  or  good  books,  and  sing  psalms  with  his 
soldiers,  and  with  mariners  at  sea,  when  they  have  no  minis- 
ter. (2.)  There  are  many  thousands  and  hundred  tho^sands 
in  England,  that  some  live  so  far  from  the  church,  and  some 
are  so  weak  that  they  can* seldom  go,  and  some  churches 
have  not  room  for  a  quarter  of  the  parish ;  and  none  of  th^ 
thousands  now  meant  can  read,  and  so  neither  can  help 
themselves,  nor  have  a  minister  that  will  do  it ;  and  thou* 
sands  that  when  they  have  heard  a  sermon  cannot  remember 
it,  but  lose  it  presently.  If  these  that  cannot  read  or  remem- 
ber, nor  teach  their  own  families,  nor  go  to  church,  do  take 
their  families,  many  of  them,  to  some  one  neighbour's  house 
where  the  sermon  is  repeated,  or  the  Bible  or  liturgy  read, 
methinks  the  church  should  not  be  against  it. 

But  it  must  be  still  remembered,  that,  h  Rulers  that  are 
infidels.  Papists,  heretics,  or  persecutors,  that  restrain 
church-meetings  to  the  injury  of  men's  souls,  must  be  dis* 
tinguished  from  pious  princes  that  only  restrain  heretics  and 
real  schismatics  for  the  church's  good.  2.  And  that  times 
of  heresy  and  schism  may  make  private  meetings  more  dan* 
gerous  than  quiet  times.  And  so  even  the  Scottish  church 
fbrbad  private  meetings  in  the  Separatists'  days  of  late. 
And  when  they  do  more  hurt  than  good,  and  are  justly  for- 
bidden, no  doubt  in  that  case,  it  is  a  duty  to  obey  and  to 
forbear  them,  as  is  aforesaid. 


Q.  CLXXIII.]        CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  575 

Quest*  CLXXIII.  What  particular  directions  for  order  of  stur 
dies,  and  books  should  be  observed  by  young  students  ? 

Becaase  disorder  ^is  so  great  a  disadvantage  to  young 
students^  and  because  many  have  importuned  me  to  name 
them  some  few  of  the  best  books,  because  they  have  no 
time  to  read,  nor  money  to  buy  many,  I  shall  here  answer 
these  two  demands. 

I.  The  order  of  their  studies  is  such  as  respecteth  their 
whole  lives,  or  such  as  respecteth  every  day.  It  is  the  first 
which  I  now  intend. 

Direct,  i.  The  knowledge  of  so  much  of  theology  as  is 
necessary  to  your  own  duty  and  salvation,  is  the  first  thing 
which  you  are  to  learn,  (when  you  have  learnt  to  speak). 
Children  have  souls  to  save ;  and  their  reason  is  given  them 
to  use  for  their  Creator's  service  and  their  salvation.  1. 
They  can  never  begin  to  learn  that  too  soon  which  they 
were  made  and  redeemed  to  learn,  and  which  their  whole 
lives  must  be  employed  in  practising.  2.  And  that  which 
absolute  necessity  requireth,  and  without  which  there  is  no 
salvation.  3.  And  that  which  must  tell  a  man  the  only  ul- 
timate end  which  he  must  intend,  in  all  the  moral  actions  of 
his  life.  For  the  right  intention  of  our  end  is  antecedent 
to  all  right  use  of  means ;  and  till  this  be  done,  a  man  hath 
not  well  begun  to  live,  nor  to  use  his  reason ;  nor  hath  he 
any  other  work  for  his  reason,  till  this  be  first  done.  He 
liveth  but  in  a  continual  sin,  that  doth  not  make  God  add 
the  public  good,  and  his  salvation  his  end.  Therefore  they 
that  would  not  have  children  begin  with  divinity,  would 
have  them  serve  the  devil  and  the  flesh.  God  must  be  our 
first  and  last,  and  all. 

Not  that  any  exact  or  full  body  or  method  of  divinity  is 
to  be  learnt  so  early.  But  1.  The  baptismal  covenant  must 
be  well  opened  betime,  and  frequently  urged  upon  their 
hearts.  2.  Therefore  the  creed,  the  Lord's  prayer,  and  de- 
calogue, must  be  opened  to  such  betime ;  that  is,  they  must 
be  wisely  catechised.  3.  They  must  be  taught  the  Scrip- 
ture history,  especially  Genesis  and  the  Gospel  of  Christ. 
4.  They  must  with  the  other  Scriptures,^ read  the  most  plain 
and  suitable  books  of  practical  divines  (after  named).  6. 
.They  must  be  kept  in  the  company  of  suitable,  wise,  and 


576 


CHRISTIAN    DIKECTORY. 


[PART  nr4 


exemplary  Christians,  whose  whole  conversation  will  he^ 
them  to  the  sense  and  love  of  holinens ;  and  must  be  kept 
strictly  from  perverting,  wicked  company.  6.  They  must  b« 
frequently,  lovingly,  familiarly,  yet  seriously,  treated  with 
about  the  state  of  their  own  souls,  and  made  to  know  their 
Deedof  Christ  and  of  his  Holy  Spirit,  of  justification  and  re- 
novation.  7.  They  must  be  trained  up  in  the  practice  of  god- 
liness, in  prayer,  pious  speeches,  and  obedience  to  God  and 
inan.  8.  They  must  be  kept  under  the  most  powerful  and 
profitable  ministers  of  Christ  that  can  be  had.  9.  They 
must  be  much  urged  to  the  study  of  their  own  hearts;  tq 
know  themselves;  what  it  is  to  be  a  man,  to  have  reason, 
freewill,  and  an  immortal  soul :  what  it  is  to  be  a  child  of 
lapsed  Adam,  and  an  unregenerate,  unpardoned  sinner: 
what  it  is  to  be  a  redeemed,  and  a  sanctified,  justified  per- 
Bon,  and  an  adopted  heir  of  life  eternal.  And  by  close  ex> 
amination  to  know  which  of  these  conditions  is  their  own; 
to  know  what  is  their  daily  duty;  and  what  their  danger, 
and  what  their  temptations  and  impedimenta,  and  how  to 
escape. 

Forif  once  the  soul  be  truly  sanctified,  then,  1.  Their  sal- 
vation is  much  secured,  and  the  main  work  of  their  lives  is 
happily  begun,  and  they  are  ready  to  die  safely  whenever 
God  shall  call  them  hence.  2.  It  will  possess  them  with  a 
right  end ,  in  all  the  studies  and  labours  of  their  lives  ;  which 
is  an  unspeakable  advantage,  both  for  their  pleasing  of  God 
and  profiting  of  themselves  and  others;  without  which  they 
will  but  profane  God's  name  and  Word,  and  turn  the  minis- 
try into  a  worldly,  fleshly  life,  and  study  and  preach  for 
riches,  preferment,  or  applause,  and  live  as  he,  Luke  xii.  18, 
19.  "  Soul,  take  thy  ease,  eat,  drink,  and  be  merry ;"  and 
they  will  make  theology  the  way  to  hell,  and  study  and  preach 
theirown  condemnation.  3.  A  holy  heart  will  bealways  un- 
der the  greatest  motives ;  and  therefore  will  be  constantly  and 
powerfully  impelled  (as  well  in  secret  as  before  others)  to 
diligence  in  studies  and  all  good  endeavours.  4.  And  it 
will  make  all  sweet  and  easy  to  them,  as  being  a  noble  work, 
and  relishing  of  God's  love,  and  the  endless  glory  to  which 
it  tendeth.  A  holy  soul  will  all  the  year  long  be  employed 
in  sacred  studies  and  works,  as  a  good  stomach  at  a  feast, 
with  constant  pleasure !     And  then  O  how  happily  will  all 


Q.  CLXXIII.]       CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  577 

go  on !  When  a  carnal  person  with  a  dull,  unwilling,  weary 
mind,  taketh  now  and  then  a  little,  when  his  carnal  interest 
itself  doth  prevail  against  his  more  slothful,  sensual  inclina* 
tions ;  but  he  never  followeth  it  with  hearty  affections,  and 
therefore  seldom  with  good  success.  4.  And  a  holy  soul 
will  be  a  continual  treasury  and  fountain  of  holy  matter, 
to  pour  out  to  others,  when  they  come  to  the  sacred  minis- 
try ;  so  that  such  a  one  can  say  more  from  the  feeling  and 
experience  of  his  soul,  than  another  can  in  a  long  time  ga- 
ther from  his  books*  5.  And  that  which  he  saith  will  come 
warm  to  the  hearers,  in  a  more  lively,  experimental  manner, 
than  usual  carnal  preachers  speak.  6.  And  it  is  more  likely 
to  be  attended  by  a  greater  blessing  from  God.  7.  And 
there  are  many  controversies  in  the  church,  which  an  expe- 
rienced, holy  person,  ('  cseteris  paribus')  hath  gi*eat  advan- 
tage in,  above  all  others,  to  know  the  right,  and  be  preserved 
from  errors. 

Direct,  ii.  *  Let  young  men's  time  (till  about  eighteen, 
nineteen,  or  twenty,)  be  spent  in  the  improvement  of  their 
memories,  rather  than  in  studies  that  require  much  judg- 
ment.' Therefore  let  them  take  that'  time  to  get  organical 
knowledge ;  such  as  are  the  Latin  and  Greek  tongues  first 
and  chiefly,  and  then  the  Hebrew,  Chaldee,  Syriac,  and 
Arabic ;  with  the  exactest  acquaintance  with  the  true  pre- 
cepts of  logic :  and  let  them  learn  some  epitome  of  logic 
without  book.  In  this  time  also  let  them  be  much  conver- 
sant in  history,  both  civil,  scholastical,  (of  philosophers, 
orators,  poets,  8lc.)  and  ecclesiastical.  And  then  take  in 
as  much  of  the  mathematics  as  their  more  necessary  studies 
will  allow  them  time  for ;  (still  valuing  knowledge  accord- 
ing to  the  various  degrees  of  usefulness). 

Direct,  iii.  When  you  come  to  seek  after  more  abstruse 
and  real  wisdom,  join  together  the  study  of  physics  and 
theology ;  and  take  not  your  physics  as  separated  from  or 
independent  on  theology,  but  as  the  study  of  God  in  his 
works,  and  of  his  works  as  leading  to  himself.  Otherwise 
you  will  be  but  like  a  scrivener  or  printer,  who  maketh  his 
letters  well,  but  knoweth  not  what  they  signify. 

Direct,  iv.  Unite  all  'ovroXoyca'  or  knowledge  of  real  en 

iities  into  one  science  ;  both  spirits  and  bodies ;  God  be- 
VOL.   v.  p   p 


578  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [pART  111. 

ing  taken  in  as  the  first  and  last,  the  original,  director  and 
end  of  all :  and  study  not  the  doctrine  of  bodies  alone,  as 
separated  from  spirits ;  for  it  is  but  an  imaginary  separation, 
and  a  delusion  to  men's  minds.  Or  if  you  will  call  them 
by  the  name  of  several  sciences,  be  sure  you  so  link  those 
severals  together  that  the  due  dependance  of  bodies  on  spi- 
rits, and  of  the  passive  natures  on  the  active  may  still  be 
kept  discernible  ;  and  then  they  will  be  one  while  you  call 
them  divers. 

Direct,  v.  When  you  study  only  to  know  what  is  true, 
you  must  begin  at  the '  Primum  cognoscibile/  and  so  rise 
'  in  ordine  cognoscendi : '  but  when  you  would  come  to  see 
things  in  their  proper  order,  by  a  more  perfect,  satisfying 
knowledge,  you  must  draw  up  a  syntheticsd  scheme,  'jaxta 
ordinem  essendi,'  where  God  must  be  the  first  and  last ;  the 
first  e£Bicient  Governor  and  End  of  all. 

Direct,  vi.  Your  first  study  of  philosophy  therefore 
should  be,  of  yourselves ;  to  know  a  man.  And  the  know- 
ledge of  man's  soul  is  apart  so  necessary,  so  near,  so  usefal, 
that  it  should  take  up  both  the  first  and  largest  room  in  all 
your  physics,  or  knowledge  of  God's  works  :  labour  there- 
fore to  be  accurate  in  this. 

Direct,  vii.  With  the  knowledge  of  yourselves  join  the 
knowledge  of  the  rest  of  the  works  of  God  ;  but  according 
to  the  usefulness  of  each  part  to  your  moral  duty ;  and  as 
all  are  related  to  God  and  you.    . 

Direct,  viii.  Be  sure  in  all  your  progress  that  you  keep 
a  distinct  knowledge  of  things  certain  and  things  uncertain, 
searchable  and  unsearchable,  revealed  and  unrevealed ;  and 
lay  the  first  as  your  foundation,  yea,  rather  keep  the  know- 
ledge of  them  as  your  science  of  physics  by  itself,  and  let  no 
obscurity  in  the  rest  cause  you  to  question  certain  things ; 
nor  ever  be  so  perverse  as  to  try  things  known,  by  things 
unknown,  and  to  argue  '  k  min^s  notis.'  Lay  no  stress  on 
small  or  doubtful  things. 

Direct.  ix.  Metaphysics  as  now  taken  is  a  mixture  of  or- 
ganical  and  real  knowledge ;  and  part  of  it  belongeth  to  lo- 
gic (the  organical  part),  and  the  rest  is  theology,  and  pneu- 
matology,  and  the  highest  parts  of  ontology,  or  real  science. 

Direct,  x.  In  studying  philosophy,  1.  See  that  you  nei- 


Q.  CLXXIII.]     CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  579 

ther  neglect  any  helps  of  those  that  have  gone  before  you, 
under  pretence  of  taking  nothing  upon  trust,  and  of  study- 
ing the  naked  things  themselves ;  (for  if  every  man  must 
begin  all  anew,  as  if  he  had  been  the  first  philosopher, 
knowledge  will  make  but  small  proficiency).  2.  Nor  yet 
stick  in  the  bare  belief  of  any^  writer  whatsoever,  but  study 
all  things  in  their  naked  natures  and  proper  evidences, 
though  by  the  helps  that  are  afforded  you  by  othetrs.  For 
it  is  not  science,  but  human  belief,  else,  whoever  you  take 
it  from. 

Direct,  xi.  So  certain  are  the  numerous  errors  of  phi- 
losophers, so  uncertain  a  multitude  of  their  assertions,  so 
various  their  sects,  and  so  easy  is  it  for  any  to  pull  down 
much  which  the  rest  have  built,  and  so  hard  to  set  up  any 
comely  structure  that  others  in  like  manner  may  not  cast 
down;  that  I  cannot  persuade  you  to  fall  in  with  any  one 
sort  or  sect,  who  yet  have  published  their  sentiments  to  the 
world.  The  Platonists  made  very  noble  attempts  in  their 
inquiries  after  spiritual  beings ;  but  they  run  into  many  un- 
pi^ved  fanaticisms,  and  into  divers  errors,  and  want  the  de- 
sirable helps  of  true  method.  The  wit  of  Aristotle  was 
wonderful  for  subtilty  and  solidity ;  his  knowledge  vast ; 
his  method  (oft)  accurate ;  but  many  preparious,  yea,  erro- 
neous conceptions  and  assertions,  are  so  placed  by  him,  as 
to  have  a  troubling  and  corrupting  influence  into  all  the 
rest :  the  Epicureans  or  Democratists,  were  still  and  justly 
the  contempt  of  all  the  sober  sects ;  and  our  late  Somatists 
that  follow  them,  yea,  and  Gassendus,  and  many  that  call 
themselves  Cartesians,  yea,  Cartesius  himself,  nuich  more 
Berigardus,  Regius  and  Hobbes,  do  give  so  much  more  to 
mere  matter  and  motipn,  than  is  truly  due,  and  know  or  say 
so  much  too  little  of  spirits,  active  natures,  vital  powers, 
which  are  the  true  principles  of  motion,  that  they  differ  as 
mu^h  from  trae  philosophers,  as  a  carcase  or  a  clock  from  a 
lining  man.  The  Stoics  had  noble  ethical  principles,  and 
they  (and  the  Platonists  with  the  Cynics,)  were  of  the  best 
lives ;  but  their  writings  are  most  lost,  and  little  of  their 
physics  fully  known  to  us,  and  that  also  hath  its  errors- 
Patripius  is  bulj  a  Platonist  so  taken  with  the  nature'  of 
light,  as  insisting  on  that  in  fanatical  terms,  to  leave  out  a 


680  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

great  deal  more  that  must  be  conjoined.  Telesius  doth  the 
like  by  heat  and  cold,  heaven  and  earth,  and  among  many 
observable  things,  hath  much  that  is  unsound  and  of  ill  con- 
sequence. Campanella  hath  improved  him,  and  hath  many 
hints  of  better  principles  (especially  in  his  primalities)  than 
all  the  rest :  but  he  fanatically  runs  them  up  into  so  many 
unproved  and  vain,  yea,  and  mistaken  superstructures,  as 
that  no  true  body  of  physics  can  be  gathered  out  of  all  his 
works.  The  attempt  that  pious  Commenius  hath  made  in 
his  small  manual  hath  much  that  is  of  worth  ;  but  far  short 
of  accurateness.  The  Hermetical  philosophers  have  no  true 
method  of  philosophy  among  tliem  ]  and  to  make^  their 
three  or  five  principles  to  be  so  many  elements,  or  simple 
bodies,  constituting  all  compounds,  and  form  up  a  system 
of  philosophy  on  their  suppositions,  will  be  but  a  trifle  and 
not  to  satisfy  judicious  minds;  especially  considering  how 
defective  their  philosophy  is  made  by  their  omissions. 
Lullius  and  his  followers  fit  not  their  method  to  the  true 
order  of  the  matter.  Scaliger,  Scheggius,  Wendeline  and 
Sennertus  (especially  in  his  Hypomnemata)  were  great  men, 
and  have  many  excellent  things ;  but  too  much  of  Aristotle's 
goeth  for  current  with  them.  My  worthy,  learned  and  truly 
pious  friend  Mr.  Sam.  Gott  in  his  new  book  on  Oen.  i.  hath 
many  excellent  notions,  and  much  that  is  scarce  elsewhere 
to  be  met  with :  but  the  tedious  paragraphs,  the  defect  of 
method,  and  several  unproveable  particulars,  make  it  like 
all  human  works  imperfect. 

Therefore  if  I  must  direct  you  according  to  my  judg- 
ment, I  must  advise  you,  U  To  suppose  that  philosophers 
are  all  still  in  very  great  darkness,  and  there  is  much  confu- 
sion, defectiveness,  error  and  division,  and  uncertainty 
among  them.  2.  Therefore  addict  not  yourselves  absolutely 
to  any  sect  of  them.  3.  Let  your  first  studies  of  them  all 
leave  room  for  the  changing  of  your  judgment,  and  do  not 
too  hastily  fix  on  any  of  their  sentiments  as  sure,  till  you 
have  heard  what  others  say,  and  with  ripened  understand- 
ings have  deeply  and  long  studied  the  tilings  themselves. 
4.  Choose  out  so  much  of  the  certainties  and  useful  parts 
of  physics  as  you  can  reach  to,  and  make  them  know  their 
places  in  subserviency  to  your  holy  principles  and  ends; 


Q.  CLXXIII.]      CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  581 

and  rather  be  well  content  with  so  much,  than  to  lose  too 
much  time  in  a  vain  fatiguing  of  your  brains  for  more. 

I  have  made  some  attempt  to  draw  out  so  much,  espe- 
cially '  de  mundo  et  de  homine/  in  my  "  Methodus  Theolo- 
gi(e/'  though  I  expect  it  should  no  more  satisfy  others, 
than  any  of  their's  have  satisfied  me. 

Direct,  xi.  When  you  have  well  stated  your  ontology 
or  real  science,  then  review  your  logic  and  organical  part  of 
metaphysics;  and  see  that 'verba  rebus  aptentur;'  fetch 
then  your  words  and  organical  notions  from  the  nature  of 
the  things.  Abundance  are  confounded  by  taking  up  logi- 
cal notions  first  which  are  unsuitable  to  true  physical 
beings. 

Direct,  xii.  Somewhat  of  ethics  may  be  well  learned  of 
philosophers,  but  it  is  nothing  to  the  Scripture's  Christian 
ethics. 

Direct,  xiii.  Somewhat  of  artificial  rhetoric  and  oratory 
should  be  known :  but  the  oratory  which  is  most  natural, 
from  the  evidence  of  things,  well  managed  by  a  good  under- 
standing and  elocution,  which  hath  least  of  appearing  art 
or  afiectation,  is  ever  the  most  effectual,  and  of  best  es- 
teem. 

Direct,  xiv.  The  doctrine  of  politics,  especially  of  the 
nature  of  government  and  laws  in  general,  is  of  great  use  to 
all  that  will  ever  understand  the  nature  of  God's  govern- 
ment and  laws,  that  is,  of  religion.  Though  there  be  no 
necessity  of  knowing  the  government  and  laws  of  the  land 
or  of  other  countries,  any  further  than  is  necessary  to  our 
obedience  or  our  outward  concernments,  yet  so  much  of 
government  and  laws  as  nature  and  Scripture  make  common 
to  all  particular  forms  and  countries,  must  be  known  by  him 
that  will  understand  morality  or  divinity,  or  will  ever  study 
the  laws  of  the  land.  And  it  is  a  preposterous  course,  and 
the  way  of  ignorance  and  error,  for  a  divine  to  study  God's 
laws,  and  a  lawyer  man's  laws,  before  either  of  them  know 
in  general  what  a  law,  or  what  government  is,  as  nature  no- 
tifieth  it  to  us. 

Direct,  xv.  When  you  come  to  divinity,  I  am  not  for 
their  way  that  would  have  you  begin  with  the  fathers,  and 


582  CHRISTIAN    DIHECTORY.  [PART    111. 

thence  form  a  body  of  divinity  to  yourselves  :  if  every 
young  student  must  be  put  on  such  a  task,  we  may  have 
many  religions  quickly,  but  shall  certainly  have  much  ig- 
norance and  error.  We  must  not  be  so  blind  or  unthank- 
ful to  Ood  as  to  deny  that  later  times  have  brought  forth 
abundance  of  theological  writings,  incomparably  more  me- 
thodical, judicious,  full,  clear,  and  excellently  fitted  also  by 
application,  to  the  good  of  souls,  than  any  that  are  known 
to  us  since  the  writing  of  the  sacred  Scriptures.  Reverence 
of  antiquity  hath  its  proper  place  and  use,  but  is  not  to 
make  men  fools,  non-proficients,  or  •contemners  of  God's 
greater  mercies. 

My  advice  therefore  is,  that  you  begin  with  a  conjunc- 
tion of  English  catechisms,  and  the  confessions  of  all  the 
churches,  and  the  practical  holy  writings  of  our  English  di- 
vines :  and  that  you  never  separate  these  asunder '.  These 
practical  books  do  commonly  themselves  contain  the  prin- 
ciples, and  do  press  them  in  so  warm  a  working  manner  as 
is  likest  io  bring  them  to  the  heart ;  and  till  they  are  there, 
they  are  not  received  according  to  their  use,  but  kept 
as  in  the  porch.  Oet  then  six  or  seven  of  the  most 
judicious  catechisms  and  compare  them  well  together, 
and  compare  all  the  confessions  of  the  churches,  (where 
you  may  be  sure  that  they  put  those  which  they  account 
the  weightiest  and  surest  truths).  And  with  them 
read  daily  the  most  spiritual  heart-moving  treatises, 
of  regeneration,  and  our  covenant  with  God  in  Christ,  of 
repentanoe,  faith,  love,  obedience,  hope,  and  of  a  heavenly 
mind  and  life;  as  also  of  prayer  and  <»ther  particular  duties, 
and  of  temptations  and  particular  sins. 

And  when  you  have  gone  through  the  catechisms,  read 
over  three  or  four  of  the  soundest  systems  of  divinity.  And 
ailer  that  proceed  to  some  larger  theses,  and  then  to  the 
study  of  the  clearest  and  exactest  methodists ;  and  ihak 
not  that  you  well  understand  divinity,  till,  1.  You  know  it 
as  methodized  and  jointed  in  a  due  scheme,  sod  the  several 
parts  of  it  in  their  several  schemes,  seeing,  you  know  not  the 
beauty  or  the  true  sense  of  things,  if  you  know  thcBi  not  in 

*  T  mention  not  your  reading  tbe  Scripture,  as  supposing  it  tmnt  be  yoar  coo- 
stant  work. 


Q.  CLXXIII.]      CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  583 

their  proper  places,  where  they  stand  in  their  several  res- 
pects to  other  points  :  and,  2.  Till  it  be  wrought  into  your 
very  hearts,  and  digested  into  a  holy  nature  ;  for  when  all  is 
done,  it  is  only  a  holy  and  heavenly  life,  that  will  prove  you 
wiser  and  make  you  happy,  and  give  you  solid  peace  and 
comfort. 

Direct,  xvi.  When  you  have  gone  so  far,  set  yourselves 
to  read  the  ancients :  1 .  And  take  them  in  order  as  they 
lived.  2.  Observe  most  the  historical  part,  what  doctrines, 
and  practices  '  de  facto'  did  then  obtain.  3.  Some  must  be 
read  wholly,  and  some  but  in  part.  4.  Councils  and  church- 
history  here  have  a  chief  place. 

Direct,  xvii.  With  them  read  the  best  commentators  on 
the  Scriptures,  old  and  new. 

Direct,  xviii.  And  then  set  yourselves  to  the  study  of 
church-controversies  (though  those  that  the  times  make  ne- 
cessary must  be  sooner  looked  into).  Look  first  and  most 
into  those  which  your  own  consciences  and  practice  require 
your  acquaintance  with  :  and  above  all  here,  read  well  those 
writings  that  confute  atheists  and  infidels,  and  most  solidly 
prove  the  truth  of  the  Christian  religion  :  and  then  those 
that  defend  the  greatest  points.  And  think  not  much  to 
bestow  some  time  and  labour  in  reading  some  of  the  old 
school  divines. 

Direct,  xix.  When  you  come  to  form  up  your  belief  of 
certainties  in  religion,  take  in  nothing  as  sure  and  necessary, 
which  the  ancient  churches  did  not  receive.  Many  other 
things  may  be  taken  for  truths ;  and  in  perspicuity  and 
method  the  late  times  much  excel  them ;  but  Christian  re- 
ligion is  still  the  same  thing,  and  therefore  we  must  have  no 
other  religion  in  the  great  and  necessary  parts  than  they 
had. 

Direct,  xx.  Still  remember,  that  men's  various  capacities 
do  occasion  a  great  variety  of  duties  :  some  men  have  clear 
and  strong  understandings  by  nature  ;  these  should  study 
things  as  much  as  books  ;  for  possibly  they  may  excel  and 
correct  their  authors.  Some  are  naturally  of  duller  or  less 
judicious  heads,  that  with  no  study  of  things  can  reach  half 
so  bigh,  as  they  may  do  by  studying  the  writings  of  those 
who  are  wiser  than  ever  they  are  like  to  be.     These  must 


584  CHRISTIAN   DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

take  more  on  trust  from  tbeir  authors,  and  confess  their 
weakness. 

Direct,  xxi.  After  or  with  all  controversies,  be  well 
versed  in  the  writings  of  those  reconcilers,  who  pretend  to 
narrow  or  end  the  differences.  For  usually  they  are  such 
as  know  more  than  the  contenders. 

I  proceed  now  to  give  you  some  names  of  books. 

Quest.  CLXxi  v.   What  books,  especially  of  theology,  should  one 
ohoose,  who  for  want  of  money  or  time,  can  read  but  few  ? 

Answ.  General,  The  truth  is,  1.  It  is  not  the  reading  of 
many  books  which  is  necessary  to  make  a  man  wise  or  good ; 
but  the  well  reading  of  a  few,  could  he  be  sure  to  have  the 
best.     2.  And  it  is  not  possible  to  read  over  very  many  on 
the  same  subjects,  without  a  great  deal  of  loss  of  precious 
time;  3.  And  yet  the  reading  of  as  many  as  is  possible 
tendeth  much  to  the  increase  of  knowledge,   and  were  the 
best  way,  if  greater  matters  were  not  that  way  unavoidably 
to  be  omitted :  life  therefore  being  short,  and  work  great, 
and  knowledge  being  for  love  and  practice,  and  no  man 
having  leisure  to  learn  all  things,  a  wise  man  must  be  sure 
to  lay  hold  on  that  which  is  most  useful  and  necessary.    4. 
But  some  considerable  acquaintance  with  many  books  is 
now  become  by  accident  necessary  to  a  divine.     1 .  Because 
unhappily  a  young  student  knoweth  not  which  are  the  best, 
till  he  hath  tried  them ;  and  when  he  should  take  another 
man's  word,  he  knoweth  not  whose  word  it  is  that  he  should 
take :  for  among  grave  men,  accounted  great  scholars,  it  is 
few  that  are  truly  judicious  and  wise,  and  he  that  is  not 
wise  himself  cannot  know  who  else  are  so  indeed :  and  every 
man  will  commend  the  authors  that  are  of  his  own  opinion. 
And  if  I  commend  to  you  some  authors  above  others,  what 
do  I  but  commend  my  own  judgment  to  you,  even  as  if  I 
commended  my  own  books,  and  persuaded  you  to  read 
them;  when  another  man  of  a  different  judgment  will  com- 
mend to  you  books  of  a  different  sort.     And  how  knoweth 
a  raw  student  which  of  us  is  in  the  right  ?     2.  Because  no 
nian  is  so  full  and  perfect  as  to  say  all  that  is  said  by  all 
others  ;  but  though  one  man  excel  in  one  or  many  respects. 


Q.  CLXXIV.]      CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  585 

another  may  excel  him  in  some  particularH,  and  say  that 
which  he  omitteth,  or  mistaketh  in.  3.  But  especially  be- 
cause many  errors  and  adversaries  have  made  many  books 
necessary  to  some^  for  to  know  what  they  say^  and  to  know 
how  to  confute  them,  especially  the  Papists^  whose  way  is 
upon  pretence  of  antiquity  and  universality,  to  carry  eveiy 
controversy  into  a  wood  of  church-history,  and  ancient  wri- 
ters, that  there  you  may  first  be  lost,  and  then  they  may 
have  the  finding  of  you  :  and  if  you  cannot  answer  every 
corrupted  or  abused  citation  of  their's  out  of  councils  and 
fathers,  they  triumph  as  if  they  had  justified  their  church- 
tyranny.  4.  And  the  very  subjects  that  are  to  be  under- 
stood are  numerous,  and  few  men  write  of  all.  5.  And  on 
the  same  subject  men  have  several  modes  of  writing ;  as  one 
excelleth  in  accurate  method,  and  another  in  clear,  convin- 
cing argumentation,  and  another  in  an  afiectionate,  taking 
style :  and  the  same  book  that  doth  one,  cannot  well  do  the 
other,  because  the  same  style  will  not  do  it. 

Object.  '  But  the  ancient  fathers  used  not  so  many  books 
as  we  do,  no,  not  one  for  our  hundreds  :  and  yet  we  honour 
them  above  the  Neotorics  :  they  lived  before  these  libraries 
had  a  being.  Yea,  they  exhort  divines  to  be  learned  in  the 
Holy  Scriptures,  and  the  fourth  council  of  Carthage  forbad 
the  reading  of  the  heathens'  books :  and  many  heretics  are 
accused  by  the  fathers  and  historians,  as  being  studied  in 
logic,  and  curious  in  common  sciences ;  and  Paul  saith, 
that  the  Scriptures  are  able  to  make  us  wise  unto  salvation.' 

Answ,  1.  And  yet  the  New  Testament  was  written  (or 
most  of  it)  after  the  Scriptures  which  Paul  is  commonly 
supposed  to  mean,  and  some  of  it,  after  he  said  so,  which 
sheweth  that  he  meant  not  to  exclude  more  writing. 

2.  The  Scriptures  are  sufficient  for  their  proper  use, 
which  is  to  be  a  law  of  faith  and  life,  if  they  be  understood. 
But  1.  They  are  not  sufficient  for  that  which  they  were  ne- 
ver intended  for :  2.  And  we  may  by  other  books  be  great- 
ly helped  in  understanding  them. 

3.  Ifother  books  were  not  needful,  teachers  were  not  need- 
ful ;  for  writing  is  but  the  most  advantageous  way  of  teach- 
ing by  fixed  characters,  which  fly  not  from  our  memory  as 
transient  words  do.  And  who  is  it  that  understandeth  the 
Scriptures  that  never  had  a  teacher  ?     And  why  said  the 


586  CHRISTIAN   DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

eumich,  **  How  should  I  (understand  what  I  read)  unless 
some  man  guide  me  ^? "  And  why  did  Christ  set  teachers 
in  his  church  to  the  end,  till  it  be  perfected",  if  they  must 
not  teach  the  church  unto  the  end  ?  Therefore  they  may 
write  unto  the  end. 

4.  Reverence  to  antiquity  must  not  make  us  blind  or 
unthankful.  Abundance  of  the  fathers  were  unlearned  men, 
and  of  far  less  knowledge  than  ordinaiy  divines  have  now  ; 
and  the  chief  of  them  were  far  short  in  knowledge  of  the 
chiefest  that  God  of  late  hath  given  us.  And  how  should  it 
be  otherwise,  when  their  helps  were  so  much  less  than 
ours? 

6.  Knowledge  hath  abundantly  increased  since  printing 
was  invented ;  therefore  books  have  been  a  means  to  it. 

6.  The  fathers  then  wrote  voluminously  ;  therefore  they 
were  not  against  more  writing. 

7.  Most  of  the  bishops  and  councils  that  cried  down 
common  learning,  had  little  ^f  it  themselves,  and  therefore 
knew  not  how  to  judge  of  it;  no  more  than  good  men  now 
that  want  it. 

8.  They  lived  among  heathens  that  gloried  so  in  their 
own  learning,  as  to  oppose  it  to  the  Word  of  God,  (as  may 
be  seen  in  Julian,  and  Porphyry,  and  Celsus):  therefore 
Christians  opposed  it,,  and  contemned  it ;  and  were  afraid 
while  it  was  set  in  competition  with  the  Scriptures,  lest  it 
should  draw  men  to  infidelity,  if  overvalued. 

9.  And  finally,  the  truth  is,  that  the  sacred  Scriptures 
are  now  too  much  undervalued,  and  philosophy  much  over- 
valued by  many  both  as  to  evidence  and  usefulness ;  and  a 
few  plain,  certain  truths  which  all  our  catechisms  contain, 
well  pressed  and  practised,  would  make  a  better  church  and 
Christians,  than  is  now  to  be  found  among  us  all.  And  I 
am  one,  that  after  all  that  I  have  written,  do  heartily  wish 
that  this  were  the  ordinary  state  of  our  churches.  But  yet 
by  accident  much  more  is  needful,  as  is  proved  ;  1.  For  tlie 
fuller  understanding  of  these  principles  :  2.  For  the  de- 
fending of  them  (especially  by  those  that  are  called  to  that 
work) :  3.  To  keep  a  minister  from  that  contempt  which 
may  else  frustrate  his  labours :  4.  And  to  be  ornamental 
and  subservient  to  the  substantial  truths. 

»  Acts  viii.  51.  «  Eph.  iv.  11—15. 


Q.  CLXXrV.]    CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  587 

I.  I  will  name  you  the  poorest  or  smallest  library  that 
is  tolerable. 

II.  The  poorer  (though  not  the  poorest);  where  a  com- 
peten£  addition  is  made. 

III.  The  poor  man's  library,  which  yet  addeth  somewhat 
to  the  former,  but  cometh  short  of  a  rich  and  sumptuous 
library. 

I.  The  poorest  library  is,  1.  The  Sacred  Bible.     2.  A 
Concordance  (Downame's  the  least,  or  Newman's  the  best). 
3.  A  sound  Commentary  or  Annotations,  either  Diodates, 
the  English  Annotations,  or  the  Dutch.    4.  Some  English 
catechisms,  (the  Assemblies'  two,  Mr.  Gouge's,  Mr.  Crook's 
Ouide,)  Amesius's  Medulla  Theologise,  et  Casus  Conscien- 
tisB  (which  are  both  in  Latin  and  English),  and  his  Bellar- 
minus  Enervatus.     5.  Some  of  the  soundest  English  books 
which  open  the  doctrine  of  grace,  justification,  and  free-will 
and  duty  ;  as  Mr.  Truman's  Oreat  Propitiation,  Mr.  Bmd- 
shaw  of  Justification,  Mr.  Gibbon's  Sermon  of  Justification, 
in  the  Morning  Exercises  at  St.  Giles  in  the  Fields,   Mr. 
Hotchkis  of  Forgiveness  of  Sin.    6.  As  many  affectionate 
practical  English  writers  as  you  can  get;  especially  Mr. 
Richard  Allen's  Works^  Mr.  Gurnall's,  Dr.  Preston,  Dr. 
Sibbs,  Mr.  Robert  Bolton,  Mr.  Whateley,  Mr.  Reyner,  Mn 
Scudder,  Mr.  T.  Ford,  Mr.  Howe  of  Blessedness,  Mr.  Swin- 
nock,  Mr.  Gouge's,  The  Practice  of  Piety,  The  Whole  Duty 
of  Man,  Dr.  Hammond's  Practical  Catechism,  Dr.  Pearson 
on  the  Creed,  Dr.  Downame  on  the  Lord's  Prayer,  Mr.  Dod 
on  the  Commandmentis,  Bishop  Andrews  on  the  Command- 
ments, Mr.  Joseph  Brinsley's  True  Watch,  Mr.  Greenham's 
Works,   Mr.  Hildersham's  Works,  Mr.  Anthony  Burgess's 
Works,   Mr.   Perkin's  Works,    Dr.   Harris's  Works,  Mr. 
Burrough's,  Mr.  Thomas  Hooker,   Mr.  Pinke's  Sermons, 
J.  Downame's   Christian  Warfare,  Richard  Rogers,  John 
Rogers  of  Faith  and  Love,  Dr.  Stoughton,  Dr.  Thomas  Tai- 
lor, JVfr.  Elton,  Mr.  Daniel  Dike,  Jeremy  Dike,  Mr.  J.  Bidl 
of  Faith,  of  the  Covenant,  &c.,  Culverwell  of  Faith,  Mr. 
Ranew,  Mr.  Teate,  Mr.  Shaw,  Mr.  Rawlet,  Mr.  Janeway, 
Mr.  Vincent,  Mr.  Doelittle,  Mr.  Samuel  Ward's  Sermons, 
Mr.  W.  Fenner,  Mr.  Rutherford's  Letters,  Mr.  Jos.  AUein's 


588  CHRISTIAN  DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

Life  and  Letters,  and  Treatise  of  Conversion,  Mr.  Samuel 
Clarke's  Lives,  and  his  Martjrrology,  The  Morning  Exer- 
cises at  St.  Oiles  Cripplegate,  and  at  St.  Giles  in  the  Fields, 
Mr.  Benjamin  Baxter's  Sermons,  Mr.  George  Hopkins's 
Salvation  from  Sin,  Dr.  Edward  Reynolds,  Mr.  Meade's 
Works,  Mr.  Vine's  Sermons,  Henry  Smith,  Samuel  Smith, 
Thomas  Smith,  Mr.  Strong,  J.  Simmonds;  as  many  of  them 
as  you  can  get.  7.  And  for  all  other  learning,  Alstedius's 
Encyclopaedia  alone:  supposing  that  you  are  past  the 
grammar-school,  and  have  necessary  Lexicons,  specially 
Martinius  and  Leigh's  Critica  Sacra :  if  you  can  have  more, 
get  Bellarm.  de  Scriptor.  Eccles.,  Cook's  Censura  Patrum, 
Sculteti  Medulla  Patrum,  Clem.  Rom.,  Justin,  TertuUian 
and  Cyprian ;  Helvici  Chronolog.,  Hammond's  and  Beza's 
Annotations,  with  Junius  and  Tremellius,  Calvin  on  the 
New  Testament,  Thaddsei  Conciliationes,  Alstedii  Definit. 
et  Distinct.,  Castanei  Distinct.,  Ursini  Catechis.,  Wende- 
lini  Theolog.,  Snecani  Method*  Descriptio,  Davenant's 
Works,  and  Camero's,  Le  Blanc's  Theses,  Grotius  de  Satis- 
fact.,  Caranza's  Epitom.  Concil.,  Usher's  Annals,  and  An- 
swer to  the  Jesuit,  and  de  Success.  Eccles.  Stat.,  Drelin- 
court's  and  Poole's  Manual,  Corpus  Confessionum. 

II.  When  you  can  get  more,  the  next  rank  must  have  all 
the  former  with  these  additions  following. 

I.  For  lexicons  :  1.  For  Latin  besides  Goldman,  or  Ho- 
lyoke,  or  rather  Hutton's  Morellius,  or  Cowper,  get  Mar- 
tinii  Onomasticon  :  2.  For  Greek,  Scapula,  Pasor,  Simpson 
and  Henricpetri  Lexicon.  3.  For  Hebrew,  Buxtorf,  Schind- 
ler,  Leigh. 

II.  For  logic  :  1.  Fasciculus  Logicus,  or  Smith,  Keck- 
erman,  Burgersdicius.  2.  Of  th^  moderate  Ramists,  that 
take  in  both,  Henry  Gutherleth. 

III.  For  physics:  1.  Magirus,  Combachius,  Burgers- 
dicius, Wendeline,  and  Sennertus.  2.  Commenius,  3. 
Mr.  Gott.    4.  Lord  Bacon  and  Mr.  Boyle. 

IV.  More  particularly,  De  Anima :  Tolet,  Melancthon, 
with  Vives  and  Amerbachius  (they  are  printed  together  in 
one  book),  Sennerti  Hypomnemata,  Scaliger's  Exercita- 
tiones. 


Q.  CLXXIV.]     CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  589 

V.  De  Corpore  Humano :  Oalen,  Femelius,  Bartholine, 
Harvy  de  Generatione  Animalium. 

VI.  De  Motu  :  Mousnerius,  Dr.  Wallis* 

VII.  Of  astronomy  :  Gassendus,  Riolanus. 

VIII.  Of  geography:  Cluverius,  or  Abbot,  Orcelius, 
Mercator,  Heylin,  the  globe  or  map  Geog.  Nubiens. 

IX.  Of  mathematics  in  general :  Euclid,  Barrow,  Rami 
SchoL  cum  prolegem.,  Snellii,  Bettinus,  Herigone. 

X.  Arithmetic  in  particular:  Record, Wingate,  8cc. 

XI.  Geometry:  Ramus  cum  comment.  Snellii,  and 
Schoneri,  Metii,  Dr.  Wallis,  8cc. 

XII.  Music :  Thos.  Morley,  Simpson. 

XIII.  Ofchronology  and  general  history:  HelviciChro- 
noL,  Usher's  Annals,  Idea  Histor.  Univers.,  Bucholtzer,  Cal- 
visius,  Functius,  Jacob.  Capellus,  Raleigh. 

XIV.  Particular  history  is  endless :  among  so  many  I 
scarce  know  what  to  say  more,  than  read  as  many  as  you 
can;  especially, 

1.  The  Roman  historians,  (which  are  joined  together). 

2.  The  Greek  historians. 

3.  Diog.  Laertius  and  Eunapius  de  vitis  Philosoph. 

4.  Plutarch's  Lives. 

5.  Of  England,  Matth.  Paris,  Hoveden,  Camden,  Speed, 
Ru8hworth*s   Collections. 

6.  Of  France,  Thuanus,  (who  also  taketh  in  most  of  the 
European  history  of  his  time)  Commines,  Serres. 

7.  Of  Belgia,  Grimston,  and  Grotius,  and  Strada. 

8.  Of  Germany,  the  Collections  of  Pistorius,  Ruberus 
and  Freherus. 

9.  Of  Italy,  Guicciardine. 

10.  Knowles's  Turkish  History,  and  Leunclavius. 

11.  Of  Abassia,  Godignus,  and  Damianusa  Goes. 

12.  Of  Judea,  George  Sandys's  Travels,  and  Brocardus. 

13.  Of  Armenia  and  Tartary,  Haitho  Armenius,  and  the 
rest  in  the  Novus  Orbis,  especially  Paulus  Venetus  there. 

14.  Of  Africa  and  India,  Leo  Afer,  and  Ludovicus  Ro- 
manus. 

16.  Of  China,  Siam,  Japan,  &c.  Varenius,  Maffcei  His- 
tor. Indica  cum  Epist.  Jesuit.,  Alvarez  and  Martinius. 
16.  Of  Indostan,  Terry. 


590  CHRISTIAN  DIRECTORY.  [PART    IIL 

17.  Of  Muscoyy,  Sigismundus. 

18.  Of  Sweden,  Olaus  Magnus  (but  fabulous). 

19.  Of  Scotland,  J.  Major,  Hector  Boethius,  Dempster. 

20.  Of  antiquities  :  Rosinus  Rom.  Antiquit.,  Godwin, 
Selden  de  diis  Syris,  &c.,  Ferrarii  Lexicon. 

XV.  Of  church-history :  Josephus,  Eusebius,  Rnffinus 
Tripartite,  above  all  Socrates  and  Sozomen,  Orosius,  Sul- 
pitius  Severus,  Theodoret,  Victor  Uticensis,  Beda,  Jacobus 
a  Vitriaco,  Nicephorus  Callist.,  Platina  and  Massonius  de 
vitis  Pontif.,  Abbas  Urspergensis,  Sleidan,  Micreelius,  Gen- 
tiiHist.  Jud.,  Molani  Martyrolog.,  Clarke's  Martyrolog., 
Hottinger,  lUyrici  Catalogus  Testium  Veritatis,  or  Momey's 
Mystery  of  Iniquity,  Perin  and  Morland's  History  of  Pied- 
mont, and  the  Waldenses,  Histor.  Persecut.  Bohem.,  Scul- 
teti  Annales,  et  Curriculum  Vitse  suae,  Knox's  and  Spots- 
wood's  Hist.  Scot,  Regenvolscius  Hist.  Eccl.  Sclavon.^ 
Usher's  Primordia  Eccles.  Brit.,  Parker's  Antiquitates  Brit., 
Melchior  Adami  VitsB  Theolog.  Medicorum,  Juris-consult. 
et  Philosoph.  German.,  Fuller's  Church  History,  Clark's 
Lives,  many  particular  lives,  as  Jewell's  by  Dr.  Humphry, 
Mr.  Joseph  AUein's,  &c.,  Bolton's,  8cc.  Also  read  the  epis- 
tles of  Melancthon,  Calvin,  Beza,  Saravia. 

XVI.  Of  medicine,  study  no  more  than  such  as  Horstius 
de  Sanitate  Studiosorum  Tuenda,  or  FoUinus,  or  Gratero-* 
lus,  or  an  Herbal,  except  you  can  go  quite  through  with  it ; 
lest  by  a  half  skill  you  kill  yourself  or  others:  but  take  1. 
Sufficient  exercise  '  ad  sudorem,  (aliquando  largiorem,  in 
habitu  seroso  vel  pituitoso).'  2.  Temperance.  3.  A  pleas- 
ed and  contented  mind.  4.  Warmth,  and  avoiding  inward 
and  outward  cold  :  5.  And  experience  for  your  best  physic ; 
and  meddle  with  no  more  without  necessity,  and  the  advice 
of  a  very  able,  experienced  man. 

XVII.  Of  politics,  and  civil  law,  and  ethics^  read  Besol- 
dufi,  Willius,  Dansus,  Fragoso  de  Reg.  Rep.,  Mr.  Lawson's 
Theological  Works,  Angelius,  Dr.  Zouch,  Grotius  de  Jure 
Belli,  Mynsynger's  Institut.,  Wesembecius,  Calvin's  Lexi- 
con, Eustachius's  Ethics  and  Pemble's. 

XVIIL  For  methods  of  divinity,  read  Parseus's  edition 
of  Ursine,  Trelcatius,  Amesii  Medulla,  Musculi  Loci  Com- 
munes, Dr.  TuUy,  Georg.  Sohnius,  Tzegedinefs  Tables,  Cal- 


Q.  CLXXIV.J      CHRISTIAN   ECCLESIASTICS.  591 

vin's  Institutions,  or  Colonius's  abbreviation  of  him.  Law- 
son's  Theopolitica,  Wollebius,  Cluto's  Idea  Theolog. 

XIX.  Theological  disputations  and  treatises  which  I  take 
to  be  extraordinary  clear  and  sound,  escaping  the  extremes 
which  many  err  in,  and  opening  the  reconciling  truth : 
Strangius,  Le  Blanc's  Theses,  Mr.  Truman's  three  books, 
Grotius  de  Satisfactione,  Bradshaw  of  Justification,  Gib- 
bon's Sennon  of  Justification,  Hotchkis  of  Forgiveness  of 
Sin,  all  Davenant's  Works,  Camero's  Works,  Testardus  de 
Natura  et  Gratia,  all  Josua  PlacsBus's  Works,  Theses  Salmu- 
rienses,  Amyraldus,  Johan.  Bergius,  Conrad.  Bergius,  Lu- 
dovic.  Crocii  Syntag.  Theolog.  Synod.  Dort,  especially  the 
British  and  Breme  Divines  in  suffrag.,  Jansenii  Augustinus, 
all  Augustine,  Prosper  and  Fulgentius,  Musculi  Loci  Com- 
munes, Dalleus  de  Redemp.,  Wotton  de  Reconcil.,  Gata- 
ker,  Woodbridge  of  Justification,  Stillingfleet,  Usher's  An- 
swer to  the  Jesuit's  Challenge,  and  his  Notes  de  Redempt. 
Univers.,  W.  Fenner,  Rob.  Baronius  de  Peccato  Mort.  et 
Ven.,  Mr.  Preston,  Whateley,  Vossii  Theses,  BuUinger's 
Decades,  Robert  Abbot. 

XX.  Commentators  (besides  the  forenamed  Annota- 
tions), Beza,  and  Piscator,  Junii  et  Tremellii  Annot.,  Dr. 
Hammond,  Grotius  in  Evang.,  Calvin,  especially  in  Nov. 
Test.,  or  Marlorate's  Collection  on  Gen.  Psal.  Isa.  and  N. 
Test.,  which  containeth  Calvin,  with  others,  Mr.  Pool's  Cri- 
tics, Ainsworth,  Mollerus,  Willet,  Paraeus,  Musculus,  Lyra, 
Estius,  Jansenius,  Chemnitius  Harm.,  Mr.  Cradock's  Harm., 
Maldonate,  Lorinus,  Dixon,  Hutchinson,  Dnisius,  Piche- 
relli  Opuscula. 

XXI.  Such  as  open  some  hard  texts  only,  and  recon- 
cile seeming  contradictions,  Thaddseus,  Spanhemii  Dubia 
Evangelica,  Magrii  Conciliat.,  Sharpii  Symphonia,  Bertram, 
Brugensis,  Alba,  Walther,  Lydius,  Gatakeri  Cinnus  et  alia, 
Richardson,  Camero's  Myrothec,  with  Lud.  Capellus,  Croy- 
us,  Broughton,  Heinsius,  Nic.  "Puller's  Miscellan.,  Gregory, 
Doughty's  Analecta,  Dieterici  Antiq.  BibliccB,  Caninii 
Disq.,  Suicerus,  Boies,  Mede's  Works,  Weemse,  Bootii, 
Sculteti  Exercitationes. 

XXII.  Helps  to  understand  the  Scriptures:  Brough- 
ton's  Consent  of  Scripture,  Usher  of  the  Septuagint,  &c. 


592  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART    IlU 

Illirici  Clavis  Scripturae,  the  foresaid  Treatises  of  Customs^ 
all  Bochartus  (Geograph.  et  de  Animalibus),  Brierwood's 
Enquiries,  Buxtorf  de  Synag.  Jud.^  Cuneeus,  Sigonius  and 
Steph.  Menochius  de  Repub.Hebr.,  Sixt.  Amama,  Euseb. 
Nirembergius  de  Antiq.  Scripturae,  the  Polyglott  Bibles  va- 
rious versions,  Ravanellus* 

XXIII.  For  defence  of  the  Christian  faith  against 
atheists  and  infidels :  Hier^  Savonarola,  Vander  Meulin,  Stil- 
lingfleet's  Orig.  Sacree.,  Grotius  de  Verit.  Relig.  Christ., 
Momey,  Camero  de  Verbo  Dei,  Micrelii  Ethnophron.  Lod* 
Vives,  Ficinus  cum  notis  Lud.  Crocii,  Dr.  Jackson's  Truth 
of  Scripture,  Campanella's  Atheismus  Triumphatus,  Les- 
sius,  Waddesworth  of  the  Immortality  of  the  Soul,  Sir 
Charles  Wolseley  against  Atheism,  Aut  Deus  aut  Nihil,  be- 
sides abundance  of  the  Fathers^  John  Goodwin  of  Scrip- 
tureSi 

XXIV.  Cases  of  conscience,  besides  Amesius,  Perkins, 
Dixon,  Greg.  Sayrus*s  Clavis  Regia,  Azarius,  Dr.  Jer.  Tay- 
lor's Ductor  Dubitantium. 

XXV.  Councils  :  Lydius  Caranza,  Crab,  Binnius,  Spel- 
man,  Justellus,  Synod.  Dordr. 

XXVI.  Canonists  and  helps  to  understand  councils :  The 
Decretals,  or  Corpus  Juris  Canon.,  Zabarell,  Panormitane^ 
Navarrus,  Albaspinseus,  Justellus,  Blondel  de  Decret.,  Bal- 
samon,  Zonaras  and  Photius,  Mirsei  Notitia  Episcopatuum 
(but  not  trusty),  Chenu  de  Episcopatibus  Gallicis,  Filesa- 
cus.  Histor.  Concil.  Trident. 

XXVII.  Fathers :  Clem.  Rom.,  Usher's  and  Iz.  Vossii 
Ignatius,  Justin  Martyr,  Irenseus,  Clem.  Alexand.,  Tertul- 
lian,  Cyprian,  Origen,  Athenagoras,  Tatianus,  Amobius 
cum  Minutio  Fcelice,  Lactantius,  Athanasius.  These  are 
not  very  voluminous :  Optatus,  Eusebii  Preparatio  et  De- 
monstratio  Evangelica,  as  much  of  Hierom,  Augustine,  and 
Chrysostom  as  you  can ;  Hilarius  Pictaviensis,  Prosper,  iFul- 
gentius,  Vincent.  Lirinensis,  (and  before  them)  Basil.  Greg. 
Nazianzen,  and  Greg  Nyssen.,  Epiphanius,  Ambrose,  Pau- 
linus  Nolanus,  Cassianus,  Salvianus,  Gennadius  Massil., 
Gildas,  Claudius  Turonensis,  Rabanus  Maurus,  Bernard. 

XXVIII.  Helps  to  know  and  understand  the  Fathers : 
Sculteti  Medulla  Patrum,  Cocu's  Censura  Patrum,  Rivet's 


Q.CLXXIV.]       CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  693 

Critica  Sacra,  Dr.  James,  all  Bishop  Usher's  Works ;  (but 
above  all,  a  manuscript  of  his  now  in  the  hands  of  the  arch- 
bishop of  Canterbury ;)  Sixti  Senensis  Bibliotheca,  Posse- 
vinus,  many  of  Erasmus's  Prefaces  and  Notes  Dallseus  de 
usu  Patrum,  et  de  Pseudepigraphis  Apostol,  et  de  Cultu 
Latinorum,  et  in  Dionys.  et  in  Ignatium,  et  pleraque  illius^ 
et  D.  Blondelli  Opera,  Bellarminus  de  Scrip toxibus  Ecole* 
siast.,  Casaubonis  Exercit.,  Vedelius  de  Sapient.  Veterum, 
Polydore  Virgil  de  Invent.  Rer.  Albaspine,  Vossii  Histor. 
Pelag.  et  de  Symbolis,  Pauli  Erinachi  Trias  Patrum,  Photii 
Biblioth.,  Rouse's  Mella  Patrum,  De  la  Cerda^  and  many 
other's  Notes. 

XXIX.  Later  writers  and  schoolmen  t  Damasus,  Ansel- 
mus  Cantuar.,  Guilielmus  Parisiensis,  Guil.  de  Sancto 
Amore,  Gerhardus  Zutphaniensis  (in  Bibl.  Patr.)  Thaulerus, 
Thomas  a  Kempis,  Lombard,  Aquinas,  Durandus,  Scotus, 
Ockham,  Greg.  Ariminiensis,  Rada,  Alvarez,  Ruiz,  Suarez, 
Lud.  a  Dola,  Ripalda,  Buridanes  Ethics;  Meurisse  Meta- 
phys.,  Ferrii  Scholast.  Orthod.  et  Defens.,  Posewitz  The- 
olog.  Scholast.,  Dr.  Twisse,  Strangius,  Rob.  Baronii  Meta- 
phys.,  Calovii  Metaphys.  Divin.,  Dr.  Barlow's  Metaphys* 
Exercitatk,  Dr.  More's  Metaphysics. 

XXX.  Controversies,  (besides  the  forementioned  against 
heathens  and  infidels). 

1.  Protestants  and  Papists:  Bellarmine,  Stapleton, 
Costerus,  Becanus,  Holden,  Brierley's  Protest.  Plea,  Rich- 
worth's  and  White's  Dialogues. 

Against  them:  Amesii  Bellarm.  Enervatus,  Dr.  Ohal- 
loner's  Credo  Eccles.  Cathol.,  Chamier,  Sadeel,  Chillingr 
worth.  Usher's  Answer  to  the  Jesuit's  Challenge,  and  de 
Success.  Eccles.,  lUyrici  Catalog.  Testium  Veritatis,  J)^ 
Plessis  (Morney)  de  Eccles.  and  Mystery  of  Iniquity,  Dr. 
Field  of  the  Church,  Whitaker,  Dr.  John  White's  Way  to 
the  True  Church,  and  the  Defence,  Blondel  de  Eccljesia 
(Gallic^) ;  all  Dallseus's  Works ;  Albertinus  de  Transubst. 
cum  Clodii  Defens.,  Davenant  de  Justitia  et  Determina- 
tiones.  Rivet's  Cathol.  Ortliod.,  Pet.  Molinsei  de  Novitate 
Papismi  (Englished),  Pet.  Molinseus  Junior's  Answer  to 
Phalanax  Anglicus,  Chemnitii  Exam-  Concil.  Trident., 
Rainold's  Conference  with  Hart,  and  de  lib.  Apocry,,  Pet. 

VOL.   v.  Q   Q 


i 


594  CHRISTIAN  DIRECTORY.  [PART    111, 

Cousiite,  Bishop  of  Durham,  of  the  Canon  of  Scripture, 
Drelinoourt'a  Manual,  Poole's  Nullity  and  Dial,,  Buhop 
Downame  Ac  Antichristo,  Stillingfleet,  TiUotson,  Voetiu 
de  DeBper,  Cftusa  Papatus.  Especially  for  the  right  of 
kings  against  them;  Will.  Barclay,  Grotius  de  ImperiO' 
Stnnmar.  Potest.,  Bishop  Bilson  of  Obedience,  Bisb<^ 
Carlton  de  Jurisdictione,  Bishop  Robert  Abbots,  Gokla*> 
tu«  de  Monorchia,  (a  multitude  of  old  writers  collected  J  a 
Gonstrtut.  ImperiaJ.,  M.  Ant.  de  Dominis  bpalatensia  d^ 
Reptibl.  Eocl. ;  all  LudovicM  MoIiuiEUB's  Works. 

8.  About  predestination,  grace,  freewill,  the  JettuiUb 
Lutherans,  and  Arminians  against  the  Dominicans,  Jabsea* 
ists,  and  Calvinists.  On  one  side,  Molineeus,  Fooseca, 
Penoottus  piopugnac.  Libert.  Petr.  a  Sancto  Joseph,  Anni> 
niuB,  EpiscopiuR.  Corvinus,  Grevinchovius,  Tilenus,  TileiuUL 
Jwaior. 

On  the  other  side;  Alvarez,  Zumel,  Jansenius,  TwisstV' 
Synod.  Dord.,  Moliniei  Anatom.  Armini.,  Amesius,  Zaif: 
chluH,  8ic.     But  the  Conciliators  are  soundest. 

3.  Of Sociniaaismand  Arianism-  Forthem:  biBtoriansi 
PhilostorgiuB  and  Sandius  :  disputers,  Volkelius,  Socioiw^ 
Lushington  on  the  Hebr. 

Against  them:  Jos,  Placceus,  ijtegman,  Botsaccus,  Gro- 
tius de  Satisfact.,  Zamovecius,  and  Job.  Junius  de  Satiw 
fact.,  Laweon  on  the  Hebrews,  Beckman's  Exercitations, 
Truman's  Great  Propitiation,  Stillingfleet  of  Satiafactioi^ 
Q.  V,  Crellius  Refutatus,  EsseniuB,  Hoornbeck. 

4.  Of  justification,  enow  are  named  before,  xviii.,  spe- 
cially Le  Blanc,  also  Pemble,  Bishop  Downame,  Warren. 

5.  The  Antinomian  and  Libertine  controversies :  pro. 
Dr.  Crisp,  Maccovius  in  quihusdam,  Saltniarsh,  Crando>^ 
Paul  HobsoD,  Den,  Town,  Eaton. 

Contr.  Qataker,  Ball  of  the  Covenant,  Antb.  Burgesft^ 
all  the  writers  of  justihcation  before  praised,  xviii. ;  Weldfv 
History  of  Antinomians. 

6.  About  infant   baptism:  cont.   Tombes,  BlacJcwootjL 
Fisher.  .       , 
'      Pro.  Church.  Marshall,  Whiston,  Blake. 

7.  Of  the  Lord's  day,  or  Christian  sabbath  :  cont.  Ir«  

Bide,  Heylin,  Pocklington,  Franc.  White,  Brierwood.  Bnxul. 


Q.  CLXXIV.]        CHRISTIAN   ECCL£SI A8T1G8.  595 

Pro.  Dr.  Young,  Eaton,  Cawdrey,  and  Palmar,  Dr. 
Twisse,  Hughes,  Sprint,  Dr.  Owen,  Mr.  George  Abbot, 
Shephard. 

8.  Of  diocesan  prelacy :  cont.  Cartwright,  Calderwood's 
Altare  Damascenum,  Rob.  Parker  de  Polit.  Eccles.,  Beza^ 
Gerson  Bucer's  Dissert,  de  Gubern.  Eccles.,  Baines  Dioce- 
san's Trial,  Blondel  de  Episc.  et  Presbyt.,  Salmasius,  Smec- 
tymnuuB. 

Pro.  Petavius,  Saravia,  George  Downame,  Bilson, 
Hooker,  Whitgift,  Dr.  Hammond. ' 

9.  Of  the  rest  of  English  conformity,  liturgy,  and  cere- 
monies: pro.  Dr.  John  Burgess,  Whitgift,  Hooker,  Sprint's 
Necessity  of  Conformity  in  Case  of  Deprivation,  Paybody 
of  Kneeling,  Fulwood,  Stileman,  Durel,  the  Friendly  De- 
bate, The  Ecclesiastical  Polity. 

Contr.  Cartwright,  Parker  of  the  Cross,  Bradshaw's 
Twelve  Arguments,  8cc.,  Amesius  against  Morton,  and  his 
Fresh  Suit  against  Burgess,  Nicols,  the  Savoy  Prop. 

Against  the  new  additions,  little  is  said  yet,  through  the 
restraint  of  the  law,  except  by  Mr.  Daniel  Cawdrey,  and  a 
Latin  Apology,  and  Mr.  Crofton,  and  Dr.  Collins  of  the 
Covenant,  and  some  things  thrust  out  secretly,  which  con<^ 
tain  but  little  of  the  true  state  of  the  case. 

10.  Of  Erastianism :  pro.  Erastus,  Coleman,  Hussey, 
Lud.  MolinsBus,  (in  appearance,)  Selden  de  Synedriis. 

Cont.  Beza,  Gillespie's  Aaron's  Rod,  and  Nihil  Respon- 
des,  Hammond  of  the  Keys. 

11.  Of  separation:  pro.  Johnson,  Canne,  Ainsworth; 
and  for  semi-separation,  (from  liturgy  and  sacraments,  but 
not  from  sermons,)  Robinson. 

Cont.  John  Paget,  Bradshaw,  Gifford,  Hildersham,  Ball, 
Gataker,  Bernard,  Rob.  Abbot,  (not  the  bishop,)  William 
Allen's  Retract,  of  Separation. 

12.  Of  independency :  pro.  Norton,  (moderate,)  Hooker, 
Allen  and  Shephard,  Burton,  Apologet.  Narrative,  Reasons 
of  the  Dissenters  in  the  Assembly,  Dr.  Owen's  Catechism, 
and  of  Schism. 

Cont.  J.  Ball,  Rutherford,  the  Assembly's  Reply,  the 
London  Ministers'  Jus  Divinum  Presbyterii,  Cawdrey 
against  Dr.  Owen,  &c.,  Ben.  Camfield  agcdnst  Dr.  Owen's 
Catechism* 


596  •  CHRISTIAN  DIRECTORY.  [PART  11^4 

XXXL  Conciliators.  1.  Between  discordant  Chris-* 
tians  in  general;  Jacobl  Acontii  Stratagemata  Satanse, 
Usher  in  Eph.  iv.  3.,  old  Vincentius  Lirinensis,  Ruperti 
Meldenii  Pareenensis;  a  Socinian  Veritas  Pacifica,  (and 
many  such  of  theirs  proposing  ill  terms.) 

2.  Between  Protestants  and  Papists :  Thuanus,  Piche- 
rellus,  Erasmus,  Wicelius,  Cassander,  Baldwin,  Grotius,  Da- 
venport, alias  Franca  Sancta  Clara,  M.  A.  de  Dom.  Spala«> 
tensisdeHep.  Eccles.,  Guil.  Forbes  EpisQop.  Edinburgens., 
Dr.  Hammond,  specially  on  Thess.  and  Rer. ;  but  Le  Blanc 
judiciously  only  by  right  stating  and  narrowing  controversies. 
See  Pet.  Heylin  of  the  Life  of  Archbishop  liaud.  Bishop 
3ramhall. 

3.  Between  all  Protestants,  especially  Lutherans,  Ar- 
minians,  and  the  Reformed  Churches :  Dprseus,  Calixtus, 
Hall's  Peacemaker,  and  Pax  Terris,  Bishop  Morton,  Dave- 
nant,  and  Hall  together,  their  Pacific. ;  Amyraldus,  Junius 
de  Praedeterminatione  and  Irenic,  Hottonus  de  Tolerantia, 
Parsei  Irenic,  Scultetus  in  Tit.,  all  the  judicious  Treatises 
commended  xviii.  And  of  Papists  about  the  like  control 
versies ;  Sarnanus,  Suarez,  Arriba,  Jansenius,  Gibieuf.  Guil. 
Camerarius,  8cotus  a  Dola, 

4.  Of  church  government:  Usher's  Reduction,  John 
Forbez  Irenic,  Stillingfleet's  Irenic,  Hall's  Peacemaker 
and  Modest  Offer,  Burroughs's  Cure  of  Heart  Divisions, 
Matt.  Newcomen's  Reconcil,  of  Presb.  and  Indep.,  The  New 
England  Synod's  Prop,  and  the  Defence,  Lloyd. 

III.  I  have  gone  so  far  in  this  second  rank,  that  I  must  add 
but  a  few  more  for  the  third,  lest  I  go  above  a  poor  man's 
library. 

t.  Add  when  you  can  to  your  lexicons,  Morelliusor 
Cowper,  Beckman  de  Orig.  Verb.,  Phavorrnus  and  Hesy- 
chius,  and  Dr.  Castle's  Oriental  Lexicon. 

II.  To  logicians,  Downame,  Dietericus,  Lublin,  Smig-» 
letius,  with  Aristotle,  Claubergius. 

III,  To  physics,  Philoponus,  Telesius,  Le  Grand,  Carte- 
sius,  ftegius,  Hereboord,  Sckeggius,  Gassendus,  Patricius. 
K.  Digby,  White. 


Q.  CLXXIV.]       CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  597 

IV.  De  corporc  humano :  Crook's  Anatomy,  or  Vesa- 
lius.  Lower  de  Motu  Cordis,  Harvey  and  Walleeus  de  Circu- 
lar Sang.,  Willis's  Works,  Needham  de  Form.  Foetus,  Steno 
de  Musculis,  Sylvius,  Home,  Bates  and  Glisson,  Anatom* 
Hepat.  and  de  Rachitide,  Wharton  de  Glandulis. 

V.  De  anima :  Claud.  Mammertus,  Nemesius  (in  Bibl. 
Pat.),  Plato,  Plotinus,  Fromondus,  Cicero  Tusc.  Qu«,  H* 
More, 

VI.  Of  metaphysics  :  Scheilbler,  Suarez,  Timpler,  Bur-» 
gersdicius,  Senguerdius,  Jacchseus,  Gorlsus,  Ritschel,  Cam- 
pspiella,  Meurisse. 

VII.  Of  Chronology :  Petavius,  Usher's  Chronol.  and 
de  Anno  Maced.,  Isaacson's  Chronol.,  Simpson's  Chron., 
Beroaldus,  Carion,  Scaliger  de  Emend.  Temper,  on  Euseb* 
&c..  Dr.  Drake;  see  Bellarmin.  Index  in  Script*  Eccles. 

VIII.  History.  The  Roman  and  Greek  are  known. 
Of  the  church ;  Evagrius,  Gregor.  Turonicus,  Paulus  Dia-» 
conus,  Luitprandus,  Frodoardus,  Cedrenus,  Curopalates, 
Ingulphus,  Otho  Frisengens.,  Crantzius,  Trithemius,  Came-* 
rarius,  Spondani  Epit.  Baronii,  Luc.  Osiander's  Epit.  Magde-?' 
burg.  Fox's  Martyrology,  Ehinger's  History  of  England, 
Will.  Malmsbury,  Matt.  Westminster,  Balsetis,  HoUingshed, 
Lord  Herbert's  Life  of  Hen.  VIL,  The  Lives  of  Edw.  VI., 
Q.  Eliz.  by  Camden,  K.  James  by  Wilson,  K.  Charles,  Crom- 
well's Life,  Pryn's  History  of  Bishops'  Treasons,  and  of 
Canterbury's  (Laud's)  Doom,  Heylin's  Life  of  Laud,  The 
Troubles  at  Frankfort,  The  Cabala  Letters.  Of  Ireland ; 
Sir  John  Temple,  Dr.  Jones  of  the  Rebellion,  the  Earl  of 
Orrery's  Answ.  to  a  Petition.  Of  Scotland  and  other  chur- 
ches ;  PetrsBUs's  History.  Also,  Mart.  Crusii  Turcograecia ; 
Kircher  of  the  Coptics,  Hornius,  Archotologia  Gothofredi 
edit.  1649.,  Rovillii  promptuarium  Iconum,  Verheiden's 
Icones  Theolog.  Reformat.  foL,  Vossius  de  Historicis,  BezaB 
Icones,  Histor,  Sacrament,  et  de  Orig.  Teraplorum,  Vossii 
Hist.  Pelag.,  Gutherleth's  Hist.,  Parseus,  Laetus,  Pezelius : 
but  there  is  no  end. 

IX.  Medicine.  Herbals  j  Matthiolus,  Johnson,  Ger- 
rard,  Parkinson,  LsPigham,  Monardus.  Dispensatories ; 
London  Physicians',  Schroderus.  Anatomists  beforenamed^ 
and  Knoblochius.     Practitioners ;  Hippocrates,  Galen^  Cc|}« 


506  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 

SUB,  FemeliuB,  Montani  Consilia,  Crato  in  Scholtzii,  ep.  et 
Consil.,  PlateruR,  Forestus,  Skenkii  Obsenr.,  HoUerius^  Sen- 
nertus,  Rondeletius,  Hcrstias,  Frambassaiius,  Scoltzii 
Aphoris.,  Solenander,  Epiphan.  Ferdinandus,  Dodonaei 
Praxis,  Moi^llius,  Schonbornii  Manual,  Domcrellius,  Con- 
ringius  de  Ferment.,  Fienus,  Gordonius ;  especially  Riverius, 
Prevotius,  et  si  vacat,  Zacutius  Lusitan.,  Hartman,  Quer- 
cetane,  Crolliu«,  Valentine,  Helmont.  For  surgery ;  Fa- 
bricius  Hildanus,  Trigaltius,  Forestus,  Parseus. 

But  the  chief  treatises  of  medicine  are  those  that  treat 
of  particular  diseases  or  kinds  ;  as  Carolus  Piso  de  Morbis 
Serosis,  Eugalenus,  Martinius,  Sennertus,  &c.  de  Scorbuto, 
Dr.  Sidenham  de  Febribus,  Dr.  Glisson  de  Rachitide,  Wil- 
lis de  Fernientatione  et  de  Febribus,  Cattierus  de  Rheuma- 
tisrao,  Marouccius,  8ic.  de  Melancholia,  Schmuzen,  &c.  de 
Calculo,  Capellutus  de  Bubon.,  Guarencier's  de  Tabe  An- 
glica.     It  is  too  long  tp  name  all. 

So  Rudius  de  Pulsibus,  Forestus  de  Insei*t.  Urin.  judic. 
Sanctorius  et  Opicius  de  Med.  Statica,  Deodatus  de  Diaete- 
tic.  Bacon  de  Vita  Longa,  Venner,  Brunfelsis. 

X^  To  politics  add,  Tholosanus,  Althusius,  Amisseus, 
Bodin  de  Rep.  White. 

To  ethics,  Buridane,  More,  Wendeline,  Danseus,  Gata- 
ker's  Antonine,  Seneca,  Plutarch's  Morals. 

XI.  Systems  of  theology  :  Synopsis  Leidensium,  Lud. 
Crosius,  Polanus,  Bucanus,  Dudley  Fenner,  Wendeline, 
Pet.  Martyr's  Loci  Com.,  Theses  Sedanenses,  Ant.  Fayus, 
Melancthon.  Gomarus,  Pezelius,  Catechismus  Romanus, 
Corpus  Confessionura,  Altingius,  Spanhemii  Disput.  Sne- 
canus. 

XII.  Choice  treatises;  Parker  de  Descensu  ad  inferos, 
Garbut  of  the  Resurrection  of  Christ,  Bullinger  de  Orig. 
Errorum,  Martinius  de  Symbol,  et  alia.,  Olevian  de  foedere, 
Sanderson  de  Juram.,  Pemble's  Works,  all  Mede's  Works, 
Rivet's  Select  Disputations,  Zanchii  Opera,  Dr.  Field,  all 
Dallseus,  and  Blondel,  Turretine  de  Satisfactione. 

XI I I.  Commentators:  Davenant  in  Colos.,  Martyr  in 
Rom.  and  Cor.,  Pelargus  in  Matt.,  Fayus,  Scultetus,  Cro- 
cius  in  Eph.,  Luther  in  Galat.,  Sclater  in  Thess.,  Cartwright 
and  Fulke  on  the  Rhemists'  Notes,  Arth.  Jackson's  Annot., 


b.  CLXXIV.]       CHRISTIAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  590 

Erasmus's  Paraphrase,  lUyricus,  Lightfoot^  Tessanus,  Me- 
lancthon,  RoIIocke,  Manton  on  James  and  Jude»  Amesius 
on  Pet.,  Lud.  de  Dieu  on  the  Revel.,  Mede,  Stephens,  Na- 
pier, K.  James,  Brightman ;  all  these  on  the  New  Testa- 
ment or  part.  And  Papists  ;  Tolet,  (on  Rom.  8ic.)»  Fertui« 
Brugensis,  Montanus,  Pererius,  Com.  Mussus,  Espencmui. 
On  the  Old  Testament ;  Cajetan,  Bonfrerius,  Pererius,  PavL 
Fagius,  Mercennus,  Rivet,  Masius  Serrarius,  SanctioB, 
Mercer,  Amesius  in  Psal„  Amyraldus  in  Psal.,  Ford  in  Psala^ 
Pemble,  Broughton,  and  Parker  on  Dan.,  Attersol  on 
Numb.,  &c..  King  on  Jonah.  If  you  would  have  more,  see 
Bishop  Wilkins's  Eccles.,  and  Voetii  Bibliot. 

XIV.  Subordinate  helps  for  understanding  and  preach- 
ing. Concordances :  Heb.  Buxtorf,  GrsBc.  Stephani,  Tosr 
sani  Ind^x :  Clark's  Holy  Oil,  Wilkins's  Ecclesiastes  and 
Gift  of  Prayer,  Chappeland  Zepper's  Method  of  Preaching, 
Oliv.  Bowles,  Alstedii  Definit,  et  Distinct.,  Castanei  Disi. 
cum  Reeb.,  Drusii  Prov.  and  Adag.  Heb.,  Delrius  and  Schot* 
tus,  Glassii  Philol.,  Zehner,  Capelli  Critica  Sacra,  Gruterl 
vel  Langii  Polyanth.,  Schotanus  in  Creat.,  Mountagne'iT 
Apparat.  et  de  Orig.  Eccl.,  Franzius  de  Sacrif.,  Wittichiuii 
de  Stylo. 

XV.  Of  Christian  religion ;  its  defence,  latitude,  and 
the  infidels  and  heathens  compared :  Raymundus  de  SabQn«> 
dis  Theolog.  Natur.,  Pacardus,  Aquinas  cont.  Gent.  Pansa^ 
Vai'enius  de  Relig.  Indor.,  Brierwood's  Enquiries,  Thorn,  ft 
Sancto  Jesu,  and  Acosta  de  Convers.,  Breganius  de  Theol. 
Gentil.,  Vossius  de  Idolat.,  Vossius  de  Theol.  Natura,  Col- 
li us  de  Animabus  Paganorum,  Eugubinus,  Fotherby,  Mer- 
sennus  in  Genesin. 

XVI.  Cases  of  Conscience  more:  Filliucius,  Tolet  de 
Sacerdot,  Reginald,  Cajetan,  Navarrus.  See  Montaltus 
against  the  Jesuits'  casuists,  and  the  Jesuits'  morals,  Dow*- 
name's  and  Whateley's  Tables  on  the  Commandments,  San- 
derson de  Juramento,  and  Fragoso  aforenamed. 

XVII.  Of  councils  more,  and  canonists,  and  Liturgies: 
Jus  Orientate  Grsecorum  per  Leunclavium,  Bochelli  Decreta 
Gallic.  Sirmondi  Concil.  Gall.  Longus. 

Actus  Conventus  Thorunensis,  Formula  ConcordisB 
Germ.  The  Westminster  Assembly's  Acts,  English  Canons, 
Fasti  Siculi,  Morini  exercit.  Eccles. 


600;  CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART    III. 

Zepper.  Polit.  Eccles.^  Hammond,  Lestrange  of  Litui^es, 
Antiquitates  Liturgicee^  Cassander's  Works,  Claud.  Sainc* 
tes,  Gavantes  de  Ritibus,  Vicecomes. 

XVIIL  More  of  the  fathers  I  need  not  name;  if  you  can 
get  and  read  them,  you  may  find  their  names,  e.  g.  in  Bel* 
larmin.  de  Script.  Eccles.  Get  the  Bibliothec.  Patrum  of 
de  la  Eigne,  and  Macarius  Horn.,  Ephrem  Syrus,  (plain  ho- 
nest things,)  Theodoret,  Cyril  Hieros.,  Cyril  Alexand.,  Isi- 
dore Pelusiota,  Theophylact  and  Oecumenius,  Sedulius  and 
Primasius,  Remigius,  Beda,  &c.  But  many  of  them  are 
very  weak  and  dry.  The  chief  use  of  the  fathers  is  to  know 
historically  what  doctrine  was  then  taught. 

XIX.  Schoolmen  more  :  Bonaventure,  Alensis,  Cajetan, 
Bannez,  Biel,  Cameracensis,  Franc.  Mayro,  Capreolus,  R. 
Armachanus;  Bradwardine,  Faber  Faventimis,  Hervaeus, 
John  and  Fr.  Pici  Mirandula,  Fr.  Victoria,  Suarez,  Vasquez, 
Albertinus  in  Thom.  Aquila  Scottellus:  Ripalda  nameth 
more  if  you  would  have  more. 

XX.  Antipapists  :  Pappus  of  their  contradictions,  Gen- 
tiletus,  Morton's  Apology  and  Grand  Imposture,  Buckeridge 
Roffensis  for  Kings,  Crakenthorpe,  Parseus  cont.  Bellarm. 
Junius  on  Bellahn.,  Birkbeck's  Protestant's  Evidence,  Hun- 
nii  Eccles.  Rom.  non  est  Christ.,  Hottoman,  Brutum  ful- 
men,  &c.  Eusebius  Captivus,  Joh.  Crocius  de  Schismate, 
Jewel,  all  Whitaker,  Andrews  Tortura  Torti,  Wotton,  Dr. 
Jer.  Taylor's  Dissuasive.     But  they  are  almost  numberless  \ 

Note  1.  That  these  may  seem  too  many,  though  they  are 
few  to  a  full  and  rich  library. 

2.  That  it  is  not  my  advice  that  you  read  over  all  these, 
or  half;  for  that  would  but  make  them  a  snare  for  sinning, 
and  waste  of  time :  but  a  minister  of  the  Gospel  should  have 
more  books  by  him  than  he  can  read  over,  for  particular 
uses,  and  to  see  the  author's  judgment  occasionally,  and  to 
try  other  men's  citations. 

3.  That  a  minister  must  neither  study  the  matter  without 
the  help  of  other  men's  studies  by  reading  much ;  nor  yet 
read  much  without  studying  the  thing  itself, 

<  He  that  would  have  more  booka  may  see  Voetius  Bibliothec-  and  manj  other 
catalogues. 


H.  cLkXiV.J       CHRIStlAN  ECCLESIASTICS.  601 

4.  That  though  a  man  must  not  speak  or  write  before  he 
knoweth  what  and  how,  yet  thus  exercising  the  knowledge 
that  we  have  doth  greatly  increase  it.  And  no  minister 
must  be  studying,  when  he  should  be  preaching,  praying, 
catechizing,  or  visiting,  or  instructing  his  flock. 

5.  It  is  but  few  men  that  are  bom  with  an  acumen  fit  for 
writings  and  controversies :  those  few  must  read  the  more  to 
be  fit  for  it :  the  rest  may  take  up  with  such  preparations  as 
they  have  use  for,  and  exercise  them,  viz.  in  the  pastoral 
oversight  of  the  flocks,  and  propagating  plain  and  necessary 
truths.  And  therefore  though  I  am  one  that  have  been 
thought  to  burden  men's  understandings  with  methods,  dis- 
tinctions, directions,  and  controversies,  it  is  but  few  that  I 
persuade  to  use  them ;  and  am  as  much  as  any  for  most 
men's  adhering  to  plain  fundamentals,  and  truths  of  daily 
use,  and  honour  those  that  go  no  further,  and  are  faithful  in 
this  work  ;  so  be  it  they  have  not  the  pride  to  think  that 
they  know  more  than  diey  do,  and  to  wrangle  against  that 
which  they  understand  not,  and  set  not  the  church  on  fire 
as  ancient  ignorance  did,  by  accusing  those  of  heresy  that 
knew  more  than  themselves,  when  they  got  but  the  throne 
or  the  major  vote, 

G.  That  though  I  chiefly  commend  systems  of  theology^ 
I  know  not  one  whose  method  satisfieth  me,  as  well  agree- 
ing with  Scripture,  and  the  matter,  (else  I  had  not  troubled 
myself  so  much  to  seek  a  right  method,  and  propose  what  I 
found).  And  I  think  no  common  method  more  genuine, 
than  theirs  that  expound  the  creed.  Lord's  prayer,  and  deca- 
logue, and  the  sacraments,  as  the  sum  of  all. 

7.  I  mention  none  of  my  own  writings,  for  it  will  seem 
vanity :  but,  as  many  as  they  are,  I  wrote  none  which  I 
thought  needless  at  the  time  of  writing  them. 

8.  Though  none  should  have  so  great  fitness  for  the  holy 
education  of  children  and  government  of  families  as  minis- 
ters, yet  so  great  is  the  work  of  overseeing  the  flock,  requi- 
ring more  time  and  parts  than  all  that  we  have,  and  so  great 
are  the  matters  of  our  studies  and  labours,  requiring  our 
total  and  most  serious  thoughts  that  I  earnestly  advise  all 
(h^t  can  possibly,  to  live  single  and  without  a  family,  lest 


602 


CHRISTIAN    DIRECTORY.  [PART  III. 


they  mar  their  work  by  a  divided  mind :  For  '  nunquam  bene 
fit,  quod  fit  preeoccupato  animo/  saith  Hieroin  truly. 

The  whole  man  and  whole  time  is  all  too  little  in  so  great 
a  wprk. 


END  OF  THE  THIRD  PART,  AND  OF  THE  nFFH  VOLUME. 


R.  KDWARDl,  CRAVB  COURT,  VLBIT  ITRBBT,  LONDON. 


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