A Christian Directory

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

Answ. 1. THis is a thing which God hath given us no particular Law about; but the General Laws must regulate us, Let all be done decently, in order, and to edification.

2. Our great and principal business in coming to the Church assembly is to join with them in the public Worship; And this is it that accordingly as our great business we must intend and do.

3. In a place where superstition makes ignorant people think it a matter of necessity, so to begin with secret prayer, when the Church is otherwise employed, the use of it is the more scandalous, as encouraging them in their error.

4. It is the best way to come before the public worship begin, and then they that think it most decent may do it without scruple or just offense.

5. But as a man's heart may put up a short ejaculation as he walketh up the Church, without losing what else he might hear, so a man may on his knees be so brief, as that his loss shall be but small: And whether his profit preponderate that little times loss, he can judge better than another. Therefore though I like best keeping to Concord with the Assembly in our devotion, yet these are things in which it ill beseemeth Christians to judge or despise each other: And I shall take on either side the judging and despising of those that differ from us, to be a far greater sin, than the doing or not doing of the thing.

Object. Is it not called in Eccles. 5. 1, 2. the sacrifice of fools who know not they do evil?

Answ. No: I have wondered to hear that Text so ordinarily thus perverted. The Text is, [ Keep • by foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to offer the sacrifice of fools —] Which is no more, than that it is the imagination and custom of fools to think to please God by their sacrifices, and bringing somewhat to him, while they refuse or neglect to hear his commands and obey him: Whereas Obedience is better than Sacrifice; and the sacrifice of the wicked is abomination to the Lord: And he that turneth away his ear from hearing the Law, his prayer is abominable: And because they hate instruction—they shall cry and Good will not hear them. Therefore be first careful to hear what God saith to thee, and to learn his will and do it, and then bring thy sacrifice to him: Leave thy gift at the Altar, and go and be reconciled to thy brother: Obey first, and then come and offer thy gift. This is all the meaning of the Text. See also Psal. 50. 8. and compare these cited Texts, 1 Sam. 15 22. Prov. 15. 8. & 21. 17. Mat. 5, &c. But whether we should begin with Prayer or Hearing when we enter into the Church, God hath left to prudence to be decided by the General rules.

Quest. 120. May a Preacher kneel down in the Pulpit, and use his private Prayers, when he is in the assembly?

Answ. THis will have the same answer with the former; and therefore I shall trouble the Reader with no more.

Quest. 121. May a Minister Pray publicly in his own name singly, for himself or others? Or only in the Churches name, as their mouth to God?

Answ. IT is good to be as exact in order and decency as we can: But they that would not have other men's Ceremonies brought in on that pretence, should not bring in their own made doctrines.

1. It is certain that all the Assembly come thither, not only to hear a prayer, but to pray as well as the Minister: And therefore the practice of all Churches in the world (as is seen in all the Liturgies) is for the Minister to speak in the plural number, and usually to pray in the Churches name. And so he is both their Guide and mouth in prayer. Therefore even when he prayeth for himself, it is usually fittest (or very fit) for him rather to say, [ We beseech thee give the speaker thy assistance, &c.] than [ I beseech thee ].

2. And even subjectively it is not inconvenient to speak of himself in the third person [ Give him, ] or [ Give the speaker thy help, ] instead of [ Give me ].

3. But they that will place a necessity in either of these, and make the contrary a sin, must have more knowledge than I have to be able to prove it.

For 1. In the latter case the Minister doth not pray in his own person, but only for his own person, when he saith, [ We beseech thee give me thy help, &c.]

2. And I know no word of God that saith, either that the Minister is only the mouth of the people, or that he is to speak only in their names, or that he may not pray for himself or them in his Ministerial capacity in the first person.

For, 1. He is a Minister of Christ for the Church, and not the Minister of the Church properly. And he is subordinate to Christ in his Priestly Office, as well as in his Teaching and Ruling Office: And the Priests did always take it for their Office not only to speak as the Peoples mouth, but as Sub-mediators or Intercessors for them to God: And as then they were Types of Christ by standing between God and the people, so they were his Officers as well as Types: And so they are his Officers to this day: And as they Teach and Rule in his Name by Office, so do they intercede in his Name: All men confess that they may do this in private: And where is it forbidden to be done in public?

2. And there are some cases in which it is fittest that it should be so. That is, when it is supposed that the Congregation doth not join with him. As 1. When the whole Church is fallen into some error of judgment, (as who hath not many) and he knoweth that they differ from him, It is fitter for him to pray as a Sub-intercessor for them in his own person, than to speak as in their persons, who he knoweth join not with him: For that hath a plain untruth in it. 2. If the whole Church be fallen into some little sin, which seduction yet hindereth them from Repenting of, he were better confess it, and profess sorrow for it, in his own person, than in theirs that join not with him in it. 3. When he prayeth for somewhat for himself and them that is above their understanding (as for direction in some difficult Controversies, &c. ) I know not that he is bound to speak in their names that understand him not.

Therefore this is no business for Christians that are not possessed with a proud, peevish, self-conceited, • uar • elsome humor, to censure or despise a Minister for: Nor should any introduce that false doctrine of man's invention into the Church, that the Minister is only to pray in public as the people's mouth. But the power of prejudice is great.

Quest. 122. May the name Priests, Sacrifice, and Altars be lawfully now used instead of Christ's Ministers, Worship and the Holy Table?

Answ. 1. HE that useth them in design to bring in the Popish Transubstantiation and Real Sacrifice of the Mass, doth heinously sin in such a design and use.

2. In a time and place where they may not be used without scandal, or tempting or encouraging any to their errors, the scandal will be a grievous sin.

3. The New Testament useth all the Greek names which we translate, Priests, Sacrifice and Altars, therefore we may use the same in Greek: And our Translation or English names are not intolerable. If Priest come from Presbyter I need not prove that: If it do not, yet all Ministers, are subordinate to Christ in his Priestly Office as essentially as in the rest. And Rev. 1. 6. & 5. 10. & 20. 6. it is said, that we are or shall be made Priests of God, and unto God. And 1 Pet. 2. 5. we are [ an holy Priesthood ] and ver. 9. a [ royal Priesthood: ] If this be said of all, then especially of Ministers.

And the word Sacrifice is used of us and our offered Worship, 1 Pet. 2. 5. Heb. 13. 15, 16. Phil. 4. 18. Ephes. 5. 2. Rom. 12. 1.

And Heb. 13. 10. saith, We have an Altar whereof they partake not, &c. And the word is frequently used in the Revelations, Chap. 6. 9. & 8. 3, 5. & 16. 7, &c. in relation to Gospel times. We must not therefore be quarrelsome against the bare names, unless they be abused to some ill use.

4. The ancient Fathers and Churches did ever use all these words so familiarly without any question or scruple raised about them, either by the Orthodox or any Heretics that at present I can remember to have ever read of, that we should be the more wary how we condemn the bare words, lest thence we give advantage to the Papists to make them tell their followers, that all Antiquity was on their side. Which were very easy for them to prove, if the Controversy were about the Names alone. Extreams, and passionate imprudence do give the adversaries great advantages.

5. The names of Sacrifice and Altar, were used by the Antient Churches, not properly, but merely in allusion to the Jewish and Heathen Sacrifices and Altars, together with a tropical use from the Christian reasons of the Names.

As the Lord's Supper is truly the Commemoration of Christ's Sacrifice: And therefore called by Protestants, A Commemorative Sacrifice; so that our Controversy with the Papists, is not, Whether it may be called a Sacrifice; But whether it be only the Sacrament of a Sacrifice, or a Sacramental Commemorative Sacrifice, or also a Real proper Sacrifice of the very body and blood itself of Christ. For we acknowledge, That [ This is a Sacrifice ] is no more tropical a speech, than [ This is my body and blood. ]

6. Yet it must be noted, that the Scripture useth the word [ Sacrifice ] about our selves, and our Thanksgivings, and praises, and works of Charity, rather than of the Lord's Supper: and the word [ Priests ] of all men Lay or Clergy that offer these foresaid Sacrifices to God. Though the ancient Doctors used them familiarly, by way of allusion, of the Sacrament and its administrators.

7. In a word, as no Christian must use these or any words, to false ends or senses, or deceiving purposes, nor yet to scandal; so out of these cases, the words are lawful: And as the Fathers are not to be any further condemned for using them, than as the words (which they foresaw not) have given advantage to the Papists, to bring in an ill sense and doctrine; so those that now live in Churches and Countries, where the public professed doctrine doth free them from the suspicion of a Popish ill sense, should not be judged nor quarrelled with for the terms: But all sober Christians should allow each other the liberty of such phrases without censoriousness or breach of charity or peace.

Quest. 123. May the Communion-Tables be turned Altar-wise? and Railed in? And is it lawful to come up to the Rails to Communicate?

Answ. THe answer to this is mostly the same with that to the foregoing question. 1. God hath given us no particular Command or prohibition about these circumstances; but the General Rules, for Unity, Edification, Order and Decency: Whether the Table shall stand this way or that way, here or there, &c. he hath not particularly determined.

2. They that turn the Table Altar-wise and Rail it in, out of a design to draw men to Popery, or in a scandalous way which will encourage men to, or in Popery, do sin.

3. So do they that Rail in the Table to signify that the Vulgar or Lay-Christians must not come to it, but be kept at a distance; when Christ in his personal presence admitted his disciples to communicate at the Table with himself.

4. But where there are no such ends, but only to imitate the Ancients that did thus, and to show reverence to the Table on the account of the Sacrament, by keeping away Dogs, keeping Boys from s • ting on it: And the professed doctrine of the Church condemneth Transubstantiation, the Real Corporal presence, &c. (as ours doth). In this case Christians should take these for such as they are, Indifferent things, and not censure or condemn each other for them; nor should any force them upon those that think them unlawful.

5. And to communicate is not only lawful in this case, where we cannot prove that the Minister sinneth, but even when we suspect an ill design in him, which we cannot prove; yea, or when we can prove that his personal interpretation of the place, name, situation and rails is unfound: For we assemble there to communicate in, and according to the professed doctrine of Christianity and the Churches, and our own open profession, and not after every private opinion and error of the Minister. As I may receive from an Anabaptist or Separatist notwithstanding his personal errors; so may I from another man, whose error destroyeth not his Ministry, nor the Ordinance, as long as I consent not to it, yea, and with the Church profess my dissent.

6. Yet caeteris paribus, every free man that hath his choice, should choose to communicate rather where there is most purity and least error, than with those that swerve more from regular exactness.

Quest. 124. Is it lawful to use David's Psalms in our Assemblies?

Answ. YEs: 1. Christ used them at his last Supper, as is most probable: And he ordinarily joined with the Jews that used them. And so did the Apostles.

2. It is confessed Lawful to read or say them: Therefore also to sing them. For saying and singing difference not the main end.

3. They are suitable to our use, and were the Liturgy of the Jewish Church, not on a Ceremonial account, but for that fitness which is common to us with them.

4 We are commanded in the New Testament to sing Psalms: And we are not commanded to compose new ones: Nor can everyone make Psalms who is commanded to sing Psalms. And if it be lawful to sing Psalms of our own or our neighbors making, much more of God's making by his Spirit in his Prophe • s.

Object. They are not suitable to all our cases, nor to all in the Assembly.

Answ. 1. We may use them in that measure of suitableness to our cases which they have. You may join with a man in prayer who expresseth part of your wants, though he express not all. Else you must join with no man in the world.

2. If ungodly men are present when the faithful speak to God, must we not speak our proper case, because they are present? The Minister in Church-administrations speaketh principally in the name of the faithful, and not of hypocrites. Must he leave out of his prayers all that is proper to the Godly, merely because some wicked men are there? No more must the Church do in singing unto God.

3. They that cannot speak every word in a Psalm just as their own case; may yet speak it as instructive: Otherwise they might not read or say it.

But the Sectarian Objections against singing David's Psalms are so frivolous, that I will not tire the Reader with anymore.

Quest. 125. May Psalms be used as Prayers, and Prayses, and Thanksgivings, or only as Instructive? Even the Reading as well as the Singing of them?

Answ. THe sober Reader who knoweth not what errors others hold, will marvel that I trouble men with such questions. But I have oft been troubled with those that (having no other shift to deny the Lawfulness of written and set forms of prayer) do affirm that Psalms are neither to be read or sung at all as Prayers, but only as doctrinal Scriptures for Instruction. But that this is false appeareth,

1. In that those that are real material prayers, and praises, and thanksgivings, and were penned for that very use, as the Titles show, and those that were so used by the Jewish Synagogues where Christ was ordinarily present, may be so used by us: But such are the Psalms both as said and sung.

2. And those that we are commanded to sing as Psalms, and have Christ's example so to use (who sung a Hymn or Psalm of Praise at his last Supper), we also may so use. But, &c.

3. And those that are by God's Spirit fitted for our use in Prayer, Praise and Thanksgiving, and never forbidden so to be used, may by us be so used: But such are the Psalms, &c. I will weary you with no more.

Quest. 126. Are our Church-Tunes Lawful, being of man's invention?

Answ. YEs: They are a lawful invention, allowed us by God, and fitted to the General Rules of Edification. Scripture is no particular Rule for such Modes and Circumstances.

Object. They breed a carnal pleasure by the melody, which is not fit for spiritual devotion.

Answ. It is a lawful sensitive pleasure, sanctified to a holy use, not hindering, but greatly helping the soul, in spiritual worship.

Either you call it carnal, because it gratifieth the sinful corrupt inclinations of man: or only because it is sensitive, or a pleasure in the imagination and lower faculties. If the former, 1. There is nothing in it which is a necessary cause of any sinful pleasure, nor an impediment to spiritual pleasure. 2. But a lustful person will turn all sensitive pleasure into sin: Our Meat, and Drink, and Clothes, and Houses, and Friends, and Health: The Bread and Wine in the Sacrament may be thus abused.

2. But you must know, that as our Bodies are here united to our souls, so they act together, and while the sensitive part is subordinate to the rational, it is serviceable to it, and not a hi • derance: When you come to have souls that are separated from the body, you shall use no bod • lie instruments: And yet even then it is uncertain to us, whether the sensitive powers of the soul do not accompany it, and be not used by it. But certainly in the mean time, he that will not use sense, shall not use reason. And he that acteth not sensibly, acteth not as a man: It is not a sin to be a man: And therefore not to see, to hear, to taste, to smell, &c. Nor is it a sin to taste sweetness in our meat or drink, nor is it a sinful pleasure for the eyes to behold the Light, or the variety of the beauteous works of God, or to take pleasure in them. His works are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein, Psal. 111. 2.

You know not what it is to be a man, if you know not that God hath made all senses, to be the inlets of objects, and so of holy pleasure into the soul. Would he have given? us eyes, and ears, and appetites, and made his creatures sweet and beauteous, that all might either be sin or useless to us? No: all things are sanctified, and pure to the pure. The sense is the natural way to the Imagination, and that to the Understanding: And he that will have no sensible and natural pleasure, shall have no spiritual pleasure: And he that will have none but sensitive pleasure, were better have none at all. It is therefore a foolish pretence of spirituality, to dream of acting without our senses, or avoiding those delights, which may and must be sanctified to us. Harmony and Melody are so high a pleasure of the sense, that they are nearest to Rational delights, if not participating of them, and exceedingly fitted to elevate the mind and affections unto God.

And as it is the very nature of true Holiness, to be so suited to Holy things, as that they may be our Delight, and he is the genuine Saint, and the best of Christians, who most Delighteth in God and Holiness: So that is the best means to make us the best Christians, which helpeth us best to these Delights: And if anything on Earth be like to Heaven, it is to have our Delight in God. And therefore if anything may make us Heavenly, it is that which raiseth us to such delights. And therefore a Chore of holy persons, melodiously singing the Praises of Jehovah, are likest to the Angelical Society. Psal. 150.

Quest. 127. Is Church-Music by Organs or such Instruments lawful?

Answ. I Know that in the persecuted and poorer times of the Church, none such were used (when they had not Temples, nor always a fixed meeting place). And that the Author of the Quest. & Resp. in Justin Martyr speaketh against it: (which Perkins and others cite to that purpose.) And I grant,

1. That as it is in the power of weak diseased Christians, to make many things unlawful to their brethren lest we be hurtful to them, and to deprive us of much, not only of our Liberties but our Helps; so in abundance of Congregations, Church-Music is made unlawful by accident, through their mistake. For it is unlawful ( caeteris paribus ) by an unnecessary thing to occasion divisions in the Churches: But where one part judgeth Church Music unlawful, for another part to use it, would occasion divisions in the Churches, and drive away the other part. Therefore I would wish Church-music to be nowhere set up, but where the Congregation can accord in the use of it; or at least where they will not divide thereupon.

2. And I think it unlawful to use such streins of Music as are Light, or as the Congregation cannot easily be brought to understand: Much more on purpose to commit the whole work of singing to the Choristers, and exclude the Congregation. I am not willing to join in such a Church where I shall be shut out of this noble work of praise.

3. But plain intelligible Church-music, which occasioneth not divisions, but the Church agreeth in, for my part I never doubted to be lawful. For, 1. God set it up long after Moses Ceremonial Law, by David, Solomon, &c.

2. It is not an instituted Ceremony merely, but a natural help to the minds alacrity: And it is a duty and not a sin to use the helps of nature and Lawful art, though, to institute Sacraments, &c. of our own. As it is lawful to use the comfortable helps of spectacles in reading the Bible, so is it of Music to exhilerate the soul towards God.

3. Jesus Christ joined with the Jews that used it, and never spake a word against it.

4. No Scripture forbiddeth it, therefore it is not unlawful.

5. Nothing can be against it, that I know of, but what is said against Tunes and Melody of Voice. For whereas they say that it is a human invention, so are our Tunes (and Metre, and Versions ) Yea it is not a human invention: As the last Psalm and many other show, which call us to praise the Lord with instruments of music.

And whereas it is said to be a carnal kind of pleasure, they may say as much of a Melodious harmonious confort of Voices, which is more excellent Music than any Instruments.

And whereas some say that they find it do them harm, so others say of melodious singing: But as wise men say they find it do them good. And why should the experience of some prejudiced selfconceited person, or of a half-man that knoweth not what melody is, be set against the experience of all others, and deprive them of all such helps and mercies, as these people say they find no benefit by.

And as some deride Church-music by many scornful names, so others do by singing (as some Congregations near me testify who these many years have forsaken it and will not endure it: but their Pastor is fain to unite them, by the constant and total omission of singing Psalms). It is a great wrong that some do to ignorant Christians, by putting such whimseyes and scruples into their heads, which as soon as they enter, turn that to a scorn and snare and trouble, which might be a real help and comfort, to them as well as it is to others.

Quest. 128. Is the Lord's day a Sabbath, and so to be called and kept, and that of Divine institution? And is the seventh day Sabbath abrogated, &c.

Answ. ALL the Cases about the Lord's day (except those practical directions for keeping it, in the Oeconomical part of this Book) I have put into a peculiar Treatise on that subject by itself; and therefore shall here pass them over, referring the Reader to them in that discourse.

Quest. 129. Is it Lawful to appoint human Holy days, and observe them?

Answ. THis also I have spoke to in the foresaid Treatise, and in my Dispute. of Church-Govern. and Cer. Briefly, 1. It is not lawful to appoint another weekly Sabbath, or day wholly separated to the Commemoration of our redemption: For that is to mend (pretendedly) the institutions of God; Yea and to contradict him who hath judged one day only in seven to be the fittest weekly proportion.

2. As part of some days may be weekly used in holy assemblies, so may whole days on just extraordinary occasions, of prayer, preaching, humiliation, and thanksgiving.

3. The holy doctrine, lives and sufferings of the Martyr • and other holy men, hath been so great a mercy to the Church, that (for anything I know) it is lawful to keep anniversary Thanksgivings in remembrance of them, and to encourage the weak, and pr • voke them to constancy and imitation.

4. But to dedicate days or Temples to them in any higher sense, as the Heathens and Idolaters did to their Hero's is unlawful; or any way to intimate an attribution of Divinity to them, by word or Worship.

5. And they that live among such Idolaters must take heed of giving them scandalous encouragement.

6. And they that scrupulously fear such sin more than there is cause should not be forced to sin against their Consciences.

7. But yet no Christians should causelessly refuse that which is lawful, nor to join with the Churches in holy exercises on the days of thankful commemoration of the Apostles and Martyrs; and excellent instruments in the Church: Much less pe • ulantly to work and set open Shops to the offense of others: But rather to persuade all to imitate the holy lives of those Saints to whom they give such honors.

Quest. 130. How far is the holy Scriptures a Law and perfect Rule to us?

Answ. 1. FOr all thoughts, words, affections, and actions, of Divine faith and obedience: (supposing still God's Law of Nature.) For it is no Believing God to believe what he never revealed; nor no Trusting God, to trust that he will certainly give us that which he never either directly nor indirectly promised: Nor no obeying God, to do that which he never commanded.

2. The Contents will best show the Extent: Whatever is Revealed, promised and commanded in it, for that it is a perfect Rule. For certainly it is perfect in its kind and to its proper use.

3. It is a perfect Rule for all that is of Universal Moral necessity: That is, Whatever it is necessary that man believe, think, or do, in all ages and places of the World, this is of Divine obligation. Whatever the World is Universally bound to (that is, All men in it) it is certain that God's Law in Nature or Scripture or both, bindeth them to it. For the World hath no Universal King or Lawgiver but God.

4. God's own Laws in Nature and Scripture are a perfect Rule for all the duties of the understanding, thoughts, affections, passions, immediately to be exercised on God himself; For no one else is a discerner or judge of such matters.

5. It perfectly containeth all the Essential and Integral parts of the Christian Religion: so that nothing is of itself and directly any part of the Christian Religion which is not there.

6. It instituteth those Sacraments perfectly, which are the seals of God's Covenant with man, and the delivery of the benefits, and which are the Badges or Symbols of the Disciples and Religion of Christ in the World.

7. It determineth what Faith, Prayer and obedience, shall be his appointed means and Conditions of Justification, Adoption, and Salvation. And so what shall be Professed and Preached in his name to the World.

8. It is a perfect Instrument of donation or Conveyance of our Right to Christ, and of Pardon and Justification, and Adoption, and the Holy Spirits assistances, and of Glory. As it is God's Covenant, promise or deed of gift.

9. It instituteth certain Ministers as his own Church▪ officers, and perfectly describeth their office, as instituted by him.

10. It instituteth the form of his Church Universal which is called, his body: And also of Particular holy societies for his Worship: And prescribeth them certain Duties, as the Common Worship there to be performed.

11. It determineth of a weekly day, even the first, to be separated for and used in this holy Worship.

12. It is a perfect General Rule for the Regulating of those things, which it doth not command or forbid in particular. As that all be done wisely, to edification, in charity, peace, concord, season, order, &c.

13. It giveth to Magistrates, Pastors, Parents and other Superiors, all that power by which they are authorized, to oblige us under God, • o any undetermined particulars.

14. It is the perfect Rule of Christ's Judging, Rewarding and punishing at last, according to which he will proceed.

15. It is the only Law that is made by Primitive Power.

16. And the only Law that is made by In • all • ble wisdom.

17. And the only Law which is faultless, and hath nothing in it that will do the subject any harm.

18. And the only Law which is from Absolute Power, the Rule of all other Laws, and from which there is finally no appeal.

Thus far the holy Scripture with the Law of nature is our perfect Rule. But not in any of the following respects.

1. It is no particular revelation or perfect Rule of natural Sciences, as Physicks, Metaphysics, &c.

2. It is no Rule for the Arts, for Medicine, Music, Arithmetic, Geometry, Astronomy; Grammar, R • e • orick, Logic, nor for the Mechanics, as Navigation, Architecture; and all the Trades and occupations of men: no not Husbandry by which we have our food.

3. It is no particular Rule for all the mu • able subordinate duties of any societies: It will not serve instead of all the Statutes of this and all other Lands, nor tell us, when the Terms shall begin and end; nor what work every Parent and Master shall set his Children and Servants in his family, &c.

4. It is no full Rule in particular for all those Political, principles▪ which are the ground of human Laws: As whether each Republic be Monarchical, Aristocratical or Democratical? What person or of what Family shall Reign? Who shall be his Officers and Judges, and how diversified? so of his Treasury, Munition, Coin, &c.

5. It is no Rule of Propriety in particular, by which every man may know which is his own Land, or house, or goods or Cattle.

6. It is no particular Rule for our natural actions, what meat we shall eat, what Cloaths we shall wear; So of our rest, labor, &c.

7. It is no particular Law or Rule for any of all those Actions and Circumstances about Religion or God's own Ordinances, which he hath only commanded in general, and left in specie or particular to be determined by man according to his General Laws: But of these next.

Quest. 131. What Additions or human Inventions in or about Religion, not commanded in Scripture, are lawful or unlawful?

Answ. 1. THese following are unlawful. 1. To feign any new Article of faith or doctrine, any precept, promise, threatening, prophesy or revelation, and falsely to father it upon God, and say, that it is of him, or his special Word.

2. To say that either that is written in the Bible which is not, or that anything is the sense of a Text which is not; and so that anything is a sin or a duty by Scripture which is not. Or to father Apocryphal Books or Texts or words upon the spirit of Christ.

3. To make any Law for the Church universal, or as obligatory to all Christians; which is to usurp the sovereignty of Christ: For which treasonable Usurpation it is that Protestants call the Pope Antichrist.

4. To add new parts to the Christian Religion.

5. To make any Law, which it did properly belong to the Universal Sovereign to have made, if it should have been made at all: Or which implieth an accusation of ignorance, oversight, error or omission in Christ and the holy Scriptures.

6. To make new Laws for men's inward Heart-duties towards God.

7. To make new Sacraments for the fealing of Christ's Covenant and Collation of his benefits therein contained, and to be the public Tesserae, Badges or Symbols of Christians and Christianity in the World.

8. To feign new Conditions of the Covenant of God, and necessary means of our Justification, Adoption and salvation.

9. To alter Christ's instituted Church-Ministry, or add any that are supra-ordinate, co-ordinate, or derogatory to their office, or that stand on the like pretended ground, and for equal ends.

10. To make new spiritual societies or Church-forms which shall be either supra-ordinate, co-ordinate or derogatory to the Forms of Christ's Institution.

11. Any impositions upon the Churches (be the thing never so lawful) which is made by a pretended power not derived from God and the Redeemer.

12. Any▪thing that is contrary to the Churches good and Edification, to justice, charity, piety, order, unity or peace.

13. Any unnecessary burden imposed on the Consciences of Christians; especially as necessary either to their salvation, communion, liberty or peace.

14. And the exercise of any power, pretended to be either Primitive and underived, or Infallible, or Impeccable, or Absolute.

15. In general, anything that is contrary to the Authority, matter, form, obligation, honor or ends of the Laws of God, in Nature or Scripture.

16. Any▪thing which setteth up those Judaical Laws and Ceremonies which Christ hath abrogated, in that form and respect in which he abrogated them.

17. Where there is a doubt among sober Conscionable Christians, lest in obeying man they should sin against God and disobey his Laws, and the matter doubted of is confessed unnecessary by the Imposers; So Infinite is the distance between God and Man, and so wholly dependent on him are the Highest, that they should be exceeding unwilling to vie with the Authority of their maker in men's Consciences, or to do anything unnecessary which tendeth to compel men to tread down God's Authority in their Consciences, and to prefer man's. Much more unwilling should they be, to silence the sober Preachers of Christ's Gospel upon such accounts.

Quest. 132. Is it unlawful to obey in all those cases, where it is unlawful to impose and command? Or in what cases? And how far Pastors must be believed and obeyed?

Answ. I Must entreat the Reader carefully to distinguish here, 1. Between God's Law forbidding Rulers to do evil, and his Law forbidding Subjects or private men.

2. Between Obedience formally so called; which is, when we therefore obey in conscience, because it is commanded, and the commanders Authority is the Formal Reason and object of our obedience, And Obedience Material only, which is properly no obedience, but a doing the thing which is commanded upon other Reasons, and not at all because it is commanded.

3. Between Formal obedience to the Office of the Ruler in General, and formal obedience to him, as commanding this very Matter in particular.

4. Between such Authority in the Ruler as will warrant his Impositions before God for his own justification, And such Authority as may make it my duty to obey him. And so I answer,

1. We shall not be judged by those Laws of God, which made the Rulers duty, but by that which made our own. It is not all one to say, Thou shalt not command it; and to say, Thou shalt not do it.

2. Whatever God absolutely forbiddeth men to do, we must not do whoever command it.

3. There are many of the things forementioned Absolutely and always unlawful, as being evil of themselves, which no man may either command or do: And there are some of them, which are only evil by accident, which may not be commanded, but may be done when contrary weightier Accidents do preponderate.

4. Many such things may be done Materially on other reasons (as for the Churches good, the furtherance of the Gospel, the winning of men to God, the avoiding of scandal, or of hurt to others or ourselves, &c. ) when they are not to be done in formal obedience, out of Conscience to the Authority imposing: (As if it be commanded by one that hath no just power).

5. Our Actions may participate of obedience in general, as being actions of subjects, when they are not obedience in the full and perfect formality as to the particular. The last leaf of Rich. Hooker 's eighth Book of Eccl. Polit. will show you the reason of this. He that hath not just power to command me this one particular Act, yet may be my Ruler in the General, and I am bound to Honor him in General as my Ruler; And to disobey him in a thing Lawful for me to do, though not for him to command, may be dishonoring of him, and an appearance of disobedience and denial of his power. A Parent is forbidden by God to command his Child to speak an idle word, or to do a vain and useless action (much more a hurtful). Yet if a Parent should command a Child to speak an idle word, or do a vain action, the duty of obedience would make it at that time, not to be vain and idle to him; yea if he bid him throw away a cup of Wine, or a piece of bread, which is evil when causeless, the Child may be bound to do it: not only because he knoweth not but the Parents may have lawful ends and reasons for their command (as to try and exercise his obedience); but also if he were sure that it were not so; Because he is a subject, and the honoring of a Parent is so great a good, and the dishonoring him by that disobedience may have such ill consequents, as will preponderate the evil of the l • ss of a Cup of Wine, &c. Yet in this case, the Act of obedience is but mixed: It is an act of subjection or Honor to a Parent, because in General he is a Governor: But it is but Materially obedience in respect of that particular matter, which we know he had no Authority to command.

6. In this respect therefore, A Ruler may have so much power as may induce on the subject an obligation to obey, and yet not so much as may justify his commands before God, nor save himself from Divine punishment.

I add this so distinctly, lest any should misapply Mr. Rich. Hooker 's doctrine aforesaid, Eccl. Pol. l. 8. p. 223, 224. [ As for them that exercise power altogether against order, though the kind of power which they have may be of God, yet in their exercise thereof against God, and therefore not of God, otherwise than by permission as all injustice is—Usurpers of power whereby we do not mean them that by violence have aspired unto places of highest authority, but them that use more authority than they did ever receive in form and manner, before mentioned—Such Usurpers thereof, as in the Exercise of their power, do more than they have been authorized to do, cannot in Conscience, bind any man to obedience. ]

Lest any should gather hence that they are never bound in Conscience, to obey their Parents, their King, their Pastors, in any point wherein they exercise more power than God gave them, I thought meet to speak more exactly to that point, which needed this distinguishing. For the ground is sure that There is no power but of God; And that God hath given no man power against himself, his Laws and service: But yet there are many cases in which God bindeth children and subjects to obey their superiors, in such matters as they did sinfully command.

7. It greatly concerneth all sober Christians therefore to be well studied in the Law of God, that we may certainly know what those things are which God hath absolutely forbidden us to do, whoever command them, and to distinguish them from things that depend on mutable accidents: That as the three Witnesses, and Daniel, Dan. 3. & 6. we may be true to God whatever we suffer for it; and yet may obey men in all • hat is our duty to them.

Thus the Apostles knew that no man had power from God to silence them, or persecute them for the Gospel. Therefore they would not obey those that forbad them to Preach: And yet they would appear before any Magistrate that commanded them, and obey their 〈◊〉 ; And so we may do even to an Usurper, or a private man.

8. The principal and most notable Case, in which we must obey when a Rule • sinfully commandeth is, when the matter which he commandeth is not such as is either forbidden us by God, or out of the Verge of his place and calling at all to meddle with and command, nor yet such as is destructive of our duty to God; but such as in General belongeth to his office to determine of according to God's general Rules; but he misseth it in the manner and goeth against those Rules; yet not so far as to destroy the duty we owe to God, or the end of it.

For instance, It is not in the Rulers power to determine whether there shall be Preaching or none; true doctrine or false, &c. But it is in his power to Regulate the circumstances of Time, Place, &c. (next to be recited.) Now if he do these to Order, Unity, and Edification, I will obey him formally and fully for Conscience sake: If he so do it as is destructive to the end (as is aforesaid), as to say, You shall meet only at twenty miles distance, or only at midnight, &c. I will obey him no farther than necessity and the common good requireth me: If he do it only with a tolerable inconvenience (as to say, You shall meet nowhere but in the open fields, &c.) I will obey for Conscience sake as I am in general a subject bound to honor the Magistrate; but not as he nameth an unmeet circumstance; in that respect my obedience shall be but material.

I need not handle it as a distinct question, Whether Pastors are to be believed or obeyed any farther than they show a Word of God Revealing or Commanding the particular thing? Divine faith and obedience is one thing, and Human is another. 1. If as a Preacher he say, This is God's word, believe it and obey it as such, you must believe with a human faith that it is liker that he knoweth what he faith, than you do (unless, 1. You see evidence, 2. Or the consent of more credible persons to be against him, and then you are not to believe him at all). Even as a Child believeth his Teacher in order to learn the things himself, so you are so far to take his word while you are Learning to know whether it be so or not. But not to rest in it as certain, nor to take your belief of him and obedience to him, to be a believing and obeying God formally, though a duty.

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

Answ. THis is handled under the Directions for Worship: to which I refer the Reader, as also for part of the answer to the former cases: Yet here I shall trouble you with so much repetition, as to say that,

1. Such inventions and additions are lawful as God hath commanded men (Rulers, Pastors, Parents, or private persons) to make under the regulation of his General Laws.

2. All such additions are Lawful as are merely subordinate and subservient to God's Laws and Orders, and not forbidden by him, among the fore-mentioned prohibited additions.

Instances are many. 1. All such modes of a duty as are necessary in genere, or one way or other to be determined of, but left to human prudence as to particulars. As 1. Whether I shall (this Week or Month) publish the Gospel by Speaking, or by Writing, or by Printing. 2. Whether I shall use this method or that, or another method in this Sermon. 3. Whether I shall use these phrases and words, or other words. 4. Whether I shall use Notes for my memory or not? And whether large ones or short ones? 5. Whether I shall be an hour or two in preaching. 6. Whether I shall preach with a loud voice or a low. 7. Whether I shall at this time more endeavor explication or application, comfort or terror, reprehension or direction, &c. All which are to be varied by man's lawful invention according to God's general Rules.

2. It is also lawful and needful, that our own Invention or our Superiors, according to God's general Laws, do determine of the particular subjects of our office; which Scripture doth not particularly determine of, viz. 1. Scripture telleth not Ministers what Country, Parish or Church they shall bestow their Labors in. 2. Nor to how many they shall be a Pastor. 3. Nor what Text or Subject they shall Preach on. 4. Nor what singular persons they shall apply comfort, counsel or terror to, this or that. 5. Nor whom they shall admit to the Sacrament (but by the General Rule or description). 6. Nor whom they shall openly rebuke or excommunicate. 7. Nor whom they shall absolve. It telleth them not who the persons be to whom the Scripture Character doth belong, in any of these c • ses. 8. Nor whether the witnesses say truly or falsely who accuse a man. 9. Nor whether the accused be to be taken as guilty of Heresy, scandal or schism, &c.

3. It is also a lawful Invention of man, to find, choose and use, such natural Helps, as are useful to further us in the obedience of God's Laws, and the practice of his worship, and are not forbidden by him. (Yea in genere they are commanded, and yet never particularly determined of in the Scripture:) As, 1. What will clear a preachers voice, to speak audibly. 2. The advantage of a Pulpit to be above the people. 3. The use of Spectacles to them that need them to read the Scripture. 4. The translating the Scriptures into our native language. 5. Which translation of many we shall use in the Churches. 6. The Printing of the Bible. 7. The dividing it into Chapters and Verses. 8. The Printing of good Books, to expound and apply the Scripture: Commentaries, Sermons, &c. 9. The •••• ms of School-exercises, disputations, &c. to prepare Students for the Ministry; and what Books of Di • inity Tutors shall read to their Pupils, or every Student shall have in his Library? 10. The manner and tune of singing Psalms in the Churches. 11. What version or metre to use, this or that? 12. What form of Catechism, (verbal, written or Printed) to use among many, in the Church or family. 13. Whether to pray in the same words often or in various. 14. Whether to use words of our own composing or invention primarily, or of other men's? and that by direction, persuasion or command. 15. To use a written or Printed form, or neither: To read it on the Book, or speak it by memory? 16. To use Scripture forms only, of prayer, praise, Psalms and Hymns, or those that are of later composure also. 17. To Print the Bible and use it with Marginal Notes, and Contents, or without. 18. To Baptize in a River, Well, Pool or Font. 19. To have Sponsors or Witnesses of the Parents trustiness, and the Childs Covenant, or not. 20. At how many days old, Children shall be Baptized. 21. Whether they shall be Named in Baptism, or before or after. 22. Whether one of the Ministers shall be a Tutor or Teacher to the rest, that are younger. 23. How far the rest shall submit their judgments to one that is eldest and ablest, and be ruled by him. 24. Whether there shall be any Deaconesses in the Church? 25. Whether a Church shall have one Minister, two or more? 26. Who shall be the men? 27. What space of ground shall be the Church bounds, for the cohabitation of the members. 28. How many Neighbor Churches shall make a Synod; and which be they? 29. How many members a Synod shall consist of. 30. Who shall be president? Or whether any? And who shall gather the Votes. 31. Who shall record their Acts as Scribe? 32. What Messenger shall carry them to the Churches? 33. What Letters for Correspondence and Communion shall be written to the Churches? 34. When Pastors shall remove from one Church to another? And to which? 35. Who shall be ordained Ministers to Preach, Baptize and gather Churches? 36. How many the Ordainers shall be? 37. Whether there shall be any Music by Instruments in the Church or house, for the praises of God? and what? 38. Who shall lead the Psalm? 39. Who shall read? 40. What words the Churches Profession of faith shall be expressed by? 41. By what signs the Church shall signify their consent? Whether lifting up the hand, standing up, bowing the head, or by voice, or writing. 42. By what sign or ceremony men shall take an oath? Whether lifting up the hand toward Heaven, or laying it on a Book, or kissing the Book, &c. 43. Whether the people at the Sacrament sit near the Table, or keep farther off. 44. Whether it be put into each persons hand, or they take it themselves. With many more such like.

4. And it is a lawful Invention to determine of mere Circumstances of Time and place which God hath not determined of in Scripture. As, 1. At how many times in the year or week, Baptism shall be administered? 2. At what age persons be admitted to the Lord's Supper. 3. On what days and hours of the week there shall be Lectures, or Church-assemblies. 4. How o • t and when Ministers shall Ca • echise and instruct the people privately. 5. On what hour the Church shall assemble on the Lord's days and receive the Sacrament. 6. How long Prayer, Reading and Sermon shall be? 7. At what hour to end the public exercises? 8. At what hours to pray in Families or in secret? 9. How often Disciplinary meetings shall be held, for the trying of accused members? 10. How often Synods shall meet? and how long continue? Of Holy days before.

5. The same is to be said for the Places of Holy Exercises. 1. What Edifices the Churches shall have for such uses? 2. In what places they shall be scituate? 3. Where the Pulpit shall stand? 4. And where the Font? 5. And where the Table? 6. Where each of the people shall sit? 7. Where Synods shall meet? 8. How many Temples shall be in a City, &c.

6. The same is to be said of all Accidental subordinate Offices? As Lectors, Clerks, Door-keepers, Church-wardens and many more before mentioned.

7. The same is to be said of Church Utensils. As Table, Cups, Linen, Pulpits, Fonts, Clock, Hour-glass, Bells, Seats, decent Habit of Cloaths, &c.

8. The same may be said of Decent Gestures, not particularly commanded: As what Gesture to Preach in, standing or sitting? What Gesture to Read in? What Gesture to Hear in? What Gesture to sing Psalms in? Whether to be covered or bare-headed? In what gesture to receive the Lord's Supper (In which Scripture no more regulateth us, than of the room, the hour of communicating, the number of Communicants, the place, in all which Christ's example was not a particular Law.)

9. The same may be said of Order: 1. Whether the Pastor shall begin with Prayer, reading, or exhortation? 2. Whether the people shall begin with prayer or ejaculations privately. 3. Whether we shall make but one or two long continued prayers, or many short ones. 4. Whether we shall pray before Sermon immediately and after, in the Pulpit or in the Reading place? 5. When the Psalms shall be said or sung, and how many? 6. How many Chapters shall be read? and which and in what order? 7. Whether Baptism shall be before or after or when? 8. When the Catechumens and Learners shall be dismissed, and the proper Eucharistical Church Exercises begin. 9. When Collections made, &c.

But, O Lord have compassion on thy scattered flocks, who are afflicted and divided by the Imperiousness of those Pastors, who think it not enough for the exercise of their Domination, to promote all thine own holy Laws and doctrines, and to make their own Canons in all these cases, or such like; but they must needs make more work than all this cometh to, for themselves and for the flocks, even unto those distractions and diss • pations and fierce persecutions and contentions, which many hundred years have exercised the Greek and Latin Churches, and many more throughout the World.

Quest. 134. What are the mischiefs of unlawful Additions in Religion?

Answ. ALas; many and great. 1. They tend to dethrone Christ from his Sovereignty, and Legislative prerogative. 2. And to advance Man, blind and sinful man into his place. 3. And thereby to debase Religion, making it but a human or a mixed thing: (And it can be no more noble than its Author is.) 4. And thereby they debase also the Church of God, and the Government of it, while they make it to be but a Human policy, and not Divine. 5. They tend to depose God from his Authority in men's Consciences, and to level or join him there but with man. 6. They tend to men's doubtfulness and uncertainty of their Religion; seeing man is fallible, and so may his constitutions be. 7. They tend to drive out all true Religion from the World, while Man that is so Bad is the maker of it; and it may be suspected to be bad, that is made by so bad an Author. 8. And it taketh off the fear of God, and his judgment: For it is man that must be feared so far as man is the maker of the Law. And it destroyeth the consolation of believers which consisteth in the hopes of a reward from God: For he that serveth man, must be rewarded by man: And though they do not exclude God, but join him with themselves, yet this mixture debaseth and destroyeth Religion, as the mixture of God and Mammon in men's Love, and as mixed and debased metals do the Sovereign's coin. 9. It hardeneth Infidels and hindereth their Conversion: For they will reverence no more of our Religion than we can prove to be Divine: And when they find one part of it to be human, they suspect the rest to be so too, and contemn it all; Even as Protestants do Popery for the abundance of human trinkets and toys with which we see them exercise, and delude their silly followers. 10. It is the great engine of dividing all the Churches, and breeding and feeding con •• ntions in the Christian World. 11. And because men that will command, will be obeyed, and they that are absolutely subjected to God, will obey none against him, whatever it cost them (as Dan. 3. & 6. Heb. 11. Luk. 14. 26, 33. Matth. 5. 10, 11, 12.) therefore it hath proved the occasion of bloody persecutions in the Churches, by which professed Christians draw the guilt of Christian blood upon themselves. 12. And hereby it hath dolefully hindered the Gospel, while the persecutors have silenced many worthy Conscionable Preachers of it. 13. And by this it hath quenched Charity in the hearts of both sides, and taught the sufferers and the afflictors to be equally bitter in censuring if not detesting one another. 14. And the Infidels seeing these dissensions and bitter passions among Christians, deride and scorn and hate them all. 15. Yea, such causes as these in the Latin and Greek Churches have engaged not only Emperors and Princes against their own subjects, so that Chronicles and Books of Martyrs perpetuate their dishonor, as Pilate 's name is in the Creed, but also have set them in bloody Wars among themselves. These have been the fruits, and this is the tendency, of usurping Christ's prerogative over his Religion, and Worship in his Church.

And the greatness of the sin appeareth in these aggravations. 1. It is a mark of pitiful Ignorance and Pride when dust shall thus (like Nebuchadnezzar ) exalt itself against God, to its certain infamy and abasement.

2. It showeth that men little know themselves, that think themselves fit to be the makers of a Religion for so many others: And that they have base thoughts of all other men, while they think them unfit to Worship God any other way, than that of their making; And think that they will all so far deny God as to take up a Religion that's made by man.

3. It shows that they are much void of Love to others, that can thus use them on so small occasion.

4. And it showeth how little true sense or reverence of Christian Religion they have themselves who can thus debase it, and equal their own inventions with it.

5. And it leaveth men utterly inexcusable, that will not take warning by so many hundred years experiences of most of the Churches through the World? Even when we see the yet continued divisions of the Eastern and Western Churches, and all about a human Religion (in the parts most contended about): When they read of the Rivers of Blood that have been shed in Piedmont, France, Germany, Belgium, Poland, Ireland, and the flames in England, and many other Nations, and all for the human parts of men's Religion? He that will yet go on and take no warning, may go read the 18th. and 19th. of the Revelation, and see what Joy will be in Heaven and Earth, when God shall do Justice upon such.

But remember that I speak all this of no other, than those expressly here described.

Quest. 135. What are the mischiefs of men's error on the other extreme, who pretend that Scripture is a Rule where it is not, and deny the foresaid lawful things, on pretence that Scripture is a perfect Rule (say some, for all things)?

Answ. 1. THey fill their own minds with a multitude of causeless scruples, which on their principles can never be resolved, and so will give themselves no rest.

2. They make themselves a Religion of their own, and superstition is their daily devotion; which being erroneous, will not hang together, but is full of contradictions in itself; and which being human and bad, can never give true stability to the soul.

3. Hereby they spend their days much in melancholy troubles, and unsettled distracting doubts and fears; instead of the Joyes of solid faith, and hope, and love.

4. And if they escape, this their Religion is contentious, wrangling, censorious and factious, and their zeal flieth out against those that differ from their peculiar superstitions and conceits.

5. And hereupon they are usually mutable and unfetled in their Religion: This year for one, and the next for another; because there is no Certainty in their own inventions and conceits.

6. And hereupon they still fall into manifold parties, because each man maketh a Religion to himself, by his mis-interpretation of God's Word: So that there is no end of their divisions.

7. And they do a great deal of hurt in the Church, by putting the same distracting and dividing conceits into the heads of others. And young Christians, and Women, and ignorant well meaning people, that are not able to know who is in the right, do often turn to that party which they think most strict and godly, (though it be such as our Quakers.) And the very good conceit of the people whom they take it from, doth settle so strong a prejudice in their mind, as no argument or evidence scarcely can work out: And so Education, Converse and human estimation, breedeth a succession of dividers and troublers of the Churches.

8. They sin against God by calling good evil, and light darkness, and honoring superstition, which is the work of Satan, with holy names.

9. They sin by adding to the Word of God; while they say of abundance of Lawful things, This is unlawful, and that is against the Word of God, and pretend that their Touch not, taste not, handle not, is in the Scriptures. For while they make it a Rule for every Circumstance in particular, they must squeeze, and force, and wrest it, to find out all those Circumstances in it which were never there; and so by false expositions make the Scriptures another thing.

10. And how great a sin is it to Father Satan's works on God, and to say that all these and these things are forbidden or commanded in the Scripture, and so to bely the Lord and the Word of Truth.

11. It engageth all Subjects against their Rulers Laws and Government, and involveth them in the sin of denying them just obedience: while all the Statute Book must be found in the Scriptures, or else condemned as unlawful.

12. It maintaineth disobedience in Churches, and causeth Schisms and Confusions unavoidably: For they that will neither obey the Pastors, nor join with the Churches, till they can show Scriptures particularly for every Translation, Method, Metre, Tune, and all thats done, must join with no Churches in the world.

13. It bringeth Rebellion and Confusion into families, while Children and Servants must learn no Catechism, hear no Minister, give no account, observe no hours of prayer, nay, nor do no work, but what there is a particular Scripture for.

14. It sets men on Enthusiastical expectations, and irrational scandalous worshipping of God, while all men must avoid all those Methods, Phrases, Books, Helps, which are not expressly or particularly in Scripture, and men must no • use their own Inventions, or prudence in the right ordering of the works of Religion.

15. It destroyeth Christian Love and Concord, while men are taught to censure all others, that use anything in God's Worship which is not particularly in Scripture, and so to censure all true Worshippers in the world.

16. Yea, it will tempt men at last to be weary of their own Religion, because they will find it an unsatisfactory, uncomfortable, tiresome thing, to do their own superstitious work.

17. And they will tempt all that they draw into this opinion, to be weary of Religion also. And truly had not God's part, which is wise, and good, and pleasant, prevailed against the hurtfulness of men's superstition, which is foolish, bad and unpleasant, Religion had ere this been cast off as a wearisome distracting thing: or which is as bad, been used but to delude men.

18. Yea, it will tempt men at last to Infidelity: For Satan will quickly teach them to argue, that if Scripture be a perfect particular Rule, for forty things that were never there, then it is defective, and is not of God, but an undertaking of that which is not performed, and therefore is but a deceit.

19. And the notoriousness and ridiculousness of this error, will tempt the profane to make Religious people a scorn.

2o. Lastly, And Rulers will be tempted in Church and State, to take such persons for intolerable 〈…〉 cieties, and such whose principles are inconsistent with Government. And no thanks to this 〈◊〉 , if they be not tempted to dislike the Scripture itself, and instead of it to fly to the Papists Traditions, and the Churches Legislative Sovereignty or worse.

But here also remember that I charge none with all this, but those before described.

Quest. 136. How shall we know what parts of Scripture Precept or Example, were intended for universal constant obligations, and what were but for the time and persons that they were then directed to?

Answ. IT is not to be denied, but some things in Scripture, even in the New Testament, are not Laws, much less universal and perpetual. And the difference is to be found in the Scripture itself. As,

1. All that is certainly of universal and perpetual obligation, which is but a Transcript of the Universal and perpetual Law of Nature.

2. And all that which hath the express Characters of Universality and Perpetuity upon it: And such are all the substantial parts of the Gospel; As [ Except ye Repent, ye shall all perish, Luke 13. 3, 5. Except a man be born again, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, John 3. 3, 5. He that believeth in him, shall not perish, but have everlasting life, John 3. 16. He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved, and he that believeth not, shall be damned, Mark 16. 16. Without Holiness none shall see God, Heb. 12. 14. Go, preach the Gospel to all Nations, baptizing them, &c. teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you. Matth. 28. 19, 20.] Abundance such Texts have the express Characters of Universality and Perpetuity (which many call Morality ).

3. And with these we may number those which were given to all the Churches, with commands to keep them, and propagate them to posterity.

4. And those that have a plain and necessary connection, to these before mentioned.

5. And those which plainly have a full parity of reason with them: And where it is evident that the Command was given to those particular times and persons, upon no reasons proper to them alone, but such as were common to all others. I deny not but (as Ames noteth after others) many ceremonial and temporary Laws, are urged (when they are made) with natural and perpetual motives: But the reasons of making them were narrower, what ever the reasons of obeying them may be.

On the other side, Narrow and temporary precepts and examples, 1. Are void of all these foresaid characters. 2. They are about Materials of temporary use. 3. Or they are but the ordering of such customs as were there before, and were proper to those Countries. 4. And many speeches are plainly appropriated to the time and persons. 5. And many actions were manifestly occasional, without any intimation of reason or purpose of obliging others to imitation.

For instance, 1. Christ's preaching sometimes on a Mountain, sometimes in a Ship, sometimes in a House, and sometimes in the Synagogues, doth show that all these are lawful in season on the like occasion: But he purposed not to oblige men to any one of them alone.

2. So Christ's giving the Sacrament of his Body and Blood, in an upper room, in a private house, after Supper, to none but Ministers, and none but his family, and but to twelve, and on the fifth day of the Week only, and in the gesture of a decumbent leaning sitting; all these are plainly occasional, and not intended as obliging to imitation: For that which he made a Law of, he separated in his speeches, and commanded them to do it in remembrance of him till his coming. And Paul expoundeth the distinction, 1 Cor. 11. in his practice.

So the promise of the Spirit of Revelation and Miracles is expounded by the event, as the feal of the Gospel and Scripture, proper to those times in the main.

So the primitive Christians selling their estates, and distributing to the poor, or laying it down at the Apostles feet, was plainly appropriated to that time, or the like occasions, by the Reason of it; which was suddenly to show the world what the belief of Heaven through the promises of Christ, could make them all, and how much their Love was to Christ and one another, and how little to the world: And also by the cessation of it, when the persecutions abated, and the Churches came to any settlement; Yea, and at first it was not a thing commanded to all, but only voluntarily done.

So the women's Vail, and the custom of kissing each other as a token of Love, and men's not wearing long hair, were the customs of the Country there ordered and improved by the Apostles about sacred things; but not introduced into other Countries that had no such custom.

So also Anointing was in th • se Countries taken for salubrious, and refreshing to the body, and a ceremony of initiation into places of great honor; Whereupon it was used about the sick, and God's giving the gift of healing in those times was frequently conjunct with this means. So that hence the anointing of the sick came up; and the ancient Christians turned it into an initiating Ceremony, because we are Kings and Priests to God. Now these occasions extend not to those Countries where Anointing neither was of such use, or value, or signification.

So also Paul's becoming a Jew to the Jews, and being shaved, and purifying himself, and circumcising Timothy, are evidently temporary complyances in a thing then lawful, for the avoiding of offense, and for the furtherance of the Gospel; and no obligatory perpetual Law to us. And so most Divines think the eating of things strangled and blood were forbidden for a time to them only that conversed with the Jews, Acts 15. Though Beckman have many Reasons for the perpetuity, not contemptible.

So the Office of Deaconesses (and some think of Deacons) seemeth to be fitted to that time, and state, and condition of Christians. And where the Reasons and Case is the same, the Obligations will be the same. In a word, the Text itself will one way or other show us, when a Command or Example is universally and durably obligatory, and when not.

Quest. 137. How much of the Scripture is necessary to Salvation, to be believed, and understood?

Answ. THis question is the more worthy consideration, that we may withal understand the use of Catechisms, Confessions and Creeds (of which after), and the great and tender mercies of God to the weak, and may be able to answer the Cavils of the Papists against the Scriptures, as insufficient to be the Rule of Faith and Life, because much of it is hard to be understood.

1. He that believeth God to be true, and the Scripture to be his Word, must needs believe all to be true, which he believeth to be his Word.

2. All the Scripture is profitable to our knowledge, love and practice; and none of it to be neglected, but all to be loved, reverenced and studied, in due time and order, by them that have time and capacity to do it.

3. All the Holy Scriptures, either as to matter or words, are not so necessary, as that no man can be saved, who doth not either believe or understand them: But some parts of it are more necessary than others.

4. It is not of necessity to salvation to believe every Book or Verse in Scripture, to be Canonical, or written by the Spirit of God. For as the Papists Canon is larger than that which the Protestants own; so if our Canon should prove defective of any one Book, it would not follow that we could not be saved for want of a sufficient faith. The Churches immediately after the Apostles time, had not each one all their Writings, but they were brought together in time, and received by degrees, as they had proof of their being written by authorized inspired persons. The second of Peter, James, Jude, Hebrews and Revelations were received in many Churches since the rest. And if some Book be lost, (as Henocks Prophecy, or Paul's Epistle to the Laodiceans, or any other of his Epistles not named in the rest) or if any hereafter should be lost or doubted of, as the Canticles, or the second or third Epistles of John, the Epistle of Jude, &c. it would not follow, that all true faith and hope of salvation were lost with it.

It is a Controversy whether 1 John 5. 7. and some other particular Verses be Canonical or not, because some Greek Copies have them, and some are without them: But whoever erreth in that only may be saved.

5. There are many hundred or thousand Texts of Scripture, which a man may possibly be ignorant of the meaning of, and yet have a saving faith, and be in a state of salvation. For no man living understandeth it all.

6. The holy Scripture is an entire comely body, which containeth not only the essential parts of the true Religion, but also the Integral parts, and the ornaments and many accidents: which must be distinguished, and not all taken to be equal.

7. So much as containeth the Essentials of true Religion, must be understood and believed of necessity to salvation: And so much as containeth the Integrals of Religion, doth greatly conduce to our salvation, both that we may be the surer and the better Christians, as having greater helps to both.

8. The very adjuncts also have their use to make us the more adorned Christians, and to promote our knowledge of greater things.

Quest. 138. How may we know the Fundamentals, Essentials, or what parts are necessary to Salvation? And is the Papists way allowable that (some of them) deny that distinction, and make the difference to be only in the degrees of men's opportunities of knowledge?

Answ. 1. TH • se Papists perverseness can mean no better than that Christianity itself is not necessary to salvation, to those that have not opportunity to know it (As Johnson's Rejoined to me, and Sancta Clara and many others plainly intimate) And were that never so true and certain, it were nothing to the question between them and us, which is, What are the Essentials of Christianity? And what is necessary to salvation, where Christianity is necessary? or where the Christian Religion is made known, and men may come to the knowledge of it, if they will do their best? This is the true state of our Controversy with them. And whereas they would make all the parts of Christian faith and practice equally necessary, where men have a capacity and ability to know, believe and practice them, It is a gross deceit, unworthy of men pretending to a mediocrity of knowledge in the nature of Religion: And thereby they make all sins and errors as equal as all duties and truths. Whereas 1. There is no man that hath not some error and some sin. 2. There is no man that doth all that ever he was able to do, to understand all the truth. 3. Therefore there is no man whose errors themselves are not (many of them at least) culpable or sinful. 4. And they that distinguish between Mortal and Venial sins, and yet will not distinguish between Mortal and Venial Errors, are either blind, or would keep others blind. As it is not so damning a sin for a man to think a vain thought, or to speak a vain word, as not to Love God, or Holiness, (no though he was more able to have forborne that idle word, than to have Loved God:) So it is not so mortal a sin, (that is, inconsistent with a justified state) to mistake in a small matter, (as who was the Father of Arp •• xad, or what year the world was drowned in, &c. ) as to blaspheme the Holy Ghost, or deny Jesus Christ to be the Savior of the world, or to deny that there is a God, or everlasting life, or a difference between Good and Evil. All sins are not equal in magnitude or danger. Therefore all errors are not equal in magnitude sinfulness or danger.

2. And what Priest is able to know whom to take for a Christian and baptizable upon such terms as these. Who knoweth just what opportunities of knowledge other men have had? and what impediments? And will they indeed baptize a man that is a Heathen, because he had not opportunity to come to the knowledge of Christianity? I think they will not: Or will they deny Baptism to one that knoweth and believeth only all the Articles of the Creed, and the chief points of Religion, because he knoweth not as much more, as he had opportunity to know? I think not. Do not these men perceive how they condemn themselves? For do they not say themselves, that Baptism to the due receiver washeth away sin, and puts the person in a state of life? O when will God deliver his poor Church from factious deceivers?

3. Either Christianity is something, and discernible, or nothing, and undiscernable? If the latter, then Christians are not to be distinguished from Heathens and Infidels. If the former, then Christianity hath its Constitutive parts, by which it is what it is. And then it hath essential parts distinguishable from the rest.

4. The word Fundamentals being but a Metaphor, hath given room to deceivers and Contenders to make a Controversy, and raise a dust about it. Therefore I purposely use the word [ Essentials ] which is not so liable to men's Cavils.

5. Those are the Essentials of Christianity, which are necessary to the Baptism of the Adult. Know but that, and you answer all the pratings of the Papists, that bawle out for a list of Fundamentals. And sure it is not this day unknown in the Christian world, either what a Christian is, or who is to be baptized: Do not the Priests know it, who baptize all that are Christened in the world? And why is Baptism called our Christening, if it make us not Christians? And why hath Christ promised, that He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved, Mark 16. 16. if that so much faith as is necessary to baptism, will not also serve to a man's state of salvation?

6. The Baptismal Covenant of Grace therefore is the Essential part of the Gospel, and of the Christian Religion: And all the rest are the Integrals, and Accidents, or Adjuncts.

7. This Covenant containeth,

I. Objectively, 1. Things True as such, 2. Things Good as such, 3. Things Practicable or to be done, as such: The Credenda, Diligenda, (& Eligenda) & Agenda; as the objects of man's Intellect, Will, and Practical power.

The Credenda or things to be known and believed are, 1. God as God, and our God and Father, 2. Christ as the Savior and our Savior, 3. The Holy Ghost as such, and as the Sanctifier and our Sanctifier (as to the offer of these Relations in the Covenant).

The Diligenda are the same three persons in these three Relations as Good in themselves and unto us, which includeth the grand benefits, of Reconciliation and Adoption, Justification, and Sanctification, and Salvation.

The Agenda in the time of baptism that make us Christians, are 1. The actual Dedition, resignation or dedication of ourselves, to God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost in these Relations. 2. A Promise or Vow to endeavor faithfully to live according to our undertaken relations (though not in perfection); that is, as Creatures to their Creator, and their Reconciled God and Father; as Christians to their Redeemer, their Teacher, their Ruler, and their Savior, And as willing Receivers of the Sanctifying and Comforting operations of the Holy Spirit.

II. The Objects tell you what the Acts must be on our part, 1. With the Understanding, to know and believe; 2, With the Will to love, choose, desire and resolve; and 3. Practically to deliver up ourselves for the present, and to promise for the time to come. These are the Essentials of the Christian Religion.

8. The Creed is a larger explication of the Credenda, and the Lord's Prayer of the Diligenda, or things to be willed, desired and hoped for; and the Decalogue of the Natural part of the Agenda.

9. Suffer not your own Ignorance, or the Papists Cheats to confound the Question, about Fundamentals, as to the Matter, and as to the expressing words. It is one thing to ask, What is the Matter Essential to Christianity? And another, What Words, Symbols or Sentences are Essential to it? To the first, I have now answered you. To the second I say, 1. Taking the Christian Religion as it is an Extrinsick Doctrine in signis, so the Essence of it is, Words and Signs expressive or significant of the Material Essence. That they be such in specie is all that is essential. And if they say, But which be those words? I answer, 2. That no particular Words in the world are essential to the Christian Religion. For, 1. No one Language is essential to it. It is not necessary to salvation, that you be baptized, or learn the Creed or Scriptures, in Hebrew, or Greek, or Latin, or English, so you learn it in any Language understood. 2. It is not necessary to salvation that you use the same words in the same Language, as long as it hath more words than one to express the same thing by. 3. It is not necessary to salvation, that we use the same, (or any one single) form, method or order of words, as they are in the Creeds without alteration. And therefore while the Ancients did tenaciously cleave to the same Symbol or Creed, yet they used various words to express it by. (As may be seen in Iren •• s, Tertullian, Origen and Ruffin elsewhere cited by me; so that its plain, that by the same Symbol they meant the same Matter, though expressed in some variety of words) Though they avoided such variety as might introduce variety of sense and matter.

10. Words being needful, 1. To make a Learner understand, 2. To tell another what he understandeth, it followeth that the great variety of men's capacities maketh a great variation in the necessity of Words or Forms. An Englishman must have them in English, and a Frenchman in French. An understanding man may receive all the Essentials in a few words: But an Ignorant man must have many words to make him understand the matter. To him that Understandeth them, the words of the Baptismal Covenant express all the Essentials of Christianity: But to him that understands them not, the Creed is necessary for the explication: And to him that understandeth not that, a Catechism or larger Exposition is necessary. This is the plain explication of this question, which many Papists seem loath to understand.

Quest. 139. What is the Use and Authority of the Creed? And is it of the Apostles framing or not? And is it the Word of God, or not?

Answ. 1. THe Use of the Creed is, to be a plain explication of the Faith professed in the Baptismal Covenant: 1. For the fuller instruction of the duller sort, and those that had not preparatory knowledge, and could not sufficiently understand the meaning of the three Articles of the Covenant, what it is to believe in God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost without more words. 2. And for the satisfaction of the Church that indeed men understood what they did in baptism, and professed to believe.

2. The Creed is the Word of God, as to all the Doctrine or Matter of it, what ever it be as to the order and composition of words.

3. That is oft by the Ancients called the Apostles, which containeth the matter derived by the Apostles, though not in a form of words compiled by them.

4. It is certain that all the words now in our Creed, were not put in by the Apostles, 1. Because some of them were not in, till long after their days. 2. Because the ancient formulae agree not in words among themselves.

5. It is not to be doubted of, but the Apostles did appoint and use a Creed commonly in their days. And that it is the same with that which is now called the Apostles and the Nicene in the main; but not just the same composure of words, nor had they any such precise composure as can be proved: But this much is easily provable,

1. That Christ Composed a Creed when he made his Covenant, and instituted Baptism, Matth. 28. 19.

2. That in the Jewish Church, where men were educated in the knowledge of the Scriptures, and expectation of the M • ssiah, it was supposed that the people had so much preparatory knowledge, as made them the more capable of Baptism as soon as they did but seriously profess, to Believe, and Consent to the terms of the Covenant: And therefore they were presently baptized, Acts 2. 38, 39, 40.

3. That this could not be rationally supposed among the Gentiles, and common Ignorant people of the world. And Ignorantis non est Consensus. He doth not Covenant who understandeth not the Covenant, as to what is promised him, and what he promiseth.

4. That the Apostles baptized, and caused others to baptize many thousands, and settle many Churches, before any part of the New Testament was written, even many and many years.

5. That the Apostles did their work as well and better than any that succeeded them.

6. That their successors in the Common Ministry, did as far as any Church History leadeth us up, Instruct and Catechize men in the meaning of the Baptismal Covenant, (which is the Christian faith,) before they baptized them: Yea, they kept them long in the state of Catechumens usually, before they would baptize them. And after baptized but twice a year, at Easter and Whitsuntide (as our Liturgy noteth) And they received an account of their tolerable understanding of Religion, before they would receive them into the Church.

7. No doubt then, but the Apostles did cause the baptizable, to understand the three Articles of Christ's own Creed and Covenant, and to give some account of it before they baptized them, ordinarily among the Gentiles.

8. No doubt therefore but they used many more Explicatory words, to cause them to understand those few.

9. There is neither proof nor probability, that they used a Composure of just the same words, and no more or less: Because they had to do with persons of several capacities, some knowing, who needed fewer words, and some ignorant and dull, who needed more: Nor is any such Composure come down to our hands.

10. But it is more than probable, that the Matter opened by them to all the Catechumens was still the same, when the words were not the same. For God's Promises and man's Conditions are still the same (where the Gospel cometh). Though since by the occasion of Heresies, some few material clauses are inserted. For all Christians had one Christianity, and must go one way to Heaven.

11. It is also more than probable, that they did not needlessly vary the words, lest it should teach men to vary the matter: But that all Christians before baptism▪ did make the same profession of faith as to the sense, and very much the same as to the very words▪ using necessary caution, and yet avoiding unnecessary preciseness of formality: But so as to obviate damnable Heresies, that the Christian profession might attain its ends.

12. Lastly, No doubt but this practice of the Apostles was exemplary and imitated by the Churches, and that thus the Essentials of Religion were by the tradition of the Creed and Baptism delivered by themselves, as far as Christianity went, long before any Book of the New Testament was written: And every Christian was an Impress, or Transcript, or Specimen of it. And that the following Churches using the same Creed, (wholly in sense, and mostly in words ) might so far well call it The Apostles Creed: As they did both the Western and the Nicene.

Quest. 140. What is the use of Catechisms?

Answ. TO be a more familiar explication of the Essentials of Christianity, and the principal Integrals, in a larger manner than the Creed, Lord's Prayer and Decalogue do; that the ignorant may the more easily understand it. Every man cannot gather out of the Scripture the Greatest matters in the true method, as distinct from all the rest: And therefore it is part of the work of the Churches Teachers, to do it to the hands and use of the ignorant.

Quest. 141. Could any of us have known by the Scriptures alone, the Essentials of Religion from the Rest, if Tradition had not given them to us in the Creed, as from Apostolical Collection?

Answ. YEs: For the Scripture itself telleth us what is necessary to salvation: It describeth to us the Covenant of Grace, both Promises and Conditions: And it were strange if so large a Volume, should not as plainly tell us what is necessary to salvation, as fewer words? The Scripture hath not Less than the Creed, but more.

Quest. 142. What is the best Method of a true Catechism or Summ of Theology?

Answ. GOd willing I shall tell the Church my opinion of that at large in a peculiar Latin Treatise, called, Methodus Theology, which here I cannot do. Only I shall say, that among all the great variety of Methods used in these times, I think none cometh nearer the Order of the Matter (which is the true Commendation of a Method) than those which open Theology, 1. In the breviate of the Baptismal Covenant. 2. In the three explicatory sums, the Creed, Lord's Prayer, and Decalogue, with the added Gospel Precepts. 3. In the Largest form, which is the whole Scripture: And that our common English Catechism, and Pareus or Ursine, and many such who use that common easy Method, are more truly Methodical, than most that pretend to greater accu 〈…〉 ness (Though I much commend the great industry of such as Dudley, Fenner, Gomarrus, and 〈…〉 cially George Sohenius. )

Quest. 143. What is the use of various Church Confessions or Articles of Faith?

Answ. I Will pass by the very ill use that is made of them in too many Countries, where unnecessary opinions, or uncertain are put in, and they that can get into favor with the Secular Power, take advantage under pretence, of Orthodoxness and Uniformity, Truth and Peace, to set up their opinions and judgments to be the common rule, for all to bow to, though wiser than themselv • s: And to silence all Ministers, and scatter and divide the flocks that will not say or swear as they do, that is, that they are wise men, and are in the right.

The true and commendable use of various Church Professions, or Confessions of faith is, 1. To be an Instruction to the more ignorant how to understand the Scriptures in most of the most weighty points. 2. To be an enumeration of those doctrines, against which no Minister shall be allowed to preach, and according to which he is to instruct the people. 3. To be a testimony to all neighbor, or foreign Churches in an heterodox, contentious and suspicious age, how we understand the Scriptures, for the Confuting of scandals and unjust suspicions, and the maintaining Communion in Faith, and Charity, and Doctrine.

Quest. 144. May not the Subscribing of the whole Scriptures serve turn for all the foresaid ends, without Creeds, Catechisms, or Confessions?

Answ. BY Subscribing to the Scriptures you mean either, Generally and Implicitly that All in them is True and Good (though perhaps you know not what is in it.) Or else particularly and explicitly, that every point in it is by you both understood and believed to be true.

In the first sense, it is not sufficient to salvation: For this Implicite faith, hath really no act in it, but a Belief that all that God faith is true: which is only the formal object of faith and is no more than to believe that there is a God (for a Lyar is not a God). And this he may do, who never believed in Christ, or a word of Scripture, as not taking it to be God's Word; yea, that will not believe that God forbiddeth his beastly life. Infidels ordinarily go thus far.

In the second sense (of an explicit, or particular Actual belief) the belief of the whole Scripture is enough indeed, and more than any man living can attain to. No man understandeth all the Scripture. Therefore that which no man hath, is not to be exacted of all men, or any man in order to Ministration or Communion. While, 1. No man can subscribe to any one Translation of the Bible, that it is not faulty, being the work of defectible man: 2. And few have such acquaintance with the H • brew, and Chaldee, and Greek, as to be able to say that they understand the Original Languages perfectly: 2. And no man that understands the words, doth perfectly understand the matter. It followeth that no man is to be forced or urged to subscribe to all things in the Scriptures, as particularly understood by him, with an Explicite faith. And an Implicite is not half enough.

2. The true Mean therefore is the ancient way, 1. To select the Essentials for all Christians, to be believed particularly and explicitly. 2. To Collect certain of the most needful Integrals, which Teachers shall not preach against. 3. And for all men moreover to profess in General that they implicitly believe all which they can discern to be the holy Canonical Scripture, and that all is true, which is the Word of God: Forbearing each other even about the number of Canonical Books and Texts.

And it is the great wisdom and mercy of God, which hath so ordered it, that the Scripture shall have enough to exercise the strongest, and yet that the weakest may be ignorant of the meaning of a thousand sentences, without danger of damnation, so they do but understand the Marrow or Essentials, and labor faithfully to increase in the knowledge of the rest.

Quest. 145. May not a man be saved that believeth all the Essentials of Religion, as Coming to him by Verbal Tradition, and not as contained in the holy Scriptures, which perhaps he never knew?

Answ. 1. HE that believeth shall be saved, which way ever he cometh by his belief: So be it it be sound as to the object and act; that is, If it contain all the Essentials, and they be predominantly Believed, Loved and practiced.

2. The Scriptures being the Records of Christ's Doctrine delivered by Himself, his Spirit and his Apostles, it is the Office of Ministers, and the duty of all Instructers to open these Scriptures to those they teach, and to deliver particulars upon the authority of these Inspired sealed Records which contain them.

3. They that thus receive particular truths, from a Teacher explaining the Scripture to them, do receive them in a subordination to the Scripture Materially, and as to the Teachers part; though not formally and as to their own part: And though the Scripture authority being not understood by them, be not the formal object of their faith, but only God's authority in general.

4. They that are ignorant of the being of the Scripture, have a great disadvantage to their faith.

5. Yet we cannot say, but it may be the case of thousands to be saved by the Gospel delivered by Tradition, without resolving their faith into the authority of the Scriptures. For,

1. This was the case of all the Christians (as to the New Testament) who lived before it was written: And there are several Articles of the Creed now necessary, which the Old Testament doth not reveal.

2. This may be the case of thousands in Ignorant Countries where the Bible being rare, is to most unknown.

3. This may be the case of thousands of Children who are taught their Creed and Catechism, before they understand what the Bible is.

4. This may be the case of thousands among the Papists, where some perverse Priests do keep not only the Reading, but the Knowledge of the Scriptures from the people, for fear lest they should be taught to resolve their faith into it; and do teach them only the Articles of Faith and Catechism, as known by the Churches tradition alone.

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

Answ. 1. THe Essentials and points necessary to salvation are plain.

2. We are frequently and vehemently commanded to delight in it, and meditate in it day and night; to search it; to teach it our very children, speaking of it at home and abroad, lying down and rising up, and to write it on the posts of our houses, and on our doors, &c.

3. It is suited to the necessity and understanding of the meanest, to give light to the simple, and to make the very foolish wise.

4. The ancient Fathers and Christians were all of this mind.

5. All the Christian Churches of the world, have been used to Read it openly to all, even to the simplest: And if they may Hear it, they may Read the same words which they hear.

6. God blessed the ignorant Ethiopian Eunuch when he found him Reading the Scriptures, though he knew not the sense of what he read, and sent him Philip to instruct him and convert him.

7. Timothy was educated in the knowledge of the Scriptures in his childhood.

8. That which is written to and for all men, may be read by all that can: But the Scripture was written to and for all,— &c.

Object. But there are many things in it hard to be understood?

Answ. 1. And there are many things easy to be understood. 2. We never said that men should not use the help of their Teachers, and all that they can to understand it. 3. Were not those Teachers once ignorant? And yet they did read it by the help of Teachers: And so may others. 4. As the King for Concord commandeth all the Schoolmasters to teach one Grammar: So God makeeth it the Ministers Office to Instruct people in the Scriptures. And were it not a question unworthy of a Schoolmaster, to dispute, Whether the Scholars must learn by their Book, or by their Master? Yea, to conclude that it must be by their Master, and not by their Book? or that they must never open their Book, but when their Master is just at hand to teach them? The Doctrine of the Papists who tell us that the Scriptures should not be read by the Vulgar, it being the rise of all Heresies, is so inhumane and impious, as savouring of gross enmity to Scriptures, and to knowledge, that were there no other, it would make the Lovers of Religion and men's souls, to pray earnestly to Christ to save his flocks from such seducers, who so Jewishly use the Key of Knowledge.

Object. But many wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction, and what Heresy is not defended as by their authority?

Answ. 1. And many thousands receive saving knowledge and grace by them: The Law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul. All Scripture is profitable to instruction, &c. to make the man of God perfect. It is the incorruptible seed by which we are born again, and the sincere milk, by which we are nourished.

2. And is it not as true, 1. That the Law of the Land is abused by every false pretender, Lawyer and Corrupt Judge? What title so bad, that is not defended in Westminster H • ll sometimes under pretence of Law? And what action so bad, that some pretend not Law for? What then? Must the Law be forbidden the common people for this?

2. Nay, what is so much abused to unrighteousness and sin as Reason itself? What Heresy or Crime do not men plead Reason for? Must Reason therefore be forbidden the Vulgar?

3. Yea, Contrarily, this signifieth that Law and Reason are so far from being things to be forbidden men, that they are indeed those things by which Nature and Necessity have taught all the world to try and discern right from wrong, good from bad? Otherwise good and bad men would not all thus agree in pretending to them, and appealing to their decisions.

4. If many men are poisoned or killed in eating or drinking, If many men's eye sight is abused to mislead them unto sin, &c. the way is not to eat nothing but what is put into our mouths; nor to put out our eyes, or wink, and be led only by a Priest, but to use both the more cautiously, with the best advise and help that we can get.

5. And do not these Deceivers see, that their Reason pleadeth as strongly that Priests and Prelates themselves should never read the Scripture, (and consequently that it should be banished out of the world?) For who that is awake in the world can be ignorant, that it is Priests and Prelates, who have been the Leaders of almost all Heresies and Sects: who differ in their Expositions and opinions? and lead the Vulgar into all the Heresies which they fall into? Who then should be forbidden to read the Scripture, but Priests and Prelates, who wrest them to their own and other men's destruction?

Quest. 147. How far is Tradition and men's Words and Ministry to be used or trusted in, in the exercise of faith?

Answ. 1. THe Churches and Ministers received the Gospel in Scripture from the Apostles, and the Creed as the summary of faith: And they delivered it down to others, and they to us:

2. The Ministers by Office are the Instructers of the people in the meaning of it. And the keepers of the Scriptures, as Lawyers are of the Laws of the Land.

Quest. 148. How know we the true Canon of Scripture from Apocrypha?

Answ. BY these means set together: 1. There is for the most part, a special venerable excellency in the Books themselves, which helpeth us in the distinct reception of them.

2. The Tradition of infallible Church History telleth us, which Books they are which were written by men inspired by the Holy Ghost, and who sealed their Doctrine with Miracles in those times: It being but matter of fact (which Books such men wrote whom God bear witness to) infallible Church History (such as we have to know which are the Statutes of the Land, and which are counterfeit) is a sufficient notification and proof.

3. The sanctifying Spirit still in all Ages and Christians attesteth the Divinity and Truth of the Doctrine of the main body of the Bible; especially the Gospel: And then if we should err about the authority of a particular Book, it would not overthrow our Faith. It is not necessary to salvation, to believe this particular Text to be Divine. But it is sin and folly to doubt causelessly of the parts, when the Spirit attesteth the Doctrine and the Body of the Book. I pass these things briefly, because I have largelier handled them elsewhere.

Quest. 149. Is the public Reading of the Scripture the proper work of a Minister? or may a Lay-man ordinarily do it? or another Officer?

Answ. 1. IN such cases as I before shown that a Lay-man may preach, he may also Read the Scriptures. Of which look back.

2. No doubt but it is a work well beseeming the ordained Ministers or Pastors, and an integral part of their Office; and should not be put off by them when they can do it.

3. When they need help the Deacons are ordained Ministers authorized to help them in such work, and fittest to do it.

4. Whether in a case of necessity a Lay-man may not ordinarily Read the Scripture to the Congregation, is a Case that I am loath to determine, being loath to suppose such a necessity. But if the Minister cannot, and there be no Deacon, I cannot prove it unlawful for a Lay-man to do it under the direction of the Pastor. I lived sometime under an old Minister of about eighty years of age (who never preached himself), whose eye sight failing him, and having not maintenance to keep an assistant, he did by Memory say the Common-prayer himself, and got a Taylor one year, and a Thresher or poor day-laborer another year to Read all the Scriptures. Whether that were not better than nothing, I leave to consideration.

And I think it is commonly agreed on, that where there is no Minister, it is better for the people to meet and hear a Lay-man Read the Scriptures and some good Books, than to have no public helps and Worship.

Quest. 150. Is it lawful to read the Apocrypha, or any good Books besides the Scriptures to the Church? as Homilies, &c.

Answ. 1. IT is not lawful to Read them as God's Word, or to pretend them to be the Holy Scriptures, for that is a falsehood, and an addition to God's Word.

2. It is not lawful to read them scandalously, in a title and manner tending to draw the people to believe that they are God's Word, or without a sufficient distinguishing of them from the holy Scriptures.

3. If any one of the Apocryphal books, (as Judith, Tobit, Bell and the Dragon, &c. ) be as fabulous false and bad as our Protestant Writers ( Reignoldus, Ames, Whitaker's, Chamier, and abundance more) affirm them to be, it is not lawful ordinarily to Read them, in that honorable way as Chapters called Lessons are usually read in the assemblies. Nor is it lawful so to Read heretical, fabulous, or erroneous books.

But it is lawful to Read publicly Apocryphal and human Writings, Homilies, or edifying Sermons on these conditions following.

1. So be it they be indeed sound doctrine, holy, and fitted to the people's edification.

2. So be it they be not read scandalously without sufficient differencing them from God's Book.

3. So they be not Read to exclude or hinder the Reading of the Scriptures, or any other necessary Church-duty.

4. So they be not Read to keep up an ignorant lazy Ministry that can or will do no better; nor to exercise the Ministers sloth, and hinder him from preaching.

5. And specially if Authority command it, and the Churches Agreement require it, as a signification what doctrine it is which they profess.

6. Or if the Churches Necessities require it; As if they have no Minister, or no one that can do so much to their Edification any other way.

7. Therefore the use of Catechisms is confessed lawful in the Church, by almost all.

Quest. 151. May Church Assemblies be held where there is no Minister? Or what public Worship may be so performed by Lay-men? (As among Infidels, or Papists, where Persecution hath killed, imprisoned, or expelled the Ministers.)

Answ. 1. SUch an Assembly as hath no Pastor, or Minister of Christ, is not a Church, in a political sense as the word signifieth a Society consisting of Pastor and flock: But it may be a Church in a larger sense, as the word signifieth only a Community or Association of private Christians for mutual help in holy things.

2. Such an Assembly ought on the Lord's days, and at other fit times to meet together for mutual help, and the public worshipping of God, as they may, rather than not to meet at all.

3. In those meetings they may do all that followeth. 1. They may pray together; a Lay-man being the Speaker. 2. They may sing Psalms. 3. They may Read the Scriptures. 4. They may read some holy edifying Writings of Divines, or repeat some Ministers Sermons. 4. Some that are ablest may speak to the instruction and exhortation of the rest, as a Master may do in his family, or neighbors to stir up God's graces in each other, as was opened before. 5. And some such may Catechize the younger and more ignorant. 6. They may by mutual Conference open their cases to each other, and communicate what knowledge or experience they have, to the praise of God and each others edification. 7. They may make a solemn profession of their Faith, Covenant, and Subjection to God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost: And all this is better than nothing at all.

But 1. None of them may do any of this as a Pastor, Ruler, Priest, or Office-Teacher of the Church: 2. Nor may they Baptize: 3. Nor administer the Lord's Supper; 4. Nor excommunicate by sentence (but only executively agree to avoid the notoriously impenitent). 5. Nor Absolve Ministerially, or as by authority: nor exercise any of the power of the Keys, that is, of Government. 6. And they must do their best to get a Pastor as soon as they are able.

Quest. 152. Is it lawful to subscribe or profess full Assent and Consent to any Religious Books besides the Scripture, seeing all are fallible?

Answ. 1. IT is not lawful to profess or subscribe that any Book is truer or better than it is: or that there is no fault in any that is faulty; or to profess that we believe any mortal man to be totally Infallible in all that he shall write or say, or impeccable in all that he shall do.

2. Because all men are fallible, and so are we in judging, it is not lawful to say of any large and dubious Books, in which we know no fault, that there is no fault or error in them; we being uncertain, and it being usual for the best men even in their best writings, prayers or works to be faulty, as the consequent or effect of our common culpable imperfection. But we may say, That we know no fault or error in it, if indeed we do not know of any.

3. It is lawful to profess or subscribe our Assent and Consent to any human Writing which we judge to be True and Good, according to the measure of its Truth and Goodness: As if Church-Confessions that are found be offered us for our Consent, we may say or subscribe, I hold all the Doctrine in this Book to be true and good. And by so doing I do not assert the Infallibility of the Authors, but only the Verity of the Writing. I do not say, that He cannot err, or that he never erreth; but that he erreth not in this, as far as I am able to discern.

Quest. 153. May we lawfully swear Obedience in all things Lawful and honest, either to Usurpers, or to our lawful Pastors?

Answ. 1. IF the question were of Imposing such Oaths, I would say, that it was many a hundred years before the Churches of Christ (either under persecution, or in their prosperity and glory) did ever know of any such practice, as the people or the Presbyters swearing obedience to the Bishops. And when it came up, the Magistracy, Princes and Emperors, fell under the feet of the Pope; and the Clergy grew to what we see it in the Roman Kingdom, called a Church. And far should I be from desiring such Oaths to be imposed.

2. But the question being only of the Taking such Oaths, and not the Imposing of them, I say, that 1. It is not lawful to swear obedience to an Usurper Civil or Ecclesiastical, in licitis & honestis, Because it is a subjecting ourselves to him, and an acknowledging that authority which he hath not▪ For we can swear no further to obey the King himself but in things lawful and honest: And to do so by an Usurper is an injury to the King, and unto Christ.

2. But if the King himself shall command us to swear obedience to a subordinate Civil Usurper, he thereby ceaseth to be an Usurper, and receiveth authority, and it becometh our duty. And if he that was an Ecclesiastical Usurper, quoad personam, that had no true Call to a Lawful Office, shall after have a Call, or if anything fall out, which shall make it our duty to Consent and Call him, then the impediment from his Usurpation is removed.

3. It is not lawful, though the Civil Magistrate command us, to swear obedience even in licitis & honestis, to such an Usurper, whose Office itself is unlawful, or forbidden by Christ, as he is such an Officer. No Protestant thinketh it lawful to swear obedience to the Pope as Pope: nor do any that take Lay-Elders to be an unlawful Office, think it lawful to swear obedience to them as such.

4. If one that is in an unlawful Ecclesiastical Office, be also at once in another that is lawful, we may swear obedience to him in respect of the Lawful Office. So it is Lawful to swear obedience to the Pope in Italy, as a Temporal Prince in his own Dominions: And to a Cardinal, (as Richelieu, Mazarine, Ximenes, &c. ) as the Kings Minister, exercising a power derived from him: So it is lawful for a Tenant, where Law and Custom requireth it, to swear fidelity to a Lay Elder, as his Landlord or Temporal Lord and Master. And so the old Non-conformists, who thought the English Prelacy an unlawful Office, yet maintained that it is Lawful to take the Oath of Canonical obedience, because they thought it was imposed by the King and Laws, and that we swear to them not as Officers claiming a Divine Right in the Spiritual Government, but as Ordinaries, or Officers made by the King to exercise so much of Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction under him, as he can delegate; according to the Oath of Supremacy, in which we all acknowledge the King to be Supreme in all Ecclesiastical Causes, that is, Not the Supreme Pastor, Bishop or Spiritual Key-bearer or Ruler, but the Supreme Civil Ruler of the Church, who hath the power of the Sword, and of determining all things extrinsic to the Pastoral Office; and so of the Coercive Government of all Pastors and Churches, as well as of other Subjects. And if Prelacy were proved never so unlawful, no doubt but by the Kings Command we may swear or perform formal obedience to a Prelate as he is the Kings Officer. Of the Non-conformists judgment in this, read Bradshaw against Canne, &c.

5. But in such a case no Oath to Inferiors is lawful without the Consent of the Sovereign power; or at least against his will.

6. Though it be a duty for the flock to obey every Presbyter, yet if they would make all the people swear obedience to them, all wise and conscionable Christians should dissent from the introduction of such a custom, and deny such Oaths as far as lawfully they may: that is,

1. If the King be against it, we must refuse it.

2. If he be neutral or merely passive in it, we must refuse unless some apparent necessity for the Churches good require it.

1. Because it favoreth of Pride in such Presbyters.

2. Because it is a new Custom in the Church, and contrary to the ancient practice.

3. It is not only without any authority given them by Christ, that they exact such Oaths, but also contrary to the great humility, lowliness and condescension, in which he describeth his Ministers, who must be Great, by being the servants of all.

4. And it tendeth to corrupt the Clergy for the future.

5. And such new impositions give just reason to Princes and to the People to suspect, that the Presbyters are aspiring after some inordinate exaltation, or have some ill project for the advancement of themselves.

7. But yet if it be not only their own ambition which imposeth it, but either the King and Laws command it, or necessity require it for the avoidance of a greater evil, it may be Lawful and a duty to take an Oath of Obedience to a Lawful Presbyter or Bishop. Because 1. It is a duty to Obey them: 2. And it is not forbidden us by Christ to promise or swear to do our duty, (even when they may sin in demanding such an Oath.)

8. If an Office be Lawful in the essential parts, and yet have unlawful integrals, or adjuncts, or be abused in exercise, it will not by such additions or abuses be made unlawful to swear Obedience to the Officer as such.

9. If one Presbyter or Bishop would make another Presbyter or Bishop to swear obedience to him without authority, the Case is the same as of the Usurpers before mentioned.

Quest. 154. Must all our preaching be upon a Text of Scripture?

Answ. 1. IN many Cases it may be lawful to preach without a Text; to make Sacred Orations like Greg. Nazianzenes; and Homilies like Macarius's, Ephrem Syrus 's and many other ancients, and like our own Church-Homilies.

2. But ordinarily it is the fittest way to preach upon a Text of Scripture. 1. Because it is our very Office to Teach the people the Scripture: The Prophets brought a new word or message from God; but the Priests did but keep, interpret, and teach the Law already received: And we are not successors of the inspired Prophets, but as the Priests were, Teachers of God's received Word. And this practice will help the people to understand our Office. 2. And it will preserve the due esteem and reverence of the Holy Scriptures, which the contrary practice may diminish.

Quest. 155. Is not the Law of Moses abrogated, and the whole Old Testament out of date, and therefore not to be Read publicly and preached on?

Answ. 1. THe Covenant of Innocency is ceased, cessante subditorum capacitate, as a Covenant or promise. And so are the Positive Laws proper to Adam, in that state, and to many particular persons since.

2. The Covenant mixed of Grace and Works proper to the Jews, with all the Jewish Law as such, was never made to us, or to the rest of the world; and to the Jews it is ceased by the coming and perfecter Laws and Covenant of Christ.

3. The Prophecies and Types of Christ, and the Promises made to Adam, Abraham and others of his Coming in the flesh, are all fulfilled, and therefore not useful to all the ends of their first making: And the many Prophecies of particular things and persons past and gone are accomplished.

4. But the Law of Nature is still Christ's Law: And that Law is much expounded to us in the Old Testament: And if God once, for another use, did say, This is the Law of Nature, the truth of these words as a Divine Doctrine and Exposition of the Law of Nature is still the same.

5. The Covenant of Grace made with Adam, and Noah for all mankind, is still in force as to the great benefits and main condition, that is, as to pardon given by it to true penitent believers, with a right to everlasting life, and as to the obligation to sincere obedience for salvation: though not as to the yet future coming of Christ in the flesh. And this Law of Grace was never yet repealed any further than Christ's coming did fulfill it and perfect it: Therefore to the rest of the world who never can have the Gospel or perfecter Testament as Christians have, the former Law of Grace is yet in force: And that is the Law, conjoined with the Law of Nature, which now the world without the Church is under: Under I say, as to the force of the Law, and a former promulgation made to Adam and Noah, and some common intimations of it in merciful forbearances, pardons and benefits; though how many are under it as to the knowledge, reception, belief and obedience of it, and consequently are saved by it, is more than I or any man knoweth.

6. There are many Prophecies of Christ and the Christian Church in the Old Testament yet to be fulfilled; and therefore are still God's Word for us.

7. There are many Precepts of God to the Jews and to particular persons, given them on Reasons common to them with us; where parity of Reason will help thence to gather our own duty now.

8. There are many holy expressions (as in the Psalms ) which are fitted to persons in our condition, and came from the Spirit of God; and therefore as such are fit for us now.

9. Even the fulfilled Promises, Types and Prophecies, are still God's Word, that is, his Word given to their several proper uses: And though much of their Use be changed or ceased, so is not all: They are yet useful to us, to confirm our faith, while we see their accomplishment, and see how much God still led his Church to Happiness in one and the same way.

10. On all these accounts therefore we may still Read the Old Testament, and preach upon it in the public Churches.

Quest. 156. Must we believe that Moses Law did ever bind other Nations; or that any other parts of the Scripture bound them, or belonged to them? or that the Jews were all God's Visible Church on Earth?

Answ. I Conjoyn these three Questions for dispatch. I. 1. Some of the Matter of Moses Law did bind all Nations, that is, The Law of nature as such. 2. Those that had the knowledge of the Jewish Law, were bound • ollaterally to believe and obey all the expositions of the Law of nature in it, and all the Laws, which were given upon reasons common to all the world (As about degrees of Marriage, particular rules of Justice, &c. ) As if I heard God from Heaven tell another that standeth by me, [ Thou shalt not marry thy fathers Widow; for it is abominable. ] I ought to apply that to me, being his subject which is spoken to another on a common reason.

3. All those Gentiles that would be proselytes, and join with the Jews in their policy, and dwell among them, were bound to be observers of their Laws. But 1. The Law of Nature as Mosaical did not formally and directly bind other Nations. 2. N • r were they bound to the Laws of their peculiar policy, Civil or Ecclesiastical, which were positives. The reason is, 1. Because they were all one body of Political Laws, given peculiarly to one political body. Even the Decalogue itself was to them a political Law. 2. Because Moses was not authorized or sent to be the Mediator or deliverer of that Law to any Nation but the Jews. And being never in the enacting or Promulgation sent or directed to the rest of the World, it could not bind them.

II. As to the second Question, Though the Scripture as a writing bound not all the World, yet, 1. The Law of Nature as such which is recorded in Scripture did bind all. 2. The Covenant of Grace was made with all mankind in Adam and Noah: And they were bound to promulgate it by Tradition to all their offspring: And no doubt so they did; whether by word (as all did) or by writing also (as it's like some did, as Henochs Prophesies were it's like delivered, or else they had not in terms been preserved till Jude’s time.) 3. And God himself as aforesaid by actual providences, pardoning, and benefits given to them that deserved hell, did in part promulgate it himself. 4. The neighbor Nations might learn much by God's doctrine and dealing with the Jews.

III. To the third Question, I answer, 1. The Jews were a people chosen by God out of all the Nations of the Earth, to be a holy Nation, and his peculiar treasure, having a peculiar Divine Law and Covenant, and many great privileges, to which the rest of the World were strangers; so that they were advanced above all other Kingdoms of the world, though not in wealth nor worldly power, nor largeness of Dominion, yet in a special dearness unto God.

2. But they were not the only people to whom God made a Covenant of Grace in Adam and Noah▪ as distinct from the Law or Covenant of Innocency.

3. Nor were they the only people that professed to Worship the true God; neither was holiness and salvation confined to them; but were found in other Nations. Therefore though we have but little notice of the state of other Kingdoms in their times, and scarcely know what National Churches, that is, whole Nations professing saving faith, there were, yet we may well conclude that there were other visible Churches besides the Jews. For, 1. No Scripture denieth it: and charity then must hope the best. 2. The Scriptures of the Old Testament give us small account of other Countries, but of the Jews alone, with some of their Neighbors. 3. Sem was alive in Abraham's days (yea about 34 years after Abraham's death and within 12 years of Ishmael's death, viz. till about An. Mundi 2158.) And so great and blessed a man as Sem, cannot be thought to be less than a King, and to have a Kingdom governed according to his holiness; and so that there was with him not only a Church, but a National Church, or holy Kingdom. 4. And Melchizedek was a holy King and Priest; and therefore had a Kingdom holily governed; and therefore not only a visible, but also a National Church (supposing that he was not Sem, as the Jews and Broughton, &c. think; For the situation of his Country doth make many desert that opinion). 5. And Job and his friends show that there were Churches then besides the Jews. 6. And it is not to be thought that all Ishmael's posterity suddenly apostatized. 7. Nor that Esau 's posterity had no Church state; (for both retained Circumcision). 8. Nor is it like that Abraham's offspring by Keturah were all apostates, being once enchurched. For though the special promise was made to Isaac's seed, as the peculiar holy Nation, &c. yet not as the only Children of God, or persons in a state of salvation. 9. And the passages in Jonah about Nineveh give us some such intimations also. 10. And Japheth and his seed being under a special blessing, it is not like that they all proved Apostates. And what was in all other Kingdoms of the World is little known to us.

We must therefore take heed of concluding (as the proud Jews were at last apt to do of themselves) that because they were a chosen Nation privileged above all others, that therefore the Redeemer under the Law of Grace made to Adam, had no other Churches in the World, and that there were none s • v • d but the Jews and proselytes.

Quest. 157. Must we think accordingly of the Christian Churches now, that they are only advanced above the rest of the World as the Jews were, but not the only people that are saved?

Answ. THis question being fitter for another place, what hope there is of the salvation of the people that are not Christians, I have purposely handled in another Treatise (in my Method. Theology ), and shall only say now, 1. That those that receive not Christ and the Gospel revealed and offered to them cannot be saved. 2. That all those shall be saved (if such there be) who never had sufficient means to know Christ incarnate, and yet do faithfully perform the common conditions of the Covenant of Grace as it was made with Adam and Noah; And particularly, All that are truly sanctified, who truly hate all known sin, and Love God as God above all, as their merciful reconciled pardoning Father, and lay up all their hopes in Heaven, in the everlasting fruition of him in glory, and set their hearts there, and for those hopes deny the interest of the flesh, and all things of this World.

3. But how many or who doth this abroad in all the Kingdoms of the World, who have not the distinct knowledge of the Articles of the Christian faith, it is not possible for us to know.

4. But (as Aquinas and the Schoolmen ordinarily conclude this question) we are sure that the Church hath this prerogative above all others, that salvation is incomparably more common to Christians, than to any others, as their Light and helps and means are more. The opinions of Justin, and Clem. Alexander. Origen, and many other Ancients of the Heathens salvation I suppose is known. In short,

1. It seems plain to me, that all the World that are no Christians, and have not the Gospel, are not by Christ's incarnation put into a worse condition than they were in before: But may be saved on the same terms that they might have been saved on before.

2. That Christ's Apostles were in a state of salvation before they believed the Articles of Christ's dying for sin, his Resurrection, Ascension, the giving of the Holy Ghost, and Christ's coming to judgment, as they are now to be believed.

3. That all the faithful before Christ's coming were saved by a more general faith than the Apostles had, as not being Terminated in This person, Jesus, as the Messiah, but only expected the Messiah to come.

4. That as more articles are necessary to those that have the Gospel than to those that have it not, and to those since Christ's Incarnation that hear of him, than to the Jews before, so before, there were more things necessary even to those Jews (that had a shorter Creed than that which the Apostles believed before the Resurrection) than was to the rest of the World that had not promises, prophecies, types and Laws, so particular, distinct and full as they had.

5. That the Promises, Covenant or Law of Grace, was made to all lapsed mankind in Adam and Noah.

6. That this Law or Covenant is still of the same tenor, and not repealed.

7. That this Covenant giveth pardoning mercy, and salvation, and promiseth Victory over Satan, to and by the holy seed.

8. That the condition on man's part, is Repentance, and faith in God as a merciful God thus pardoning sin, and saving the penitent believer. But just how particular or distinct their belief of the incarnation of Christ was to be, is hard to determine.

9. But after Christ's Incarnation, even they that know it not, yet are not by the first Covenant bound to believe that the Messiah is yet to be incarnate, or the Word made flesh; For they are not bound to believe an untruth, and that as the condition of salvation.

10. Men were saved by Christ about 4000 years before he was man, and had suffered, satisfied or merited as man.

11. The whole course of God's actual providence since the fall, hath so filled the world with mercies contrary to man's demerit, that it is an actual universal proclamation of the pardoning Law of Grace; which is thereby now become even a Law of nature, that is of Lapsed pardoned nature, as the first was the natural Law of Innocence.

12. Christ giveth a great deal of mercy to them that never heard of him, or know him; And he giveth far more mercy to believers, than they have a particular knowledge and belief of.

13. There is no salvation but by Christ the savior of the world; Though there be more mercy from Christ, than there is faith in Christ.

14. No man could ever be saved without Believing in God as a merciful pardoning saving God; though many have been saved who knew not the person of Christ, determinately. For he that cometh to God must believe that God is, and that he is the Rewarder of them that diligently seek him: who is no respecter of persons, but in every Nation, he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted of him.

15. All Nations on Earth that have not the Gospel, are obliged by God to the use of certain means, and improvement of certain mercies, in order or tendency to their Salvation. And it is their sin if they use them not.

16. God hath appointed no means in vain; which men must either not use, or use despairingly. But his Command to use any means for any end, containeth (though not an explicit promise, yet) great and comfortable encouragement to use that means in hope.

17. Therefore the world is now in comparison of the Catholic Church, much like what it was before Christ's incarnation in comparison of the Jews Church; who yet had many ways great advantage though God was not the God of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles, who had a Law written in their hearts, and an accusing or excusing Conscience.

18. Those over-doing Divines who pretend to be certain, that all the World are damned that are not Christians, do add to God's word, and are great agents, for Satan to tempt men to Infidelity, and • o Ath • ism itself, and to dissuade mankind from discerning the Infinite goodness of God; and occasion many to deny the Immortality of the soul, rather than they will believe, that five parts in six of the world now, and almost all before Christ's incarnation, have Immortal souls purposely created in th • m, to be damned without any propounded means and possibility-natural of r • tnedy: And as I know they will pour out their bitter censure on these lines (which I could avoid if I regarded it more than truth) so with what measure they mete, it shall be measured to them: and others will d • mn them as confidently as they damn almost all the world: And I will be bold to censure that they are UNDOERS of the Church by OVER DOING. See more in my Vindication of God's Goodness.

Quest. 158. Should not Christians take up with Scripture wisdom only, without studying Philosophy and other Heathens human Learning?

Answ. I Have already proved the usefulness of common knowledge called Human Learning, by twenty Reasons in my book called The Unreasonableness of Infidelity, pag. 163. part. 2. sect. 23. to which I refer the Reader: And only say now, 1. Grace presupposeth Nature; We are men in order of nature at least before we are Saints, and Reason is before supernatural Revelation. 2. Common knowledge therefore is subservient unto faith: We must know the Creator and his works; And the Redeemer restoreth us to the due knowledge of the Creator: Human Learning in the sense in question is also Divine: God is the Author of the light of nature, as well as of grace. We have more than Heathens, but must not therefore have less, and cast away the good that is common to them and us: Else we must not have souls, bodies, reason, health, time, meat, drink, clothes, &c. because Heathens have them. God's works are honorable, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein. And physical Philosophy is nothing but the knowledge of God's works. 3. And the knowledge of Languages is necessary both for human converse, and for the understanding of the Scriptures themselves. The Scriptures contain not a Greek and Hebrew Grammar to understand the language in which they are written, but suppose us otherwise taught those tongues that we may interpret them. 4. The use of the Gospel is not to teach us all things needful to be known, but to teach us, on supposition of our common knowledge, how to advance higher to supernatural saving knowledge, • aith, Love and practice. Scripture telleth us not how to build a house, to plow, sow, weave, or make our works of art. Everyone that learneth his Country tongue of his Parents hath human Learning of the same sort with the learning of Greek and Hebrew: He that learneth not to read, cannot read the Bible. And he that understandeth it not in the Original tongues must trust other men's words that have Human Learning, or else remain a stranger to it.

But though none but proud fools will deny the need of that human Learning which improveth nature, and is subservient to our knowledge of supernatural Revelations, yet well doth Paul admonish us to take heed that none deceive us by vain Philosophy, and faith that the wisdom of the world is foolishness with God, and that the knowledge of Christ Crucified is the true Christian Philosophy or Wisdom. For indeed the dark Philosophers groping after the knowledge of God, did frequently stumble, and did introduce abundance of Logical and Physical vanities, uncertainties, and • alsities under the name of Philosophy, by mere niceties and high pretendings seeking for the glory of wisdom to themselves; when as it is one thing to know God's works and God in them, and another thing to compose a system of Physicks and Metaphysics containing abundance of errors and confusion, and jumbling a few certainties with a great many uncertainties and untruths, and every sect pulling down, what others asserted, and all of them disproving the methods and assertions of others, and none proving their own. And the truth is, after all later discoveries, there is yet so much error, darkness, uncertainty and confusion in the Philosophy of every pretending sect, (the Peripatetics, the Stoics, the Pythagoreans and Platonists, much more the Epicureans, the Lullianists, the Cartesians, Telesius, Campanella, Patricius, Gassendi, &c.) that it is a wonder that any that ever thoroughly tried them, can be so weak as to glory much of the certainties and methods of any, which hitherto are so palpably uncertain, and full of certain errors. We may therefore make use of all true human learning, Real and Organical, (And he is the happy Scholar who fasteneth upon the CERTAIN and the USEFUL parts, well distinguished from the rest, and truly useth them to their great and proper ends): But niceties, and fooleries which some spend their lives in for mere ostentation, and also uncertain presumptions, should be much neglected; And the great, certain, necessary, saving Verities of Morality and the Gospel must be dearly loved, and thankfully embraced, and studiously learned, and faithfully practiced, by all that would prove wise men at last.

Quest. 159. If we think that Scripture and the Law of Nature do in any point contradict each others, which may be the standard by which the other must be tried?

Answ. IT is certain that they never do contradict each other: 2. The Law of Nature is either that which is very clear by Natural evidence, or that which is dark (as degrees of Consanguinity unfit for Marriage, the evil of officious lies, &c. ). 3. The Scriptures also have their plain and their obscurer parts. 4. A dark Scripture is not to be expounded contrary to a plain natural Verity. 5. A dark and doubtful point in Nature is not to be expounded contrary to a plain and certain Scripture. 6. To suppose that there be an apparent contradiction in cases of equal clearness or doubtfulness, is a case not to be supposed; But he that should have such a dream, must do as he would do if he thought two Texts to be contradictory, that is, he must better study both till he see his error; still remembering that natural evidence hath this advantage, that it is, 1. first in order, 2. and most common and received by all; But supernatural evidence hath this advantage, that it is for the most part the more clear and satisfactory.

Quest. 160. May we not look that God should yet give us more Revelations of his will, than there are already made in Scripture?

Answ. YOu must distinguish between, 1. New Laws or Covenants to mankind, and new predictions or informations of a parti • ular person. 2. Between what may possibly be, and what we may expect as certain or probable. And so I conclude.

1. That it is certain that God will make no other Covenant, Testament or Universal Law, for the Government of mankind or the Church, as a Rule of Duty and of Judgment. Because he hath oft told us, that this Covenant and Law is perfect, and shall be in force as our rule till the end of the world.

Obj. So it was said of the Law of Moses, that it was to stand forever, yea of many Ceremonies in it?

Answ. 1. It is in the Original only, [ for ages and ages; ] or to generations and generations ] which we translate [ forever ] when it signifieth but [ to many generations ]. 2. It is nowhere said, of Moses Law as such, that it should continue either till the end of the world, or till the day of Judgment, as it is said of the Gospel. And 3. It is not said that he will add no more to the former Testament, but contrarily, that he will make a new Covenant with them, &c. But here in the Gospel he peremptorily resolveth against all innovations and additions.

2. It is certain that God will make no new Scripture or inspired word as an infallible universal Rule for the exposition of the word already written. For 1. This were an addition which he hath disclaimed, and 2. It would imply such an insufficiency in the Gospel to its ends (as being not intelligible) as is contrary to its asserted perfection, and 3. It would be contrary to that established way for the understanding of the Scripture, which God hath already settled and appointed for us till the end.

3. It is certain that God will give all his servants in their several measures, the help and illumination of his spirit, for the understanding and applying of the Gospel.

4. It is possible that God may make new Revelations to particular persons about their particular duties, events or matters of fact, in subordination to the Scripture, either by inspiration, vision, or apparition or voice. For he hath not told us that he never will do such a thing. As to tell them what shall befall them, or others; or to say [ Go to such a place, or dwell in such a place, or do such a thing ] which is not contrary to the Scripture, nor co-ordinate, but only a subordinate determination of some undetermined case, or the circumstantiating of an action.

5. Though such Revelation and Prophesy be Possible there is no certainty of it in general, nor any probability of it to any one individual person, much less a promise. And therefore to expect it, or pray for it, is but a presumptuous tempting of God.

6. And all sober Christians should be the more cautelous of being deceived by their own Imaginations, because certain experience telleth us, that most in our age that have pretended to prophesy or to inspirations or revelations, have been melancholy cracked-brained persons, near to madness, who have proved to be deluded in the end: And that such crazed persons are still prone to such imaginations.

7. Therefore also all sober Christians must take heed of rash believing every Prophet or pretended spirit, lest they be led away from the Sacred Rule, and before they are aware, be lost in vain expectations and conceits.

Quest. 161. Is not a third Rule of the Holy Ghost, or perfecter Kingdom of Love to be expected, as different from the Reign of the Creator and Redeemer?

Answ. 1. THe works ad extra and the Reign of the Father, Word, and Spirit are undivided. But yet some things are more eminently attributed to one person in the Trinity, and some to another.

2. By the Law and Covenant of Innocency the Creator eminently ruled Omnipotently. And the Son Ruled eminently sapientially initially under the Covenant of promise or grace from Adam till his Incarnation and the descent of the Holy Ghost, and more fully and perfectly afterward by the Holy Ghost. And the Holy Ghost ever since doth Rule in the Saints as the Paraclete Advocate or Agent of Christ, and Christ by him, eminently by holy Love; which is yet but initially: But the same Holy Ghost by perfect Love shall perfectly Rule in Glory forever; even as the spirit of the Father and the Son. We have already the Initial Kingdom of Love by the spirit, and shall have the perfect Kingdom in Heaven: And besides the initial and the perfect there is no other. Nor is the perfect Kingdom to be expected before the day of judgment or our removal unto Heaven: For our Kingdom is not of this World. And they that sell all and follow Christ, do make the exchange for a Reward in Heaven: And they that suffer persecution for his sake, must rejoice because their reward in Heaven is great: And they that relieve a prophet or righteous man for the sake of Christ, and that lose anything for him, shall have indeed an hundred fold (in value) in this life but in the world to come eternal life. We shall be taken up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord: And those are the words with which we must comfort one another, and not Jewishly with the hopes of an earthly Kingdom. And yet we look for a new Heaven and a new Earth wherein dwelleth righteousness, according to his promise. But who shall be the inhabitants, and how that Heaven and Earth shall diff • r, and what we shall then have to do with Earth, Whether to be Overseers of that Righteous Earth (and so to judge or Rule the World) as the Angels are now over us in this World, are things which yet I understand not.

Quest. 162. May we not look for Miracles hereafter?

Answ. THe answer to Quest. 160. may serve to this. 1. God may work Miracles if he please, and hath not told us that he never will.

2. But he hath not promised us that he will, and therefore we cannot believe such a promise, not expect them as a certain thing. Nor may any pray for the gift of miracles.

3. But if there be any probability of them, it will be to those that are converting Infidel Nations, when they may be partly of such use as they were at first.

4. Yet it is certain, that sometimes God still worketh Miracles: But arbitrarily and rarely, which may not put any individual person in expectation of them.

Object. Is not the promise the same to us as to the Apostles and primitive Christians, if we could but believe as they did?

Answ. 1. The promise to be believed goeth before the faith that believeth it, and not that faith before the promise. 2. The promise of the Holy Ghost was for perpetuity, to sanctify all believers: But the promise of that special gift of Miracles, was for a time, because it was for a special use: that is, to be a standing seal to the truth of the Gospel, which all after ages may be convinced of in point of fact, and so may still have the use and benefit of. And providence (ceasing Miracles,) thus expoundeth the promise. And if Miracles must be common to all persons and ages they would be as no Miracles. And we have seen those that most confidently believed they should work them, all fail.

But I have written so largely of this point in a set Disputation in my Treatise called The Unreasonableness of Infidelity, fully proving those first Miracles satisfactory and obligatory to all following ages, that I must thither now refer the Reader.

Quest. 163. Is the Scripture to be tried by the Spirit, or the Spirit by the Scripture, and which of them is to be preferred.

Answ. I Put the question thus confusedly, for the sake of those that use to do so, to show them how to get out of their own Confusion. You must distinguish, 1. Between the Spirit in itself considered, and the Scripture in itself. 2. Between the several operations of the Spirit. 3. Between the several persons that have the Spirit. And so you must conclude,

1. That the Spirit in itself is infinitely more excellent than the Scripture. For the Spirit is God, and the Scripture is but the work of God.

2. The operation of the Spirit in the Apostles was more excellent than the operation of the same Spirit now in us; As producing more excellent effects, and more infallible.

3. Therefore the holy Scriptures which were the infallible dictates of the Spirit in the Apostles, are more perfect than any of our apprehensions which come by the same Spirit (which we have not in so great a measure).

4. Therefore we must not try the Scriptures by our most spiritual apprehensions, but our apprehensions by the Scriptures: that is, we must prefer the Spirits inspiring the Apostles to indite the Scripture, before the Spirits illuminating of us to understand them, or before any present inspirations, the former being the more perfect: Because Christ gave the Apostles the Spirit to deliver us infallibly his own Commands, and • o indite a Rule for following ages: But he giveth us the Spirit but to understand and use that Rule aright.

5. This trying the Spirit by the Scriptures, is not a setting of the Scripture above the Spirit it self; but is only a trying the Spirit by the Spirit; that is, the Spirits operations in ourselves and his Revelations to any pretenders now, by the Spirits operations in the Apostles, and by their Revelations recorded for our use. For they and not we, are called Foundations of the Church.

Quest. 164. How is a pretended Prophet, or Revelation to be tried?

Answ. 1. IF it be contrary to the Scripture, it is to be rejected as a deceit.

2. If it be the same thing which is in the Scripture, we have it more certainly revealed already: Therefore the Revelation can be nothing but an assistance of the persons faith, or a call to obedience, or a reproof of some sin: which every man is to believe according as there is true evidence that indeed it is a Divine Revelation or Vision: which if it be not, the same thing is still sure to us in the Scripture.

3. If it be something that is only Besides the Scripture (as about events and facts or Prophecies of what will befall particular places or persons) we must first see whether the evidence of a Divine revelation be clear in it or not: And that is known, 1. To the person himself by the self-attesting and convincing power of a Divine Revelation, which no man knoweth but he that hath it (And we must be very cautelous lest we take false conceptions to be such.) But to himself and others it is known, 1. At present by clear uncontrolled Miracles, which are God's attestation; which if men show, we are bound (in this case) to believe them. 2. For the Future, by the event, when things so plainly come to pass, as prove the prediction to be of God. He therefore that giveth you not by certain Miracles uncontrolled, a just proof that he is sent of God, is to be heard with a suspended belief; you must stay till the event show whether he say true or not: And not act anything in the mean time, upon an unproved presumption either of the truth or falsehood of his words.

4. If you are in doubt whether that which he speaketh be contrary to God's Word or not, you must hear him with a proportionable suspicion, and give no credit to him till you have tried whether it be so or not.

5. It is a dangerous snare and sin to believe any ones Prophecies or Revelations merely because they are very Holy persons, and do most confidently aver or swear it. For they may be deceived themselves. As also to take hysterical, or melancholy delirations or conceptions for the Revelations of the Spirit of God, and so to father falsehood upon God.

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

Answ. THe chief part of the answer to this must be fetched from what is said before about Fundamentals. 1. No man can be saved who believeth not that God is no liar; and that all his Word is true: Because indeed he believeth not that there is a God.

2. No man can be saved who believeth not the points that are essential to true Godliness; nor any man that heareth the Word who believeth not all Essential to Christianity, or the Christian Covenant and Religion.

3. A man may be saved who believeth not some Books of Scripture, (as Jude, 2 Pet. 2 John, 3 John, Revelations ) to be Canonical, or the Word of God; so he heartily believe the rest; or the Essentials.

4. He that thinketh that the Prophets, Sacred Historians, Evangelists and Apostles, were guided to an Infallible delivery and recording of all the great substantial necessary points of the Gospel, but not to an Infallibility in every by-expression, phrase, citation, or circumstance, doth disadvantage his own faith as to all the rest; but yet may be saved, if he believe the substance with a sound and practical belief.

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

Answ. I. IT is not easy to enumerate all the errors on either extreme; but only to give some instances of each. 1. They give too little to the Scriptures who d • ny it to be indicted by inspiration of the Infallible Spirit of God, and to be wholly true. 2. And they that detract from some parts or Books of it while they believe the rest. 3. And they that think it is not given as a Law of God, and as a Rule of faith and life. 4. And they that think it is not an Universal Law and Rule for all the world, but for some parts only (supposing the predication of it). 5. And they that think it an Imperfect Law and Rule, which must be made up with the supplement of Traditions or Revelations. 6. And they that think that it was adapted only to the times it was written in▪ and not to ours, as not foreseeing what would be. 7. And they that think it is culpably defective in Method. 8. And they that think it culpably defective in phrase, or aptness, or elegancy of style. 9. And they that think that it containeth not all that was necessary or fit for universal determination, of that kind of things which it doth at all universally determine of: As e. g. that it made two Sacraments, but not all of that kind that are fit to be made, but hath left men to invent and make more of the same nature and use. 10. And those that think that it is fitted only to the Learned, or only to the unlearned, only to Princes, or only to subjects, &c. 11. And those that think that it is but for a time, and then by alteration to be perfected as Moses Law was. 12. And those that think that the Pope, Princes or Prelates, or any men may change or alter it.

II. Those give too much (in bulk, but too little in virtue) to the Scriptures, 1. Who would set them up instead of the whole Law, and Light of Nature, as excluding this, as useless where the Scripture is.

2. And they that • eign it to be instead of all Grammars, Logic, Philosophy, and all other Arts and Sciences, and to be a perfect particular Rule for every Ruler, Lawyer, Physician, Mariner, Architect, Husbandman and Tradesman, to do his work by.

3. And they that • eign it to be fully sufficient to all men to prove its own authority and truth, without the subsidiary use of that Church-History and Tradition, which telleth us the supposed Matters of fact, and must help us to know what Books are Canonical, and what not; and without historical evidence, that these are the true Books which the Prophets and Apostles wrote, and the Miracles and Providences which have attested them.

4. And those that think that it is sufficient for its own promulgation, or the people's instruction, without the Ministry of man to preserve, deliver, translate, expound and preach it to the people.

5. And those that think it sufficient to sanctify men, without the concourse of the Spirits illumination, vivification and inward operation to that end.

6. And they that say that no man can be saved by the knowledge, belief, love and practice of all the substantial parts of Christianity brought to him by Tradition, Parents or Preachers, who tell him nothing of the Scriptures, but deliver him the Doctrines as attested by Miracles and the Spirit without any notice of the Book.

7. And those that say that Scripture alone must be made use of as to all the History of Scripture Times, and that it is unlawful to make use of any other Historians, (as Josephus and such others).

8. And they that say, no other Books of Divinity but Scripture are useful, yea, or lawful to be read of Christians; or at least in the Church.

9. And they that say that the Scriptures are so Divine, not only in Matter, but in Method and Style, as that there is nothing of human (inculpable) imperfection or weakness in them.

10. And those that say that the Logical Method, and the phrase is as perfect as God was able to make them.

11. And they that say, that all passages in Scripture historically related are Moral Truths: And so make the Devils words to Eve, of Job, to Christ, &c. to be all true.

12. And they that say, that all passages in the Scripture were equally obligatory to all other places and ages, as to those that first received them (As the kiss of peace, the Vails of women, washing feet, anointing the sick, Deaconesses, &c. )

13. And they that make Scripture so perfect a Rule to our belief, that nothing is to be taken for certain, that cometh to us any other way (As natural knowledge or historical.)

14. And those that think men may not translate the Scripture, turn the Psalms into Metre, tune them, divide the Scripture into Chapters and Verses, &c. as being derogatory alterations of the perfect Word.

15. And those that think it so perfect a particular rule of all the Circumstances, M • des, Adjuncts and external expressions of and in God's Worship, as that no such may be invented or added by man, that is not there prescribed: As Time, Place, Vesture, Gesture, Utensils, Methods, Words, and many other things, mentioned before.

16. And those that Jewishly feign a multitude of unproved mysteries to lie in the Letters, Orders, Numbers and proper Names in Scriptures, (though I deny not that there is much mystery which we little observe).

17. They that say that the Scripture is all so plain, that there is no obscure or difficult passages in them, which men are in danger of wresting to their own destruction.

18. And they that say, that All in the Scripture is so necessary to salvation (even the darkest Prophecies,) that they cannot be saved that understand them not all; or at least endeavor not studiously and particularly to understand them.

19. And they that say that every Book and Text must of necessity to salvation be believed to be Canonical and true.

20. And those that say that God hath so preserved the Scripture, as that there are no various readings and doubtful Texts thereupon, and that no written or printed Copies have been corrupted (when Dr. Heylin tells us, that the Kings Printer printed the seventh Commandment, [ Thou shalt commit adultery ]) All these err in over-doing.

III. The dangers of the former detracting from the Scripture are these. 1. It injureth the Spirit who is the author of the Scriptures. 2 It striketh at the foundation of our faith, by weakening the Records which are left us to believe: And emboldeneth men to sin, by diminishing the authority of God's Law: And weakeneth our Hopes, by weakening the promises. 3. It shaketh the universal Government of Christ, by shaking the authority or perfection of the Laws by which he governeth. 4. It maketh way for human Usurpations, and Traditions, as supplements to the holy Scriptures: And leaveth men to contrive to amend God's Word and Worship, and make Co-ordinate Laws and Doctrines of their own. 5. It hindereth the Conviction and Conversion of sinners, and hardeneth them in unbelief, by questioning or weakening the means that should convince and turn them. 6. It is a tempting men to the Cursed adding to God's Word.

IV. The dangers of over-doing here are these: 1. It leadeth to downright Infidelity: For when men find that the Scripture is imperfect or wanting in that which they fancy to be part of its perfection, and to be really insufficient, e. g. to teach men Physicks, Logic, Medicine, Languages, &c. they will be apt to say, It is not of God, because it hath not that which it pretends to have. 2. God is made the Author of defects and imperfections. 3. The Scripture is exposed to the scorn and confutation of Infidels. 4. Papists are assisted in proving its imperfection. But I must stop, having spoke to this point before in Quest. 35. and partly Quest. 30. & 31. & 33. more at large.

Quest. 167. How far do good men now Preach and Pray by the Spirit?

Answ. 1. NOt by such Inspiration of new matter from God as the Prophets and Apostles had which indicted the Scriptures.

2. Not so as to exclude the exercise of Reason, Memory or Diligence; which must be as much and more than about any common things.

3. Not so as to exclude the use and need of Scripture, Ministry, Sermons, Books, Conference, Examples, Use, or other means and helps.

But 1. The Spirit indicted that Doctrine and Scripture which is our Rule for prayer and for preaching.

2. The Spirits Miracles and works in and by the Apostles seal that doctrine to us, and confirm our faith in it.

3. The Spirit in our faithful Pastors and Teachers, teacheth us by them to pray and preach.

4. The Spirit by Illumination, Quickening and Sanctification, giveth us an habitual acquaintance with our sins, our wants, with the word of precept and promise, with God, with Christ, with Grace, with Heaven. And it giveth us a Habit of holy Love to God, and Goodness, and Thankfulness for mercy, and faith in Christ, and the life to come, and desires of perfection, and hatred of sin: And he that hath all these, hath a constant Habit of prayer in him: For prayer is nothing but the expression with the tongue of these Graces in the heart: So that the Spirit of Sanctification is thereby a Spirit of Adoption and of Supplication. And he that hath freedom of utterance can speak that which God's Spirit hath put into his very heart, and made him esteem his greatest and nearest concernment, and the most necessary and excellent thing in all the world. This is the Spirits principal help.

5. The same Spirit doth incline our hearts to the diligent use of all those means, by which our abilities may be increased: As to read, and hear, and confer, and to use ourselves to prayer, and to meditation, self-examination, &c.

6. The same Spirit helpeth us in the use of all these means, to profit by them, and to make them all effectual on our hearts.

7. The same Spirit concurreth with Means, Habits, Reason, and our own endeavors, to help us in the very act of praying and preaching: 1. By illuminating our minds to know what to desire and say: 2. By actuating our Wills to Love, and holy desire and other affections. 3. By quickening and exciting us to a liveliness and • ervency in all. And so bringing our former habits into acts, the Grace of prayer is the heart and soul of gifts; And thus the Spirit teacheth us to pray.

Yea, the same Spirit thus by common helps assisteth even bad men in praying and preaching, giving them common habits and acts that are short of special saving grace. Whereas men left to themselves without God's Spirit, have none of all these forementioned helps. And so the Spirit is said to intercede for us by exciting our inexpressible groans; and to help our infirmities when we know what to ask as we ought.

Quest. 168. Are not our own Reasons, Studies, Memory, Strivings, Books, Forms, Methods and Ministry needless, yea, a hurtful quenching or preventing of the Spirit, and setting up our own, instead of the Spirits operations?

Answ. 1. YEs; if we do it in a conceit of the sufficiency of ourselves, our reason, memory, studies, books, forms, &c. without the Spirit: Or if we ascribe anything to any of these which is proper to Christ or to his Spirit. For such proud self-sufficient despisers of the Spirit, cannot reasonably expect his help: I doubt among men counted Learned and Rational there are too many such, that know not man's insufficiency or corruption, nor the necessity and use of that Holy Ghost into whose name they were baptized, and in whom they take on them to believe. But think that all that pretend to the Spirit are but Fanatics and Enthusiasts, and self-conceited people; when yet the Spirit himself saith, Rom. 8 9. If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, the same is none of his. And Gal. 4. 6. Because we are sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, whereby we cry Abba, Father.

2. But if we give to Reason, Memory, Study, Books, Methods, Forms, &c. but their proper place in subordination to Christ and to his Spirit, they are so far from being quenchers of the Spirit, that they are necessary in their places, and such means as we must use, if ever we will expect the Spirits help. For the Spirit is not given to a Bruit to make him a man, or rational; nor to a proud despiser, or idle neglecter of God's appointed means, to be instead of means, nor to be a Patron to the vice of pride or idleness, which he cometh chiefly to destroy: But to bless men in the laborious use of the means which God appointeth him: Read but Prov. 1. 20, &c. & 2. & 3. & 5. & 6. & 8. and you will see that knowledge must be labored for, and instruction heard: And he that will lie idle till the Spirit move him, and will not stir up himself to seek God, nor strive to enter in at the straight g •• e, nor give all diligence to make his Calling and Election sure, may find that the Spirit of sloth hath destroyed him, when he thought the Spirit of Christ • ad been saving him. He that hath but two Articles in his Creed, must make this the second: For he that cometh to God must believe that God is, and that he is the Rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Quest. 169. How doth the Holy Ghost set Bishops over the Churches?

Answ. 1. BY making the Office itself, so far as the Apostles had any hand in it, Christ himself having made their Office.

2. The Holy Ghost in the Electors and Ordainers directeth them to discern the fitness of the persons elected and ordained, and so to call such as God approveth of, and calleth by the Holy Ghost in them. Which was done, 1. By the extraordinary gift of discerning in the Apostles. 2. By the ordinary help of God's Spirit in the wise and faithful Electors and Ordainers ever since.

3. The Holy Ghost doth qualify them for the work, by due Life, Light and Love, Knowledge, Willingness, and Active ability; and so both en • lining them to it, and marking out the persons by his gifts whom he would have elected and ordained to it: Which was done, 1. At first by extraordinary gifts, 2. And ever since by ordinary 1. Special and saving in some; 2. Common, and only fitted to the Churches instruction in others. So that whoever is not competently qualified, is not called by the Holy Ghost: When Christ ascended he gave gifts to men, some Apostles, Prophets and Evangelists, some Pastors and Teachers, for the edifying of his body, &c. Eph. 4. 7, 8, 9, 10.

Quest. 170. Are Temples, Fonts, Utensils, Church-lands, much more the Ministers, holy: And what reverence is due to them as holy?

Answ. THe question is either de nomine whether it be fit to call them holy, or de re, whether they have that which is called Holiness.

I. The word [ Holy ] signifieth in God, essential transcendent Perfection; and so it cometh not into our question. In creatures it signifieth, 1. A Divine nature in the Rational Creature (Angels and Men) by which it is made like God, and disposed to him and his service, by Knowledge, Love, and holy Vivacity; which is commonly called Real saving Holiness as distinct from mere Relative. 2. It is taken for the Relation of anything to God as his own peculiar appropriated to him: so infinite is the distance between God and us, that whatever is His in a special sense, or separated to his use, is called Holy: And that is, 1. Persons. 2. Things. 1. Persons are either, 1. In general devoted to his Love and Service; 2. Or specially devoted to him in some special office. Which is, 1. Ecclesiastical, 2. O • conomical, 3. Political. Those devoted to his general service are, 1. Either Heartily and sincerely so devoted (who are ever sanctified in the first Real sense also,) or only by word and outward profession. 2. Things devoted to God are, 1. Some by his own immediate choice, designation and command, 2. Or by general directions to man to do it. And these are, 1. Some things more N • erly, some things more Remotely separated to him. None of these must be confounded: And so we must conclude,

1. All that shall be saved are Really Holy by a Divine Inclination, and nature, and Actual exercise thereof; and Relatively Holy in a special sense, as thus devoted and separated to God.

2. All the Baptized and professors (not apostate) are Relatively Holy as verbally devoted and separated to God.

3. All that are Ordained to the Sacred Ministry are Relatively Holy as devoted and separated to that office. And the well qualified are also really Holy, as their qualifications are either special or common.

4. All that are duly called of God to the Place of Kings, and Judges and Rulers of families, are Relatively Sacred, as their offices and they, are of God and for him, and devoted to him.

5. Temples and other utensils designed by God himself, are Holy as Related to him by that designation.

6. Temples, Utensils, Lands, &c. devoted and lawfully separated by man, for holy uses, are Holy as justly Related to God by that lawful separation. To say as some do, that [They are indeed consecrated and separated, but not Holy ] is to be ridiculously wise by self-contradiction, and the masterly use of the word Holy contrary to custom and themselves.

7. Ministers are more Holy than Temples, Lands or Utensils, as being neerlier related to holy things. And things separated by God himself are more holy than those justly separated by man. And so of days.

8. Things Remotely devoted to God, are Holy in their distant place and measure; As the Meat, Drink, House, Lands, Labors of every Godly man, who with himself devoteth all to God: But this being more distant, is yet a remoter degree of Holiness.

II. Every thing should be Reverenced according to the measure of its Holiness: And this expressed by such signs, gestures, actions, as are fittest to Honor God, to whom they are Related: And so to be uncovered in Church, and use Reverent carriage and gestures there, doth tend to preserve due Reverence to God and to his Worship, (1 Cor. 16. 20.)

Quest. 171. What is Sacrilege, and what not?

Answ. I. SAcriledge is Robbing God by the unjust alienation of holy things. And it is measured according as things are diversified in Holiness: as,

1. The greatest Sacrilege is a profane unholy alienating a person to the fl • sh and the world, from God and his Love and his service, who by Baptism was devoted to him. And so all wicked Christians are grossly Sacrilegious.

2. The next is alienating consecrated persons from the sacred work and office, by deposing Kings, or by unjust silencing or suspending true Ministers, or their casting off God's work themselves. This is far greater sacrilege than alienating Lands or Utensils.

3. The next is the unjust alienating of Temples, Utensils, Lands, days, which were separated by God himself.

4. And next such as were justly consecrated by man; as is aforesaid in the degrees of Holiness.

II. It is not Sacrilege, 1. To cease from the Ministry or other holy service, when sickness, disability of body, or violence utterly disable us.

2. Nor to alienate Temples, Lands, goods or utensils, when providence maketh it needful to the Churches good: so the fire in London hath caused a diminution of the number of Churches: so some Bishops of old, sold the Church plate to relieve the poor: And some Princes have sold some Church Lands to save the Church and state in the necessities of a lawful war.

3. It is not Sacrilege to alienate that which man devoted, but God accepted not, nor owned as appropriate to him (which his prohibition of such a dedication is a proof of.) As if a man devote his wife to chastity, or his Son to the Ministry against their wills: or if a man Vow himself to the Ministry that is unable and hath no call: or if so much Lands or goods be consecrated, as is superfluous, useless and injurious to the common welfare and the state. Alienation in these cases is no sin.

Quest. 172. Are all Religious and private meetings, forbidden by Rulers, unlawful Conventicles? Or are any such necessary?

Answ. THough both such Meetings and our Prisons tell us how greatly we now differ about this point, in the application of it to persons and our present case, yet I know no difference in the doctrinal resolution of it among most sober Christians at all: (which makes our case strange.)

For ought I know we are agreed,

I. 1. That it is more to the honor of the Church and of Religion and of God, and more to our safety and edification, to have God's Worship performed solemnly, publicly and in great assemblies, than in a corner, secretly, and with few.

2. That it is a great mercy therefore where the Rulers allow the Church such public Worship.

3. That caeteris paribus all Christians should prefer such public worship before private; And no private meetings should be kept up, which are opposite or prejudicial to such public meetings.

4. And therefore if such meetings (or any that are unnecessary to the ends of the Ministry, the service of God and good of souls) be forbidden by Lawful Rulers, they must be forborne.

II. But we are also agreed, 1. That it is not the Place but the presence of the true Pastors and people that make the Church.

2. That God may be acceptably Worshipped in all places when it is our duty.

3. That the ancient Churches and Christians in times of persecutions ordinarily met in secret against the Rulers wills, and their meetings were called Conventicles, (and slandered, which occasioned Pliny 's examination, and the right he did them.)

4. That no Minister must forsake and give over his work while there is need, and he can do it.

5. That where there are many thousands of ignorant and ungodly persons, and the public Ministers, either through their paucity (proportioned to the people) or their disability, or unwillingness, or negligence, or all, are insufficient for all that public and private Ministerial work, which God hath appointed for the instruction, persuasion and salvation of such necessitous souls, there is need of more Ministerial help.

6. That in cases of real (not counterfeit) necessity, they that are hindered from exercising their Ministerial Office publicly, should do it privately, if they have true Ordination, and the call of the people's necessity, desire, and of opportunity; so be it they do it in that peaceable, orderly and quiet manner, as may truly promote the interest of Religion, and detract not from the lawful public Ministry and work.

7. That they that are forbidden to Worship God publicly, unless they will commit some certain sin, are so prohibited as that they ought not to do it on such terms

8. That the private meetings which are held on these forementioned terms, in such cases of necessity, are not to be forsaken, though prohibited: (Though still the honor of the Magistrate is to be preserved, and obedience given him in all Lawful things): And such Meetings are not sinful nor dishonorable (to the assemblers;) For as Tertullian (and Dr. Heylin after him) saith, Cum pii, cum boni cocunt, non factio dicenda est, s • d curia: When pious, and good people meet (especially as aforesaid) it is not to be called a faction, but a Court. Thus far I think we all agree.

And that the Church of England is really of this mind is certain; 1. In that they did Congregate in private themselves, in the time of Cromwells Usurpation, towards the end when he began to restrain the use of the Common Prayer. 2. In that they wrote for it: see Dr. Hide of the Churc • in the beginning. 3. Because both in the reign of former Princes since the Reformation, and to this day, many laborious conforming Ministers, have still used to repeat their Sermons in their Houses, where many of the people came to hear them. 4. Because the Liturgy alloweth private Baptism, and restraineth not any number from being present, nor the Minister from instructing them in the use of Baptism (which is the sum of Christianity). 5. Because the Liturgy commandeth the visitation of the sick, and alloweth the Minister there to pray and instruct the person according to his own ability, about Repentance, faith in Christ, and preparation for death and the life to come; and forbiddeth not the friends and neighbors of the sick to be present. 6. Because the Liturgy and Canons allow private Communion with the sick, lame or aged that cannot come to the assembly; where the nature of that holy work is to be opened, and the Eucharistical work to be performed; And