A Christian Directory

Quest. 71. Whether a Form of Prayer be lawful?

Answ. I Have said so much of this and some following questions in many Books already, that to avoid repetition, I shall say very little here.

The question must be out of question with all Christians:

I. Because the Scripture itself hath many forms of prayer; which therefore cannot be unlawful.

Object. They were lawful then, but not now.

Answ. He that saith so, must prove where God hath since forbidden them. Which can never be.

Object. They may lawfully be read in Scripture for instruction, but not used as prayers.

Answ. They were used as prayers then, and are never since forbidden: Yea, John and Christ did teach their Disciples to pray, and Christ thus prefaceth his form, When ye pray, say —

II. All things must be done to Edification: But to use a form of prayer is for the edification of many persons, (At least those that cannot otherwise do so well) Therefore those persons must use a form. Full experience doth prove the Minor, and nothing but strangeness to men can contradict it.

Quest. 72. Are Forms of Prayer or Preaching in the Church lawful?

Answ. YEs: Most Ministers study the Methodical form of their Sermons before they preach them: And many write the very words, or study them: And so most Sermons are a form. And sure it is as lawful to think before hand what to say in praying as in preaching.

1. That which God hath not forbidden is lawful: But God hath not forbidden Ministers to study their Sermons or Prayers, either for matter, method or words, and so to make them many ways a form.

2. That which God prescribed is lawful (if he reverse it not): But God prescribed public forms of prayer; As the titles and matter of many of the Psalms prove, which were daily used in the Jewish Synagogues.

Object. Psalms being to be sung, are more than Prayers.

Answ. They were Prayers, though more. They are called Prayers, and for the Matter many of them were no more than prayers; but only for the measures of words: Nor was their singing like ours now, but liker to our saying. And there are many other prayers recorded in the Scripture.

3. And all the Churches of Christ at least these thirteen or fourteen hundred years have taken public forms for lawful: which is not to be gainsaid without proof.

Quest. 73. Are public Forms of man's Devising or Composing lawful?

Answ. YEs: 1. The Ministers afore mentioned throughout the Christian world, do devise and compose the form of their own Sermons and Prayers: And that maketh them not unlawful. 2. And whoever speaketh ex tempore, his words are a form when he speaketh them, though not a premeditated form. 3. And when Scripture so vehemently commandeth us to search, meditate, study the Scriptures, and take heed to ourselves and unto doctrine, &c. What a person is that who will condemn prayer or preaching, only because we before hand studied or considered what to say? As if God abhorred diligence and the use of reason. Men are not tied (now) from thinking before hand what to say to the Judge at the Bar for estate or life, or what to say on an Embassage, or to a King, or any man that we converse with? And where are we forbidden to forethink what to say to God? Must the people take heed how they hear, and look to their foot when they go into the house of God? And must not we take heed what we speak, and look to our words that they be fit and decent?

Object. Forms are Images of prayer and preaching, forbidden in the second Commandment.

Answ. Prove it, and add not to the Word of God. 1. Then Scripture and God's servants, even Christ himself, had broken the second Commandment, when they used or prescribed forms. 2. Forms are no more Images than extemporate words are, as they signify our minds. Are all the Catechisms, printed and written Sermons and Prayers, Images or Idols? All forms that Parents teach their children? O charge not such untruths on God; and invent not falsehoods of his Word, while you cry down man's inventions.

Quest. 74. Is it lawful to Impose Forms on the Congregation or the people in public Worship?

YEs, and more than Lawful: It is the Pastors duty so to do. For whether he fore-think what to pray or not, his prayer is to them a form of words: And they are bound in all the lawful parts, to concur with him in Spirit or desire, and to say Amen. So that every Minister by Office is daily to impose a form of prayer on all the people in the Congregation. Only some men impose the same form many times over, or every day, and others impose every day a new one.

Quest. 75. Is it lawful to use Forms Composed by man, and imposed not only on the people, but on the Pastors of the Churches?

Answ. THe question concerneth not the Lawfulness of Imposing, but of using forms imposed. And 1. It is not unlawful to use them merely on that account because they are imposed or commanded, without some greater reason of the unlawfulness. For else it would be unlawful for any other to use imposed forms; as for a Scholar or Child, if the Master or Parent impose them, or for the Congregation when the Pastor imposeth them, which is not true.

2. The using of Imposed forms may by other accidents be sometimes good and sometimes evil, as the Accidents are that make it so.

1. These accidents may make it evil. 1. When the form is bad for matter or manner, and we voluntarily prefer it before that which is better, being willing of the imposition. 2. When we do it to gratify our slothfulness, or to cover our willful ignorance and disability. 3. When we voluntarily obey and strengthen any unlawful usurping Pastors or powers that impose it without authority, and so encourage Church-tyranny. 4 When we choose a singular form imposed by some singular Pastor, and avoid that which the rest of the Churches agree in, at a time when it may tend to division and offense. 5. When the weakness and offense of the Congregation is such, that they will not join with us in the imposed form, and so by using it, we drive them from all public Worship or divide them.

2. And in the following circumstances the using of an imposed form is lawful and a duty: 1. When the Minister is so weak that he cannot pray well without one, nor compose so good a one himself: 2. Or when the errors or great weakness of the generality of Ministers is such, as that they usually corrupt or spoil God's Worship by their own manner of praying, and no better are to be had; and thereupon the wise and faithful Pastors and Magistrates shall impose one sound and apt Liturgy to avoid error and division in such a distempered time; and the Ablest cannot be left at liberty without the relaxing of the rest. 3. When it is a means of the Concord of the Churches, and no hindrance to our other prayers. 4. When our hearers will not join with us if we use them not: (For error and weakness must be born with on one side, as well as on the other.) 5. When obedience to just Authority requireth it, and no command of Christ is crossed by it. 6. When the imposition is so severe that we must so worship God publicly, or not at all; and so all God's public Worship will be shut out of that Congregation, Country, or Nation, unless we will use imposed prayers. • 7. In a word, when the good consequents of Obedience, Union, avoiding offense, Liberty for God's public Worship and preaching the Gospel, &c. are greater than the bad consequents which are like to follow the using of such forms: The preponderating accidents must prevail. 8. And i • a man's own judgment and Conscience cannot be satisfied, to do God's work comfortably and quietly any other way, it may go far in the determination. And the common good of many Churches must still be preferred before a less.

Quest. 76. Doth not the Calling of a Minister so consist in the exercise of his own Ministerial Gifts, that he may not officiate without them, nor make use of other men's Gifts instead of them?

Answ. 1. THe Office of the Ministry is an Obligation and Authority to do the Ministerial work, by those personal competent abilities which God hath given us.

2. This obligation to use our own abilities, forbiddeth us not to make use of the helps, gifts and abilities of others; either to promote our own abilities and habits, or to further us in the act or the exercise of them. For, 1. There is no such prohibition in Scripture. 2. All men are insufficient for themselves; and Nature and Scripture require them to use the best help they can get from others. 3. God's service must be done in the best manner we can. But many Ministers cannot do it so well ( consideratis considerandis ) without other men's help as with it.

3. We may use other men's gifts to help us, 1. For Matter, 2. Method, 3. Words, and so for a threefold form, of preaching or prayer.

4. He that useth a Scripture form of Matter, Method or Words, useth his own abilities no more, than if he used a form out of another Book. But it is lawful to use a Scripture form: Therefore it is lawful so far to take in assistance in the use of our own abilities.

5. He that useth a form useth his own abilities also (not only perhaps at other times, but) in the use of it. He useth his understanding to discern the true sense and aptitude of the words which he useth: He useth his holy Desires in putting up those prayers to God: And his other Graces, as he doth in other prayers. He useth his Utterance in the apt and decent speaking of them.

6. A Minister is not always bound to use his own gifts to the utmost that he can, and other men's as little as he can. For, 1. There is no such Command from God. 2. All things must be done to the Churches edification: But sometimes the greater use of another man's gifts, and the less use of his own may be to the Churches greater edification.

Instances of the lawful use of other men's gifts are such as these.

1. For Matter, an Abler Minister may tell a young man what subjects are fittest for him in preaching and prayer; and what is the sense of the Scriptures which he is to open; and what is the true solution of several doubts and cases. A Minister that is young, raw or ignorant, (yea, the best) may be a Learner while he is a Teacher: But he that is a Learner maketh use so far of the gifts of others. And indeed all Teachers in the world make use of the gifts of others: For all teach what they learn from others.

2. For Method; it is lawful to learn that as well as matter from another. Christ taught his Disciples a Method of prayer: And other men may open that method to us. All Tutors teach their Pupils Method as well as matter: For Method is needful to the due understanding and using of the Matter. A Method of Divinity, a Method of Preaching, and a Method of Praying may be taught a Preacher by word, and may be written or printed for his use.

3. For Words, 1. There is no more prohibition in God's Word, against learning or using another man's Words, than his Method or Matter. Therefore it is not unlawful. 2. A Tutor or Senior Minister may teach the Scripture words to a Pupil or Junior Minister; yea, and may set them together and compose him a Sermon or Prayer out of Scripture in its words. (For he that may use an ill-composed Scripture form of his own gathering, may use a well-composed form of another's.) 3. All the Books in our Libraries are forms of words; and it is lawful sure to use some of all those words which we read; or else our Books would be a snare and limitation to our Language. 4. All Preachers ordinarily use Citations, Testimonies, &c. in other men's words. 5. All Ministers use Psalms in the Metre of other men's composing (and usually imposing too). And there is no more prohibition against using other men's words in a Prayer, than in a Psalm. 6. Almost all Ministers use other men's gifts and form of words, in reading the Scriptures, in their Vulgar Tongues: For God did not write them by his Apostles and Prophets in English, French, Dutch, &c. but in Hebrew, Chaldee and Greek: Therefore the wording them in English, &c. is a human form of words: And few Ministers think they are bound to translate all the Bible themselves, lest they use other men's words or abilities. 7. If a young Minister that can pray but weakly, hear more apt expressions and sentences in another Ministers prayers, than his own are; he may afterward make use of those sentences and expressions. And if of one sentence, why not of two or ten, when God hath not forbidden it? So also in preaching. 8. It is lawful to read another man's Epistles or Sermons in the Church, as the primitive Churches did by Clements and some others. 9. An imposition may be so severe, that we shall not use our own words, unless we will use some of other men's. 10. All Churches almost in the world, have consented in the use of Creeds, Confessions, and Prayers, and Psalms in the words of others.

But yet 1. No Minister must on these pretences stifle his own gifts, and grow negligent; 2. Nor consent to Church-tyranny or Papal usurpations; 3. Nor do that which tendeth to eat out seriousness in the Worship of God, and turn all into dead Imagery or Formality.

Quest. Is it lawful to Read a Prayer in the Church?

Answ. 1. THat which is not forbidden is lawful: But to Read a prayer is not forbidden (as such, though by accident it may).

2. The Prayers in the Scripture Psalms, were usually Read in the Jewish Synagogues lawfully: For they were written to that end; and were indeed the Jewish Liturgy. Therefore to Read a Prayer is not unlawful.

3. He that hath a weak memory may Read his own Sermon Notes: Therefore he may Read his Prayers.

4. I add as to this case and the former together, that 1. Christ did usually frequent the Jewish Synagogues.

2. That in those Synagogues there were forms of Prayer, and that ordinarily Read: At least Scripture forms: And if either the Jewish Rabbins (cited by Scaliger, Selden in Eutych. Alexander. &c. ) or the strongest probability may be credited, there were also human forms. For who can imagine that those Pharisees should have no human forms, 1. Who are so much accused of formality, and following Traditions: 2. And used long and frequent prayers: But if indeed they had no such forms, then long and frequent extemporate prayers are not so great a sign of the Spirits gifts as is imagined, when such Pharisees abounded in them. But there is little probability, but that they used both ways.

3. That Christ did not separate from the Synagogues for such prayers sake.

4. Yea, that we never read that Christ meddled in the Controversy, it being then no Controversy; nor that he once reproved such forms or Reading them, or ever called the Jews to repent of them.

If you say, His general reproof of Traditions was enough: I answer, 1. Even Traditions he reproved not as such, but as set before, or against the Commands of God. 2. He named many of their particular Traditions and Corruptions, Matth. 15. & 23, &c. and yet never named this: 3. His being usually present at their Assemblies, and so joining with them in their Worship, would be such an appearance of his approbation, as would make it needful to express his disallowance of it, if indeed he thought it sinful. So that whoever impartially considereth all this, that he joined with them, that he particularly reproved other corruptions, and that he never said anything at all against forms or reading prayers, that is recorded, will sure be moderate in his judgment of such indifferent things, if he know what moderation is.

Quest. 77. Is it lawful to Pray in the Church without a prescribed or premeditated form of Words?

Answ. THere are so few sober and serious Christians that ever made a doubt of this, that I will not bestow many words to prove it.

1. That which is not forbidden is lawful. But Church-prayer without a premeditated or prescribed form of words is not forbidden (by God) Therefore (as to God's Laws) it is not unlawful.

2. To express holy desires understandingly, orderly, seriously and in apt expressions, is lawful praying. But all this may be done without a set form of words; Therefore to pray without a set form of words may be lawful.

3. The Consent of the Universal Church, and the experience of godly men, are arguments so strong, as are not to be made light of.

4. To which Scripture instances may be added.

Quest. 78. Whether are set Forms of Words, or free praying without them the better way? And what are the Commodities and Incommodities of each way?

Answ. I Will first answer the later question, because the former dependeth on it.

I. The Commodities of a set form of words, and the discommodities of free-praying are these following.

1. In a time of dangerous Heresy which hath infected the Pastors, a set form of prescribed words tendeth to keep the Church, and the consciences of the joyners from such infection, offense and guilt.

2. When Ministers are so weak as to dishonor God's Worship by their unapt, and slovenly, and unsound expressions, prescribed or set forms which are well composed, are some preservative and cure. When free praying leaveth the Church under this inconvenience.

3. When Ministers by faction, passion or corrupt interests, are apt to put these • ices into their prayers, to the injury of others, and of the Cause and Church of God, free praying cherisheth this, or giveth it opportunity, which set forms do restrain.

4. Concordant set forms do serve for the exactest Concord in the Churches, that all at once may speak the same things.

5. They are needful to some weak Ministers that cannot do so well without them.

6. They somewhat prevent the laying of the reputation of Religious Worship upon the Ministers abilities: when in free praying, the honor and comfort varieth with the various degrees of Pastoral abilities: In one place it is excellently well done, in another but drily, and coldly, and meanly: In another erroneously, unedifyingly; if not dishonourably, tending to the contempt of holy things: Whereas in the way of set Liturgies, though the ablest (at that time) doth no better, yet the weakest doth, (for words) as well, and all alike.

7. And, if proud weak men have not the composing and imposing of it, all know that words drawn up by study, upon sober premeditation and consultation, have a greater advantage, to be exact and apt, then those that were never thought on till we are speaking them.

8. The very fear of doing amiss, disturbeth some unready men, and maketh them do all the • est the worse.

9. The Auditors know before hand, whether that which they are to join in, be sound or unsound having time to try it.

10. And they can more readily put in their consent to what is spoken, and make the prayers their own, when they know before hand what it is, than they can do, when they know not before they hear it; It being hard to the duller sort of hearers, to concur with an Understanding and Consent as quick, as the speakers words are. Not but that this may be done, but not without great difficulty in the duller sort.

11. And it tendeth to avoid the pride and self-deceit of many, who think they are good Christians, and have the Spirit of Grace and Supplication, because by learning and use they can speak many hours in variety of expressions in prayer; which is a dangerous mistake.

II. The Commodities of Free extemporate prayers, and the discommodity of prescribed or set forms are these following.

1. It becometh an advantage to some Proud men who think themselves wiser than all the rest, to obt • ude their Compositions, that none may be thought wise enough, or fit to speak to God but in their words: And so introduce Church-tyranny.

2. It may become a hindrance to able worthy Ministers that can do better.

3. It may become a dividing snare to the Churches, that cannot all Agree and Consent in such human impositions.

4. It may become an advantage to Heretics when they can but get into power (as the Arians of old) to corrupt all the Churches and public Worship: And thus the Papists have corrupted the Churches by the Mass.

5. It may become an engine or occasion of persecution, and silencing all those Ministers that cannot consent in such impositions.

6. It may become a means of depraving the Ministry, and bringing them to a common idleness and ignorance, (if other things alike concur.) For when men perceive that no greater abilities are used and required, they will commonly labor for and get no greater, and so will be unable to pray without their forms of words.

7. And by this means Christian Religion may decay and grow into contempt: For though it be desirable that its own worth▪ should keep up its reputation and success, yet it never hitherto was so kept up without the assistance of God's eminent gifts and graces in his Ministers: But where ever there hath been a learned, able, holy, zealous, diligent Ministry, Religion usually hath flourished: And where ever there hath been an ignorant, vicious, cold, idle, negligent▪ and reproached Ministry, Religion usually hath died and been reproached. And we have now no reason to look for that which never was, and that God should take a new course in the world.

8. And the opinion of imposing forms of prayer, may draw on the opinion of imposing forms of preaching as much, and of restraining free preaching as much as free praying, as we see in Moscovy. And then when nothing but bare Reading is required, nothing more will be ordinarily sought: And so the Ministry will be the scorn of the people.

9. And it will be a shameful and uncomfortable failing, when a Minister is not able on variety of occasions, to vary his prayers accordingly; and when he cannot go any further than his Book or Lesson; It being as impossible to make prayers just fitted to all occasions which will fall out, as to make Sermons fit for all, or as they say, to make a Coat for the Moon: And the people will contemn the Ministers when they perceive this great deficiency.

10. And it is a great difficulty to many Ministers to learn and say a form without book; so that they that can all day speak what they know, can scarce recite a form of words one quarter of an hour, the memory more depending upon the body and its temper, than the exercise of the understanding doth. He that is tied just to these words and no other, is put upon double difficulties (like him that on height must walk on a narrow plank, where the fear of falling will make him fall) But he that may express the just desires of his soul in what words occur that are apt and decent, is like one that hath a field to walk in: For my own part, it is easier to me to pray or preach six hours in freedom, about things which I understand, than to pray or preach the tenth part of an hour in the fetters of a form of words which I must not vary. And so the necessity of a Book coming in, doth bring down the reputation of the Ministers abilities, in the people's eyes.

11. But the grand incommodity greater than all the rest is, that it usually occasioneth carelessness, deadness, formality and heartless lip-labor in our prayers to God; whilst the free way of present prayer tendeth to excite our Cogitation • to consider what we say. And it is not only the multitude of dead-hearted hypocrites in the Church, that are thus tempted to persevere in their lip-labor and hypocrisy, and to draw near to God with their lips when their hearts are far from him, and are gratified in their self-deceit, whilst Parrot-like they speak the words which they regard not, and their tongues do overgo their hearts: But even better men are greatly tempted to dead remissness: I mean both the speakers and the hearers: For, 1. It is natural to man's mind to have a slothful weariness as well as his body; and to do no more than he findeth a necessity of doing: And though God's presence alone should suffice to engage all the powers of our souls, yet sad experience telleth us, that God's eye and man's together will do more with almost all men, than one alone. And therefore no men's Thoughts are so accurately governed as their words. Therefore when a Minister knoweth before hand that, as to man's approbation, he hath no more to do, but to Read▪ that which he seeth before him, he is apt to let his Thoughts fly abroad, and his affections lie down, because no man taketh account of these. But in extemporate diversified prayer, a man cannot do it without an excitation of his understanding to think (to the utmost) what to say; and an excitation of his Affections, to speak with life, or else the hearers will perceive his coldness. And though all this may be Counterfeit and hypocritically affected, yet it is a great help to seriousness and sincerity, to have the faculties all awake: And it is a great help to awaken them, to be under such a constant necessity even from man. As those that are apt to sleep at prayer, will do it less when they know men observe them, than at another time.

2. And both to speaker and hearers, human frailty maketh it hard to be equally affected with the same thing spoken a hundred times, as we are at first when it is new, and when it is clothed in comely variety of expressions. As the same Book affecteth us not at the twentieth reading as it did at the first. Say not, it is a dishonorable weakness to be thus carried by the novelty of things or words: For though that be true, it is a dishonor common to all mankind, and a disease which is your own, and which God alloweth us all lawful means to cure, and to correct the unhappy effects while it is uncured.

12. Lastly, Set forms serve unworthy men to hide their unworthiness by, and to be the matter of a Controversy in which they may vent their envy against them that are abler and holier than themselves.

II. Having now truly shown you the Commodities and Incommodities of both the ways, for the other question, Which of them is the best, I must give you but some Rules to answer it yourselves.

1. That is best which hath most and greatest Commodities, and fewest and least discommodities.

2. For neither of them is forbidden, in itself considered, nor evil, but by accident.

4. One may have more Commodities and the other more discommodities in one Country, and age than in another; and with some persons than with others.

4. Sober Christians should be very backward in such cases to quarrel with the Churches where they live or come, but humbly submit to them in lawful things, though they think them inconvenient; Because it is not they that are the Governors and Judges.

5. The Commands of Authority and the Concord of the Churches may weigh down many lighter accidents.

6. I crave leave to profess that my own judgment is, that somewhat of both ways joined together will best obviate the incommodities of both. To have so much wholesome, methodical, unquestionable forms as near as may be in Scripture phrase, as is necessary to avoid the inconvenience of a total exclusion of forms, and to the attainment of their desirable Ends; and to have so much withal of freedom in prayer, as is necessary to its ends, and to avoid the deadness, formality, and other incommodities of forms alone. Though by this opinion I cross the conceits of prejudiced men on both extremes, I think I cross not the judgment of the Church of England, which alloweth free prayers in the Pulpit, and at the visitation of the sick: And I cross not the opinion of any ancient Church that ever I read of, nor of the Fathers and Pastors whose works are come to our hands; nor yet of Luther, Melancthon, Bucer, Zwingli, Calvin, Beza, Zanchius, and the rest of our famous Reformers; nor yet of the famous Nonconformists of England, Cartwright, Hildersham, Greenham, Perkins, Baine, Ames, &c. And I less fear erring in all this company, than with those on either of the extremes.

Quest. 79. Is it lawful to forbear the preaching of some Truths, upon man's prohibition, that I may have liberty to preach the rest: yea, and to promise before hand to forbear them? Or to do it for the Churches peace?

Answ. 1. SOme Truths are of so great moment and necessity, that without them you cannot preach the Gospel in a saving sort. These you may not forbear nor promise to forbear.

2. Some Truths are such as God at that time doth call men eminently to publish and receive (as against some Heresy when it is in the very height, or the Church in greatest danger of it: Or concerning some Duty which God then specially calleth men to perform (As the duty of Loyalty just in the time of a perilous Rebellion, &c. ) Such preaching being a Duty, must not be forborne, when it can be performed upon lawful terms.

3. But some Truths are Controverted among good men; and some are of a lower nature and usefulness: And concerning these I further say,

1. That you may not renounce them or deny them, not subscribe to the smallest untruth for liberty to preach the greatest truth.

2. But you may for the time that the Churches benefit requireth it, both forbear to preach them, and promise to forbear, both for the Churches peace, and for that Liberty to preach the Gospel, which you cannot otherwise obtain. The Reasons are:

1. Because it is not a duty to preach them at that time: For no duty is a duty at all times: Affirmative Precepts bind not ad semper, because man cannot always do them.

2. It is a sin to prefer a lesser truth or good before a Greater. You cannot speak all things at once. When you have all done, some, yea, a thousand must be by you omitted. Therefore the less should be omitted rather than the greater.

3. You have your Office to the Churches Edification. Preaching is made for man, and not man for preaching. But the Churches Edification requireth you rather to preach the Gospel, than that opinion or point which you are required to forbear. Without this the hearers may be saved, but not without the Gospel.

And what a man may do and must do, he may on good occasion promise to do.

He that thinketh Diocesans, or Liturgies, or Ceremonies unlawful, and yet cannot have leave to preach the Gospel (in time of need) unless he will forbear, and promise to forbear to preach against them, may and ought so to do • and promise, rather than not to preach the Gospel.

Object. But if men imprison or hinder me from preaching, that is their fault: But if I voluntarily forbear any duty, it is my own fault.

Answ. 1. It is to forbear a sin, and not a duty at that time: It is no more a duty than reading or singing or praying at Sermon time. 2. When you are in Prison, or know in all probability you shall be there, though by other men's fault, it is your own fault if you will deny a lawful means to avoid it: For your not preaching the Gospel is then your own sin, as well as other men's: And theirs excuseth not yours.

Quest. 80. May or must a Minister silenced, or forbid to Preach the Gospel, go on still to preach it, against the Law?

Answ. DIstinguish between, 1. Just silencing and Unjust; 2. Necessary preaching, and unnecessary.

1. Some men are justly forbidden to preach the Gospel, as 1. Those that are utterly unable, and do worse than nothing when they do it. 2. Those that are Heretics and subvert the Essentials of Christianity or Godliness. 3. Those that are so Impious and Malignant, that they turn all against the Practice of that Religion which they profess; In a word, All that do (directly) more hurt than good.

2. In some places there are so many able preachers, that some tolerable men may be spared, if not accounted supernumeraries; and the Church will not suffer by their silence. But in other Countries either the Preachers are so few, or so bad, or the people so very ignorant, and hardened and ungodly, or so great a number that are in deep necessity, that the need of preaching is undeniable. And so I conclude,

1. That he that is justly silenced, and is unfit to Preach, is bound to forbear.

2. He that is silenced by just Power though unjustly in a Country that needeth not his Preaching, must forbear there, and if he can, must go into another Co ••••• y where he may be more serviceable.

3. Magistrates may not Ecclesiastically Ordain Ministers or degrade them, But only either give them Liberty, or deny it them as there is cause.

4. Magistrates are not the • ountain of the Ministerial Office, as the Sovereign is of all the Civil power of inferior Magistrates; But both offices are immediately from God.

5. Magistrates have not power from God to forbid men to Preach in all cases, nor as they please, but justly only and according to God's Laws.

6. Men be not made Ministers of Christ only pro tempore or on trial, to go off again if they dislike it; But are absolutely dedicated to God, and take their lot for better and for worse; which maketh the Romanists say, that ordination is a Sa • ramen • (and so it may be aptly called;) and that we receive an indelible character, that is, an obligation during life, unless God himself disable us.

7. A • we are •••• rlier devoted and rela • ed to God, than Church lands, goods, and temples are, so the sacrilege of alienating a consecrated person unjustly, is greater and more unquestionable than the sacrilege of alienating Consecrated houses, lands or things. And therefore no Minister may Sacrilegiously alienate himself from God and his undertaken office and work.

8. We must do •• y Lawful thing to procure the Magistrates Licence to Preach in his Dominions.

9. All men silenced or forbidden by Magistrates to Preach, are no • thereby obliged or warranted to forbear. Fo • , • . The Apostles expressly determine it, Act. 4. 19. Whether it be better to hearken to God rather than to you, judge ye. 2. Christ o •• fore • old his servants, that they must Preach against the will of Rulers, and suffer by them. 3. The Apostles and ordinary Ministers also for 300 years after Christ did generally preach against the Magistrates will, throughout the Roman Empire and the World. 4. The Orthodox Bishops commonly took themselves bound to Preach when Arian or other Heretical Emperors for • ad them. 5. A moral duty of stated necessity to the Church and men's salvation is no • subjected to the will of men for Order sake: For Order is for the thing Ordered and for the End. Magistrates cannot dispense with us, for not Loving our Neighbors, or not showing mercy to the poor, o • saving the lives of the ne • dy in 〈◊〉 and di •• ress. Else they that at last shall hear, I was hungry a • d y • •••• m • not▪ I was n • ked and ye 〈◊〉 •••• •••• ▪ I was in prison and ye visited me not, might oft say, •••• 〈…〉 〈◊〉 Magistrates for bad • s. Yet a l • ss • r Moral duty may be forbidden by the Magistrate for the sake of a greater, because then it is no duty indeed, and may be forborne if he forbid it not; As to save one man • li •• , i • it would prove the death of a multitude▪ or to save one man's house on 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 • o woe • l • •••• • any. Therefore,

10. I • is lawful and • d •••• to for •••• some certain •••• or number of Sermons, Prayers or Sacraments, &c. when •••• er the present • se of them would apparently p • o •• re more h • rt than good, o • 〈…〉 forbear 〈◊〉 •••• like to pr ••••• mo •• good than the doing of them: For they are all for our Edification, and are made for man and not man for them (though for God.) As if forbearing this d • y 〈◊〉 p •••• u •• •••• li •••• y for many days servi • e afterward, &c.

〈…〉 at the 〈◊〉 o • • an to forsake or forbear our Calling and duty, when it is to b • judged Necessary to the honor of God, to the good of the Church, and of men's souls: that is, wh • n a •• in 〈◊〉 case, Dan. 6. our Religion itself and our owning the true God, doth see • suspended by the suspense of our duty: Or when the multitude of ignorant, hardened •• godly souls, and the want of fit men for number and quality, doth put it past Controversy, that our work is greatly necessary.

12. Those that are not Immediately called by Christ as were the Apostles, but by men, being yet statedly obliged to the death when they are called, may truly say as Paul, Necessity is laid upon me, and woe • e to me if I preach not the Gospel.

13. Papists and Protestants concur in this judgment. Papists will preach when the Law forbids them: And the judgment of Protestants is, among others, by Bishop Bilson of subjection, and Bishop Andrew's Tortur. Tort. plainly so asserted.

14. But all that are bound to preach, are not bound to do it to the same number, nor in the same manner; as they have not the same opportunity and call. Whether it shall be in this place or that, to more or fewer, at this hour or that, are not determined in Scripture, nor alike to all.

15. The Temples, tithes, and such adjuncts of Worship and Ministry, are at the Magistrates dispose, and must not be invaded against his Laws.

16. Where any are obliged to Preach in a forbidden discountenanced state, they must study to do it with such prudence, caution, peaceableness, and obedience in all the Lawful circumstantials, as may tend to maintain peace and the honor of Magistracy, and to avoid temptations to sedition, and unruly passions.

Quest. 81. May we lawfully keep the Lord's day as a fast?

Answ. NOt ordinarily; Because God hath made it a day of thanksgiving; And we must not pervert it from the use to which it was appointed by God. But in case of extraordinary necessity, it may be done; As, 1. In case that some great judgment call us so suddenly to humiliation and fasting, as that it cannot be de • erred to the next day (As some sudden invasion, fire, sickness, &c. ) 2. In case by persecution, the Church be denied liberty to meet on any other day, in a time when public fasting and prayer is a duty. 3. In case the people be so poor, or servants, Children and Wives be so hardly restrained, that they cannot meet at any other time. It is lawful in such cases, because Positives give way to Moral or Natural duties, caeteris paribus, and lesser duties unto greater: The Sabbath is made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.

Quest. 82. How should the Lord's day be spent, in the main?

Answ. I Have so far opened that in the Family-directions, that I will now only say, 1. That E • charistical worship is the great work of the day: And that it should be kept as a day of public Thanksgiving for the whole work of Redemption, especially for the Resurrection of our Lord.

2. And therefore the celebration of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was always a chief part of its observation in the primitive Churches: Not merely for the Sacrament sake; but because with it was still joined all the Laudatory and Thanksgiving worship; And it was the Pastors work so to pray, and praise God, and preach to the people, as tendeth most to possess their souls, with the liveliest sense of the Love of the Father, the Grace of the Son, and the Communion of the holy Spirit, on the account of our Redemption.

3. Though confession of sin and humiliation must not be the chief work of the day, yet it may and must come in, as in due subordination to the chief. 1. Because there are usually many persons present, who are members only of the visible Church, and are not fit for the Laudatory and rejoicing part. 2. Because while we are in the flesh, our s • lvation is imperfect, and so are we; and much sin still remaineth, which must be a grief and burden to believers: And therefore while sin is mixed with grace, Repentance and sorrow must be mixed with our Thanksgivings, and we must rejoice with trembling: And though we receive a Kingdom which cannot • e moved, yet must our acceptable service of God be with reverence and Godly fear, because our God is a consuming fire. 3. Our sin and misery being that which we are saved from, doth enter the definition of our salvation. And without the sense of the • , we can never know a • ight what mercy is, nor ever be truly glad and thankful. But yet take heed that this subordinate duty be not pretended for the neglecting of that Thanksgiving which is the work of the day.

Quest. 83. May the people bear a Vocal part in Worship, or do anymore than say, Amen?

Answ. YEs: The people should say Amen; that is, openly signify their consent: But the meaning is not that they must do no more, nor otherwise express their consent saving by that single word. For, 1. There is no Scripture which forbiddeth more. 2. The people bear an equal part in singing the Psalms; which are prayer and praise and instruction. 3. If they may do so in the Psalms in Metre, there can no reason be given but they may lawfully do so, in the Psalms in prose; For saying them and singing them are but modes of utterance; both are the speaking of Prayer and praise to God: And the ancient singing was liker our saying, than to our tunes, as most judge. 4. The primitive Christians were so full of the zeal and Love of Christ, that they would have taken it for an injury and a quenching of the spirit to have been wholly restrained from bearing their part in the praises of the Church. 5. The use of the tongue keepeth awake the mind, and stirreth up God's graces in his servants. 6. It was the decay of zeal in the people that first shut out Responses; while they kept up the ancient zeal, they were inclined to take their part vocally in the Worship: And this was seconded by the pride and usurpation of some Priests thereupon, who thought the people of God, too profane to speak in the assemblies, and meddle so much with holy things.

Yet the very remembrance of former zeal, caused most Churches to retain many of the words of their predecessors, even when they lost the Life and spirit which should animate them: And so the same words came into the Liturgies, and were used by too many customarily, and in formality, which their ancestors had used in the fervor of their souls.

6. And if it were not that a dead hearted formal people by speaking the Responses carelessly and hypocritically do bring them into disgrace with many that see the necessity of seriousness, I think few good people would be against them now. If all the serious zealous Christians in the assembly speak the same words in a serious manner, there will appear nothing in them that should give offense. If in the fullness of their hearts, the people should breakout into such words of prayer or confession or praise, it would be taken for an extraordinary pang of zeal; and were it unusual, it would take exceedingly. But the better anything is, the more loathsome it appeareth when it is mortified by hypocrisy and dead formality, and turned into a mockery, or an affected scenical act. But it is here the duty of every Christian to labor to restore the Life and spirit to the words, that they may again be used in a serious and holy manner as heretofore.

7. Those that would have private men pray and prophesy in public, as warranted by 1 Cor. 14. [ Ye may all speak, &c.] do much contradict themselves, if they say also that▪ Lay man may say nothing but Amen.

8. The people were all to say Amen in Deut. 27. 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, &c. And yet they oftentimes said more. As Exod. 19. 8. in as solemn an Assembly as any of ours, when God himself gave Moses a Sermon (in a form of words) to Preach to the people, and Moses had repeated it as from the Lord (it being the Narrative of his mercies, the command of obedience, and the promises of his great blessings upon that condition,) all the people answered together and said, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do. The like was done again, Exod. 24. 3. And Deut. 5. 27. And lest you should think either that the Assembly was not as solemn as ours, or that it was not well done of the people to say more than Amen, God himself who was present declared his approbation, even of the words when the speakers hearts were not so sincere in speaking them as they ought: verse. 28, 29. [ And the Lord heard the voice of your words when you spake unto me, and the Lord said unto me, I have heard the voice of the words of this people—They have well said all that they have spoken. O that there were such a heart in them —

Obj. But this is but a speech to Moses and not to God.

Answ. I will reci • e to you a form of prayer which the people themselves were to make publicly to God; Deut. 26▪ 13, 14, 15. [ Then shalt thou say before the Lord thy God▪ I have brought away the hallowed things out of my house, and also have given them to the Levite and to the stranger, to the fatherless and the Widow, according to all thy Commandments which thou hast commanded me: I have not transgressed thy Commandments, neither have I forgotten them: I have not eaten thereof in my mourning, neither have I taken away ought thereof for any unclean use, nor given ought thereof for the dead; but I have • earkened to the voice of the Lord my God and have done according to all that thou hast commanded me: Look down from thy holy habitation, from Heaven, and bless thy people Israel, and the Land which thou hast given us, as thou swarest unto our Fathers, a Land that floweth with milk and honey ]. Is not here a full form of Prayer to be used by all the people? And remember that Joseph and Mary and Christ himself were under this Law, and that you never read that Christ found fault with the people's speech▪ nor spake a word to restrain it in his Churches.

In Lev. 9. 24. When all the people saw the Glory of the Lord, and the fire that came out from it and consumed the burnt Offering, they shouted and fell on their faces: which was an acclamation more than bare Amen.

2 King 23. 2, 3. King Josiah went up into the house of the Lord, and all the men of Judah, &c. And the Priests and the Prophets, and all the people both small and great; and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the Covenant, And the King stood by a pillar and made a Covenant before the Lord, to walk after the Lord, and to keep his Commandments, &c▪ with all their heart, and all their soul, &c. and all the people stood to the Covenant? Whereas a King is the speaker, it's like that the people used some words to express their consent.

1 Chron. 16. 35, 36. When David delivered a Psalm for a form of praise: in which it is said to the people, v. 35. [ And say ye, save us O God of our salvation and gather us together, and deliver us from the Heathen that we may give thanks to thy holy name, and glory in thy praise: blessed be the Lord God of Israel forever and ever ] All the people said Amen, and praised the Lord. Where it is like that their praising the Lord was more than their Amen.

And it is a command Psal. 67. 3, 5. Let all the people praise thee O God, let all the people praise thee: And he that will limit this to single persons, or say that it must not be Vocally in the Church, or it must be only in metre and never in prose, or only in tunes and not without, must prove it, lest he be proved an adder to God's word.

But it would be tedious to recite all the repeated sentences in the Psalms, which are commonly supposed to be the Responses of the people, or repeated by them. And in Rev. 14. 2, 3. the voice as of many waters and as of a great thunder, and the voice of Harpers harping with their harps, who sung a new song before the Throne, and before the four beasts and the elders, a song which no • e could learn but the hundred forty and four thousand which were redeemed from the Earth, which were not defiled with women, who were Virgins and followed the Lamb, &c. doth seem very plainly to be spoken of the praises of all the Saints. Chap. 17. 15. by waters is meant people, multitudes, &c. And Chap. 1 • . 5, 6, 7, 8. there is expressly recited a form of praise for all the people, [ A voice came out of the Throne saying, Praise our God all ye his servants, and ye that fear him both small and great. And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many wa •• rs, and as the voice of mighty thunderings saying, Alleluja: for the Lord God omnipotent reig • eth. Let us be glad and rejoice and give honor to him; for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready; and to her was granted, &c.]

And indeed he that hath styled all his people Priests to God and a holy and royal Priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ, and to show forth the praises ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) the virtues, of him that hath called us out of darkness into his marvelous light, ] doth seem not to take them for so prophan • a generation, as to be prohibited from speaking to God in public any otherwise than by the mouth of a Priest.

And it seemeth to be more allowed (and not less) under the Gospel, than under the Law; because then the people as under guilt were kept at a greater distance from God, and must speak to him more by a Priest that was a type of Christ our intercessor. But now we are brought nigh, and reconciled to God, and have the spirit of so • s, and may go by Christ alone unto the Father. And therefore though it be true that Ministers yet are sub-intercessors under Christ our high Priest, yet they are rarely called Priest • , but described more in the New Testament by other parts of their office.

Obj. But the people's responses make a confused noise in the Assemblies, not intelligible.

Answ. All things are ill done, that are done by ill men that carnally and formally slubber it over: But if the best and holiest people would unanimously set themselves to do it, as they do in singing Psalms, so that they did not only stand by to be the hearers of others, it would be done more orderly and spiritually as well as singing is.

Quest. 84. Is it not a sin for our Clerks to make themselves the mouth of the people, who are no ordained Ministers of Christ?

Answ. 1. IN those places where ordained Deacons do it, this objection hath no place. 2. The Clerks are not appointed to be the mouth of the people, But only each Clerk is one of the people commanded to do that which all should do, lest it should be wholly left undone. If all the Congregation will speak all that the Clerk doth, it will answer the primary desire of the Church-Governors, who bid the People do it: But if they that will not do it themselves, shall pretend that the Clerk doth usurp the Ministry, because he ceaseth not as well as they; they might as well say so by a few that should sing Psalms in the Church, when the rest are against it and forbear. May not a man do his duty in singing or saying, when you refuse yours, without pretending to be your mouth, or usurping the Ministry?

Quest. 85. Are repetitions of the same words in Church-prayers, lawful?

Answ. 1. IT is not lawful to affect them as the Heathens. who think they shall be heard for their Battology, or saying over the same words, as if God were moved by them as by a charm.

2. Nor is it lawful to do that which hath a strong appearance of such a conceit, and thereby to make God's worship ridiculous and contemptible: As the Papists in their Psalters, and Prayer Books repeating over the name of Jesus and Mary so oft together as maketh it seem a ludicrous Canting.

But, 1. It is lawful to speak the same words from fullness and fervency of zeal; 2. And when we are afraid to give over lest we have not yet prevailed with God. 3. And in God's solemn Praises ( sung or said ), a word or sentence oft repeated sometime hath an elegancy, and affecting decency; And therefore it is so often used in the Psalms; yea and in many Scripture Prayers. 4. In such cases, to bring a serious urgency of spirit to the repeated words, and not to quarrel with the repetitions, is the duty of one that joineth with true Christian Assemblies, as a son of piety and peace.

Quest. 86. Is it lawful to bow at the naming of Jesus?

Answ. THE question either respecteth the Person of Jesus, named by any of his names, or else this name Jesus only. And that either simply in itself considered; or else comparatively as excluding, or not including •••• er names.

1. That the person of Jesus is to be bowed to, I never knew a Christian deny.

2. That we may lawfully express our reverence by bowing, when the names [God, Jehovah, Jesus, Christ, &c. ] are uttered, I have met with few Christians who deny, nor know I any reason to deny it.

3. Had I been fit to have prescribed directions to other Ministers or Churches, I would not have persuaded, much less commanded them, to bow at the Name of Jesus, anymore than at the name of God, Jehovah, Christ, &c. For many Reasons which the Reader may imagine, though I will not now mention them.

4. But if I live and join in a Church where it is commanded and peremptorily urged to bow at the name of Jesus, and where my not doing it would be divisive, scandalous or offensive, I will bow at the name of God, Jehovah, Jesus, Christ, Lord, &c. one as well as the other: seeing it is not bowing at Christ's name that I scruple, but the consequents of seeming to distinguish and prefer that name alone before all the rest.

Quest. 87. Is it lawful to stand up at the Gospel as we are appointed?

Answ. 1. HAd I been a prescriber to others myself, I should not have required the Church to stand up at the reading of one part of a Chapter by the name of the Gospel, and not at the same words when the whole Chapter is read.

2. But if I live where Rulers peremptorily command it (I suppose not▪ forbidding us to stand up at the Gospel read in Chapters, but selecting this as an instance of their signified Consent to the Gospel, who will do no more) I would obey them rather than give offense, by standing up at the Reading of the Chapters and all; which I suppose will be no violation of their Laws.

Quest. 88. Is it lawful to kneel when the Decalogue is read?

Answ. 1. IF I lived in a Church that mistook the Commandments for Prayers, as many ignorant people do, I would not so harden them in that error. 2. And if I knew that many of the people present are of that mind, I had rather do nothing that might scandalize or harden them in it.

But 1. That the thing in itself is Lawful, is past doubt: As we may kneel to the King when we hear him or speak to him; so it is lawful to kneel to God, when we read a Chapter or hear it read, and specially the Decalogue so terribly delivered, and written by his own finger i •• stone. 2. And if it be peremptorily commanded, and the omission would be offensive I would use it though mistaking persons are present, 1. Because I cannot disobey, and also differ from the whole Assembly, without a greater hurt and scandal, than seeming to harden that mistaking person! 2. And because I could and would by other means remove that persons danger, as from me, by making him know that it is no prayer. 3. And the rather in our times, because we can get the Minister in the Pulpit publicly to tell the people the Contrary. 4. And in Catechizing it is his appointed duty so to do. 5. And we find that the same old silly people who took the Commandments for a prayer, took the Creed to be so too: When yet none kneeled at the Creed: By which it appeareth that it is not kneeling which deceived them.

Quest. 89. What Gestures are fittest in all the public Worship?

Answ. 1. THE Custom • s of several Countries, putting several significations on gestures, much varieth the Case.

2. We must not lightly differ from the customs of the Churches where we live in such a thing.

3. According to the present state of our Churches, and the signification of gestures, and the necessities of men's bodies, all considered, I like best, 1. To kneel in Prayer and Confession of sin (unless it be in crowded Congregations where there is not room.) 2. To stand up in actions of mere Praise to God, that is, at the singing and reading of the Psalms of praise, and at the other Hymns. 3. To sit at the hearing of the Word read and preached▪ (Because the body hath a necessity of some rest).

4. Had I my choice, I would receive the Lord's Supper sitting: But where I have not; I will use the gesture which the Church useth. And it is to be noted that the Church of England requireth the Communicant only to R •••• ive it kneeling; but not to Eat or drink it kneeling when they have received it. The ancient Churches took it for for an universal custom, established by many general Councils, (and continued many hundred years) that no Churches should kneel in any act of Adoration upon any Lord's day in the year, or any week day between Easter and Whitson • ide; but only stand all the time. But because the wea • iness of the body is apt to draw the mind into Consent, and make God's service burdensome to us, it seemeth a sufficient compliance with their custom and the reasons of it, if we stand up only in acts of Praise (and at the profession of our Assent to the Christian faith and Covenant).

5. And because there is so great a difference between the auditors in most Assemblies, some being weak and not able to stand long, &c. therefore it is utterly unmeet to be too rigorous in urging a Uniformity of Gesture, or for any to be too censorious of other men for a Gesture.

Quest. 90. What if the Pastor and Church cannot agree about singing Psalms, or what Version or Translation to use, or time or place of meeting, &c?

Answ. 1. IT is the office of the Pastor to be the Guide and Ruler in such things, (when the Magistrate interposeth not) And the people should obey him. 2. But if the Pastor injure the Church by his mis-guidance and male-administration, he ought to amend and give them satisfaction: And if he do not, they have their remedy before-mentioned. 3. And if the people be obstinate in disobedience upon causeless quarrels, the Pastor must first labor to convince them by reason and Love, and his authority; And if no means will bring them to submission, he must consider whether it be better as to the pblick good of the Church of Christ that he comply with them, and suffer them, or that he depart and go to a more tractable people: And accordingly he is to do. For they cannot continue together in Communion if one yield not to the other: Usually or ofttimes it will be better to leave such an obdurate self-willed people, lest they be hardened by yielding to them in their sin, and others encouraged in the like by their example: And their own experience may at last convince them, and make them yield to better things, as Geneva did when they revoked Calvin. But sometimes the public good requireth that the Pastor give place to the people's folly, and stay among them, and rather yield to that which is not best (so it be otherwise lawful) (as a worse translation, a worse version, Liturgy, order, time, place, &c. ) than quite forsake them. And he that is in the right, may in that case yield to him that is in the wrong, in point of practice.

Quest. 91. What if the Pastor excommunicate a man, and the people will not forbear his Communion, as thinking him unjustly Excommunicated?

Answ. 1. EIther the Pastor or the people are in the Error. 2. Either the person is a dangerous Heretic or grossly wicked, or not. 3. Either the people do own the Error or sin, for which he is excommunicated, or only judge the person not guilty. 4. The Pastors, and the people's part in the execution must be distinguished. And so I conclude,

1. That if the Pastor err and wrong the people he must repent, and give them satisfaction: But if it be their error and obstinacy, then 2. If the Pastor foreknow that the people will dissent, in some small dispensible cases he may forbear to excommunicate one that deserveth it: or if he know it after, that they will not forbear Communion with the person, he may go on in his office, and be satisfied that he hath discharged his own duty, and leave them under the guilt of their own faults. 3. But if it be an intolerable wickedness or Heresy (as Arianism, Socinianism, &c. ) and the people own the error or sin as well as the person; the Pastor is then to admonish them also, and by all means to endeavor to bring them to Repentance; And if they remain impenitent to renounce Communion with them and desert them. 4. But if they own not the crime, but only think the person injured, the Pastor must give them the proof for their satisfaction; And if they remain unsatisfied, he may proceed in his office as before.

Quest. 92. May a whole Church, or the greater part be Excommunicated?

Answ. 1. TO excommunicate is by Ministerial Authority to pronounce the person unmeet for Christian Communion, as being under the guilt of impenitence in heinous sin; and to charge the Church to forbear Communion with him, and avoid him, and to bind him over to the bar of God.

2. The Pastor of a particular Church may pronounce all the Church uncapable of Christian Communion and salvation till they repent, e. g. If they should all be impenitent Arians, Socinians, Blaspheamers, &c. For he hath authority and they deserve it. But he hath no Church that he is Pastor of, whom he can command to avoid them. 3. The neighbor Pastors of the Churches about them, may upon full proof, declare to their own Churches, that such a neighbor Church that is fallen to Arianism, &c. is unmeet for Christian Communion and to be owned as a Church of Christ; and therefore charge their flocks not to own them, nor to have occasional Communion with their members when they come among them. For there is Authority, and a meet object, and necessity for so doing; And therefore it may be done. 4. But a single Pastor of another Church may not usurp authority over any neighbor Church, to judge them and excommunicate them, where he hath neither call nor full proof, as not having had opportunity to admonish them all, and try their repentance. Therefore the Popes Excommunications are rather to be contemned, than regarded. 5. Yet if many Churches turn Heretics notoriously, one single neighbor Pastor, may renounce their Communion, and require his flock for to avoid them all. 6. And a Pastor may as lawfully excommunicate the Major part of his Church, by charging the Minor part to avoid them, as he may do the Minor part; Except that accidentally the inconveniences of a division may be so great, as to make it better to forbear: And so it may oft fall out also, if it were the minor part.

Quest. 93. What if a Church have two Pastors and one Excommunicate a man, and the other absolve him, what shall the Church and the dissenter do?

Answ. IT was such cases that made the Churches of old choose Bishops, and ever have but one Bishop in one Church. But 1. He that is in the wrong is first bound to repent, and yield to the other. 2. If he will not, the other in a tolerable ordinary case may for peace give way to him, though not Consent to his injurious dealing. 3. In a dubious case they should both forbear proceeding till the case be cleared. 4. In most cases, each party should act according to his own judgment, if the Counsel of neighbor Pastors be not able to reconcile them. And the people may follow their own judgments, and forbear obeying either of them formally till they agree.

Quest. 94. For what sins may a man be denied Communion or Excommunicated? Whether for impenitence in every little sin? Or for great sin without impenitence?

Answ. 1. I Have shown before that there is a suspension which is but a forbearance of giving a man the Sacrament, which is only upon an Accusation till his cause be tried: And an Innocent person may be falsely accused, and so tried.

2. Some sins may be of so heinous scandal, that if the person repent of them this day, his absolution and reception may be delayed till the scandal be removed, 1. Because the public good is to be preferred before any man's personal good. 2. And the Churches, or Enemies about, cannot so suddenly know of a man's repentance. If they hear of a man's Murder, Perjury or Adultery today, and hear that he is absolved tomorrow, they will think that the Church consisteth of such, or that it maketh very light of sin. Therefore the ancient Churches delayed and imposed penances, partly to avoid such scandal. 3. And partly because that some sins are so heinous, that a sudden profession is not a sufficient Evidence of repentance, unless there be also some evidence of Contrition.

3. But ordinarily no man ought to be Excommunicate for any sin whatsoever, unless Impenitence be added to the sin. Because he is first to be admonished to Repent, Matth. 18. 15, 16. Tit. 3. 10. And Repentance is the Gospel condition of pardon to believers.

4. A man is not to be excommunicated for every sin which he repenteth not of. Because, 1. Else all men should be Excommunicated. For there are in all men some errors about sin and duty, and so some sins which men cannot yet perceive to be sins. 2. And Ministers are not In • allible, and may take that for a sin which is no sin, and so should excommunicate the innocent. 3. And daily unavoidable infirmities, though repented of, yet awaken not the soul sometimes to a notable contrition; nor are they fit matter for the Churches admonition. A man is not to be called openly to repentance before the Church for every idle word, or hour.

4. Therefore to Excommunication these two must concur, 1. A heinousness in the sin, 2. Impenitence after due admonition and patience.

Quest. 95. Must the Pastors examine the people before the Sacrament?

Answ. 1. REgularly they should have sufficient notice after they come to age that they own their Baptismal Covenant, and that they have that due understanding of the Sacrament and the Sacramental work, and such a Christian Profession as is necessary to a due participation.

2. But this is fitlyest done at their solemn transition out of their Infant-Church-state into their adult: And it is not necessarily to be done every time they come to the Lord's Table (unless the person desire help for his own benefit); but only once, before their first communicating: if it be the satisfaction of the Pastor or Church that is intended by it.

Quest. 96. Is the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper a Converting Ordinance?

Answ. YOu must distinguish 1. Between the Conversion of Infidels without the Church and of Hypocrites within it: 2. Between the primary and the secondary intention of the Instituter. 3. Between the primary duty of the receiver, and the event. And so I conclude,

1. That God did not command Ministers to give Infidels the Lord's Supper to convert them to Christianity.

2. He requireth us to give it to none but those that profess themselves converted from Infidelity and a state of wickedness, and to none that profess not true saving • aith and repentance.

3. God never commanded or allowed any Infidel to demand or receive it to his conversion.

4. God commandeth the Pastors of the Church, to deliver it to Hypocrites, (who at the heart are Infidels or Impenitent and ungodly) if they profess faith and repentance, and desire or require it.

5. There is much in the nature of the Sacrament, which tendeth to the conversion of an hypocrite.

6. And God often blesseth it to the conversion of hypocrites; so that it may thence be said to be his secondary intention.

7. But yet he that knoweth himself to be a mere hypocrite, or void of saving faith and repentance, should not come first and immediately to the Sacrament, to be converted by it: But should first so long hear, read, meditate and pray, till he Repent and believe, and his Heart consent to the Covenant of God: And then he should come with penitent Contrition, and solemnly renew his Covenant in this Sacrament, and there receive a sealed pardon.

Quest. 97. Must no man come to the Sacrament, that is uncertain or doubtful of the sincerity of his faith and repentance?

Answ. 1. HE that is sure of his unsoundness and hypocrisy should not come.

2. He that upon trial is not sure, but yet as far as he can understand his own heart and life, doth judge himself an Impenitent hypocrite, should use other means to know himself certainly, and fullier to Repent before he cometh. And though some melancholy and timorous persons be falsely persuaded that they are Impenitent, yet it is better that such forbear the Sacrament, while they use other means for their better acquaintance with themselves, than that all the hypocrites and wicked impenitent people be told that it is their duty to come, if they can but make themselves uncertain whether they be impenitent or not.

3. But he that after the best endeavors he can use to know himself, can say, I am not certain that I truly Repent, but as far as I can know my heart I do; is not to be hindered from the Sacrament by that uncertainty. 1. For few of the best attain to a full certainty of their own sincerity. 2. And all that can be expected from us is, that we proceed according to the best of our understandings, and the best acquaintance with ourselves that we can get. 3. And otherwise it would keep us from all other duties proper to true Christians; As from thanksgiving for our Justification, Sanctification, Adoption, &c.

4. He that only erreth about the Nature of true faith and repentance, and not about the reality of it in himself, should not be kept away by that error: As if he can say, [ As far as I know my heart, I am willing to part with every known sin, and to know every sin that I may part with it; But I am afraid this is not true Repentance ] or he that saith, [ I believe the Gospel to be true, and I am willing to have Christ upon his Covenant terms, and wholly to resign myself unto him; but I am afraid yet that I am not a true believer ]. This person is truly penitent, and is a true believer, and therefore ought to come.

5. The case de esse, whether a man be a true Christian or not, is in order before the case de scir • , whether he be certain of it, or not. He that is an Hypocrite is bound by God first to know that he is so, and then to Repent, and then to Communicate. He that is sincere, is bound by God, to know that he is sincere, and to be thankful, and to communicate: And man's neglect of one duty, will not make God change his Laws, which still bind them to all this at once.

Quest. 98. Is it Lawful or a Duty to join Oblations to the Sacrament, and how?

Answ. 1. THere is no question but a Christian must give up himself soul and body, with all that he hath to God, for his service; And this oblation is Christianity itself.

2. It is undoubted that the Lord's day is a • it time for our depositing what we have to spare, for charitable and pious uses, and this is partly of Divine appointment, 1 Cor. 16 1, 2.

3. No doubt but what we give to the poor, should be for God's sake, and from our Love to God; And therefore must first be devoted or given up to God, and but secondarily to the poor.

4. It is certain that the Lord's Supper is as fit a season as any part of that day, for such Oblations and Collections. The ancient Christians did therefore call it the Communion, because in it they shown their Love and Communion, and feasted in common to that end. There are two several • orts of Oblations which may lawfully be made (and fitly ) at the Communion. 1. The Creatures of Bread and Wine should be offered or presented before God, as acknowledging him to be the Creator and Giver of all, and to desire his acceptance and benediction of them for that holy use. 2. Our Alms or charitable contribution may be then fitly offered to God, that he may first accept it, and so it may be communicated to the Church and poor. When we receive from God the most obliging benefits, when we re • urn our greatest thanks, when we resign ourselves and all to God, its then sure a seasonable time, to express all by the oblation of our benevolence: That hypocrites may not pretend that they are charitable in secret, but the Church may have due notice of it, and the Pastors be duly entrusted with it.

Quest. 99. How many Sacraments are there appointed by Christ?

Answ. THe word [ Sacrament ] hath so many significations, that it is not fit for the Question till it be explained. Passing all others now, we must take notice, 1. That our use of it is not so large as the Latin Interpreter who putteth it for [ Mystery ], but for [ A solemn Dedication of man to God by a Vow expressed by some sacred Ceremony, signifying mutually our Covenant to God, and God's Reception of us and his Covenant with us. ] And it is brought into the Church from the Roman Military Oath called a Sacrament, in which as Tertul. de Cor. Mil. showeth, the Soldier sware fidelity and obedience to Caesar, renouncing Father, Mother, &c. for his service, and swearing to prefer it and his safety before them all: See Martinius reciting the Oath out of divers Authors. This is our sense of the word: Let no man now that taketh it in other sense, pretend therefore that we differ in doctrine.

2. Seeing it is no Scripture word, it is not of necessity to the faith or peace of the Church; but when disputers agree not of the sense of the word they are best lay it by, and use such terms whose sense they can agree on.

3. The name [ Sacrament ] is either taken from the Covenant sworn to, or from the Sign or Ceremony of Consent by which we oblige ourselves, or from both together.

4. The Covenant of Christianity is different from a particular Covenant of some Office; And accordingly the Sacrament is to be distinguished.

5. As Civil, Oeconomical and Ecclesiastical Offices are distinct, so are their several Sacraments.

6. The solemn renewing of the sacred Vow or Covenant, without any instituted obliging sign, is to be distinguished from the renewing it by such a sign of God's institution: And now I conclude,

1. As the word [ Sacrament ] is taken improperly secundum quid, from the nobler part only, that is, the Covenant, (as a man's • oul is called the Man ) so there are as many Sacraments as Covenants; and there is in specie but one Covenant of Christianity, and so but one Sacrament of Christianity, variously expressed.

2. As the word [ Sacrament ] is taken properly and fully according to the foresaid description; so there are properly two Sacraments of Christianity, or of the Covenant of Grace: that is, Baptism, the Sacrament of initiation (most • ully so called) and the Lord's Supper, or the Sacrament of Confirmation, Exercise and Progress.

3. As the word [ Sacrament ] is taken less properly, defectively, secundum quid, for the same Covenant of Grace or Christianity renewed by any arbitrary sign of our own, without a solemn Ceremony of Divine institution, so there are divers Sacraments of Christianity or the Covenant of Grace, that is, Divers solemn renewals of our Covenant with God. As 1. At our solemn transition from the state of Infant-membership unto that of the Adult, when we solemnly own our baptismal Covenant, which Calvin and many Protestants (and the English Rubric) call Confirmation. 2. The solemn owning the Christian Faith and Covenant, in our constant Church-assemblies, when we stand up at the Creed or profession of our saith, and all renew our Covenant with God, and dedication to him: 3. At solemn days of Fasting or humiliation, and of Thanksgiving when this should be solemnly done. Specially upon some public defection. 4. Upon the public Repentance of a particular sinner before his absolution. 5. When a man is going out of the world, and recommending his soul to God by Christ: All these are solemn renewings of our Covenant with God, in which we may use any Lawful, Natural or Arbitrary signs or expressions, to signify our own minds by, as speaking, subscribing, standing up, lifting up the hand, laying it upon a book, kissing the book, &c. These Sacraments are improperly so called: And are Divine as to the Covenant renewed, but Human as to the expressing signs.

4. Ordination is not improperly or unfitly called [ a Sacrament ], because it is the solemnizing of a mutual Covenant between God and man, for our dedication to his special service, and his reception of us and blessing on us, though Imposition of hands be not so solemn a Ceremony by mere Institution, as Baptism and the Lord's Supper. But then it must be noted, that this is not Sacramentum Christianita • is, a Sacrament of the Christian Covenant; but Sacramentum Ordinis vel officii particularis; a Sacrament of Orders, or a particular Office; but yet of Divine institution.

5. The solemn Celebration of Marriage, is an Oeconomical Sacrament; that is, a solemn obligation of man and woman by Vow to one another, and of both to God in that relation, which may be arbitrarily expressed by lawful signs or ceremonies.

6. The solemn Covenant of a Master with his servant, is on the same account, an Oeconomical Sacrament.

7. The inauguration of a King, in which he is sworn to his subjects, and dedicated to God in that Office, and his subjects sworn or consent to him, is a Civil Sacrament, whether Unction be added or not. And so is a Judges entrance on his Office, when it is done so solemnly by an obliging V • w or Covenant.

8. Confirmation in the Papists sense, as conferred by Chrism on Infants for giving them the Holy Ghost, is but an unwarrantable imitation of the old miraculous operation by the Apostles, and neither a Christian Sacrament, nor a warrantable practice, but a presumption.

9. The same may be said of their Sacrament of Extream Unction.

10. Their Sacrament of Marriage is no otherwise a Sacrament, than the Inauguration of a King is; which is approved by God as well as Marriage, and signifieth also an honorable Collation of Power from the Universal King.

11. Their Sacrament of Penance is no otherwise a Sacrament than many other fore-mentioned renewings of our Covenant are.

12. Therefore the Papists seven Sacraments, or septenary distribution, is confused, partly redundant, partly defective, and unworthy to be made a part of their faith or Religion, or the matter of their peevish and ignorant contendings. And they that peremptorily say without distinguishing that there are but two Sacraments in all, do but harden them by the unwarrantable narrowing of the word.

Quest. 100. How far is it lawful, needful or unlawful for a man to afflict himself by external Penances for sin?

Answ. Neg. 1. NOt to the destroying of his body, life or health, or the disabling or unfitting body or mind, for the service of God.

2. Not to be the expression of any sinful inordinate dejection, despondency, sorrow or despair.

3. Not so as may be an outward appearance of such inordinate passions, or as may be a scandal to others, and deter them from Religion as a melancholy hurtful thing.

4. Not as if God would accept the mere external self-afflicting for itself, or as if he loved our hurt, or as if we merited of him by our unprofitable voluntary troubles.

But 1. It is a duty to express true godly sorrow by its proper exercise and signs, so far as either the acting of it, or the increase or continuance by the means of those expressions is profitable to ourselves.

2. And also so far as is needful to the profiting of others, by showing them the evil of sin, and drawing them to repentance.

3. And so far as is necessary to the satisfying of the Church of the truth of our Repentance, in order to our Absolution and Communion.

4. Especially so far as is necessary to subdue our fleshly lusts, and tame our bodies, and bring them into a due subjection to our faith, and to avoid our sin for the time to come. And also by the exercise of sober mortification prudently, to keep under all our worldly phantasies, and love of this present world, without unfitting ourselves for duty.

5. And so far as is needful by such mortification, to fit us for fervent prayer, especially by fasting on days of humiliation; and to help us in our meditations of death and judgment, and to further our heavenly contemplations and conversation.

6. The greatest difficulty is, Whether any self-revenge be lawful or due; which is answered by what is said already: None such as disableth us for God's service is lawful. But true Repentance is an anger or great displeasure with ourselves for sin, and a hatred of sin, and loathing of ourselves for it: And to judge, condemn and afflict our own souls by a voluntary self-punishing is but that exercise of justice on ourselves, which is fit for pardoned sinners that are not to be condemned by the Lord, and indeed the just exercise of Repentance and displeasure against ourselves. On which accounts of sober self-revenge we may cherish such degrees of godly sorrow, fasting, course clothing (as Sackcloth) and denying ourselves the pleasures of this world, as shall not be hurtful but helpful to our duty. And if great and heinous sinners have of old on these terms, exceeded other men in their austerities, and self-afflictings, we cannot condemn them of superstition, unless we more particularly knew more cause for it. But popishly to think that self-afflicting without respect to such causes or necessities is a meritorious perfection, fit for others, is superstition indeed. And • o think as many of the Melancholy do, that self-murder is a lawful self-revenge, is a heinous sin, and leadeth to that which is more heinous and dangerous.

Quest. 101. Is it lawful to observe stated times of fasting imposed by others, without extraordinary occasion? And particularly, Lent?

Answ. REmember that I here meddle not with the question how far it is lawful for Rulers to impose such Fasts on others; save only to say, 1. That it is undoubtedly fit for Kings to do it by Precepts, and Churches by Consent, in extraordinary cases of defection, sin or judgments. 2. That it is undoubtedly sinful usurpation, for either Pope▪ or any pretended Ecclesiastical Universal Rulers, to impose such on the Universal Church (Because there are no Universal Rulers). Or for a neighbor Bishop by usurpation to impose it on a neighbor Church. 3. And that it is sinful in all or many Churches, to make by their Agreements such things to be necessary to their Union or Communion with their neighbor Churches, so that they will take all those for Schismatics that differ from them in such indifferent things. But as to the Using of such fasts (omitting the imposing) I say,

I. 1. Th •• so great and extraordinary a duty as holy fasting, must not be turned into a mere formality o • ceremony.

2. No particular man must be so observant of a public commanded anniversary fast, as for it to neglect any duty commanded him by God which is inconsistent with it. (As to rejoice or keep a day of Thanksgiving in Lent, upon an extraordinary obliging cause; To keep the Lord's day in Lent, as a day of Thanksgiving and Rejoicing; To preserve our own health; &c. ) It is not lawful in obedience to man, to fast so much, or use such diet as is like to destroy our lives or health: These being not so far put into the power of man: Nor can man dispence with us as to the duty of selfpreservation. If God himself require us not to offer him our lives and health needlessly, as an acceptable Sacrifice, nor ever maketh self-destruction our duty, no nor anything that is not for man's own good; then we are not to believe without very clear proof that either Prince or Prelates have more power than ever God doth use himself.

3. Such an Anniversary fast as is meet for the remembrance of some sin or judgment, if commanded, is to be kept, both for the Reason of it, and for the Authority of the Commander. For 1. It is not unlawful as Anniversary (For 1. It is not forbidden, and 2. There may be just occasion: Some arbitrarily keep an anniversary fast on the day of their Nativity (as I have long done); and some on the day that they fell into some great sin; and some on the day of the death of a friend, or of some personal, domestic, or National Calamity: and none of this is forbidden.) 2. And that which is not unlawful in itself, is not therefore unlawful to be done because it is commanded; seeing obedience to superiors is our duty and not our sin, unless in sinful things.

4. Whether it be lawful or meet to commemorate Christ's sufferings by anniversary fasts, is next to be considered.

II. As for Lent in particular: We must distinguish, 1. Between the ancient Lent, and the later Lent; 2. Between keeping it on a Civil account, and on a Religious. 3. Between true fasting, and change of diet. 4. Between the Imitation of Christ's forty days fasting, and the mere Commemoration of it. Which premised I conclude,

1. The keeping a true Fast or Abstinence from food, for forty days, on what account soever, being impossible, or self-murder, is not to be attempted.

2. The Imitation of Christ in his forty days fasting is not to be attempted or pretended to: Because his miraculous works were not done for our imitation. And it is presumption for us to pretend to such a power as is necessary to Miracles, or yet to make any Essays at such an imitation▪ anymore than at the raising of the dead.

3. The pretending of a fast when men do but change their diet; Flesh for Fish, Fruit, Sweetmeats, &c. is but hypocritical and ridiculous: Most poor laborers, and temperate Ministers do live all the year on a more flesh-denying diet, and in greater abstinence than many Papists do in Lent, or on their fasting days. And what a ridiculous dispute is it to hear, e. g. a Calvin that never eateth but one small meal a day for many years, to plead against the keeping of the Popish fasts, and their Clergy call him voracious, and carnal, and an Epicure, and plead for fasting as holy mortification, who eat as many meals and as much meat on a Lent day or fasting day, as Calvin did in three feasting days; and drink as much Wine in a Lent, as he in twenty years? Sure I am I know many such on both sides: Some that eat but a small meal a day, and never drink Wine at all, and others that drink Wine daily, and eat of many dishes at a meal, and that to the full, and of the sweetest, as Fish, Fruits, &c. yet rail at the former for not fasting as they do. So delusory are the outward appearances, and so • alse the pretensions of the carnal sort!

4. The ancient Lent consisted first of one day ( Good-fryday ) alone; and after that of three days, and then of six, and at last it came up to forty. (Of which read Dallaeus ubi supra at large.)

5. None can question the lawfulness of an obedient keeping of such a Civil Lent fast as our Statutes command, for the vending of Fish, and for the breed of Cattle; so be it, no bodily necessity o • greater duty be against it.

6. It is not unlawful for those that cannot totally fast, yet to use more abstinence and a more mortifying sort of diet than ordinary for the exercises of repentance and mortification, in due time.

7. If Authority shall appoint such a mortifying abstemious course upon lawful or tolerable grounds and ends, I will obey them, if they peremptorily require it, when my health or some greater duty forbiddeth it not.

8. As for the Commanding such an Abstinence, as in Lent, not in Imitation, but bare Commemoration of Christ's forty days fast, I would not command it if it were in my power; But being peremptorily commanded, I cannot prove it unlawful to obey; with the fore-mentioned exceptions.

9. It was anciently held a crime to fast on the Lord's days, even in Lent; And I take that day to be separated by Christ and the Holy Ghost for a Church Festival or day of Thanksgiving; Therefore I will not keep it as a fast, though I were commanded, unless in such an extraordinary necessity, as aforesaid.

OF Pilgrimages, Saints, Relicts and Shrines, Temples, of their Miracles, of Pray 〈…〉 to Angels, to Saints, for the Dead, of Purgatory, of the Popes Pardons, Indulgences, Dispensations; of the Power of true Pastors to forgive sins, with a multitude of such cases, which are commonly handled in our Controversal Writers against the Papists, I must thither refer the Reader for a Solution, because the handling of all such particular Cases would swell my Book to a magnitude beyond my intention, and make this part unfuitable to the rest.

Quest. 102. May we continue in a Church, where someone Ordinance of Christ is wanting, as Discipline, Prayer, Preaching or Sacraments, though we have all the rest?

Answ. DIstinguish 1. Of Ordinances: 2. Of a stated want, and a temporary want: 3. Of one that may have better: and one that cannot.

1. Teaching, Prayer and Praise, are Ordinances of such necessity that Church Assemblies have not their proper use without them.

2. The Lord's Supper is of a secondary need, and must be used when 〈…〉 , but a Church-Assembly may attain its ends sometimes without it, in a good degree.

3. Discipline is implicitly exercised when none but the Baptized are Communicants, and when professed Christians voluntarily assemble, and the preaching of the Word doth distinguish the precious from the vile: Much more when notorious scandalous sinners are by the Laws kept from the Sacrament (As our Rubric and Canons do require).

4. But for the fuller explicit and exacter exercise of discipline, it is very desirable for the well being of the Churches: but it is but a stronger fence or hedge, and preservative of Sacred Order; And both the being of a Church; and the profitable use of holy assemblies, may subsist without it: As in Helvetia and other Countries it is found.

I conclude then, 1. That he that consideratis considerandis is a free man should choose that place where he hath the fullest opportunities of worshipping God and edifying his soul.

2. He is not to be accounted a free-man that cannot remove, without a greater hurt, than the good; either to the Church or Country, or to his family, his neighbors, or himself.

3. Without Teaching, Prayer and Divine Praises we are not to reckon that we have proper Church-Assemblies and Communion.

4. We must do all that is in our power to procure the right use of Sacraments and Discipline.

5. When we cannot procure it, it is lawful and a duty to join in those Assemblies that are without it, and rather to enjoy the rest than none. Few Churches have the Lord's Supper above once a month, which in the Primitive Church was used every Lord's day and ofter: And yet they meet on other days.

6. It is possible that Preaching, Prayer and Praise may be so excellently performed in some Churches that want both Discipline and the Lord's Supper, and all so coldly and ignorantly managed in another Church that hath all the Ordinances, that men's souls may much more flourish and prosper under the former than the later.

7. If forbearing or wanting some Ordinances for a time, be but in order to a probable procurement of them, we may the better forbear.

8. The time is not to be judged of only by the length, but by the probability of success. For sometime God's Providence, and the disturbances of the times, or the craft of men in power may keep men so long in the dark, that a long expectation or waiting may become our duty.

Quest. 103. Must the Pastors remove from one Church to another when ever the Magistrate commandeth us, though the Bishops contradict it, and the Church consent not to dismiss us; And so of other Cases of disagreement?

Answ. 1. AS in man's soul, the Intellectual Guidance, the Will, and the executive power do concur, so in Church Cases of this nature, the Potestative Government of the Magistrate, the Directive Guidance of the senior Pastors, and the Attractive Love of the people (who are the chief inferior final Cause) should all concur: And when they do not, it is confusion: And when God's order is broken which commandeth their concurrence, it is hard to know what to do, in such a division which God alloweth not: As it is to know whether I should take part with the Heart against the Head, or with the Head against the Stomach and Liver, on supposition of cross inclinations or interests; when as Nature supposeth either a concord of inclination and interests, or else the ruin, sickness or death of the person: And the Cure must be by reconciling them, rather than by knowing which to side with against the rest.

But seeing we must suppose such diseases frequently to happen, they that cannot cure them must know how to behave themselves, and to do their own duty. For my own part in such cases I would do thus.

1. I would look at my ultimate end, God's Glory, and at the next end the Good of souls and welfare of the Church; and so at the Peoples Interest as it is the End of the Order of Magistracy and Ministry: And I would take myself to be so obliged to that end, as that no point of mere Order could disoblige me; the End being better than the Means as such: Therefore I would do all things to edification, supposing that all Power of man is as Paul's was for Edification and not for destruction.

2. But in judging of what is Best for the Church, I must take in every accident and circumstance, and look to many, more than to a few, and to distant parts as well as to those near me, and to the time and ages to come, as well as to the present, and not go upon mistaken suppositions of the Churches good: He that doth not see all things that are to be weighed in such a case, may err by leaving out someone.

3. I would obey the Magistrate formally for conscience sake in all things which belong to his Office; And particularly in this case, if it were but a Removal from place to place, in respect to the Temple, or Tythes, or for the Civil peace, or for the preservation of Church order in cases where it is not grossly injurious to the Church and Gospel.

4. In cases which by God's appointment belong to the Conduct of Bishops, or Pastors, or the Concord of Consociate Churches, I would formaliter follow them. And in particular, if they satisfy me that the removal of me is an apparent injury to the Church, (As in the Arians times when the Emperors removed the Orthodox from all the Great Churches to put in Arians) I would not obedientially and voluntarily remove.

5. If Magistrates and Bishops should concur in commanding my remove in a case notoriously injurious and pernicious to the Church (as in the aforesaid case, to bring in an Arian) I would not obey formally for conscience sake; supposing that God never gave them such a power against men's souls and the Gospel of Christ: And there is no power but of God.

6. But I would prefer both the Command of the Magistrate, and the Direction of the Pastors, before the mere will and humor of the people, when their safety and welfare were not concerned in the case.

7. And when the Magistrate is peremptory, usually I must obey him Materially, when I do it not formally (in conscience to his mere Command). Because though in some cases he may do that which belongeth not to his Office, but to the Pastors, yet his violence may make it become the Churches interest, that I yield and give place to his wrath: For as I must not Resist him by force, so if I depart not at his Command, it may bring a greater suffering on the Churches: And so for preventing a greater evil he is to be submitted to in many cases, where he goeth against God and without authority; though not to be formally obeyed.

8. Particular Churches have no such interest in their Ministers or Pastors, as to keep them against their wills and the Magistrates, and against the interest of the Universal Church, as shall be next asserted.

I have spoken to this instance as it taketh in all other cases of difference between the Power of the Magistrate, the Pastors and the people's interest, when they disagree, and not as to this case alone.

Quest. 104. Is a Pastor obliged to his Flock for Life? Or is it lawful so to oblige himself? And may be remove without their Consent? And so also of a Church-member, the same questions are put.

THese four Questions I put together for brevity, and shall answer them distinctly.

I. 1. A Minister is obliged to Christ and the Universal Church for Life, ( durante vita, ) with this exception, if God disable him not. 2. But as a Pastor he is not obliged to this or that flock for life. There is no such command or example in God's Word.

II. To the second: 1. It is lawful to oblige ourselves to a people for life in some cases, conditionally; that is, If God do not apparently call us away. 2. But it is never lawful to do it Absolutely: 1. Because we shall engage ourselves against God; against his power over us, and interest in us, and his wisdom that must guide us. God may call us whither he please: And though now he speak not by supernatural revelation, yet he may do it by providential alterations. 2. And we shall else oblige ourselves against the Universal Church, to which we are more strictly bound, than to any particular Church, and whose good may oblige us to remove. 3. Yea, we may bind ourselves to the hurt of that Church itself; seeing it may become its interest to part with us. 4. And we should so oblige ourselves against our duty to authority, which may remove us.

III. To the third question I answer, 1. A Pastor may not causelessly remove, nor for his own worldly commodity when it is to the hurt of the Church and hindrance of the Gospel. 2. When he hath just cause, he must acquaint the people with it, and seek their satisfaction and consent. 3. But if he cannot procure it, he may remove without it: As 1. When he is sure that the interest of the Gospel and Universal Church require it: 2. Or that just authority doth oblige him to it.

The reasons are plain from what is said; And also 1. He is no more bound to the people, than they are to him: But they are not so bound to him, but they may remove on just occasion. 2. If he may not remove, it is either because God forbids it, or because his own Contract with them hath obliged him against it: But 1. God nowhere forbids it: 2. Such a contract is supposed not made, nor lawful to be made.

IV. As to the people's case, it needs no other answer; 1. No member may remove without cause: 2. Nor abruptly and uncharitably to the Churches dissatisfaction, when he may avoid it. But 3. He may remove upon many just causes (private or public) whether the Church and Pastors consent or not, so the manner be as becometh a Christian.

Quest. 105. When many men pretend at once to be the true Pastors of a particular Church against each others title, through differences between the Magistrates, the Ordainers and the Flocks, what should the people do, and whom should they adhere to?

Answ. THis case is mostly answered before in Quest. 82. &c. I need only to add these Rules of Caution. 1. Do not upon any pretence accept of an Heretic, or one that is utterly unfit for the Office.

2. Do not easily take a Dividing Course or person, but keep as much as may be in a way of Concord with the united faithful Pastors and Churches in your proximity or Country.

3. Look to the public good and interest of Religion, more than to your particular Congregation.

4. Neglect not the greatest advantages for your own edification: But rather take them by a removal of your dwelling; though you suffer by it in your estates, than by any division, disturbance of the Churches peace, or common detriment.

5. Do not easily go against the Magistrates Commands; unless they be apparently unlawful, and to the Churches detriment or ruin, in the reception of your Pastors.

6. Do not easily forsake him that hath been justly received by the Church, and hath possession, that is, till necessity require it.

Quest. 106. To whom doth it belong to Reform a Corrupted Church? to the Magistrates, Pastors, or People?

Answ. A Church is reformed three several ways, 1. By the personal reformation of every member: 2. By doctrinal Direction; and 3. By public forcible Execution, and constraint of others.

1. Every member, whether Magistrates, Pastors or People must reform themselves; by forsaking all their own sins, and doing their own duties. If a Ruler command a private person to go to Mass, to own any falsehood, or to do any sin, he is not to be obeyed, because God is to be first obeyed.

2. The Bishops or Pastors are to Reform the Church by Doctrine, Reproof, and just Exhortations, and Nunciative Commands in the name of Christ to Rulers and people to do their several duties; and by the actual doing of his own.

3. The King and Magistrates under him, only, must Reform by the Sword, that is, by outward force, and Civil Laws and Corporal Penalties: As forcibly to break down Images, to cast out Idolaters, or the Instruments of Idolatry from the Temples, to put true Ministers in possession of the Temples, or the Legal public maintenance; to destroy, punish or hurt Idolaters, &c. Supposing still the Power of Parents and Masters in their several families.

Quest. 107. Who is to Call Synods, Princes, Pastors or People?

Answ. 1. THere are several ways of Calling Synods: 1. By Force and Civil Mandates, 2. By Pastoral Perswasion and Counsel; and 3. By humble entreaty and petition.

1. Magistrates only (that is, the Supreme by his own power, and the Inferior by power derived from him) may call Synods by Laws and Mandates, enforced by the Sword or Corporal Penalties or Mulcts.

2. Bishops or Pastors in due Circumstances may call Synods by Counsel and persuasive invitation.

3. The people in due Circumstances and necessity, may Call Synods by way of Petition and Intreaty.

But what are the due Circumstances?

Answ. 1. The Magistrate may Call them by Command at his discretion, for his own Counsel, or for the Civil peace, or the Churches good.

2. The Pastors and people may not Call them, nor meet when the Magistrate forbiddeth it, except when the necessity of the Church requireth it: Synods may profitably be stated for order, when it may be lawful • y obtained (both as to limits of Place, numbers and Time): But these prudential Orders are not of stated necessity, but must give place to weightier reasons on the contrary.

3. Synods themselves are not ordinarily necessary, by Nature or Institution (Let him that affirmeth it, prove it) But that which is statedly necessary is, The Concord of the Churches as the End, and a necessary correspondency of the Churches as the Means, and Synods when they may well be had, as a convenient sort of means.

4. When Synods cannot be had, or are needless, Messengers and Letters from Church to Church may keep up the Correspondency and Concord.

5. In cases of real necessity (which are very rare, though usefulness be more frequent) the Bishops and people should first petition the King for his consent: And if that cannot be had, they may meet secretly and in small numbers for mutual consultation and advice about the work of God; and not by keeping up the formality of their set numbers, times, and places, and orders, provoke the King against them.

6. The contempt of Synods by the separatists, and the placing more power in Synods than ever God gave them by others, yea and the insisting on their circumstantial orders, making them like a Civil Senate or Court, have been the two extremes which have greatly injured and divided the Churches, throughout the World.

Quest. 108. To whom doth it belong to appoint days and assemblies for public Humiliation and Thanksgiving?

Answ. THe answer of the last question may serve for this. 1. The Magistrate only may do it by way of Laws, or civil Mandate enforced by the sword.

2. The Pastors may do it in case of necessity, by Pastoral advice and exhortation, and nunciative command in the name of Christ.

3. The people may do it by Petition.

4. As ordinary Church Assemblies must be held if the Magistrate forbid them (of which next) so must extraordinary ones, when extraordinary causes make it a duty.

5. When the Magistrate forcibly hindereth them, natural impossibility resolveth the question, about our duty.

Quest. 109. May we omit Church-assemblies on the Lord's day, if the Magistrate forbid them?

Answ. 1. IT is one thing to forbid them for a time, upon some special cause, (as Infection by pestilence, fire, war, &c. ) And another thing to forbid them statedly or profanely.

2. It is one thing to omit them for a time, and another to do it ordinarily.

3. It is one thing to omit them in formal obedience to the Law; and another thing to omit them in prudence or for necessity, because we cannot keep them.

4. The Assembly and the circumstances of the Assembly must be distinguished.

1. If the Magistrate for a greater good, (as the common safety) forbid Church Assemblies in a time of pestilence, assault of enemies, or fire, or the like necessity, it is a duty to obey him. Because positive duties give place to those great natural duties which are their end: so Christ justified himself and his disciples violation of the external rest of the Sabbath. For the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. 2. Because Affirmatives bind not ad semper, and out of season duties become sins. 3. Because one Lord's day or Assembly is not to be preferred before Many which by the omission of that one are like to be obtained.

2. If Princes profanely forbid holy assemblies and public worship, either statedly, or as a renunciation of Christ and our religion; it is not Lawful formally to obey them.

3. But it is lawful prudently to do that secretly for the present necessity, which we cannot do publicly, and to do that with smaller numbers, which we cannot do with greater assemblies, yea and to omit some assemblies for a time that we may thereby have opportunity for more: which is not formal but only material obedience.

4. But if it be only some circumstances of Assembling that are forbidden us, that is the next case to be resolved.

Quest. 110. Must we obey the Magistrate if he only forbid us Worshiping God, in such a place, or Country, or in such numbers, or the like?

Answ. WE must distinguish between such a determination of Circumstances▪ modes or accidents, as plainly destroy the worship or the end, and such as do not. For instance, 1. He that • aith, You shall never assemble but once a year or never but at midnight; or never above six or seven minutes at once, &c. doth but determine the circumstance of Time: But he doth it so as to destroy the worship, which cannot so be done, in consistency with its ends. But he that shall say, You shall not meet till nine a clock, nor stay in the night, &c. doth no such thing.

So 2. He that saith, You shall not assemble but at forty miles distance one from another; or you shall meet only in a room that will hold but the twentieth part of the Church; or you shall never Preach in any City or popular place but in a Wilderness far from the inhabitants, &c. doth but determine the circumstance of Place. But he so doth it, as tends to destroy or frustrate the work which God commandeth us. But so doth not he that only boundeth Churches by Parish bounds, or forb • death inconvenient places.

3. So he that • aith, You shall never meet under a hundred thousand together, or never above five or six doth but determine the accident of Number. But he so doth it as to destroy the work and end. For the first will be impossible; And in the second way they must keep Church assemblies without Ministers, when there is not so many as for every such little number to have one. But so doth not he that only saith, You shall not meet above ten thousand, nor under ten.

4. So he that saith, You shall not hear a Trinitarian, but an Arian, or you shall hear only one that cannot preach the essentials of Religion, or that cries down Godliness itself, or you shall hear none but such as were ordained at Jerusalem or Rome, or none but such as subscribe the Council of Trent, &c. doth but determine what person we shall hear. But he so doth it as to destroy the work and end. But so doth not he that only saith, You shall hear only this able Minister, rather than that.

2. I need not stand on the application. In the later case we owe formal obedience. In the former we must suffer, and not obey.

For if it be meet so to obey, it is meet in obedience to give over God's worship. Christ said, when they persecute you in one City, flee to another: But he never said, If they forbid you Preaching in any City, or populous place, obey them. He that said, Preach the Gospel to every Creature, and to all Nations, and all the World, and that would have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth, doth not allow us to forsake the souls of all that dwell in Cities and populous places, and Preach only to some few Cottingers elsewhere: No more than he will allow us to Love, pity and relieve the bodies only of those few, and take none for our Neighbors that dwell in Cities, but with Priest and Levite, to pass them by.

Quest. 111. Must Subjects, or servants forbear weekly Lectures, Reading or such helps, above the Lord's days worship, if Princes or Masters do command it?

Answ. 1. THere is great difference between a mere subject, or person governed, and a servant, sl • ve or child.

2. There is great difference between such as are hindered by just cause and real necessities, and such as are hindered only through profane malignity.

1. Poor people have not so much leisure from their callings, as the Rich: And so providing for their families, may at that time, by necessity become the greater and the present duty.

2. So may it be with Soldiers, Judges and others that have present urgent work of public consequence; when others have no such impediment.

3. He that is the child or slave of another, or is his own by propriety, is more at his power, than he that is only a subject, and so is but to be Governed in order to his own and the common good.

4. A servant that hath absolutely hired himself to another, is for that time near the condition of a slave: But he that is hired but with limitations, and exceptions of Liberty, (expressed or understood) hath right to the excepted liberty.

5. If the King forbid Judges, Soldiers or others whose labors are due to the public, to hear Sermons at the time when they should do their work: Or if Parents, or Masters so forbid Children and servants, they must be obeyed, while they exclude not the public Worship of the Lord's own day, nor necessary Prayer and duty in our private daily cases.

6. But he that is under such bondage as hindereth the needful helps of his soul, should be gone to a freer place, if Lawfully he can. But a Child, Wife or such as are not free must trust on God's help in the use of such means as he alloweth them. 7. A Prince, or Tutor, or Schoolmaster, who is not a Proprietor of the person, but only a Governor, is not to be obeyed formally and for Conscience sake, if he forbid his Subjects or Scholars such daily or weekly helps for their salvation as they have great need of, and have no necessity to forbear; such as are hearing or assembling with the Church on the week days at convenient time, Reading the Scriptures daily, or good Books, accompanying with men fearing God, praying, &c. Because God hath commanded these when we can perform them.

Quest. 112. Whether Religious Worship may be given to a Creature? and what?

Answ. WHile the terms of the Question remain ambiguous, it is uncapable of an answer.

1. By Worship is meant either Cultus in genere, any honor expressed to another; Or some special act of honor. We must understand the Question in the first General sense, or else we cannot answer it, till men tell us, what Acts of honoring they mean.

2. By Religious is meant either in general, that which we are bound to by God, or is done by virtue of a Religious, that is, a Divine obligation, and so is made part of our Religion, that is, of our obedience to God; Or else by Religious is meant Divine, or that which is properly due to God. The question must be taken in the first general sense; or else it is no question, but ridiculous, (to ask whether we may give God's proper Worship to a creature).

And so I answer, 1. By way of distinction, 2. Of solution.

1. We must distinguish between the honor or worshiping acts of the mind, and of the Body. 2. Between Idolatry as against the first Commandment, and Idolatry or scandal as against the second.

Af. Prop. 1. There is due to every creature, a true estimation of it according to the degree of its dignity or goodness; And a Love proportionable: As also a Belief, a Trust, a Fear, proportionable to every man's credibility, fidelity, power, &c.

2. There is an eminent degree therefore of estimation, reverence and Love and trust due to Good men above bad, and to those in Heaven above those on earth; And a peculiar honor to Rulers as such, which is not due to their inferiors.

3. This is to be expressed by the Body, by convenient actions.

4. The highest honor which we owe to any, is for the Image of God in them, viz. 1. His Natural Image as men, 2. His moral Image as Saints, 3. His Relative Image of supereminency, as superiors. And so it is God in them first, and they next as the Images of God, who are to be honored.

5. There is no honor to be given to any Creature, but that of which God himself is the End; viz. as it referreth to his Glory.

6. Therefore all honor given to men, must be thus far Religious honor (or worship): For as all things are sanctified to and by Saints, so all things that Religious men do, must be Religiously done.

7. As Persons, so places, books, words, utensils, times, &c. must be honored for God's sake, as they are Related to God, with such estimations and expressions as are suitable to their Relations.

Neg. 1. No Creature must be esteemed to be a God; nor any of God's proper attributes or honor given to any Creature whatsoever.

2. No Creature must be esteemed better or greater or wiser than it is; (As far as we have means to know it.)

3. Whatsoever outward expressions of honor (by word or deed) are appropriated to the true God, 1. By Divine Institution, 2. Or by nature, 3. Or by received usage, that expression of honor ought not to be used to a creature, were the heart never so free from honoring it. 1. Because it is bodily Idolatry: 2. And scandal as being Idolatry interpretatively, in the just sense of others.

4. Whatsoever outward expressions of honor, Idolaters have used, and do use to signify their inward Idolatry, or taking a Creature or a fiction to be God, and so make it a tessara or symbol or Professing sign of that their Idolatry, if those actions are so used or esteemed among us, or within the notice of our actions; It is unlawful for us to use the like to any Creature. Because the use of their expression, maketh it to be a Profession of Idolatry by us, and so to be interpretative Idolatry and scandal: For to use Professing symbols is to profess.

Except when there is some notorious reason to use the same words or actions to another lawful signification, which is of greater weight than the scandal; And we make it as public, to obviate the scandal, that we do it not to the Idolaters intents.

For example, [If the M • hometans make it a symbol of their Religion, to say [ God is but one ] upon a false supposition that the Christians make more God's than one; yet it is lawful for us to use that symbolical word to a better end. But if they add to their symbol [ And Mahomet is his Prophet ], we may not use that, because it's 1. Symbolical of a false Religion; 2. And a falsehood of itself.

So if they make it a distinctive note of their religious meetings, to congregate the people by Voice and not by Bells; when it will be taken for a professing their Religion to do the same, we must avoid it: But not when there is great cause for it (as if we have no other means) and the reason against it, or scandal may be well avoided.

5. Image Worship, (or bowing or otherwise worshipping towards an Image as an object, ) in the time of Divine worship, or when we otherwise pretend to be worshiping God, is so gross an appearance of inward Idolatry, (either as visibly describing God to be like a Creature, or else as seeming to mean what Idolaters did by that action) that God hath thought meet to forbid it to all mankind by a special Law. (Command. 2.)

6. The scandal of seeming Idolatry is a heinous sin, and not to be excused by the contrary meaning of the heart, no more than lying Idolatrous professions are. Because to blaspheme God as if he were like a Creature, or to tell the World by our actions that a creature is God, are both very heinous. And so is it to murder our brethren's souls, by tempting them to the like.

7. It is no appearance of Idolatry to kneel to a King, or a Father, or Superior, when we are professing nothing but to Honor them with due honor: But when the Church assembleth professedly to Worship God, if then they mix expressions of veneration to Angels, and Saints in Heaven, or to a King, or any Creature, in their Worshipping of God, without a very notorious signification of sufficient difference, it will seem a joining them in part of the same Divine honor.

8. So we may put off our hats to the Chair of state, or Kings Image, yea and kneel towards it as to him, if he command it in due time and place, when it is human Worship only which we profess: But to kneel or bow as an act of honor towards the Image of King, Saints or Angel, in the time of our professed Worshipping of God, is scandalous, and an appearance that we give them a part of that which we are giving to God.

9. Yet it is not unlawful even in the sacred Assemblies, to bow to our Superior at our entrance, or going out, or in the intervals of God's Worship; because the time and custom and manner may sufficiently notify the distinction, and prevent the scandal.

10. If any presumptuous Clergy men on pretence of their Authority, will bring Images into the Churches, and set them before us in Divine Worship, as objects only of Remembrance, and means of exciting our affections to God, that they may show quam proxime se accedere posse ad peccatum sine peccato, how near they can come to sin without sin, it is not meet for any good Christians to follow them in their presumption, nor by obeying them to invite them to proceed in their Church Tyranny. Though I now determine not, whether in case of necessity, a man may not be present with such a Church, if their Worship of God himself be sound, supposing him sufficiently to notify his dissent, and that he do not himself scandalously direct his Worship toward such Images? (As in the Lutheran Churches we may suppose they do not.)

Quest. 113. What Images, and what use of Images is lawful or unlawful?

Answ. 1. IT is unlawful to make any Image of God. Because it would be a blaspheming of him, as pretending him to be like to that which he is not like to, that is, a creature.

Obj. Man is God's Image: It is lawful to make an Image of man; and so an Image of God's Image, and that may be a secondary Image of God.

Answ. 1. It is the soul of man, of which no Image can be drawn or made, which is the Image of God, and not the body. 2. The Image of him who secundum quid as to the soul, is God's Image, is not God's Image, but man's quoad corpus as to another part. We need not contend much about the name whether this may be called a Remote Image of God (though undoubtedly unfit). But we must not really take it to be Like him, or use it for his Image.

Obj. God hath imprinted his Image on the whole Creation; e. g. He is called a consuming fire; Therefore fire may be pictured as his Image.

Answ. The same answer serveth as to the former objection. And it is not all the Impressions and vestigia of God's Power, Wisdom and Goodness, which are called his Image; As the house is not the Image of the builder, or a Clock of a Clockmaker, &c. And if God be metaphorically called fire, as he is called, a Lyon, &c. because of the similitude of some operation or effect, it followeth not that these are his Image; much less that the Image of these is his Image.

2. No Image may be made to be a Teacher of lies: As we may not lie by words, so neither by Images. Therefore false stories, or false Images of realities, when made as true, and pretended to be true Images or representations, are unlawful.

3. Therefore it is unlawful to make an Image of a spirit, pretending it to be a true Image. Because it will be a lie.

4. It is unlawful so to make, place or use any Image, as is like to do more harm than good.

5. Therefore it is unlawful so to make, place, or use them, as that they are like to tempt a man to any sin, unless necessity for some greater good require it. (Of which more anon.)

6. Therefore all Images of such Idols or feigned Deities are unlawful, as are like to be any temptation to any to believe in them, or worship them.

7. Therefore also all Images of such creatures as others use to give unlawful worship or honor to, are unlawful when they are like to be a temptation to us or others to do the like. As among Papists the Image of the Crucifix, the Virgin Mary, and Angels may not be made, placed or used so as may tempt any to worship them sinfully as they use to do.

8. The Image of an over-honored or falsely honored person, (though not adored) may not be so made, placed or used, as tendeth to tempt others also to such honor. As of Mahomet, or Apollonius, (as Alexander Severus placed him and others, with Abraham and Christ in his Lararium or Chapel). And many give too much honor by Images to Alexander, Caesar, and such other great thieves and murderers of mankind.

9. It is unlawful to make lascivious Images of naked persons, and place or use them so, as tendeth to be a temptation to lust or immodesty. A common sin of persons of unclean immaginations.

10. It is also unlawful so to represent Plays, pompous honors, splendid clothing or building as tendeth more to tempt the beholders to sinful desires, than to any good.

11. It is unlawful to place Images in Churches or in secret before our eyes when we are Worshipping God, when it tendeth to corrupt the imagination, or by possessing it, to hinder the spiritual exercise of the mind. Which is the ordinary effect of Images.

12. It is unlawful to use Images scandalously, as any of the aforesaid sinners use them, though we do it not with the same intent. That is, so to use them, as is interpretatively or in outward appearance the same with their use: Because by so doing we shall dishonor God as they do, and harden them in sin. Therefore Images in Churches or in Oratories in those Countries where others use them sinfully, or near such Countries, where the same may harden men in their sin, is evil.

13. It is unlawful to make Talismans or shapes, upon false suppositions that the very shape naturally disposeth the matter to receive such influences of the Stars, by which it shall preserve men from plagues, fire, wild-beasts, serpents, diseases, or shall otherwise work wonders; for which Gaffarel vainly pleadeth at large: such as they call naturally Magical and charming shapes.

14. Much more unlawful is it purposely to make shapes to be Symbols or Instruments by which the Devil shall operate, whether it be for good or evil; It being unlawful so far to use him.

15. So is it to make such shapes on conceit that God, or good Angels will operate in or by them; As some use the Cross or other Images to defend them from Devils, to cure the tooth-ache or other diseases, or such like use: when God hath neither appointed any such means to be used, for such ends, nor promised any such blessing or operation by them.

16. It is unlawful to place the Image of a tutelary Saint or Angel in House, Church or Town, on supposition that we shall be the safer while that Image is there placed; or else to profess our trust in that particular guardian. Because no man knoweth what Angel God doth make his Guardian, nor can we distinguish them; Much less that he maketh such or such a Saint our Guardian. And men's own (foolish) choosing such a one to be their Guardian, will not make them so. Nor hath God appointed or promised to bless any such imagery.

17. It is sinful to use such amorous Images of the persons towards whom your lust is kindled, as tendeth to increase or keep up that lust, or to make profession or ostentation of it. As Lustful persons use to carry or keep the pictures of those on whom they dote.

18. It is unlawful to make such use of the pictures of our deceased friends, as tendeth to increase our inordinate sorrow for them.

19. It is unlawful to make such Images, Monuments or Memorials of the best and holiest persons or Martyrs, as may endanger or tempt men to any inordinate veneration, of, or confidence in the persons honored.

20. Inward Images of God imprinted on the fantasy are sinful; And so are other such false and sinful Images as a • orementioned, though they be not made externally for the use of the eye.

21. I think it is unlawful to make an Image, or any equal instituted sign to be the public common Symbol of the Christian Religion (though it be but a Professing sign:) Because God having already instituted the Symbols or public Tesserae of our Christian profession or Religion, it is usurpation to do the like without his commission. As the King having made the wearing of a George and Star the Badge of the Order of the Garter, would take it ill, if any shall make another Badge of the Order, much more if they impose it on all of the Order; though I presume not to condemn it.

1. All Images painted or Engraven are not unlawful. For God himself commanded and allowed the use of many in the Old Testament. And Christ reprehendeth not Caesar's Image on his Coin.

2. The civil use of Images in Coins, sign-posts, banners, ornaments of Buildings, or of Books, or Chambers, or Gardens, is not unlawful.

3. As the word [ Image ] is taken in general for signs, there is no question but they are frequently to be used: As all a man's words are the Images, that is, the signifiers of his mind; And all a man's writings are the same made visible. It is therefore a blind confounding error of some now among us (otherwise very sober good men) who accuse all Forms of prayer, and of Preaching as sinful, because (say they) they are Idols, or Images of Prayer and of Preaching: They are neither engraven nor painted Images of any Creature: But all words are or should be signs of the speakers mind. And if you will secundum quid call only the inward Desires by the name of Prayer, then the words are the signs of such prayer. But because Prayer in the full sense is Desire expressed, therefore the expressions are not the signs of such prayer, but part of the prayer itself, as the body is of the man: nor is a form, that is, fore-conceived or premeditated words (whether in mind or writing) anymore an Image of prayer, than extemporate prayer is. All words are signs, but never the more for being premeditated, or written. And according to this opinion, all Books are sinful Images, and all Sermon-notes, and the Printing of the Bible itself, and all pious Letters of one friend to another, and all Catechisms: Strangers will hardly believe, that so monstrous an opinion as this, should in these very instances be maintained, by men otherwise so understanding and truly godly, and every way blameless, as have and do maintain it at this day.

4. The making and using of the Image of Christ, as born, living, preaching, walking, dying (a Crucifix), rising, ascending, is not unlawful in itself, though any of the forementioned accidents may make it so in such cases. As Christ was man like one of us, so he may be pictured as a man.

Obj. His Divine nature and human soul are Christ, and th • se cannot be pictured: Therefore an Image of Christ cannot be made.

Answ. It is not the name, but the thing which I speak of: Choose whether you will call it an Image of Christ secundum corpus, or an Image of Christ's body. You cannot picture the soul of a man, and yet you may draw the picture of a man's body.

5. It is a great part of a believers work, to have Christ's Image very much upon his imagination and so upon his mind. As if he saw him in the Manger, in his temptations, in his preaching, in his praying, watching, fasting, weeping, doing good, as crowned with thorns, as crucified, &c. that a Crucified Savior being still as it were before our eyes, we may remember the price of our Redemption, and the example which we have to imitate; and that we are not to live like a Dives or a Caesar, but like the servants of a Crucified Christ. A Crucifix well befitteth the Imagination and mind of a believer.

6. It is a great part of true Godliness, to see God's Image in the Glass of the Creation; to Love and honor his Image on his Saints, and all the Impressions of his Power, Wisdom and Goodness on all his works; and to Love and honor Him as appearing in them.

7. It is lawful on just occasion, to make the Image of fire or light as signifying the inaccessible Light in which God is said to dwell, and the Glory in which he will appear to the blessed in Heaven. For by many such resemblances the Scripture setteth these forth, in Rev. 1. & 21. & 22, &c. And Moses saw God's back parts, viz. a Created Glory.

8. It is lawful to represent an Angel on just occasions, in such a likeness as Angels have assumed in apparitions; Or as they are described in Ezekiel or elsewhere in Scripture, so be it we take it not for an Image of their true spiritual nature, but an improper representation of them, like a Metaphor in speech.

9. It is lawful (seasonably and in fit circumstances) to use Images, 1. For memory, 2. For clearer apprehension, 3. For more passionate affection, even in Religious cases; which is commonly called The Historical use of them. For these ends the Geneva Bible, and some other, have the Scripture Histories in Printed Images: To show the Papists that it is not all Images, or all use of them, that they were against. And so men were wont to picture Dives in his feasting, with Lazarus in rags, over their Tables, to mind them of the sinfulness of sensuality. And so the Sacred Histories are ordinarily painted, as useful ornaments of rooms, which may profit the spectators.

10. Thus it is lawful to honor the memory of Learned, Great, and Virtuous persons, Saints and Martyrs, by keeping their Images; and by the beholding of them to be remembered of our duty, and excited to imitation of them.

11. It is lawful to use Hieroglyphics, or Images expressing Virtues and Vices; As men commonly make Images to decipher Prudence, Temperance, Charity, Fortitude, Justice, &c. and Envy, Sloth, Pride, Lust, &c. As they do of the five senses, and the four seasons of the year, and the several parts of man's age, and the several ranks and qualities of persons, &c.

12. Thus it is lawful to represent the Devil, and Idols, when it tendeth but to make them odious. For as we must not take their names into our mouths, Psal. 16. 4. Exod. 23. 13. Ephes. 5, 3. that is, when it tendeth to honor them, or tempt men to it; and yet may name them as Elias did in scorn, or as the Prophets did by reproof of sin; so is it also in making representations of them. Even as a Drunkard may be painted in his filth and folly to bring shame and odium on the sin.

13. It is lawful to use Hieroglyphics instead of Letters, in teaching Children, or in Letters to friends; or to make Images to stand as characters instead of Words, and so to use them even about sacred things.

14. As it is lawful to use arbitrary Professing signs even about Holy things, which signify no more than words, and have by nature or custom an aptitude to such a use; while it is extended no farther, than to open our own minds; so it may be lawful to use such a characteristical or hieroglyphical image to that end, when it hath the same aptitude, but not otherwise. As a circular figure or ring being a hieroglyphick of perpetuity, and so of constancy, is used as a significant profession of constancy in Marriage; And so the receiving of each others picture, might be used. And so in Covenanting, or taking an Oath, the professing sign is left to the custom of the Country; whether we signify our consent by gesture, words, action, writing. And as it is lawful to make an Image on a seal which hath a sacred signification, (as a flaming heart on an Altar, a Bible, a Praying Saint, &c. ) as well as to write a Religious Motto on a seal; so is it lawful to put this seal to a subscribed Covenant with God and his Church, or our King and Country, when we have a Lawful call to seal such a Covenant. But if Law or Custom would make such a seal, to be the common public badge or symbol of the Christian Religion, I think it would become unlawful.

As the Crucifix for ought I know might thus have been arbitrarily used as a seal, or as a transient arbitrary Professing sign, as the Cross was by the ancients at the beginning. If any man had scorned me for believing in a Crucified Christ, I know not but I might have made a Crucifix by art, act or gesture, to tell him that I am not ashamed of Christ; as well as I may tell him so by word of mouth. But if men's institution or custom shall make this a symbol or badge of a Christian, and twist it in Baptism, or adjoin it, as a Dedicating Sign, and as the Common professing Symbol that every baptized person must use, to signify and declare that he is not ashamed of Christ crucified, but believeth in him, and will manfully fight under his banner against the flesh, the world, and the Devil to the death: Though he call it but a Professing Sign, and say, He doth but signify his own mind, and not God's act and grace: I should wish him to distinguish between a private or arbitrary act of Profession, and a common public badge and professing Symbol of our Religion: And tell him that I think the instituting of the latter belongs to God alone: And that he hath made two Sacraments to that end; which Sacraments are essentially such symbols and badges of our Profession, and are dedicating signs on the receivers part; And that Christ crucified is the chief Grace or Mercy given to the Church, and his Sacrifice is his own act; And therefore objectively, the Grace, and Act of God also, is here signified: And therefore on two accounts set together, I fear this use of the C • ucifix is a sin: 1. As it is an Image, (though it should be transient ) used as a medium in God's Worship, and so forbidden in the second Commandment, (For it is not a mere circumstance of Worship, but an outward act of Worship). 2. Because it is a new human Sacrament, or hath too much of the Essence of a Sacrament, and so is an usurpation of his Prerogative that made the Sacraments: For as I said, It belongeth to the King to make the common badge or symbol of his own subjects, or any Order honored by him. And the General giveth out his own Colours. And though one may arbitrarily wear another Colour, yet if any shall give out common Colours to his Army, Regiment or Troop, beside his own, to be the symbol or badge of his Soldiers, I think he would take it for too much boldness. Yet if only an inferior Captain gave but subordinate Colours, not to notify a Soldier of the Army as such, but to distinguish his Troop from the rest, it were not so much as the other: So if a Bishop or Ruler did but make such a symbol by which the Christians of his charge might be discerned from all others, and not as a badge of Christianity itself, though I know no reason for such distinction, and it may be faulty otherwise, yet would it not be this usurping of Sacramental Institution, which now I speak of. All Professing signs are not symbols of Christianity. Christ hath done his own work well already: His Colours, Sacraments or Symbols are sufficient; we need not devise more, and accuse his institutions of insufficiency; nor make more work for ourselves in Religion, when we leave undone so much that he hath made us.

15. All abuse of Images will not warrant us to separate from the Church which abuseth them: nor is all such abuse, Idolatry. If the Church or our Rulers will against our will place Images inconveniently in Churches, we may lawfully be there, so that they be not Symbols of Idol Worship, or of a Religion or Worship so sinful in the substance, as that God will not accept it; and so be it we make no sinful use of those inconvenient Images ourselves. Though mere Temptation and Scandal make them sinful in those that so abuse them, and set them up; yet he that is not the author of that Temptation or Scandal, may not forsake God's Worship, because that such things are present, nor is not to be interpreted a Consenter to them, while he cometh only about lawful Worship, (and perhaps hath fit opportunity at other times to profess his dissent.)

16. It is lawful to preserve the honest and sober Love to our friends, by keeping their Pictures; or to show our Love by decent Monuments.

17. Where we may use Creatures themselves to profit us by the sight, we may (ordinarily) use the Images of those creatures. As the sight of Trees, Fruits, Cities, &c. may delight us, and mind us of the Power, Wisdom and Goodness of God, (or the sight of the Sun, Moon, Stars, &c. ) So may the pictures of the same things. And as a dead body, skelleton, or skull, may profitably mind us of our latter end; so may the picture of any of these, which we may more conveniently keep.

18. It is not unlawful to pray before or towards an Image, in a room where Images are placed only for Ornament, and we have no respect to them as a medium or object of our Worship, (except by accident, as aforesaid.)

19. It is not unlawful to make an Image (out of the cases of accidental evil before named) to be objectum vel medium excitans ad cultum Dei, an object or medium of our Consideration, exciting our minds to worship God: (As a Deaths-head, or a Crucifix, or an historical Image of Christ or some holy man, yea, the sight of any of God's Creatures, may be so holily used, as to stir up in us a worshipping affection, and so is medium cultus excitans vel efficienter. ) But no Creature, or Image, (I think) may lawfully be made the medium cultum vel terminus, in genere causae finalis, a worshipped medium, or the terminus, or the thing which we worship mediately, on pretence of representing God, and that we worship him in it ultimately. And this I take to be the thing forbidden directly in the second Commandment; viz. To worship a Creature (with mind or body) in the Act of Divine Worship, as representing God, or as the Mediate term of our Worship, by which we send it unto God, as if it were the more acceptable to him. So that it is lawful by the sight of a Crucifix to be provoked to worship God; But its unlawful to offer him that worship, by offering it to the Crucifix first, as the sign, way or means of our sending it to God.

20. Yet a Creature may be honored or worshipped with such worship as is due to him, by the means of such a representing terminus or Image. If the King command his Subjects to bow towards his Image or Throne when he is absent, as an act of honor, or human worship to himself, it is lawful so to do, God having not forbid it. But God hath forbid us to do so by himself, because he hath no Image, and is confined to no place, and to avoid the danger and appearance of Idolatry.

21. Yet is it lawful to lift up out hands and eyes towards Heaven, as the place of God's Glory▪ And I condemn not the ancient Churches that worshipped towards the East: But it was not Heaven, or the Sun, or East that they worshipped, or to which they sent their worship, as any terminus medius, or thing mediately worshipped; But only to God himself whose Glory is in the Heavens.

Quest. 114. Whether Stage-plays where the Virtuous and Vitious are personated, be lawful?

BEcause this is a kind of Imagery, the Question may be here fitly handled. But I have said so much before of Stage-plays, and the sin that is used in them, Lib. 1. Chap. 18. Part 2. that I have nothing more to say here, but only to decide this particular Case of Conscience concerning them.

As I am not willing to thrust any man into extremes, nor to trouble men with calling those sins which God hath not forbidden; So I have reason to advise men to go in doubtful cases on the safer side; much more to dissuade them from undoubted sin, and especially from great and multiplied sins: And therefore I must thus decide the question.

1. It is not absolutely unlawful to personate another man, nor doth the second Commandment forbid such living Images in this extent. I pass by the instance of the Woman of Tekoah, 2 Sam. 14. because the bare history proveth not the lawfulness. But Paul's speaking as of himself and Apollos the things which concerned others, was approvable: And as Christ frequently taught by Parables, so his Parables were a description of good and evil, by the way of feigned History, as if such and such things had been done by such persons as never were. And this fiction is no falsehood; For the hearer knoweth that it is not meant as an Historical Narrative, but a Parable; And it is but an Image in words, or a painted doctrine. And if a person and action may be feigned by words, I know not where it is forbidden to feign them by personal representation. Therefore to personate another is not simply a sin.

2. To personate good men in good actions, is not simply unlawful: Because 1. It is not unlawful▪ as it is personating, as is shown: 2. Nor as lying: Because it is not an asserting, but a representing; nor so taken.

3. To personate a bad man, in a bad action, is more dubious; but seemeth not to be in all cases unlawful. To pass by David's feigning himself mad (as of uncertain quality,) it is common with Preachers, to speak oft the words of wicked men, as in their names or persons, to disgrace them: And Prov. 5. 11, 12, &c. cometh near it. And whether Job be a History, or a Dialogue personating such speakers, is doubted by the most learned Expositors.

4. I think it possible to devise and act a Comoedy or Tragoedy, which should be lawful, and very edifying. It might be so ordered by wise men.

5. I think I never knew or heard of a Lawful Stage-play, Comoedy or Tragoedy, in the age that I have lived in: And that those now commonly used, are not only sins, but heinous aggravated sins; for these reasons.

1. They personate odious Vices commonly viciously, that is, 1. Without need, reciting sinful words, and representing sinful actions; which as they were evil in the first committing, so are they in the needless repetition; Ephes. 5. 3, 12. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness (or lust) let it not be once named among you as becometh Saints: neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting which are not convenient; but rather giving of thanks—For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. 2. Because they are spoken and acted commonly without that shame, and hatred, and grief which should rightly affect the hearers with an abhorrence of them; And therefore tend to reconcile men to sin, and to tempt them to take it but for a matter of sport.

2. There are usually so many words materially false (though not proper lies ) used in such actings of good and evil, as is unsavory, and tendeth to tempt men to fiction and false speaking.

3. There are usually such multitudes of vain words poured out on the Circumstantials, as are a sin themselves, and tempt the hearers to the like.

4. They usually mix such amorous or other such ensnaring expressions or actions, as are fitted to kindle men's sinful lusts, and to be temptations to the evils which they pretend to cure.

5. A great deal of precious Time is wasted in them, which might have been much better spent; to all the lawful ends which they can intend.

6. It is the preferring of an unmeet and dangerous Recreation, before many fitter: God having allowed us so great choice of better, it cannot be lawful to choose a worse. The body, which most needeth exercise, with most of the Spectators, hath no exercise at all: And the mind might be much more fruitfully recreated many ways; by variety of Books, of Converse, by contemplating God and his works, by the fore-thoughts of the heavenly Glory, &c. So that it is unlawful as unfitted to its pr •• ended ends.

7. It usually best suiteth with the most carnal minds, and more corrupteth the affections and passions; as full experience proveth: Those that most love and use them are not reformed by them, but commonly are the most loose ungodly sensual people.

8. The best and wisest persons least relish them, and are commonly most against them. And they are best able to make experiment, what doth most help or hurt the soul. Therefore when the sensual say, We profit by them, as much as by Sermons, they do but speak according to their sense and lust: As one that hath the Green-Sickness may say, C • als and Clay and Ashes do me more good than meat: because they are not so fit to judge, as those that have a healthful state and appetite. And it seldom pleaseth the Conscience of a dying man, to remember the time he spent at Stage-plays.

9. Usually there is much cost bestowed on them, which might be better employed, and therefore is unlawful.

10. God hath appointed a stated means of instructing souls, by Parents, Ministers, &c. which is much more fit and powerful: Therefore that time were better spent. And it is doubtful whether Play houses be not a stated means of man's institution, set up to the same pretended use as the Church and Ministry of Christ, and so be not against the second Commandment. For my part I cannot defend them, if any shall say that the Devil hath apishly made these his Churches, in competition with the Churches of Christ.

11. It seemeth to me a heinous sin for Players to live upon this as a Trade and Function, and to be educated for it, and maintained in it. That which might be used as a recreation, may not always be made a Trade of.

12. There is no mention that ever such Plays were used in Scripture times by any godly persons.

13. The Primitive Christians and Churches were commonly against them: Many Canons are yet to be seen, by which they did condemn them. Read but Dr. Io Reynolds against Albericus Gentilis, and you shall see unanswerable testimonies, from Councils, Fathers, Emperors, Kings, and all sober antiquity against them.

14. Thousands of young people in our time have been undone by them: Some at the Gallows, and many Apprentices who run out in their accounts, neglect their Masters business, and turn to Drunkenness, and Whoredom, and Debauchery, do confess that Stage-plays were not the last or least of the temptations which did overthrow them.

15. The best that can be said of these Plays is, that they are controverted and of doubtful lawfulness: But there are other means enow of undoubted and uncontroverted lawfulness, for the same honest ends: And therefore it is a sin to do that which is doubtful without need.

Upon all these reasons, I advise all that Love their time, their souls, their God and happiness, to turn away from these nurseries of vice, and to delight themselves in the Law and Ordinances of their Savior, Psalm 1. 2, 3.

Quest. 115. Is it ever unlawful to use the known Symbols and Badges of Idolatry?

Answ. 1. ORdinarily it is unlawful, as being the thing forbidden in the second Commandment. For he that useth them, 1. Is corporally Idolatrous, what ever his secret thoughts may be. 2. And he is interpretatively an Idolater, and actually persuadeth others to be so.

2. But yet though no man may ever use such symbols of Idolatry formaliter, qua tales, as such; yet materially he may use them in some cases.

As 1. When an Idolater will take an Ordinance of God, and an appointed duty, and turn it into a symbol of his Idolatry: (As in the foregoing instance of the Mohammedans.) We may not therefore forsake that duty; but we must do it in such a manner, as may sufficiently disclaim the Idolaters use of it. As if any Idolaters will m •••• e a symbol of some Scripture Texts, or of the Lord's Day, or of the Sacramental Bread and Wine, &c. we must not therefore disuse them.

2. When a thing Indifferent is made an Idolatrous symbol or badge, though I must not use it as Idolaters do, yet if any act of Divine Providence make it become Necessary as a Moral duty, I may be obliged to use it, disclaiming the Idolaters manner and end: And then it will be known that I use it not as their symbol. As if a man by famine or a swoon, were dying in an Idols Temple, I might give him meat or drink there to save his life, though such as was a badge of their Idolatry, while I disclaim their ends and use: The reason is, 1. Because at such a time, it is a natural duty, and therefore may not be omitted for fear of scandal, or seeming sin, which at that time is no sin. 2. Because Christ hath taught us in the instance of himself and his disciples, that Positive Commands give place to natural, caeteris paribus. And that the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath: And that we must learn what this meaneth, I will have mercy and not sacrifice. And if we must break the Rest of the Sabbath for the life, yea, the feeding of an Ox or Ass, much more of a man: And the Positives of the second Commandment must be regulated as the Positives of the fourth. 3. And the scandal in such a case may be avoided, by declaring that I do disclaim their use and ends.

In a Country where kneeling or being uncovered to the Prince is a Civil honoring Custom, if the Prince should be a Caligula, and command the subjects to worship him and his Image as a God, and make bowing, kneeling, or being uncovered the badge or symbol of it: Here I would ordinarily avoid even that which before was a duty, because it was but by Accident a duty, and now interpreted a heinous sin. But in case that the Life of any man lay on it, or that the scandal on Religion for my denying Civil honor to the Prince, would be greater and of more perilous consequence, than the scandal of seeming Idolatry, I would perform that Civil honor which I did before, and which God enjoineth me to perform to my Prince: But I would avoid the scandal by open protesting (seasonably) against the Idolatry.

Quest. 116. Is it unlawful to use the Badge or Symbol of any Error or Sect in the Worship of God?

Answ. 1. IT is unlawful to use it formally as such.

2. But not materially, when 1. There are just and weighty reasons for it: 2. And I may disown the error.

For 1. All Sects and Erroneous persons may turn holy words and duties into symbols of their errors. 2. All Christians in the world being imperfect do sometime err in matter or manner in their worship. And he that will materially avoid all the badges or symbols of their errors, shall have no communion with any Church or Christian. 3. As we must do our best so to avoid all their errors, that we choose them not, and make them not formally our own practice; (as tautologies, vain repetitions, disorders, unfit phrases, &c. We must ourselves when we are the speakers do as much better as we can:) So we must not therefore separate from them that do use them, nor deny them our Communion when they use them: Else we must separate from all others, and all others from us. 4. But when we are present with them, our minds must disown all the faults of the holiest prayer in the world which we join in: We may be bound to stay with them, and join in all thats good and warrantable, and yet as we go along, to disown in our minds all that we know to be amiss.

Quest. 117. Are all Indifferent things made unlawful to us, which shall be abused to Idolatrous Worship?

Answ. YOu must distinguish 1. Of the symbols of Idolatry before spoken of, and other by-abuses: 2. O • an abuse done in former ages or remote Countries, and in our own age and Country. 3. Of the Reasons inviting us to use them, whether necessary or not?

1. The Case of Symbols or Badges is not here spoken of, but other abuses.

2. An abuse committed in the age and place we live in, or any other, which will be the scandal embolden others to the like, may not be complied in without so great reason, as will notably preponderate the evil consequents.

3. But yet in many cases such abused Indifferent things may after be lawfully used by believers: For instance.

1. Names may be things indifferent, abused to Idolatry, and yet lawfully used by us. As the name [ God, Deus, Lord, Holy, Just, Good, Temple, Altar, Sacrifice, Priest, Heaven, Sun, Moon, Jupiter, Saturn, and a hundred such:] I mean these Letters and Syllables in these languages. That these names are all in themselves indifferent appeareth in that they are neither Naturally necessary, nor by God's Institution, but arbi • rary signs of human invention and choice: For we may easily and lawfully make new words to signify all the same things that these do. And that they are abused to Idolatry is notoriously known. And that yet they are lawfully used, the practice of all Christians, English and Latin, even the most scrupulous themselves doth judge.

2. And the use of Temples (these individuals which have been used to Idolatry) is lawful.

3. So also of Bells, Pulpits, Cups, Tables, and Fonts, and other Utensils.

4. The Bible itself, as it is this individual Book rather than another, is a thing indifferent. Yet it may be read in after it hath been abused to Idolatry.

5. If the King would give not only the Garments, but the Money, Lands, Lordships, Houses, which have been Consecrated or otherwise abused to Idolatry; to any poor people, or most of the scrupulous, they would think it lawful to receive and use them: yea, its lawful to dedicate the same Lands and Money afterwards to holy uses, and to maintain Religious Worship.

6. Otherwise it were in the power of any Idolater when ever he pleased to deprive all the Christian world of their Christian liberty, and to make nothing indifferent to us, seeing they can abuse them all.

7. Yea, almost nothing is then already indifferent, there being few things that some person in some time and place hath not abused to Idolatry.

8. If the question be only of all Individual things abused to Idolatry, the decision now given will hold good: But if it be also of all species of such things, it will be a dishonor to a man's reason to make a question of it.

Quest. 118. May we use the names of Week days which Idolatry honored their Idols with; as Sunday, Monday, Saturday, and the rest. And so the Moneths?

Answ. 1. IT were to be wished that the custom were changed: 1. Because the names have been so grossly abused: 2. And we have no need of them: 3. And as the Papists say, [Our Monuments, Temple-names and other Relicts among you prove ours to be the old Religion, and keep possession for us till it be restored.] So the Heathens say to all the Christians, [Your very names of your days and months prove our Religion to be elder than yours, and keep possession for us, till it be restored].

2. It is meet that we wisely do our duty toward the reformation of this abuse.

3. But yet long custom and sound doctrine hath so far taken away the scandal and ill effects, that rather than be an offense to any by seeming singularity, it is as lawful still to use these names, as it was to