A Christian Directory
§. 3. Direct. 3. Differ not in God's worship from the common sense of the most faithful godly Christians, without great suspicion of your own understandings, and a most diligent trial of the case. For if in such practical cases the common sense of the faithful be against you, it is to be suspected 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 judgment of the ungodly multitude, who never knew what it was to worship God in Spirit and truth: Consider the great disadvantages 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, 1 Cor. 2. 13, 15. He that is blind in sin must judge of the mysteries of godliness. 2. They must judge quite contrary to their natures and inclinations, 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 covetous, 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 set him to judge of that which he is unacquainted with: It's like he never thoroughly studied it: but its certain he never seriously tried it, nor hath not, 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 practiced, merely because his own stomach is against it? Or will you not sooner take the judgment of an ancient Pilot about Navigation, than ones that never was at Sea? The difference is as great in the present case.
§. 4. 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 generality of the faithful: For the Spirit of God is liklier to have forsaken a small part of godly people, than the generality, 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.
§. 5. Direct. 4. Yet do not absolutely give up yourselves to the judgment of any in the worshipping of God, but only use the advice of men in a due subordination to the Will of God, and the Teaching of Jesus Christ. Otherwise you will set man in the place of God, and will reject Christ in his Prophetical Office, as much as using co-ordinate Mediators, is a rejecting him in his Priestly Office. None must be called Master, but in subordination to Christ, because he is our Master, Matth. 23. 8, 9, 10.
§. 6. Direct. 5. Condemn not all that in others, which you dare not do yourselves; and practice 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 enquiry, than in the case of others▪ Oft-times a rational doubt may necessitate you to suspend your practice, as your belief or judgment is suspended; when yet it will not allow you to condemn another whose judgment and practice hath no such suspension. Only 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 willfully commit all the sins in the world, which your weakness shall make a doubt or controversy of.
§. 7. Direct. 6. Offer God no worship that is clearly contrary to his nature and perfections, but such as is suited to him as he 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 Truth: (which Christ opposeth to mere external Ceremony or shadows); John 4. 23, 24. 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 not by undue resemblance of him to any of his creatures. 3. God is Omnipresent, and therefore you may everywhere lift up holy hands to him, 1 Tim. 2. 8. And you must always worship him as in his sight. 4. God is Omniscient, and knoweth your Hearts, and therefore let your Hearts be employed and watched in his worship. 5. God is most wise, and therefore not to be worshipped ludicrously with toys, as children are pleased with to quiet them, but with wise and rational worship. 6. God is most Great, and therefore to be worshipped 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 worshipped with backwardness, unwillingness and weariness, but with great Delight. 8. 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 believingly 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 therefore to be worshipped both with soul and body. 12. He is your Redeemer and Savior, 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 Recovery. 13. He is your Regenerater and Sanctifier: and therefore to be worshipped not in the confidence of your natural 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 your self and all, and honored 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, with 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 servant and importunate suites. All these the very Being and Perfections of God will teach you in his worship. And therefore if any controverted worship be certainly contrary to any of these, it is certainly unwarranted and unacceptable unto God.
§. 8. Direct. 7. Pretend not to worship God by that which is destructive, or contrary to the Ends of worship. For the aptitude of it as a means to its proper end, is essential to it. 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 perfections: 3. The communicating this Knowledge, Holiness and delight to others, and the increase of his actual Kingdom in the world. 1. Avoid then all that pretended Worship which dishonoreth 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 Travelers that have conversed with the soberer 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 manner of worship ( caeteris paribus ) which tendeth most to your own right information, and holy resolutions and affections, and to bring up your souls into nearer communion and delight 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 playing you a lesson of Music; and tendeth not to make you 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, is 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 worship which is of itself destructive of true Holiness: Such as is the preaching of false doctrine, not according to godliness, 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, Prov. 24. 24. He that saith to the wicked thou art Righteous, him shall the people curse, Nations shall ahhor him. And if this be done as a worship of God, you may hence judge how acceptable it will be, Isa. 5. 20. Woe unto them that call Evil Good, and Good Evil, that put darkness for light, and light for darkness, that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter. To make people believe, 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. See Ezek. 22. 26. & 44. 23. Jer. 15. 19. If thou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth. Mal. 3. 18. Psal. 1. & 15. 4. Affect not a dead and heartless way of worship, which tendeth not to convince and waken the ungodly, nor to make men serious as those that have to do with God.
§. 9. Direct▪ 8. Let the manner of your worshipping God, be suited to the matter that you have in hand. Remember that you are speaking either 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.
§. 10. Direct. 9. 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 Lye unto his glory: What worship then do Papists offer him in their Mass, who take it for an article of their faith, that there is no Bread or Wine left after the Consecration, 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 certainty of faith, and all Religion is renounced; for all presuppose the certainty of sense.
§. 11. Direct. 10. Worship not God in a manner that is contrary to the true nature, and order, and operations of a rational 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 over-rule your understandings; and say not as blind Lovers do, I love this, but I know not why? or as Children that eat unwholesome meat, because they love it. 2. Let not passion overtop your Reason: Worship God with such a zeal as is according to knowledge. 3. Let not your Tongues lead your hearts, much less over-go 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 make the words 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 Hypocrite, which express not the meaning, or desires, or feeling of your hearts: but first understand and feel what you should speak, and then speak that which you understand and feel.
§. 12. 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 passage to the Heart is first, and the passage from the heart is last: and the soul is quick, and can quickly thus both Receive, and be Affected and express itself. And the case 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 before us, without a book as with it.
§. 13. Direct. 11. Understand well how far Christ hath given a Law and Rule for worship to his Church in the holy Scriptures, 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 erring on either side. 1. If you think that the Scripture containeth 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 Office of Christ, as the King and Teacher of the Church, and will accuse his Laws of insufficiency, and be tempted to worship him with a human kind of worship, and to think yourselves 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 understand how far it is intended to be herein our Law and Rule, and how far not: To handle this fully would be a D • gression, but I shall briefly answer it.
§. 14. 1. 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 delegated 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. Therefore seeing the making of all Universal Laws doth belong only 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 Consideration to the Universal Church, as it is to any one part of i • and to all times as it is to any time of the Church, 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 and Judge. And no man must step into his Throne pretending to amend his work which he hath done amiss, or to make up any wants, which the chief Law giver should have made up.
§. 15. 2. These Laws of Christ for the Government of his Church, are fully contained in the holy Scriptures: For so much as is in Nature, is there also more plainly expressed than nature hath expressed it. All is not Christ's Law that is any way expressed in Scripture; but all Christ's Laws are expressed 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 what ever he commanded them: who being thus commissioned and enabled fully by the Spirit to perform it, are to be supposed to have perfectly executed their commission; and to have taught whatsoever Christ commanded them, and no more as from Christ: And therefore 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.
§. 16. 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 commanded 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 that the opening of men's eyes, and the converting of them from the power of Satan to God be first endeavored, and then their Confirmation and further Edification, &c. 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 mercies to the Church, ourselves and others: 7. That we Praise God in his excellencies manifested in his Word and Works of Creation and Providence. 8. That we do this by singing 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 Covenant, and Church, and state of Christianity. 11. And he hath himself appointed that his Churches hold communion with him and among themselves, in the Eucharistical administration of the Sacrament of his Body and blood, represented in the breaking, delivering, receiving and eating the consecrated Bread, and in the pou • ing out, delivering, receiving and drinking the consecrated Wine. 12. And as for the mutable subservient circumstances and external expressions, 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 th • se 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 • itteth things, and persons, and times, and places, so as that we may discern their agreeableness to the descriptions in his General Laws: As that all things be done Decently, in Order and to Edi • ication, and in Charity, Unity and Peace. And he hath forbidden Generally doing anything undecently, disorderly, to the hur • •• destruction 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 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, &c. and Worshipping Angels, &c.
§ 20. And as to the order and Government of the Church (for I am willing to dispatch all here together) this much is plainly determined in Scripture. 1. That there be Officers or Ministers under Christ to be the stated Teachers of his people, and to Baptize, and Administer the Sacrament of his Body and Blood, and be the Mouth and Guide of the people in public Prayers, thanksgiving and praises, and to bind the imp • nitent and loose the penitent, and to be the Directers of the flocks according to the Law of God, to life eternal. And their Office is described and determined by Christ. 2. It is required that Christians do ordinarily Assemble together for God's public worship; and be Guided therein by these their Pastors. 3. It is required that besides the unfixed Ministers, who employ themselves in converting Infidels, and in an itinerant service of the Churches, there be also stated fixed 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 people may know their own Pastors that are • ver them in the Lord, and honor 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 fitness of those whom they Baptize; whether the Adult that are admitted upon their personal profession and Covenanting, or Infants that are admitted upon their Parents profession 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 Pastors duty to admonish the unruly, and call them to Repentance, and pray for their Conversion. 9. And it is the Pastors duty to declare the obstinately impenitent uncapable of Communion with the Church, • nd 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 Pastors duty to Absolve 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 office in any part of the Church, where he shall be truly called 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 God's appointment for the Churches ordinary holy Communion in God's Worship under the conduct of these their Guides. 15. And it is requisite that the several particular Churches do maintain as much agreement among themselves, as their capacity will allow them; and keep due Synods and correspondencies to that end. Thus much of God's Worship, and Church-order and Government at least is of Divine institution, and determined by Scripture, and not left to the will or liberty of man. Thus far the Form of Government (at least) is of Divine Right.
§. 21. 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 Physicks, Metaphysics, Logic, &c. 2. Scripture telleth not a Minister what particular Text or Subject he shall Preach on this day or that. 3. Nor what method his 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 determine 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 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 administrations I shall use; as a Temple or an ordinary house, a Pulpit, 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 particular garments Ministers or people shall wear in time of Worship. 16. Nor what natural or artificial helps to our natural faculties we shall use: as medicaments for the Voice, tunes, musical instruments, spectacles, hourglasses: 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 particular 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 persons the Congregations 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 people shall be a Pastors special charge. 6. Nor what individual persons he shall Baptize, receive to Communion, admonish, or absolve. 7. Nor in what words most of these shall be expressed. 8. Nor what number of Pastors shall meet in Synods, for the communion and agreement of several Churches, no • how oft, nor at what time or place, nor what particular order shall be among them in their consultations; with many such like.
§. 22. 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 Superiors: 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 Christ intended it: And it will prevent abundance▪ of unnecessary scruples, contentions and divisions.
§. 23. Direct. 12. Observe well in Scripture the difference between Christ's Universal Laws, (which bind all his Subjects in all times and places) and those that are but local, personal 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 unalierable nature of persons and things, and those which God hath supernaturally revealed as suitable constantly to all. The particular local or temporary Laws are those, which either resulted from a particular or alterable nature of persons and things as mutually related (as the Law of nature bound Adams Sons to marry their Sisters, which bindeth others against it) or those which God supernaturally enacted only for some particular people or person, or for a 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 also if you mistake every personal mandate sent by a Prophet or 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 Rechabites 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 everyone 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 intended, which are but local and temporary as to the matter subservient and secondarily intended. As the command of saluting one another with a holy Kiss and using Love feasts in their sacred Communion 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 times the same signs have 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 overhead: 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 is was but a local alterable Law. The same is to be said of not-eating things strangled and blood, which was occasioned by the offense of the Jews; and other the like. This is the case in almost all precepts about the external worshipping gestures: The thing that God commandeth universally is a humble reverent adoration of him by the mind and body. Now the adoration of the mind is still the same; but the bodily expression 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: kneeling 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 uncovered because of the Angels, 1 Cor. 11. 10. and yet in some places where long hair or covering may have a contrary signification, the case may be contrary. The very fourth Commandment however 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's no term of distinction; but signifieth the common nature of all Laws, which are for the Governing of our Manners. Some call them Natural 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 Particular Nature: And there are some Laws of Nature that are perpetual, which are the result of an unaliered foundation▪ and there are some that are Temporary, when it is some Temporary alterable thing in Nature from whence the duty doth result: So there are some Positive Laws that are Universal or unalterable, (during this World) and some that are Local, particular, or temporary only.
§. 24. Direct. 13. 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 w • rse 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 imputatively 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.
Obj. But you must forbear no part of your duty?
Answ. True: but nothing is my duty which is naturally impossible 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.
Obj. 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 considerable either as a pain to the flesh, or as an unresistible hindrance of the work of the Gospel: As it is merely a pain to the flesh, I ought not to be deterred by it from the work of God: But as it forcibly hindereth me from that work, (as 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 anymore, 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, Act. 9. 25. And when the Christians could not safely meet publicly they met in secret, as John. 19. 38. Act. 12. 12, &c. whether Paul's suffering at Damascus for Preaching 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.
§. 25. Direct. 14. Remember that no material duty is formally a duty at all times: that which is a duty in its season is no duty out of season. Affirmative precepts bind not to all times, (except only to habits, or the secret intention 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 anymore, it would be your duty then to forbear it for that time (unless in some extraordinary 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 Sabbath might be interrupted: much more for the souls of many. Again I warn you, as you must not pretend the interest of the end against a peremptory absolute command of God, 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 which 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.
§. 26. Direct. 15. It is ever unseasonable to perform a lesser duty of Worship, when a greater should be done: Therefore it much concerneth you to be able to discern when two duties are inconsistent which is then the greater and to be preferred: In which the Interest of the end must much direct you: that being usually the greatest which hath the greatest tendency to the greatest good.
§. 27. Direct. 16. 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: nor public and private Worship against each other: nor internal Worship against external; but do all.
§. 28. Direct. 17. Let not an inordinate respect to man, or common custom be too strong a bias to pervert your judgments from the Rule of Worship: nor yet any groundless prejudice make you distaste that which is not to be disliked. 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 sort 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 refuse reformation. 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 highlyest 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 advantage, that instead of Worshipping God in Love and Concord, they lay out their zeal in an envious, bitter, censorious, uncharitable reproaching the manner of each others Worship. And 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 Religion 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 (except only the two great crimes of the Popish Worship: 1. That it's not understood, and so is souleless. 2. They Worship bread as God himself, which I am not so able as willing to excuse from being Idolatry). Judge not in such cases by passion, partiality and prejudice.
§. 29. Direct. 18. Yet judge in all such Controversies with that reverence and charity which is due to the universal and the Primitive Church. If you find anything in God's Worship which the primitive or universal Church agreed in, you may 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.
§. 30. Direct. 19. 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 directions of your lawful Governors. It's true if we are forbidden with Daniel to Pray, or with the Apostles to speak anymore in the name of Christ, or are commanded as the three witnesses, Dan. 3. to Worship Images, we must rather obey God than man; and so in case of any sin that is commanded us: But in case of mere different modes and circumstances and order of Worship, see that you give authority and the consent of the Church where you are their due.
§. 31. Direct. 20. 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 complaints: A hungry soul, enflamed 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 defective 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. Directions about the Christian Covenant with God, and Baptism.
§. 1. THough the first Tome 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.
§. 1. Direct. 1. 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 solemnizing it by Baptism, and next of our Renewing it, and lastly of our Keeping it.
§. 3. 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 Justification, Adoption, Sanctification and Glorification by him, to his Glory.
§. 4. 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 Mans Part: 4. What are the terms of it propounded on God's Part. 5. Where and how he doth express it. 6. What are the necessary Qualifications on man's part. 7. And what are the Ends and Benefits of it.
§. 5. 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 offereth 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 born. 2. That it is not the Father, Son and Holy Ghost considered simply as persons 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 Covenant of Reconciliation and therefore supposeth an Enmity antecedent. 4. When I say that it is Repenting and Believing 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. But taking the Covenant in its external expression, so it is a Repenting Believing sinner that must make it, it being but the expression of his Repentance and faith, by an explicit contract with God. 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 each one for himself, and not by the Acts of Societies only.
§. 6. II. The matter of the Covenant on God's Part is in General, that He will be our God: more particularly; that God the Father will be our Reconciled God and Father in Jesus Christ; that God the Son will be our Savior; and God the Holy Ghost will be our Sanctifier. And the Relation 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 his own peculiar people: 2. That as he hath title to be our Absolute King or Governor, so he doth take us as his Subjects: 3. That he will be our Grand Benefactor and Felicity, or our most Loving Father (which compriseth all the rest.) And as he will be thus Related to us, so he will do for us, all that these Relations 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 his 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 forever.
§. 7. III. The Matter on man's part of the Covenant is, 1. In respect of the Terminus a quo, that we will forsake the Flesh, the World and the Devil as they are adverse to our Relations 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 ourselves to him, as Creatures to their Maker. 2. That we do take Jesus Christ for our Redeemer, Savior, and Mediator, as our High Priest, and Prophet, and King, and do give up ourselves to him as his Redeemed ones to be reconciled to God, and saved by him. 3. That we do take the Holy Ghost for our Regener •• er and Sanctifier, and do give up ourselves to be perfectly renewed and sanctified by him, and by his operations carried on to God 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 loving 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 forever in Heaven as our Ultimate End. And in consenting to these Relations, we covenant to do the Duties of them in sincerity.
§. 8. IV. The Terms or Conditions which God requireth of man in his Covenant are Consent, and Fidelity or Performance: He first Consenteth conditionally, if we will consent: 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.
§. 9. V. God's Covenant with man is nothing else but the Universal Promise in the Gospel; and (to the solemnization,) the Declaration, and Application, and solemn Inv • stiture or Delivery by his authorized Ministers. 1. The Gospel as it relateth the 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 salvation conditionally offered, it is called God's Promise, and Covenant, (viz. on his part, as it is Proposed only). 4. When by our Consent the Condition is so far performed, or the Covenant Accepted, then God's Conditional Universal Promise or Covenant, becometh actual and particular as to the effect, and so the Covenant becometh Mutual between God and man: As if a King make an Act or Law of Pardon and Oblivion, to a Nation of Rebels, saying, Who ever cometh in by such a day, and confesseth his 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 Rebells: or a Promise of pardon; and an Offer of pardon to all that it is revealed 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 becometh 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 -interest and benefits, Justification and Adoption, it is ours by virtue of this Universal Conditional Covenant, when we perform the condition. But as to our Title in foro Ecclesiae, and the due solemnization and Investiture, it is made ours when God'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 Great Seal. In this sense Ministers are the instruments of God, not only in declaring us to de 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.
§. 10. VI. The Qualifications of absolute Necessity to the Validity of our Covenant with God in foro interiore are these, 1. That we understand what we do as to all the Essentials of the Covenant: For ignorantis non est consens • s. 2. That it be our own act, performed by our Natural, or Legal selves, that is, someone 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 incogitancy. 4. That it be seriously done with a real intention of doing the thing, and not histrionically, ludicrously or in jest. 5. That it be done entirely as to all essential 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 tomorrow or hereafter, but not yet, is but to purpose 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.
§. 11. 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 Happiness forever. The fruits or Benefits which accrue to man are unspeakable, and would require a Volume competently to open them: Especially that God is our God, and Christ our Savior, 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 forever: that he will Pardon us, Justify and Adopt us, and Glorify us with his Son in Heaven.
§. 12. Direct. 2. When you thus understand well the Nature of the Covenant, labor 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, 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 power, conducted by Reason: Mans 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 according to what they have done in the Body whether it be good or evil, Matth. 25. Therefore he will deal with us on Covenant-terms.
§. 13. 2. And he hath chosen to Rule and Judge men according to a Covenant of Grace, by a Redeemer, and not according to a rigorus Law of works, that his Goodness and Mercy may be the full • er manifested to the sons of men; and that it may be easier for man to Love him, when they have so 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 Pleasure of his Love forever.
§. 14. Direct. 3. Next understand rightly the nature, use and ends 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 Universal Concord, p. 29, 30. I have thus described it [Baptism 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 a visible member of Christ and his Church, a pardoned regenerate Child of God, and an heir of Heaven].
§. 15. As the word [ Baptism ] is taken for the 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 o • it; but only the Profession of such a faith and Repentance, and the external entering of the Covenant: But as [ Baptism ] is taken 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 [ Baptism ] is taken but equiv •• ally 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 Worship of man, he speaketh to him as to a man, and requireth human actions from him, even the work of the soul, and not the words of a Parrot or the motion of a Poppe • . Therefore 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, solemnized 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 Sa • i • ur and the 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 Description 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 Covenant of Grace.
§. 16. The word [ Baptism ] is taken in the first sense when Simon Magus is said to be Baptized, Act. 8. 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 later sense when it is 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.
§. 17. In this full and proper sense it is taken by Christ when he saith, Mark 16. 16. 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 Regenerated, pardoned and made the Children of God. And in this sense it is most true, that he that is Baptized (that is, is a sincere Covenanter ) shall be saved if he die in that Condition that he is then in. All that the Minister warrantably Baptizeth are sacramentally Regenerate, and are in foro ecclesiae 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 members of Christ and Children of God in foro • oeli. Therefore it is not unfit that the Minister call the Baptized, Regenerate and pardoned members of Christ, and Children of God and Heirs of Heaven, supposing that in soro ecclesiae 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 • eal of the Covenant was not due.
§. 18. None ought to be Baptized but those that either personally Deliver up themselves in Covenant to God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, professing a true Repentance, and faith and consent to the Covenant▪ or else are thus delivered 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 be esteemed as the Infants act, and legally imputed to 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.
§. 19. Direct. 4. 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 th • se that know the Greatness of the Benefit, of the Duty, and of the Danger. The Benefit 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 Savior, 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 Reconciliation and Newness of life, • nd • or salvation? And therefore if any should abuse God by Hypocrisy, and take on them to conse •• 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 preparation, reverence and seriousness, as beseemeth those that are transacting a business of such unspeakable importance with God Almighty.
§. 20. Direct. 5. 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 n • w first to enter and subscribe it, and as if your everlasting Life or death, were to depend on the sincerity of your consent, and performance. For your Infant Baptismal Covenanting will save none of you that live to years of discretion, and do not as heartily own it in their own persons, 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.
§. 21. Direct. 6. Your Covenant thus, 1. Made, 2. Solemnized by Baptism 3. And Owned at age, must, 4. Be frequently 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, and other such acts of communion with God. 4. Especially when after a fall we beg the pardon of our sins, and the mercies of the Covenant, and on days of Humiliation and Thanksgiving, and in great distresses or exhilerating mercies. 5. And the Lord's Supper is an ordinance instituted to this very end. It is no small part of our Christian diligence and watchfulness, to keep up and renew our Covenant-consent.
§. 22. Direct. 7. And as careful must you be to keep or perform your Covenant, as to enter it, and renew it: which is done, 1. By continuing our consent, 2. By sincere obedience, 3. And by perseverance. We do not (nor dare not) promise to obey perfectly, nor promise to be as obedient 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.
§. 23. 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 us, than any fleshly lust or worldly interest, or than the authority, 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.
§. 24. Direct. 8. While you sincerely consent unto the Covenant, live by faith upon the promised Benefits of it, believing 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, Savior, Sanctifier and felicity! And in this continually rejoice.
CHAP. IV. Directions about the Profession of our Religion to others.
§. 1. Direct. 1. UNderstand first how great a duty the Profession of true Religion is, that you may not think as some foolish people, that every man should conceal his Religion, or keep it to himself. Observe therefore these Reasons following which require it.
§. 2. 1. Our Tongues and bodies are made to exercise and show forth that acknowledgement 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 honor him with his tongue and life: and so he is a practical Atheist. Isa. 45. 23, 24, 25. I have sworn by myself: the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness and shall not return, that to 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. So Phil. 2. 9, 10, 11. Wherefore 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 father. Isa. 44 5. One shall say, I am the Lord's: and another shall call him by the name of Jacob: and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord, and surname himself by the name of Israel.
§. 3. 2. The public Assemblies, and Worship of God, are purposely appointed by him, that in them we might make open profession of our Religion. He that denieth Profession denieth the public faith and worship of the Church, and denieth Baptism and the Lord's Supper, which are Sacraments appointed for the solemn profession of our faith.
§. 4. 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, Phil. 1. 20. Matth. 5. 14, 15, 16. Ye are the Light of the world! A City that is set on an hill cannot be hid: Neither do men light a candle to put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick, 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.
§. 5. 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, Phil. 1. 12, 13, 14.
§. 6. 5. God hath required our open and bold Profession of him, with the strictest commands, and upon the greatest penalties. 1 Pet. 5. 3. 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. Rom. 10. 9, 10. If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thy heart that God hath raised him from the d • ad, thou shalt be saved: For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Mark 8. 38. Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he c • meth in the glory of his father with the holy Angels.
§. 7. Direct. 2. Next, Understand what it 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 confident that you are wiser than your brethren. This is the meaning of Rom. 14 22. Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. By [ faith ] here is not meant the substance 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 things to be Lawful when thy weak brother doth not, and so thou be wiser than he, thank God for thy knowledge, and use it to thy own salvation, but do not proudly or uncharitably contend for it, and use it uncharitably to the danger of another's soul: much less to the wrong of the Church and Gospel, and the hindrance of greater truths. 2 Tim 2. 14. 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. Jude 2, 3. So 2 Tim. 2. 2. 23, 24. But foolish and unlearned questi 〈…〉 avoid, knowing that they do gender strife. And the servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle to all men —
§. 8. But that which is the chiefest matter of our Profession is, The being and perfections of God himself: His love to man and power over him, and man's subjection and obligations unto God: The person and office and works and benefits 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 renounce the smallest truth.
§. 9. Direct. 3. 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 privater profession by conference, or by our conversations. And all these ways must Religion be professed.
§. 10. Direct. 4. Understand also the season of each sort of Profession, that you omit not the season, nor do it unseasonably. 1. Profession by Baptism, Lord's Supper and Church-assemblies, must be done in their season, which the Church-guides are the conducters of. 2. Profession by an innocent, 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 Believers life should be so Holy and Heavenly and mortified and above the world, as may amount to a serious profession that he liveth in confident hope of the life to come, and may show 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 zealous of good works, and adorned with them.
§. 11. Direct. 5. Take special care that your Profession be sincere, and that you be yourselves as good as you profess to be. Otherwise, 1. Your profession will condemn yourselves. 2. And it will dishonor the truth which you deceitfully profess. There can scarce a greater injury befall a good cause, than to have a bad and shameful patron to defend it. Rom. 2. 3. And thinkest thou this O man, that judgest them which do such things, and dost the same that thou shalt escape the, judgment of God. Vers. 13. to 25. Thou that makest thy boast of the Law, through breaking the Law dishonorest thou God? For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you. —
§. 12. Direct. 6. 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 Religion, you be seeking honor to God, and not unto yourselves. And then in this manner he that doubteth of his own sincerity, yet may and must make profession of Christ and true Religion: when you cannot proclaim the uprightness of your own hearts, you may boldly proclaim the excellencies of Religion, and the happiness of Saints.
§. 13. Direct. 7. Live upon God alone, and trust his Alsufficiency, and abhor that pusillanimity and baseness of spirit 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, 1 Tim. 6. 13. who came for this end into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Fear not the face of man, whose breath is in his nostrils, and is perishing even while he is threatening. If thou believe not that Christ can secure thee from the rage of man, thou believest not indeed in Christ: If thou believe not that Heaven will satisfy for all that by scorns or cruelties thou sufferest 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 abundance 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, believe not in him: If he be, regard him more; and let not a worm be preferred before thy Savior.
§. 14. Direct. 8. If any doubt arise, whether thou shouldst now make particular Profession of the truth, ( as in the presence of scorners, or when required by magistrates or others, &c.) let not the advise or interest of the flesh have any hand at all in the resolving of the case; but let it be wholly determined 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 serving him.
§. 15. Direct. 9. Though sometimes a particular profession of the faith may be unseasonable, yet you must never make any profession of the contrary, either by words or actions. Truth may be sometimes silenced, but a Lye may never be professed or approved.
§. 16. Direct. 10. 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 Heaven, which is more strictly than the best of us can reach. The difference between them and you is but this, whether we should be Christians hypocritically in jest, or in good earnest.
CHAP. V. Directions about Vows and particular Covenants with God.
Tit. 1. Directions for the right making such Vows and Covenants.
§. 1. Direct. 1. UNderstand the Nature of a Vow, 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 more than [ I am purposed or resolved to do this ] may upon sufficient reason do the contrary: 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 Vov • re. 4. It must be therefore a Promise, which is, A voluntary obliging ones self to another de futuro for some Good. 5. It is therefore implied that it be the Act of a Rational creature, and of one that in that act hath some competent use of Reason, and not of a fool, or idiot, or mad man, or a child that hath not reason for such an act, no nor of a brainsick or melancholy person, who (though he be caetera sanus ) is either delirant in that business, or is irresistibly born down and necessitated by his Disease to Vow against the sober deliberate conclusion of his reason at other times, having at the Time of Vowing Reason enough to strive against the Act, but not self-government enough to restrain a passionate Melancholy Vow. 6. Whereas some Casuists make Deliberation necessary, it must be understood that to the Being of a Vow so much Deliberation is requisite as may make it a rational human act, it must be an act of Reason: but for any further Deliberation, it is necessary only to the well-being, 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 God, 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.
§. 2. A Vow is either a simple Promise to God, or a Promise bound with an Oath or imprecation. Some would appropriate 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 a Vow is found also in a simple self-obliging Promise.
§. 3. The true Reason and Use of Vows is but for the more certain and effectual performance of our Duties: not to make new Laws, and Duties, and Religions for us: but to drive on the backward lingering soul to do its duty; and to break over difficulties and delays: that by strengthening our bonds, and setting the danger before our eyes, we may be excited to escape it.
§. 4. 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. Ames saith ( Cas. Consc. l. 4. c. 16.) Non additu • pr • pry in istis nova obligatio, neque augetur in se prior: sed magis agn scitur & recipitur a nobis: Passive in istis aeque fuimus antea obligati: sed activa recognitione arctivùs nobis applicatur a nobisme • ipsis. 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. Premising 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 actions), I say, 1. He that voweth doth oblige himself who before was obliged by God only. And that 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 Converse. And though this is no Divine Obligation, yet is it 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, Honor the Lord with thy substance: This command obligeth me to obey it whether I vow it or not. The same God hath said, Pay thy Vows to the Most High, Psal. 50. 14. And, When thou vowest a Vow to God, defer not to pay it, Eccles. 5. 4. 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 selfobligation of my own Vow. Whence also a greater penalty will be due if I now offend, then else would have been.
§. 5. Hence you may see what to think of the common determination of Casuists concerning Vows materially sinful, when they say, A man is not obliged to keep them. It is only thus far true, that God obligeth him not to do that particular thing which he voweth: 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 bringeth the person under a double obligation to penalty, as a perjured person, even God's obligation who bindeth the perjured to penalty, and the obligation of his own consent to the punishment, if there was any Oath or imprecation in the Vow. If it were true that such a person had brought himself under no kind of obligation at all, then he could not be properly called Perjured, nor punished as Perjured. But he that sweareth and voweth to do evil (as the Jews to kill Paul ) though he ought not to do the thing (because God forbiddeth it) yet he is a perjured person for breaking his Vow, and deserveth the penalty, not only of a rash Vower, but of one perjured. Thus Error may make a man sinful and miserable, though it cannot warrant him to sin.
§. 6. Direct. 2. T • y well the matter of your Vows, and venture 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 • enture 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 ventured 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 anything before God, Eccles. 5. 2. 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 afterward. 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 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, Eccles. 5. 6. It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make enquiry, Prov. 20. 25. Be careful and deliberate to prevent such snares.
§. 7. Direct. 3. Vow not in a Passion: Stay till the storm be over: whether it be anger, or desire, or what ever the Passion be, delay and deliberate before you Vow: For when Passion is up, the judgment is upon great disadvantage. In your Passion you are apt to be most peremptory and confident when you are most deceived. If it be your Duty to Vow, it will be your duty tomorrow 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 endited to be your rule. God's Spirit worketh principally upon the judgment and the will, by settled convictions, which will endure a rational trial: It is liker to be your own Spirit which worketh principally on the passion, and will not endure the trial, nor come into the light, John 3. 18, 19. Isa. 8. 20.
§. 8. Direct. 4. 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 circumstances, they are no fit matter for a Vow. Some say, [ Things indifferent are the fittest matter both for Vows and human 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 because it is antecedently useless, it is consequently sinful to be done.
§. 9. Object. 1. But those that say things Indifferent may be 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's Counsels, and tend to man's perfection, as to Vow Chastity, Poverty and absolute obedience.
Answ. 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 Laws and Government of imperfection, and think sinful man can do better than he is commanded, when none but Christ ever did so well.
Quest. 1. What is moral goodness in any creature and subject, but a conformity to his Rulers will expressed in his Law? And if this Conformity be its very form and being, it cannot be that anything should be morally good that is not commanded.
Quest. 2. Doth not the Law of God command us to love him with all our heart, and soul, and strength, and accordingly 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?
Quest. 3. Doth not the Law of Nature oblige us to serve God to the utmost of our Power? He that denieth it, is become 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 from God, and is absolutely His Own, doth owe him all that he is able to do.
Quest. 4. Doth not Christ determine the Case to his Disciples? Luke 17. 10.
5. A middle between Good and Evil in Morality is a contradiction: There is no such thing. For Good and Evil are the whole of Morality: Without these species there is no Morality.
§. 10. Object. 2. 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 Moral Good and Evil, because they are neither: But they are not Indifferentia Moralia: The Indifferency 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 Morality in the choice.
§. 11. Object. 3. But if there may be Things Natural that are Indifferent, why not things M • ral?
Answ. As Goodness is convertible with Entity, there is no Natural Being but is good: As Goodness signifieth Commodity, 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 Natural Being; but Moral Goodness and Badness is the whole Essence of Morality.
§. 12. Object. 4. But doth not the Apostle say, 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 Christians in general, and not as it belonged to this or that individual person by some special reason differently from others. And so in respect to the Church in general, the Apostle determineth 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 indifferent: But because that to most it was rather a hindrance to good in those times of the Church, than a help, therefore for the present necessity the Apostle calleth marrying, doing well, because it was not against any Universal 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, was unfit to be particularly determined by an Universal 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 forbidden, 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 discernably helpful nor hurtful: Now by the General Laws or Rules of Scripture, to them that ( consideratis considerandis ) it is discernably helpful, it is not indifferent, but a duty: To them that it is discernably hurtful, it is not indifferent, but a sin: To them that it is neither discernably 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 God 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? 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 Apostles meaning, it followeth that his meaning is as aforesaid.
§. 13. Object. 5. 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 accidents: The commonest matter of all God's Laws, is Actions or dispositions which are Good or Evil in their circumstances and accidents. Therefore I conclude, Things wholly Indifferent are not to be Vowed.
§. 14. Direct. 5. It is not every Duty that is the matter of a 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 accompanied and aggravated with the guilt of Perjury. And no wise man will run his soul into such a snare. Object. But do we not in Baptism Vow Obedience to God? 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 respecteth every known duty as that which we shall practice 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.
§. 15. Direct. 6. To make a Vow Lawful, besides the Goodness 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 judgment. 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 extraordinary Means, for certain ends which cannot by ordinary 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 before hand, what is the probable 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 determining 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, or terrors, which will make all his life after more irregular or uncomfortable. Another man may discern that he is liable to no such danger.
§. 16. Direct. 7. No man should pretend danger or scruple against his renewing the Vow of Christianity, or any one essential part of it; viz. To take God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost for my God, and Savior, and Sanctifier, my Owner, Governor and Father; renouncing the Devil, the world and the flesh. Because there is an absolute necessity (praecepti & 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.
§. 17. Direct. 8. About particular sins and duties, deliberate 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 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.
§. 18. Direct. 9. When ordinary Resolutions and other helps will not serve the turn, to engage the will to the forbearance 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 cautelously and deliberately done, and no greater danger like to follow. In such a case of necessity, 1. You must deliberate 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.
§. 19. Direct. 10. 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 Governor, and not we ourselves: It is not we, but He that must give Laws to us. We have work enough to do of his appointing: 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 burdens on themselves, when they know, they cannot do so much as God requireth of them? Yea, some of them murmur 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 themselves.
§. 20. 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 yourselves 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 alteration? Or if you were never so confident of your own unchangeableness, you know not what fond and violent affections another may be possessed with, which may make an alteration in your duty. At the present it may be your duty to live retiredly, and avoid Magistracy and public employments: But you may not therefore Vow it for continuance: For you know not but God may make such alterations, as may make it so great and plain a duty, as without flat impiety 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 cause 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 providence of God shall dispose of your estate and you. Perhaps God may impose a clear necessity on you, of using your estate some other way.
§. 21. Direct. 11. If you be under Government, you may not lawfully Vow without your Governors consent, to do anything 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 without 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 necessity of the Vow ).
§. 22. Direct. 12. 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 anything, 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 requireth it, not to obey him, but to save my life. And if any man command me to do that which God commandeth me, I must do 〈…〉 because God commandeth it.
§. 23. Direct. 13. If a lawful Magistrate impose an Oath or Vow upon you, before you take it you must consult with God, and know that it is not against his will. God must be first obeyed in all things: but especially in matters of so great moment, as Vows and Promises.
§. 24. Quest. 1. 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 perjured 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 ignorance 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 Praelect. 3. Sect. 10. pag. 74, 75. [
§. 25. 1. The Question de esse must first be resolved, before the Question of Knowing or Opinion. Either the thing is really 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 the truth? ] 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 he sinneth: It is his sin if he obey not the Magistrate; and it is his sin that he mis-judgeth of the thing, and his sin that he doth not follow the use of the means till he be informed. 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 such 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.
§. 26. Direct. 14. 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. Men think it fitteth them at the present, and doth the business 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 Feavor: You have some present charr to do, or some straight 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 parts (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 aware, 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 b • holy wisdom and tenderness, have kept themselves from the deceit.
Tit. 2. Directions against Perjury and Perfidiousness: and for keeping Vows and Oaths.
§. 1. Direct. 1. BE sure that you have just apprehensions of the Greatness of the sin of Perjury. Were it seen to men in its proper shape, it would more affright them from it than a sight of the Devil himself would do. I shall show it you in part in these particulars.
§. 2. 1. It containeth a Lye, and hath all the malignity in it which I before shown 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 show 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 belong to his Tribunal. The Perjured person doth as it were bid defiance to God; and setteth him at naught, 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 appeal 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, Heb. 10. 31. For Vengeance is his, and he will recompense, v. 30. And when he judgeth the wicked, he is a consuming fire, Heb. 12. 29. 4. Perjury and perfidiousness is a sin that leaveth the conscience no ease of an extenuation or excuse; but it is so heinous a villainy, that it is the seed of self-tormenting desperation. Some sins conscience can make shift a while to hide, by saying, [ It is a Controversy: ] and [ Many wise men are of another mind ]. But perjury is a sin which Heathens and Infidels bear as free a testimony against, (in their way) as Christians do. Some sins are shifted off by saying, [ They are little ones ]: But Christians and Heathens are agreed that Perjury is a sin almost as great as the Devil can teach his servants to commit. 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 which no merits can mitigate. Read Cicero de Offic. l. 3. Saith Aristotle, He that will extenuate an Oath, must say, that those villanous 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 Perjury to belong in so special a manner to the God's, that they conclude that man, and usually his posterity, to be destinated to ruin, that is perjured and perfidious: In so much 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 God's, 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. When Conscience is awakened to see such a sin as Perjury, no wonder if such run mad, or hang themselves; as perfidious Ahithophel and Judas did. No doubt but everlasting horror and desperation will be the end of such, if true Conversion do not prevent it. 5. It is a sin that ruineth families and societies, like fire that being kindled in the thatch, never stoppeth 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, Prov. 3. 33. Yet among all the wicked, there are few so commonly marked out with their families to shame and ruin, as the perjured. What ever Nation is stigmatized with a fides punica vel Graeca, 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,
Saith Claud.
So Tibull.
Saith Pausanias, The fraud that is committed by perjury, falleth upon posterity. 6. Perjury and perfidicusness are virtually Treason▪ Rebellion and Murder against Kings and Magistrates, and no more to be favored in a Kingdom, by a King that loveth his life and safety, than the Plague in a City, or poison to the body. Tristissimum & domesticum regibus omnibus pharmacum, liberorum, amicorum & exercitus 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 punishment 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 endured in a Kingdom, than he 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 anything, in the Kingdoms of men. 7. Perjury is the poison of all Societies, and of friendship, and of human converse, and turneth all into a state of enmity or hostility, and teacheth all men to live together like foes. He that is not to be believed when he sweareth, is never to be believed: And when Oaths and Covenants 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 Master 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. l. 3. 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, than escape the perfidiousness of seeming friends. ] Saith Valerius Max. ( l. 9. c. 6.) [ Perfidiousness is a • idden and ensnaring mischief; whose effectual force is in lying and deceiving: its fruit consisteth •• some horrid villainy; which is ripe and sure when it hath compassed cruelty with wicked bonds; 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 neighbor, but all take heed of one another as so many Serpents or Wild Beasts. Lions and 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 become such hateful creatures to each other, as not at all to be credited or sociably conversed with. 9. Perjury and perfidiousness 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 than their fleshly interest hindereth them: No charity hindeth a man to think that he will make conscience of murder, rebellion, deceit, adultery, or any imaginable wickedness, who maketh no conscience of Perjury and perfidiousness. Such a person alloweth you to judge that if the temptation serve he will do anything that the Devil bids him: and that he is virtually a compound of all iniquity, and prepared 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 uncurable, by making even penitents incredible: Who will believe him, even while he professeth to Repent, that hath shown that when he sweareth he is not to be believed? He that dare forswear himself, dare lie when he pretendeth Repentance for his Perjury. It must be some deed • 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 uncurable, because no professions of repentance or future fidelity can be trusted. Thus I have partly shown you the Malignity of Perjury and Covenant-breaking.
§. 3. Direct. 2. 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 bottom of it, and foreseen all the evils that might follow it, and the Temptations which were like to draw you into perjury. He is virtually perjured as soon as he hath sworn, who sweareth to do that which he must not do: The preventive means are here the best.
§. 4. Direct. 3. 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 ruined by keeping it, they will break it, are Habitually and Reputatively perjured persons, even before they break it: Besides that, they show a base hypocritical profligate conscience, that can deliberately commit so great a sin.
§. 5. Direct. 4. 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 anything, 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 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 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.
§. 6. Direct. 5. Beware of inordinate fear of man, and of a distrustful withdrawing of your hearts 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, Ier. 17. 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, Numb. 30. 2.] But man is mutable, and so is his interest and his affairs, And therefore if you are the servants of men, you must swear one year, and for swear 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 end • .
§. 7. Direct. 6. 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 is lost; and you will not stick at the greatest wickedness; 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 villainy 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 hands of God: no man knoweth Love or hatred by all that is before them: All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous and the wicked: to the good, and to the clean and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the Good, so is the sinner▪ and he that sweareth as he that feareth an • ath▪ Eccles. 9. 1, 2. But in the end, men shall discern between the righteous and the wicked, Mal. 3. 18. 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.
§. 8. Direct. 7. 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 jeasted with: Usq▪ ad aras, was the bounds even of a Heathens kindness to his friend. Meddle with Oaths with the greatest fear and caution and circumspection. It's terrible here to find that you were mistaken, through any temerity or negligence or secret seduction of a carnal interest.
§. 9. Direct. 8. Especially be very fearful of owing 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 dreadful case; but to teach whole Nations or Churches to forswear 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 inhumane 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 not only their great Doctors, but their approved General Council at the Lateran under P. Innocent the third, in the third Canon hath Decreed that the Pope may depose Temporal Lord's 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 Heretics (even such as the holy men there condemned were; in the Popes account) To declare to many Christian Nations, that it is lawful to break their Oaths and promises to their lawful Lord's and Rulers; or their Vows to God, and to undertake by defending or owning this, to justify all those Nations that shall be guilty of this Perjury and perfidiousness, O what a horrid crime is this? what a shame even unto human nature! and how great a wrong to the Christian name!
§. 10. Direct. 9. Understand and remember these following Rules, to acquaint you how f • r a vow is obligatory: which I shall give you for the most part out of Dr. Sanderson, because his decisions of these cases are now of best esteem.
§. 11. Rule 1. The General Rule laid down, Numb. 30. 2, 3. doth make a Vow as such to be obligatory, though the party 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. D. Sanders. pag. 23. Iuramentum omne ex suâ naturâ est obligatorium: Ita ut si quis juret non intendens se obligare, nihilominus tamen suscipiendo juramentum ipso facto obligetur: that is, If he so far understand what he doth as that his words may bear the definition of an oath or Vow: Otherwise 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.
§. 12. Rule 2. Those conditions are to be taken as intended in all Oaths (whether expressed or no) which the very nature of the thing doth necessarily imply (unless any be so brutish as to express the contrary): And these are all reducible to two heads, 1. A natural, and 2. A moral Impossibility. 1. Whoever sweareth to do anything, or give anything, is supposed to mean [ If I live; and if I be not disabled in my body, faculties, estate; If God make it not impossible to be, &c. 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 anything, must be understood to mean it [ If no change of Providence make it a sin: or if I find not contrary 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 duty.
§. 13. 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 materiâ cessat obligatio: As if I promise to teach a pupil, I am disobliged when he is dead. If I promise to pay so much money in Gold, and the King should • orbid Gold and change his coin, I am not obliged to it. 2. Cessante termino vel correlato 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. Cessante 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 nothing 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 personâ naturali rela • â cessat obligatio personalis. When the natural person dieth, the obligation ceaseth. I cannot be • bliged to do that when I am dead which is proper to the living. The subject of the obligation ceasing, the Accidents must cease. 5. Cessante relatione vel personâ civili, cessat obligatio talis, quâ t • lis: 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 traitorously depose him, or if he cast them off and take anothor Kingdom (as when H. 3. of France left the Kingdom of P • land ); nor are subjects bound to Allegiance and obedience 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 conjugal vow to her Husband as before: nor masters and servants when their relations cease: nor a Soldier to his General by his military Sacrament when the Army is disbanded, or he is cashiered or dismissed.
§. 14. Rule 3. 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 ourselves; Our self-obligations are but for the furthering of our obedience.
§. 15. Rule 4. 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 acceptable sacrifice to God.
§. 16. Rule 5. If I vow that I will do some duty better, I am not thereby disobliged from doing it at all, when I am disabled from doing it better. Suppose a Magistrate seeing much amiss in Church and Commonwealth, doth Vow a Reformation, and Vow against the abuses 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 Scepter, 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 second 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 vowed, I must nevertheless do that which still remaineth possible and lawful. To give over God's solemn Worship with the Church, is no Reformation. To pre • er 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 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 willful, and will take no other, or Authority forbid the use of any other, the Physician is neither bound to forsake his Calling rather than use it, nor to neglect 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 show that he consenteth not to the sophistication.
§. 17. Rule 6. 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 that afterwards it becometh unpossible or unlawful, he violateth his Vow. He that voweth to give so much to the poor, and after prodigally wasteth it, and hath it not to give, doth break his Vow; which he doth not if fire or 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 insuperable;) Consent doth make the impedition his own act.
§. 18. Rule 7. In the taking and keeping of Oaths and Vows we must deal simply and openly without equivocations and deceit. Psal. 84. 3, 4. Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? and who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands and a pure heart, who hath not lift up his soul to vanity, nor sworn deceitfully: He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
§. 19. Rule 8. He that jugleth or stretcheth his Conscience by fraudulent shifts and interpretations afterward, 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. Psal. 15 1, 4. Lord who shall abide in thy Tabernacle—He that sweareth to his own hurt and changeth not. Saith Dr. Sanderson [ Ista mihi aut non cogitare, &c. [
§. 20. Rule 9. An Oath is to be taken and interpreted strictly. Sandersoa saith, Iuramenti obligatio est stricti juris; that is, non ut excludat juris interpretationem aequitate temperatam; sed ut excludat juris interpretationem gratia corruptam: not as excluding an equitable interpretation, but as excluding an interpretation corrupted by partiality: that it be a Just interpretation, between the extremes of Rigid, and favorable or partial; and in doubtful cases it is safer to follow the strict than the benign or favorable sense. It is dangerous stretching and venturing too far in matters of so sacred a nature, and of such great importance as Vows and Oaths.
§. 21. Rule 10. In the exposition of such doubtful oaths and Vows, 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,
§. 22. Rule 11. In doubtful cases the greatest danger must be most carefully avoided, and the safer side preferred: But the danger of the soul by perjury is the greatest, and therefore 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. Nititur autem, &c. This reason leaneth on that general and most useful 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 lenifie 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 Vews.
§. 23. Rule 12. It is ordinarily resolved that imposed Oaths must be kept according to the sense of the imposer. See Sanders. p. 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 imposer, there the oath imposed must be taken in his sense. 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 mistake it, and so take it (without fraud) in another 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 understood not. If I must not keep it in my own sense, which I took it in, then it would follow that I must keep another oath, and not that which I took: For it is the sense that is the oath. And I never obliged myself to anything, but according to my own sense: And yet on the other side, if every man may take Oaths in their private sense, then oaths will not attain their ends, nor be any security to the imposers.
§. 24. In this case you must carefully distinguish between the formal obligation of the Oath or Vow as such, and the obligation of justice to my neighbor 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 bonâ fide I took it. Because formally an oath cannot bind me which I never took: But I never took that which I never meant, nor thought of; if you so define an oath as to take in the sense which is the soul of it.
§. 25. 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 imposer or contracter, and a violent usurper or robber that injuriously 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 imposer, and a 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. 5. Between an Imposer that is himself the culpable cause of my misunderstanding him, and one that is not the cause, 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.
§. 26. Prop. 1. If I fraudulently and willfully take an oath in a sense of my own, contrary to the sense of the Imposer and the common and just sense of the words themselves, I am guilty of perfidiousness and profaneness in the very taking of it.
Prop. 2. 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. 3. 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. 4. 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. 5. If it be long of the Imposers obscurity, or refusing 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 reason for it).
Prop. 6. 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. 7. 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 consideration 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 obligation 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 misuseth the words. 3. That I am 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 lawful oath.
Prop. 8. In case I misunderstood the imposed Oath through my own default, I am bound to keep it in both senses (my own and the imposers) 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 intended. 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 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 expend 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 become obliged directly to God himself as a party, then no man can remit his right, and I must perform my Vow as made to him.
§. 27. Rule 13. If any impose an ambiguous oath, and refuse to explain it, and require you only to swear in those 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, pag. 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 the plain and proper sense of the words the oath be lawful, and that he openly profess to take it only in that sense.
§. 28. Rule 14. If any power should impose an Oath or Vow or promise which in the proper usual sense were downright impious or blaspheamous or sinful, and yet bid me take it in what sense I pleased, though I could take 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 would, and of such heinous consequence as will make it to be unlawful. As if I must subscribe or say or swear those words [ There is no God; or Scripture is untrue ] though it's easy to use these or any words in a good sense, if I may put what sense I will upon them, yet the public sense of them is Blaspheamy; and I may not publicly blaspheme, on pretence of a private right sense and intention.
§. 29. Rule 15. If the Oath imposed be true in the strict and pr • per sense, yet if that sense be not vulgarly known, nor sufficiently manifest to be the imposers sense, and if the words are false or blaspheamous 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 commanded to swear that [ God hath no fore-knowledge, no knowledge, no will, &c.] It were easy to prove that these terms are spoken primarily of man, and that they are attributed to God but analogically or metaphorically, and that God hath no such human acts formaliter, 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 blaspheamy in the vulgar sense: And he that speaks to the Vulgar is supposed to speak with the Vulgar: Unless he as publicly explain them.
§. 30. Rule 16. If the supreme power should impose an oath or promise which in the ordinary obvious sense were sinful, 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 Law giver 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 apparently false or sinful: (so there be no reason against it, aliunde, as from ill consequents, &c. )
§▪ 31. Rule 17. If any man will say in such a case, (when he thinketh that the imposers 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 authorized 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 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 example of perfidiousness to many.
§. 32. Rule 18. 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 inconveniences 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 anything might be sworn or done to escape suffering: See of this Dr. Sanderson largely Praelect 4. sect. 14, 15, 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 commanded: 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 Parties are God and man: Man Vowing and making himself a Debtor to God: 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 Imposers authority, maketh them but private Vows. This case is easy and commonly agreed on.
§. 33. Rule 19. 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 unlawful doth not disoblige me from the Vow of doing the Lawful part. Otherwise a man might make void all his Vows to God, and Oaths and Covenants with men, by putting in something that is Evil with the good: And so God and the King and our Neighbors would all have their debts paid by our sin and injury done them on the by.