A Christian Directory

Quest. 173. What particular Directions for Order of Studies, and Books should be observed by young Students?

§. 1. BEcause disorder is so great a disadvantage, to young Students, and because many have importuned me to name them some few of the best Books, because they have no Time to read, nor money to buy many, I shall here answer these two demands.

§. 2. I. The Order of their studies is such as respecteth their whole lives, or such as respecteth every Day. It is the first which I now intend.

§. 3. Direct. 1. The knowledge of so much of Theology as is necessary to your own Duty and Salvation, is the first thing which you are to learn (when you have learnt to speak). Children have souls to save; and their Reason is given them to use for their Creators service and their salvation. 1. They can never begin to Learn that too soon which they were made and Redeemed to Learn, and which their whole lives must be employed in practicing. And that which absolute Necessity requireth, and without which there is no salvation. 3. And that which must tell a man the only ultimate end which he must intend, in all the moral actions of his life. For the right Intention of our end is antecedent to all right use of means; And till this be done, a man hath not well begun to Live, nor to use his Reason; nor hath he any other work for his Reason, till this be first done. He liveth but in a continual sin, that doth not make God and the public good and his salvation his end. Therefore they that would not have Children begin with Divinity, would have them serve the Devil and the Flesh. God must be our First and Last and All.

§. 4. Not that any exact or full Body or Method of Divinity is to be Learnt so early. But 1. The Baptismal Covenant must be well opened betime, and frequently urged upon their hearts. 2. Therefore the Creed, the Lord's Prayer and Decalogue, must be opened to such betime; that is, They must be wisely Catechised. 3. They must be taught the Scripture History, especially Genesis and the Gospel of Christ. 4. They must with the other Scriptures, read the most plain and suitable Books of practical Divin • s (after named). 5. They must be kept in the company of suitable, wise and exemplary Christians, whose whole conversation will help them to the sense and Love of Holiness; And must be kept strictly from perverting wicked company. 6. They must be frequently, lovingly, familiarly yet seriously, treated with about the state of their own souls, and made to know their need of Christ and of his holy spirit, of Justification and Renovation. 7. They must be trained up in the Practice of Godliness, in Prayer, pious speeches, and obedience to God and man. 8. They must be kept under the most powerful and profitable Ministers of Christ that can be had. 9. They must be much urged to the study of their own hearts; To know themselves; what it is to be a Man, to have Reason, Free-will and an Immortal soul: what it is to be a Child of Lapsed Adam; and an unregenerate unpardoned sinner: what it is to be a Redeemed, and a sanctified, Justified person, and an adopted heir of life eternal. And by close examination to know which of these conditions is their own; To know what is their daily duty; and what their danger and what their Temptations and impediments, and how to escape?

§. 5. For if once the soul be truly sanctified, then 1. Their salvation is much▪ secured, and the main work of their lives is happily begun, and they are ready to Die safely when ever God shall call them hence. 2. It will possess them with a right end, in all the studies and labors of their lives; which is an unspeakable advantage, both for their pleasing of God, and profiting themselves and others; without which they will but profane God's name and word, and turn the Ministry into a worldly fleshly life, and study and Preach for Riches, Preferment, or applause, and live as he Luk. 12. 18, 19. Soul, take thy ease, eat, drink and be merry; and they will make Theology the way to hell, and study and preach their own condemnation. 3. A Holy heart will be always under the Greatest Motives; and therefore will be constantly and powerfully impelled (as well in secret as before others) to diligence in studies and all good endeavors. 4. And it will make all sweet and easy to them, as being a noble work, and relishing of God's Love, and the endless Glory to which it tendeth. A holy soul will all the year long be employed in sacred studies and works, as a good stomach at a feast, with constant pleasure! And then O how happily, will all go on; When a carnal person with a dull, unwilling, weary mind, taketh now and then a little, when his carnal interest itself doth prevail against his more slothful sensual inclinations; but he never followeth it with hearty affections, and therefore seldom with good success. 4. And a holy soul will be a continual Treasury and fountain of holy matter, to pour out to others, when they come to the Sacred Ministry; so that such a one can say more from the feeling and experience of his soul, than another can in a long time gather from his Books. 5. And that which he saith will come warm to the hearers in a more lively experimental manner, than usual carnal Preachers speak. 6. And it is liker to be attended by a greater blessing from God. 7. And there are many Controversies in the Church, which an experienced holy person, ( caeteris paribus ) hath great advantage in above all others, to know the right, and be preserved from errors.

§: 6. Direct. 2. Let young men's time (till about 18, 19, or 20,) be spent in the improvement of their Memories, rather than in studies that require much judgment: Therefore let them take that time to get Organical knowledge; such as are the Latin and Greek tongues first and chiefly, and then the Hebrew, Chaldee, Syriac and Arabic; with the exactest acquaintance with the true Precepts of Logic: And let them learn some Epi • ome of Logic without Book. In this time also let them be much conversant in History; both Civil, Scholastical (of Philosophers, Orators, Poets, &c. ) and Ecclesiastical. And then take in as much of the Mathematics as their more necessary studies will allow them time for (still valuing Knowledge according to the various degrees of usefulness.)

§. 7. Direct. 3. When you come to seek after more abstruse and real wisdom, join together the study of Physicks and Theology; and take not your Physicks as separated from or independent on Theology; But as the study of God in his works, and of his works as leading to himself. Otherwise you will be but like a Scrivener and Printer, who maketh his Letters well, but knoweth not what they signify.

§. 8. Direct. 4. Unite all 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or knowledge of Real e • tities into one science; both spirits and Bodies; God being taken in as the First and last, the Original, Director and End of all: And study not the doctrine of Bodies alone, as separated from spirits: For it is but an imaginary separation, and a delusion to men's minds. Or if you will call them by the name of several sciences, be sure you so link those severals together that the due dependence of bodies on spirits, and of the Passive natures on the Active may still be kept discemable: And then they will be one while you call them divers.

§. 9. Direct. 5. When you study only to know what is True, you must begin at the Primum c • gnoscibile, and so rise in ordine cognoscendi: But when you would come to see things in their proper Order, by a more perfect satisfying knowledge, you must draw up a synthetical sebeme, juxta ordinem • ssendi where God must be the First and Last; the first Efficient Governor and End of all.

§. 10. Direct. 6. Your first study of Philosophy therefore should be, of yourselves; To know a man. And the Knowledge of man's soul is a part so necessary, so near, so useful, that it should take up both the first and largest room in all your Physicks, or knowledge of God's works: Labor therefore to be accurate in this.

§. 11. Direct. 7. With the knowledge of your selves join the Knowledge of the rest of the works of God; but according to the usefulness of each part to your moral duty; and as all are Related to God and You.

§. 12. Direct. 8. Be sure in all your progress that you keep a distinct knowledge of things certain and things uncertain, searchable and unsearchable, revealed and unrevealed; And lay the first as your foundation, yea rather keep the knowledge of them as your Science of Physic by itself, and let no obscurity in the rest cause you to question certain things; nor ever be so perverse as to try things known, by things unknown, and to argue à minùs notis. Lay no stress on small or doubtful things.

§. 13. Direct. 9. Metaphysics as now taken is a mixture of Organical and Real Knowledge; And part of it belongeth to Logic (the Organical part), and the rest is Theology, and Pneumatologie, and the highest parts of Ontologie, or Real Science.

§. 14. Direct. 10. In studying Philosophy, 1. See that you neither neglect any helps of those that have gone before you, under pretence of taking nothing upon trust, and of studying the naked Things themselves: (For if every man must begin all a new, as if he had been the first Philosopher, knowledge will make but small proficiency) 2. Nor yet stick not in the bare Belief of any Author whatsoever, but study all things in their naked natures and proper evidences though by the helps that are afforded you by others. For it is not science but human belief, else, whoever you take it from.

§. 15. Direct. 10. So certain are the numerous errors of Philosophers, so uncertain a multitude of their assertions, so various their sects, and so easy is it for any to pull down much which the rest have built, and so hard to set up any comely structure that others in like manner may not cast down, that I cannot persuade you to fall in with any one sort or sect, who yet have published their sentiments to the World. The Platonists made very noble attempts in their enquiries after spiritual beings: But they run into many unproved fanaticisms, and into divers errors, and want the desirable helps of true method. The wit of Aristotle was wonderful for subtility and solidity. His knowledge vast; His method (oft) accurate; But many precarious, yea erroneous conceptions and assertions, are so placed by him, as to have a troubling and corrupting influence into all the rest: The Epicureans or Democratists, were still and justly the contempt of all the sober sects; And our late Somatists that follow them, yea and Gassendi, and many that call themselves Cartesians, yea Cartesius himself, much more Berigardus, Regius and Hobbes, do give so much more to mere Matter and Motion, than is truly due, and know or say so much too little of Spirits, Active Natures, Vital Powers, which are the true principles of motion, that they differ as much from true Philosophers, as a Carkass or a Clock from a living man. The Stoics had noble Ethical principles, and they (and the Platonists with the Cynics) were of the best lives: But their writings are most lost, and little of their Physicks fully known to us, and that also hath its errors. Patricius is but a Platonist so taken with the nature of Light, as insisting on that in Phanatical terms, to leave out a great deal more that must be conjoined. Telesius doth the like by Heat and Cold, Heaven and Earth, and among many observable things, hath much that is unsound and of ill consequence. Campanella hath improved him, and hath many hints of better Principles (especially in his Primalities) than all the rest: But he phanatically runs them up into so many unproved and vain, yea and mistaken superstructures, as that no true Body of Physicks can be gathered out of all his works. The attempt that pious Commenius hath made in his small Manual hath much that is of worth; but far short of accurateness. The Hermetical Philosophers have no true method of Philosophy among them; And to make their three or five Principles to be so many Elements, or simple bodies, constituting all compounds, and form up a system of Philosophy on their suppositions, will be but to trifle and not to satisfy judicious minds; especially considering how defective their Philosophy is made by their omissions. Lullius and his followers fit not their Method to the true order of the Matter. Scaliger, Scheggius, Wendeline and Sennertus (especially in his Hypomnemata ) were great men, and have many excellent things: But too much of Aristotle's goeth for currant with them. My worthy, Learned and truly pious friend Mr. Sam. Gott in his new Book on Gen. 1. hath many excellent notions, and much that is scarce elsewhere to be met with: But the tedious paragraphs, the defect of method, and several unproveable particulars, make it like all human works imperfect.

Therefore if I must direct you according to my judgment, I must advise you, 1. To suppose that Philosophers are all still in very great darkness, and there is much confusion, defectiveness, error and division and uncertainty among them. 2. Therefore addict not yourselves absolutely to any Sect of them. 3. Let your first studies of them all leave room for the changing of your judgment, and do not too hastily fix on any of their sentiments as sure, till you have heard what others say, and with ripened understandings have deeply and long studied the Things themselves. 4. Choose out so much of the Certainties and Useful parts of Physicks as you can reach to, and make them know their places in subserviency to your holy principles and ends; and rather be well content with so much, than to lose too much time in a vain fatigation of your brains for more.

I have made some attempt to draw out so much, especially de Mundo & de Homine, in my Methodus The logiae, though I expect it should no more satisfy others, than any of theirs have satisfied me.

§. 16. Direct. 11. When you have well stated your Ontologie, or Real Science, then review your Logic and Organical part of Metaphysics; and see Verba rebus aptentue; Fetch then your words and Organical notions from the Nature of the Things. Abundance are confounded by taking up Logical Notions first which are unsuitable to true Physical beings.

§. 17. Direct. 12. Somewhat of Ethics may be well learnt of Philosophers, but it's nothing to the Scriptures Christian Ethics.

§. 18. Direct. 13. Somewhat of artificial Rhetoric and Oratory should be known: But the Oratory which is most natural, from the evidence of things; well managed by a good understanding and elocution, which hath least of appearing art or affectation, is ever the most effectual, and of best esteem.

§. 19. Direct. 14. The doctrine o • Politicks, especially of the Nature of Government and Laws in General, is of great use to all that will ever understand the Nature of God's Government and Laws, that is, of Religion. Though there be no necessity of knowing the Government and Laws of the Land or of other Countries, and further than is necessary to our obedience or our outward concernments, yet so much of Government and Laws as Nature and Scripture make common to all particular forms and Countries, must be known by him that will understand Morality or Divinity, or will ever study the Laws of the Land. And it is a preposterous course, and the way of Ignorance and error, for a Divine to study God's Laws, and a Lawyer man's Laws, before either of them know, in general what a Law, or what Government is, as nature notifieth it to us.

§. 20. Direct. 15. When you come to Divinity, I am not for their way that would have you begin with the Fathers and thence form a body of Divinity to yourselves: If every young student must be put on such a task, we may have many Religions quickly, but shall certainly have much ignorance and error. We must not be so blind or unthankful to God as to d • ny that later times have brought forth abundance of Theological writings, incomparably more methodical, judicious, full, clear, and excellently fi • ted also by application, to the good of souls, than any that are known to us since the writing of the Sacred Scriptures. Reverence of antiquity hath its proper place and use, but is not to make men fools, non-proficience, or contemners of God's greater mercies.

My advice therefore is, that you begin with a conjunction of English Catechisms, and the Confessions of all the Churches, and the Practical holy writings of our English Divines: And that you never separate these asunder. These Practical Books do commonly themselves contain the Principles, and do press them in so warm a working manner as is likest to bring them to the heart: And till they are there, they are not received according to their use, but kept as in the porch. Get then six or seven of the most judicious Catechisms and compare them well together, and compare all the Confessions of the Churches, (where you may be sure that they put those which they account the weightiest and surest truths). And with them read daily the most spiritual heart-moving Treatises, of Regeneration, and our Covenant with God in Christ, of Repentance, faith, Love, obedience, hope, and of a Heavenly mind and life; as also of Prayer and other particular duties, and of Temptations and particular sins.

And when you have gone through the Catechisms, read over three or four of the soundest systemes of Divinity. And after that proceed to some larger Theses, and then to the study of the clearest and exactest Methodists; And think not that you well understand Divinity, till 1. You know it as methodized and jointed in a due Scheme, and the several parts of it in their several Schemes, seeing you know not the beauty nor the true sense of things, if you know them not in their proper places, where they stand in their several respects to other points: And 2. Till it be wrought into your very hearts, and digested into a holy nature; For when all is done, it is only a holy and Heavenly life, that will prove you wise, and make you happy and give you solid peace and comfort?

§. 21. Direct. 16. When you have gone so far, set yourselves to read the Ancients: 1. And take them in order as they lived, 2. Observe most the Historical part, what doctrines, and practices de fact • did then obtain. 3. Some must be read wholly, and some but in part: 4. Councils and Church History here have a chief place.

§. 22. Direct. 17. With them read the best Commentators on the Scriptures, old and new.

§. 23. Direct. 18. And then set yourselves to the study of Church Controversies (Though those that the Times make necessary must be sooner looked into). Look first and most into those which your own Consciences and practice require your acquaintance with: And above all here, read well those Writings that confute Atheists and Infidels, and most solidly prove the truth of the Christian Religion: And then those that defend the greatest points. And think not much to bestow some time and labor in reading some of the old School Divines.

§. 24. Direct. 19. When you come to form up your Belief of certainties in Religion, take in nothing as sure and necessary, which the ancient Churches did not receive. Many other things may be taken for truths; and in perspicuity and method the late times much excel them. But Christian Religion is still the same thing, and therefore we must have no other Religion in the great and necessary parts than they had.

§. 25. Direct. 20. Still remember, that men's various capacities do occasion a great variety of Duties: some men have clear and strong Understandings, by nature: These should study Things as much as Books; For possibly they may excel and correct their Authors. Some are naturally of duller or less-judicious heads, that with no study of Things can reach half so high, as they may do by studying the Writings of those who are wiser than ever they are like to be. These must take more on trust from their Authors, and confess their weakness.

§. 26. Direct. 21. After or with all Controversies, be well verst in the Writings of those Reconcilers, who pretend to narrow or end the differences. For usually they are such as know more than the Contenders.

I proceed now to give you some Names of Books.

Quest. 174. What Books Especially of Theology should one choose, who for want of money or time, can read but few?

Answ. General. THe truth is, 1. It is not the reading of many Books which is necessary to make a man wise or good: But the well reading of a few, could he be sure to have the best. 2. And it is not possible to read over very many on the same subjects, without a great deal of loss of precious time: 3. And yet the Reading of as many as is possible tendeth much to the increase of knowledge, and were the best way, if greater matters were not that way unavoidably to be omitted: Life therefore being short, and work great, and Knowledge being for Love and Practice, and no man having leisure to learn all things, a wise man must be sure to lay hold on that which is most useful and necessary. 4. But some considerable acquaintance with many Books is now become by accident necessary to a Divine. 1. Because unhappily a young Student knoweth not which are the best, till he hath tried them: And when he should take another man's word, he knoweth not whose word it is that he should take: For among grave men, accounted great Scholars, its few that are truly judicious and wise, and he that is not wise himself cannot know who else are so indeed: And every man will commend the Authors that are of his own opinion. And if I commend to you some Authors above others, what do I but commend my own judgment to you, even as if I commended my own Books, and persuaded you to read them: when another man of a different judgment will commend to you Books of a different sort. And how knoweth a raw Student which of us is in the right. 2. Because no one man is so full and perfect as to say all that is said by all others: But though one man excel in one or many respects, another may excel him in some particulars, and say that which he omitteth, or mistaketh in. 3. But especially because many errors and adversaries have many Books necessary to some, for to know what they say, and to know how to confute them, especially the Papists, whose way is upon pretence of Antiquity and Universality, to carry every Controversy into a Wood of Church History, and ancient Writers, that there you may first be lost, and then they may have the finding of you: And if you cannot answer every corrupted or abused Citation of theirs out of Councils and Fathers, they triumph as if they had justified their Church-tyranny. 4. And the very subjects that are to be understood are numerous, and few men write of all. 5. And on the same subject men have several Modes of Writing: As one excelleth in accurate Method, and another in clear convincing argumentation, and another in an affectionate taking style: And the same Book that doth one, cannot well do the other, because the same style will not do it.

Object. But the ancient Fathers used not so many Books as we do, no not one for our hundreds: And yet we honor them above the Neotericks: They lived before these Libraries had a being. Yea, they exhort Divines to be learned in the holy Scriptures, and the fourth Council of Carthage forbad the reading of the Heathens Books: And many Heretics are accused by the Fathers and Historians, as being studied in Logic, and curious in common Sciences: And Paul saith, that the Scriptures are able to make us wise unto salvation.

Answ. 1. And yet the New Testament was written (or most of it) after Paul said so: which showeth that he meant not to exclude more writing.

2. The Scriptures are sufficient for their proper use, which is to be a Law of Faith and Life, if they be understood. But 1. They are not sufficient for that which they were never intended for: 2. And we may by other Books be greatly helped in understanding them.

3. If other Books were not needful, Teachers were not needful: For Writing is but the most advantageous way of Teaching, by fixed Characters, which fly not from our memory as transient words do. And who is it that understandeth the Scriptures that never had a Teacher? And why said the Eunuch, [ How should I (understand what I read) unless some man guide me? ] Acts 8. 31. And why did Christ set Teachers in his Church to the end, till it be perfected, Eph. 4. 11, 12, 13. if they must not Teach the Church unto the end? Therefore they may write unto the end.

4. Reverence to Antiquity must not make us blind or unthankful. Abundance of the Fathers were unlearned men, and of far less knowledge than ordinary Divines have now: And the chief of them were far short in knowledge of the chiefest that God of late hath given us. And how should it be otherwise, when their helps were so much less than ours.

5. Knowledge hath abundantly increased since Printing was invented: Therefore Books have been a means to it.

6. The Fathers then wrote voluminously: Therefore they were not against more writing.

7. Most of the Bishops and Councils that cried down Common Learning, had little of it themselves, and therefore knew not how to judge of it: no more than good men now that want it.

8. They lived among Heathens that gloried so in their own Learning, as to oppose it to the Word of God, (as may be seen in Julian, and Porphyry, and Celsus ): Therefore Christians opposed it, and contemned it; and were afraid while it was set in competition with the Scriptures, lest it should draw men to Infidelity, if overvalued.

9. And finally, the truth is, that the sacred Scriptures are now too much undervalued, and Philosophy much overvalued by many both as to Evidence and Usefulness: And a few plain certain truths which all our Catechisms contain, well pressed and practiced, would make a better Church and Christians, than is now to be found among us all. And I am one that after all that I have written, do heartily wish that this were the ordinary state of our C • urches. But yet by Accident much more is needful, as is proved: 1. For the • uller▪ underst • nding of these principles: 2. For the defending of them (especially by those that are called to that work): 3. To keep a Minister from that Contempt which may else frustrate his labors: 4. And to be ornamental and subservient to the substantial Truths.

And now I will answer the Question more Particularly in this order.

I. I will name you the Poorest or Smallest Library that is tolerable.

II. The Poorer (though not the poorest ); where a competent addition is made.

III. The Poor man's Library, which yet addeth somewhat to the former, but cometh short of a Rich and Sumptuous Library.

I. THe Poorest Library is, 1. The Sacred Bible: 2. A Concordance (Downames the least, or Newmans the best). 3. A sound Commentary or Annotations, either Diodates, the English Annotations, or the Dutch. 4. Some English Catechisms, (the Assemblies two, Mr. Gouges, Mr. Crooks Guide,) Ames his Medulla Theology & Casus Conscientiae (which are both in Latin and English ) and his Bellarminus Enervatus. 5. Some of the soundest English Books which open the Doctrine of Grace, Justification, and Free-will and Duty; as Mr. Truman 's Great Propi • iation, Mr. Bradshaw of Justification, Mr. Gibbons Sermon of Justification in the Morning Exercises at St. Giles in the Fields, Mr. Hochkis of Forgiveness of Sin. 6. As many Affectionate Practical English Writers as you can get; Especially Mr. Richard Allens Works, Mr. Gournall 's, Dr. Preston, Dr. Sibbes, Mr. Robert Bolton, Mr. Whateley, Mr. R • yner, Mr. Scudder, Mr. T. Ford, Mr. How of Blessedness, Mr. Swinocke, Mr. Gouges, The Practice of Piety, The Whole Duty of Man, Dr. Hammonds Practical Catechism, Dr. Pierson on the Creed, Dr. Downame on the Lord's Prayer, Mr. Dod on the Commandments, Bishop Andrew's on the Commandments, Mr. Io. Brinsleyes True Watch, Mr. Greenhams Works, Mr. Hildershams Works, Mr. Anthony Burgess Works, Mr. Perkins Works, Dr. Harris Works, Mr. Burroughs, Mr. Thomas Hooker, Mr. Pinkes Sermons, Io. Downames Christian Warfare, Richard Rogers, John Rogers of Faith and Love, Dr. Stoughton, Dr. Thomas Tailor, Mr. El • on, Mr. Daniel Dike, Jeremiah Dike, Mr. Io. Ball of Faith, of the Covenant, &c. Culverwell of Faith, Mr. Ranew, Mr. Teate, Mr. Shaw, Mr. Rawlet, Mr. Ianoway, Mr. Vincent, Mr. Do • little, Mr. Samuel Wards Sermons, Mr. W. Fenner, Mr. Ru • herfords Letters, Mr. Joseph Allens Life and Letters, and Treatise of Conversion, Mr. Samuel Clerks Lives and his Martyrologie, The Morning Exercises at St. Giles Cripplegate, and at St. Giles in the Fields, Mr. Benjamin B • xters Sermons, Mr. George Hopkins Salvation from Sin, Dr. Edward Reynolds, Mr. Meades Works, Mr. Vines Sermons, Henry Smith, Samuel Smith, Tho. Smith, Mr. Strong, Ios. Simonds; as many of them as you can get. 7. And for all other Learning Alstedius his Encyclopaedia alone; supposing that you are past the Grammar School, and have necessary Lexicons, specially Martinius and Leighs Critica Sacra: If you can have more, get Bellarm. de Scriptor. Eccles. Cooks Censura Patrum, Scul • e • i Medulla Patrum, Clem. Rom. Justin, Tertullian & Cyprian; Helvici Chronolog. Hammonds and Beza's Annotations, with Junius & Tremel. Calvin on the New Testament: Thaddaei Conciliationes, Alstedii Definit. & distinct. Castanei Distinct. Ursini Catechis. Wendelini Theolog. Suecani Method. Descriptio, Davenants Works, and Cameron 's, le Blanck 's Theses, Grotius de Satisfact. Caranzus Epitom. Council. Ushers Annals, and Answer to the Jesuit, & de Success. Eccles. Stat. Drelincourts and Pooles Manual, Corpus Confessionum.

II. When you can get more, the next rank must have all the form • with these Additions following▪

I. FOr Lexicons: 1. For Latin besides Goldman, or H • lyoke, or rather H • ttons Morellius, or Cowper, get Martinii Onomasticon: 2. For Greek, Scapula, Pasor, Leigh, Simpson, and Henricpetri Lexicon. 3. For Hebrew, Buxtorfe, Schindler, Leigh.

II. For Logic: 1. Fasciculus Logicus, or Smith, Keckerman, Burgersdicius. 2. Of the moderate Ramists that take in both, Henry Gutberleth.

III. For Physicks: 1. Magyrus, Combachius, Burgersdicius, Wendeline, and Sennert • s. 2. Commenius. 3. Mr. Gott. 4. Bacon and Mr. Boile.

IV. More particularly, De Anima, Tolet, Melancthon with Vives and Amerbachius (they are printed together in one Book) Sennerti Hypomnemata, Scaligers Exercitations.

V. De Corpore Humano, Galene, Fernelius, Bartholine, Harvy de Generatione animalium.

VI. De Motu, Mousnerius, Dr. Walli • .

VII. Of Astronomy, Gassendi, Riolanus.

VIII. Of Geography: Cluverius or Abbot, Ortelius, Mercator, Heylin, the Globe or Map. Geog. Nubiens.

IX. Of Mathematics in general: Euclid, Barrow, Rami Schol. cum prolegom. Snellii, Bettinus, Herigone.

X. Arithmetic in particular: Record. Wingate, &c.

XI. Geometry: Ramus eum Comment. Snellii, & Schroneri, Metii, Dr. Wallis, &c.

XII. Music: Th. Morley, Simpson.

XIII. Of Chronology and General History: Helvici Chronol. Ushers Annals, Idea Histor. Univers. Bucholtzer, Calvisius, Functius, Jacob. Cappel, Raleigh.

XIV. Particular History is endless: Among so many I scarce know what to say more, than Read as many as you can: especially,

1. The Roman Historians, (which are joined together.)

2. The Greek Historians.

3. Diog. Laertius and Eunapius de vitis Philosoph.

4. Plutarcks Lives.

5. Of England, Matth. Paris, Howden, Cambden, Speed, Rushworths Collections.

6. Of France, Thuanus (who also taketh in most of the Europaean History of his time) Commines, Serres.

7. Of Belgium, Grimston, and Grotius, and Strada.

8. Of Germany, the Collections of Pistorius, Ruberus and Freherus.

9. Of Italy, Guicciardine.

10. Knowles Turkish History, and Leunclavius.

11. Of Abyssinia, Godignus, and D • mianus a Goes.

12. Of Judea, George Sandyes Travels, and Brocardus.

13. Of Armenia and Tartary, Haitho Armenius, and the rest in the Novus Orbis; especially Paulus Venetus there.

14. Of Africa and India, Leo Afer, and Ludovicus Romanus.

15. Of China, Siam, Iapon, &c. Varenius, Maffaei Histor. Indica eum Epist. Jesuit. Alvarez and Martinius.

16. Of Indostan, Terry.

17. Of Muscovy, Sigismundus.

18. Of Sweden, Olaus Magnus (but fabulous).

19. Of Scotland, Io. Major, Hector Boethius, Dempster.

20. Of Antiquities, Rosinus Rom. Antiquit. Godwin, Selden de diis Syris, &c. Ferrarii Lexicon.

XV. Of Church History: Josephus, Eusebius, Ruffinus Tripartite, above all Socrates and S • z • men, Orosius, Sulpitius Severus, Theodoret, Victor Uticensis, Beda, Jacobus a Vitriaco, Nicephorus Callist. Platina & Massonius de vitis Pontif. Abbas Urspergensis, Sleidan, Micraelius. Gentii Hist. Iud. M • lani Martyrolog. Clerks Martyrol. Hottinger, Illyrici Catalogus Testium Veritatis, or Morneys Mystery of •• iquity. Perin and Morlands History of Piedmont, and the Waldens • s, Histor. Persecut. B • hem. Sculteti Annals, & curriculum vitae suae: Knoxes and Spotswood Hist. Scot. Regenvolscia Hist. Eccl. Sclav • n. Ushers Primordia Eccles. Britt. Parkers Antiquitates Eccles. Britt. Melchior Adami Vitae The • log. Medicorum, Iuris Consult. & Philosoph. German. Fullers Church History, Clerks Live • ▪ many particular Lives as Jewels by Dr. Humphrey, Mr. Ios. Allens, &c. Boltons, &c. Also read the Epistles of Melancthon, Calvin, B • za, Saravia.

XVI. Of Medicine, Study no more than such as Horstius de Sanitate Studiosorum tuenda, or Follinus or Graterolus, or an Herbal, except you can go quite through with it; le • t by a half skill you kill yourself or others: But take 1. Sufficient exercise ad Sudorem, (aliquando largiorem, in habitu seroso vel pituitos • ). 2. Temperance: 3. A pleased contented mind. 4. Warmth and avoiding inward and outward cold: 5. And experience for your best Physic; and meddle with no more without necessity, and the advice of a very able experienced man.

XVII. Of Politi • ks, and Civil •• w, and Ethics, read Besoldus, Willius, Danaus, Fragoso de •• g. Rep. Mr. Lawsons T •• ological Woe •• s, Angelius, Dr. Zouch, Grotius de Iure Belli, Mynsingers Institut. W • si •• echius, Calvin's Lexicon, Eustachius Ethics and Pembles.

XVIII. For Methods of Divinity, read Pareus his Edit. of Ursine, Trelca •• us, Amesii Medulla, Musculi Loci Communes, Dr. Tully, Georg. So • nius, Tzegedines Tables, Calvin's Institutions, or Cololonius abbreviation of him, Lawsons Theopolitica, Wollebius, Cluto's Idea Theol.

XIX. Theological Disputations and Treatises which I take to be extraordinary clear and sound, escaping the extremes which many err in, and opening the Reconciling truth: Strangius, Le Blankes Theses, Mr. Trumans three Books, Grotius de Satisfactione: Bradshaw of Justification, Gibbons Sermon of Justification, Hotchkis of Forgiveness of Sin: All Davenants Works, Cameron 's Works, Testardus de Natura & Gratia: All Joshua Placaeus Works; Theses Salmurienses, Amyraut, Johan. Bergius, Conrad. Bergius, Ludovic. Crocii Syntag. Theolog. Synod. Dort, especially the British and Breme Divines in Suffrag. Iansenii Augustinus, all Augustine, Prosper and Fulgentius. Musculi Loci Communes, Dallaeus de Redemp. Wotton de Reconcil. Gattaker, Woodbridge of Justification, Stillingfleet, Ushers Answer to the Jesuits Challenge, and his Notes de Redempt. Univers. W. Fe • ner, Rob. Baronius de Peccato Mort. & Ven. Bishop Preston, Whateley, Vossii Theses, Bullingers Decades, Rob. Abbot.

XX. Commentators (besides the forenamed Annotations) Beza, & Piscator, Iunii & Tremellii Annot. Dr. Hammond, Grotius in Evang. Calvin, especially in Nov. Test. or Marlorates Collection on Gen. Psal▪ Isai. & N. Test. Which containeth Calvin with others: Mr. Pools Critics, Ainsworth, M • llerus, Willet, Pareus, Musculus, Lyra, Es • ius, Jansen, Chemnitz Harm. Mr. Cradocks Harm. Maldonado, Lorinus, Dixson, Hutchinson, Drusius, Picherelli opuscula.

XXI. Such as open some hard Texts only, and Reconcile seeming contradictions, Thaddaeus, Span • emii Dubia Evangelica: Magrii Conciliat. Sharpii Symphonia, Bertram, Brugensis, Alba: Walther. Lydius; Gatakeri Cinnus & alia: Richardson, Cameron's Myrothec. with Lud. Cappel; Crayus, Broughton, Heinsius, Nic. Fullers Miscellan▪ Gregory, Doughtyes Analecta. Dieterici Antiq. Biblicae, Caninii Disqu. Sui • erus, Boies, Medes Works, Weems, Bootii, Sculteti Exercitationes.

XXII. Helps to understand the Scriptures: Broughtons Consent of Scripture, Usher of the Septuagint, &c. Illirici Clavis Scripturae, The foresaid Treatises of Customs▪ all Bochartus (Geograph. & de Animalibus) Brierwoods Enquiries, Buxtorf de Synag. Iud. Cunaeus, Sigonius & Steph. Menochius de Repub. Hebr. Sixt. Amama, Euseb. Nirembergius de Antiq. Scripturae, the Polyglote Bibles various Versions, Ravanellus.

XXIII. For defense of the Christian • aith against Atheists and Infidels, Hier. Savonarola, Vander Meulin, Stilling fleets Orig. Script. Grotius de Verit. Rel. Christ. Morney▪ Cameron de Verbo Dei, Micrelii E •• nophron. Lod. Vives, Marsil. Ficinus cum notis Lud. Crocii, Dr. Jackson's Truth of S •• ipt. Campanella's Atheismus Triumphatus, L • ssius, Waddesworth of the Immortality of the Soul▪ • ir Ch • rl Wolseley against Atheism, Aut Deus aut Nihil, besides abundance of the Fathers, John Goodwin of Scriptures.

XXIV. Cases of Conscience, besides Ames, Perkins, Dixson, Greg. Sayrus his Clavis Regia, Azorius, Dr. Ier. Tailors Ductor Dubitantium.

XXV. Councils, Lydius Caranza, Crab, Binius, Spelman, Iustellus, Synod. Dordr.

XXVI. Canonists and Helps to understand Councils, The Decretals, or Corpus Iuris Canon. Zabarell, Panormitane, Navarrus, Albaspinaeus, Iustellus, Blondel de Decret. Balsamon, Z • naras & P •• tius, Miraei Notitia Episcopatuum (but not trusty), Chenu de Episcopatibus Gallicis, Filesaeus. Histor. Council. Trident.

XXVII. Fathers: Clem. Rom. Ushers and Iz. Vossii Ignatius, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Clem. Alexand▪ Tertullian, Cyprian, Origen, Athenagoras, Tatianus, Arnobius cum Minutio Foelice, Lactantius, Athanasius. These are not very Voluminous: Optatus, Eusebii Preparatio & Demonstratio Evangelica; as much of Jerome, Augustine, and Chrysostom as you can; Hilarius Pictaviensis, Prosper, Fulgentius, Vincent. Lirinensis, and (before them) Basil, Greg. Nazianzen and Greg. Nyssen. Epiphanius, Ambrose, Paulinus Nolanus, Cass • anus, Salvianus, Gennadius Massil. Gildas, Claudius Turonensis, Rabanus Ma • rus, Bernard.

XXVIII. Helps to know and understand the Fathers: Sculteti Medulla Patrum, Cocus his Censura Patrum, Rivets Critica Sacra, Dr. James, all Bishop Ushers Works; (but above all, a Manuscript of his now in the hands of the Archbishop of Canterbury;) Sixti Senensis Bibliotheca, Possevinus, many of Erasmus Prefaces and Notes: Dallaeus de usu Patrum, & de Pseudepigraphis Apostol. & de C • ltu Latinorum, & in Dionys. & in Ignatium, & pleraque illius, & D. Blondelli opera: Bellarminus de Scriptoribus Ecclesiast. Causabones Exercit. Vedelius de Sapient. Veterum, Polidore Virgil de Invent. Rer. Albaspine, Vossii Histor. Pelag. & de Symbolis, Pauli Erinac • i Trias Patrum, Photii Biblioth. Rouse his Mella Patrum, De la Cerda, and many others Notes.

XXIX. Later Writers and Schoolmen: Damasus, Anselmus Cantuar. Guilielmus Parisiensis, Guil. de Sancto Amore, Gerhardus Zutphaniensis (in Bibl. Patr.) Thaulerus, Thom. à Kempis, Lombard, Aquinas, Durand, Scotus, Ockam, Greg. Ariminensis, Rada, Alvarez, Ruiz, Suarez, Lud. a Dola, Ripalda, Buridanes Ethics, Meurisse Metaphys. Ferrii Scholast. Orthod. & defense. Posewitz Theolog. Scholast. Dr. Twisse, Strangius, Rob. Baronii Metaphys. Schiebleri Metaphys. Calovii Metaph. Divin. Dr. Barlowes Metaphys. Dr. Mores Metaphysics.

XXX. Controversies, (besides the forementioned against Heathens and Infidels.)

1. Protestants and Papists; Bellarmine, Stapleton, Costerus, Becanus, Holden, Brierleyes Protest. Plea, Richworths and Whites Dialogues.

Against them, A • esii Bellarm. Enervatus, Dr. Challoners Credo Eccles. Cathol. Chamier, Sadeel, Chillingworth, Ushers Answer to the Jesuits Challenge, and de Success. Eccles. Illyrici Catalog. Testium Veritatis; du Pless • s (Mornay) de Eccles. and Mystery of Iniquity, Dr. Field of the Church, Whitaker, Dr. John Whites Way to the true Church, and the Defense, Blondel de Ecclesia (Gallice.) All Dallaeus Works, Albertinus de Transubst. cum Clodii defense. Davenant de Iustitia, & Determinationes, Rivets Cathol. Orthod. Pet. Molinaei de Novitate Papismi (Englished), Pet. Molinaeus Iuniors Answer to Philanax Anglicus, Chemnitii Exam. Council. Trident. Reynolds Conference with Hart, & de lib. Apochry. Pet. Cousins Bishop of Durham of the Canon of Scripture, Drelincourts Manual, Pooles Nullity, and Dial. Bishop Downame de Antichristo, Stillingfleet, Till • tson, Voetius de Desper. Causa Papatus. Especially for the right of Kings against them, Will. Barclay, Grotius de Imperio Summar. Potest. Bishop Bilson of Obedience, Bishop Carlton de Iurisdictione, Bishop Robert Abbots, Goldastus de Monarchia (a multitude of old Writers collected) & Constitut. Imperial. M. Ant. De Dominis Spalatensis de Republ. Eccl. All Ludovicus Molinaeus Works.

2. About Predestination, Grace and Free-will, the Jesuits, Lutherans and Arminians against the Dominicans, Jansenists, and Calvinists: On one side, Molina, Fons • ca, Pennottus propugnac. Libert. Petr. a Sancto Joseph, Arminius, Episcopius, Corvinus, Grevinchovius, Tilenus, Tilenus Junior.

On the other side, Alvarez, Zumel, Jansen, Twisse, Synod. Dord. Molinaei Anatom. Armini. Ames, Zanchius, &c. But the Conciliators are • oundest.

3. Of Socinianism and Arianism. For them: Historians, Philostorgius and Sandius: Disputers, Volkelius, Socinus, Lushington on the Hebr.

Against them, Ios. Placaeus, Stegman, Botsaccus, Grotius de Satisfact. Zarnov •• ius, & John. Junius de Satisfact. Lawson on the Hebrews, Beckmans Exercitations, Trumans Great Propitiation, Stillingfleet of Satisfaction, Q. V. Crellius Refutatus, Essenius, Hoornbeeck.

4. Of Justification, enow are named before §. 18. specially Le Blank, also Pemble, Bishop Downame, Warren.

5. The Antinomian and Libertine Controversies: Pro: Dr. Crisp, Maccovius in quibusdam, Salt • a • sh, Crandon, Paul Hobson, Den, Town, Eaton.

Contr. Gataker, Ball of the Covenant, Anth. Burgess, All the Writers of Justification before praised §. 18. Welds Histor. of Austin.

6. About Infant Baptism: Cont. Tombes, Blackwood, Fisher.

Pro. Church, Marshall, Whiston, Blake.

7. Of the Lord's Day, or Christian Sabbath: Cont. Ironside, Heylin, Docklington, Franc. White, Brierwood, Broad.

Pro. Dr. Young, Eaton, Cawdrey & Palmer, Dr. Twisse, Hughes, Sprint, Dr. Owen, Mr. George Abbot, Shepherd.

8. Of Diocesan Prelacy: Cont. Cartwright, Calderwoods Altare Damascenum, Rob. Parker de Polit. Eccles. Beza, Gerson, Bucer's Dissert. de Gubern. Eccles. Baines Diocesans Trial, Blondel de Epis • . & Presbyt. Salmasius, Smectymnuus.

Pro. Petavius, Saravia, Geor. Downame, Bilson, Hooker, Whitgift, Dr. Hammond.

9. Of the rest of the English Conformity, Liturgy and Ceremonies, Pro. Dr. John Burgess, Whitgift, Hooker, Sprints Necessity • f Conformity in case of Deprivation, Paybody of Kneeling, Fulwood, Stileman, Durel, The Friendly Debate, The Ecclesiastical Policy.

Contr. Cartwright, Parker of the Cross, Bradshaws Twelve Arguments, &c. Ames against Morton, and his Fresh Suit against Burgess, Nicols, the Savoy Prop.

Against the new additions, little is said yet, through the restraint of the Law, except by Mr. Dan. Cawdry, and a Latin Apology, and Mr. Crofton, and Dr. Collins of the Covenant, and some things thrust out secretly, which contain but little of the true state of the case.

10. Of Erastianism. Pro. Erastus, Coleman, Hussey, Lud. Molinaeus, (in appearance) Selden de Synedriis.

Cont. Beza, Galaspies Aaron's Rod, & Nihil Respondes, Hammond of the Keys.

11. Of Separation: Pro. Johnson, Canne, Ainsworth: And for Semi-separation (from Liturgy and Sacraments, but not from Sermons,) Robinson.

Cont. John. Paget, Bradshaw, Gifford, Hildersham, Ball, Gataker, Bernard, Rob. Abbot (not the Bishop) Will. Allens Retract. of Separation.

12. Of Independancy: Pro. Norton (moderate) Hooker, Allen and Shepherd, Burton, Apologet. Narrative, Reasons of the Dissenters in the Assembly, Dr. Owen's Catechism, and of Schism.

Cont. Io. Ball, Rutherford, the Assemblies Reply: the London Ministers Ius Divinum Presbyterii, Cawdrey against Dr. Owen, &c. Ben. Camfield against Dr. Owen's Catechism.

XXXI. Conciliators: 1. Between discordant Christians in general; Iacobi Acontii Stratagemata Satanae: Usher in Eph. 4. 3. old Vincentius Lerinensis, Ruperti Meldenii Paraenesis; a Socinian Veritas Pacifica (and many such of theirs proposing ill terms).

2. Between Protestants and Papists: Thuanus, Pitcherelius, Erasmus, Wicelius, Cassander, Baldwin, Grotius, D • venport, alias Franc. a Sancta Clara, M. A. de Dom. Spalatensis de Rep. Eccles. Guil. Forbes Episcop. Edinburgens. Dr. Hammond, specially on Thess. & Revel. But Le Blanke judiciously only by right stating and narrowing Controversies. See Pet. Heylin of the Life of Archbishop Laud, Bishop Bramhall.

3. Between all Protestants, especially Lutherans, Arminians, and the Reformed Churches, Duraeus, Calix • us, Halls Peacemaker, & Pax terris, Bishop Morton, Davenant and Hall, together, their Pacific. Amyraut, Junius de praedeterminatione, & Irenic. Hottonus de Tolerantia, Paraei Irenic. Scultetus in Tit. All the Judicious Treatises commended §. 18. And of Papists about the like Controversies, Sarnanus, Suarez, Arriba, Jansen, Gibieuf. Guil. Camerarius, Scotus, a Dola.

4. Of Church Government: Ushers Reduction, John. Forbes Irenic. Stillingfleets Irenic. Halls Peace-Maker, and Modest Offer, Burroughs Cure of Heart-Divisions, Mat. Newcomens Reconcil. of Presb. & Indep. The New England Synods Propos. and the Defense, Lloyd.

III. I have gone so far in this second rank, that I must add but a few more for the third, lest I go above a Poor Mans Library.

I. ADd when you can, to your Lexicons, Morellius, or Cowper, Beckman de orig. verb. Phavori • us and H • sy • hius, and Dr. Castle 's Oriental Lexicon.

II. To Logicians, Downame, Dietericus, Lublin, Smigletius, with Aristotle; Claubergius.

III. To Physicks, Philoponus, Telesius, Le Grand, Cartesius, Regius, Hereboord, Sckeggius, Gassendi, Patricius, K. Digby, White.

IV. De Corpore humano, Crooks Anatomy, or Vesalius, Lower de motu cordis, Harvy and Walaeus de circulat. Sang. Willis Works, Needham de form foetus, Steno de Musculis, Sylvius, Horne, Bates and Gliss • n Anatom. Hepat. & de Rachitide, Wharton de Glandulis.

V. De Anima, Claud. Mammertus, Nemesius (in Bibl. Pat.) Plato, Plotinus, Fromondus, Cicero Tuscqu. H. More.

VI. Of Metaphysics, Scheibler, Suarez, Timpler, Burgersdicius, Senguerdius, Iacchaeus, Gorlaeus, Ritschel, Campanella, Meurisse.

VII. Of Chronology, Petavius, Ushers Chronol. & de Anno Maced. Isaackson's Chronol. Simpsons Chron. Beroaldus, Carion, Scaliger de Emend. Tempor. on Euseb. &c. Dr. Drake; See Bellarmine. Index in Script. Eccles.

VIII. History: The Roman and Greek are known▪ Of the Church; Evagrius, Gregor. Turonicus, Paulus Diaconus, Luitprandus, Frodoardus, Cedrenus, Curopalates, Ingulphus, Otho Frisingens. Crantzius, Trithemius, Camerarius, Spondani Epit. Baronii, Luc. Osianders Epit. Magdeburg. Foxes Martyrologie, Ehingers Hist. of England, Ingulphus, Will. Malmesbury, Mat. Westminster, Balaeus, Hollingshead, Lord Herberts Life of Hen. 7. The lives of Edw. 6. Q. Eliz. by Cambden, K. James by Wilson, K. Charles; Cromwells life; Prin's History of Bishops Treasons, and of Canterburies (Laud's) Doom, Heylins Life of Laud, The Troubles at Frankford, The Cabala Letters: Of Ireland, Sr. John Temple, Dr. Jones of the Rebellion, the Earl of Oreryes Answ. to a Petition; Of Scotland and other Churches Petraeus 's History. Also Mart. Crusii Turcograecia; Kircher of the Copties; Hornius, Archontologia Gothofredi edit. 1649. Rovillii promptuarium Iconum, Verheiden's Icones Theolog. Reformat. fol. Vossius de historicis; Bezae Icones, H • spinians Histor. Sacrament. et. de Orig. Templorum; Vossii Hist. Pelag. Gutberleth's Hist. Pareus, Laetus, Pezelius; But there is no end.

IX. Medicine: Herbals; Matthiolus, Johnson's-Gerrard, Parkinson, Langham, Monardus; Dispensatories, London-physicions, Schroderus: Anatomists before named, and Knoblochius: Practitioners; Hipocrates, Galen, Celsus, Fernelius, Montani Consilia; Crato in Schotzii • p. & Consil. Platerus, Forestus, Skenki • observe. Hollerius, Sennertus, Rondeletius, H • rstius, Frambassarius, Schatzii Aphoris. Solenander, Epiphan. Ferdinandus, Dodonaei Praxis, Morellius, Schonbornii Manuale, Domerelius, Conringius de ferment. Fienus, Gordonius; especially Riverius, Prevotius; &, si vacat, Zacutus Lusitan. Hartman, Quercetane, Crollius, Valentine, Helmont: For Surgery, Fabritius, Hildanus, Trigaultius, Forestus, Pareus.

But the chief Treatises of Medicine are those that treat of particular diseases or kinds; As Carolus Piso de morbis serosis, Eugalenus, Martinius, Sennertus, &c. de Scorbuto, Dr. Sidenham, de Febribus, Dr. Glisson de Rachitide: Willis de fermentatione & Febribus, Cattierus de Reumatismo, Marcuccius, &c. de Melancholia, Schmuzen &c. de Calculo, Capellutus de bubon. Guarenciers de Tabe Anglica: It's too long to name all.

So Rudius de pulsibus, Forestus de incert. uriu. judic. Sanctorius & Opicius de Med. staticâ; Deodatu • de Dietetic. Bacon de vita longa, Venner, Brunfelsis.

X To Politicks add, Tholosanus, Althusius, Arnisaeus, Bodin de Rep. White.

To Ethics, Buridane, More, Wendeline, Danaus, Gatakers Antonine, Seneca, Plutarks Morals.

XI. Systemes of Theology; Synopsis Leidensium, Lud. Crocius, Polanus, Bucanus, Dudley Fenner, Wendeline, Pet. Martyrs Loci Com. Theses Sedanenses, Ant. Fayus, Melancthon, Gomarus, P • zelius, Catechismus Romanus, Corpus confessionum, Altingius, Spanhemii Dispute. Snecanus.

XII. Choice Treatises; Parker de Descensu ad inferos, Garbut of the Resurrection of Christ, Bullinger de Orig. Errorum, Martinius de symbol. & alia. Olevian de foedere, Sanderson de Iuram. Pembles works, All Medes works: Rivets select Disputations, Zanchii Opera: Dr. Field: All Dallaeus, and Blondel, Turretine de Satisfactione.

XIII. Commentators; Davenant in Golos. Martyr in Rom. & Cor. Pelargus in Ma •••• . Fayus, Scultetus, Crocius in Eph. Luther in Galat. Sclater in Thess. Cartwright and Fulke on the Rhemists Notes: Arth. Jackson's Annot: Erasmus Paraphrase, Hyricus, Lightf • ot, T • ssanus, Melancth. R • llocke, Manton on James and Jude, Ames on Pet. Lud. de Dieu, on the Revel. Mede, Stephens, Napier, K. James, Brightman. All these on the New Test. or part. And Papists, Tolet (on Rom. &c.) Ferus, Brugensis, Montanus, Pererius, Corn. Mussus, Espencaeus. On the Old Test. Caj • tan, Bonfrerius, Pererius, Paul. Fagius, Mersennus, Rivet, Masius, Serrarius, Sanctius, Mercer, Ames (in Psal.) Amyraut in Psal. H • od in Psal. Pemble, Broughton and Parker on Dan. Attersol on Numb. &c. King on Jonah; If you would have more, see Bishop Wilkins Eccles. and Voetii Bibliot.

XIV. Subordinate Helps for understanding and Preaching. Concordances, Heb. Buxtorf, Graec. Stephani. T • ssani Index: Clerks Holy Oile: Wilkins Ecclesiastes and Gift of Prayer: Chapel, and Zepper's Meth. of Preaching; Oliv. Bowles. Alstedii Definit. & Distinct. Castanci Dist. cum Reeb. Drusii Proverb. & Adag. Haeb. Delrius & Schottus: Glassii Philol. Zehner, C • peli Critica Sacra, Gruteri vel Langii Polyanth. Sch • tanus in creat. Montague's Apparat & de Orig. • ccl. Franzius de sacrif. Wittichius de stylo.

XV. Of Christian Religion; its defense, Latitude, and the Infidels and Heathens compared; Raymundus de Sabundis Theolog. Natur. Pacardus, Aquinas cont. Gent. Pansa; Varenius de Relig. Indor. B • i • rwo • ds Enquiries; Thom. a Sancto Jesus & Acosta de Convers. B • eganius de Theol. Gentil. Vossius de Idolol. V • ssius de Theol. nature. Collius de Animabus paganorum: Eugubinus: Fotherby, Mersennus in Genesin.

XVI. Cates of Conscience more: Filliucius, Tolet de sacerdot. Reginald: Cajetan, Navarrus. See Montaltus against the Jesuits Casuists, and the Jesuits Morals, Downames and Whateleys Tables on the Commandments: Sanderson de Iuramento, & Fragoso aforenamed.

XVII. Of Councils more, and Canonists, and Liturgies: Ius Orientale Graecorum per Leunclavium; Bochelli Decreta Gallic. Sirmondi Council. Gall. Longus.

Actus Conventus Thorunensis: Formula Concordiae Germ: The Westminster Assemblies Acts. English Canons: Fasti Siculi: Morini exercit. Eccles.

Zepper. Polit. Eccles. Hammond, Le strange of Liturgies: Antiq • itates Liturgicae: Cassanders Works: Claud. Saints; Gavantus de Ritibus; Vicecomes.

XVIII. More of the Fathers I need not name: If you can get and read them, you may find their names; e. g. in Bellarmine. de Script. Eccles. Get the Bibliothec. Patrum of de la Bigne, and Macarius Hom. Ephrem Sy • us, (plain honest things) Theodoret, Cyril Hieros. Cyril Alexand. Isidore Pelusiota, Theophilact & Occumenius, S • dulius & Primasius, Remigius, Beda, &c. But many of them are very weak and dry. The chief use of the Fathers is to know Historically what Doctrine was then taught.

XIX. Schoolmen more; Bonaventure, Alensis, Cajetan, Bannez, Biel, Cameracensis, Franc. Mayro, Capreolus, Ri. Armachanus, Bradwardine, Faber Faventinus, Hervaeus, John. & Fr. Pici Mirandul. Fr. Victoria, Suar • z, Vasquez, Albertinus in Thom. Aquila Scottellus; Ripalda nameth more if you would have more.

XX. Antipapists: Pappus of their Contradictions; Gentiletus, Mortons Apology and Grand Imposture. Buckeridge R • ffeusis for Kings: Crakenthorpe; Pareus cont. Bellarm. Junius on Bellar. Birkbeck's Protestants Evidence, Hunnii Eccles. Rom. non est Christ. Hottoman, Brutum fulmen, &c. Eusebius Captivus, John. Crocius de schismate; Jewel, all Whitaker, Andrew's Tortura Torti, Wotton, Dr. Ier. Tailors Dissuasive. But they are almost numberless.

Note 1. THat these may seem too many though they are few to a full and rich Library.

2. That it is not my advice that you read over all these or half; For that would but make them a snare for sinning, and waste of time: But a Minister of the Gospel should have more Books by him than he can read over, for particular uses, and to see the Authors judgment occasionally, and to try other men's Citations.

3. That a Minister must neither study the matter without the help of other men's studies by Reading much; nor yet Read much without studying the Thing itself.

4. That though a man must not speak or write before he knoweth what and how, yet thus Exercising the Knowledge that we have doth greatly increase it. And no Minister must be studying, when he should be Preaching, Praying, Catechizing or visiting or instructing his flock.

5. It is but few men that are born with an acumen fit for Writings and Controversies; Those few must read the more to be fit for it: The rest may take up with such Preparations as they have use for, and exercise them, viz. in the Pastoral oversight of the flocks, and propagating plain and necessary truths: And therefore though I am one that have been thought to burden men's understandings with Methods, distinctions, directions and controversies, it is but few that I persuade to use them; and am as much as any for most men's adhering to plain fundamentals, and truths of daily use, and Love and honor those that go no further, and are faithful in this work: so be it they have not the Pride to think that they know more than they do, and to wrangle against that which they understand not, and set not the Church on fire as ancient Ignorance did, by accusing those of Heresy that knew more than themselves, when they got but the Throne or the Major Vote.

6. That though I chiefly commend Systemes of Theology, I know not one whose method satisfieth me, as well agreeing with Scripture, and the matter (else I had not troubled myself so much to seek a right method, and propose what I found): And I think no common Method more genuine, than theirs that expound the Creed, Lord's Prayer, and Decalogue, and the Sacraments, as the sum of all.

7. I mention none of my own Writings; for it will seem vanity: But, as many as they are, I wrote none which I thought needless at the time of writing them.

8. Though none should have so great fitness for the holy education of Children and Government of Families as Ministers, yet so great is the work of Overseeing the flock, requiring more time and parts than all that we have, and so great are the matters of our studies and labors, requiring our total and most serious thoughts that I earnestly advise all that can possibly to live single and without a Family, lest they mar their work by a divided mind: For nunquam been fit, quod fit prae-occupato animo, saith Jerome truly.

The whole man, and whole time is all too little in so great a work.

A Christian Directory: Or, A SUMM of PRACTICAL DIVINITY, By Way of DIRECTION. The Fourth Part. Christian Politicks: CONTAINING All the Duties of the Six last Commandments, in our Political Relations, and towards our Neighbors: With the principal CASES of CONSCIENCE about them.

By RICHARD BAXTER.

LONDON, Printed, by Robert White, for Nevill Simmons, at the Sign of the Princes Arms in St. Paul's Church-yard. 1673.

T Hink not by the title of this Part, that I am doing the same work which I lately revoked in my Political Aphorisms: Though I concluded that Book to be quasi non scriptum, I told you I recanted not the Doctrine of it, which is for the Empire of God, and the Interest of Government, Order and honesty in the World: This is no place to give you the Reasons of my revocation, besides that it offended my Superiors, and exercised the tongues of some in places, where other matters would be more profitable: Pass by all that concerneth our particular State and Times, and you may know by that what principles of Policy I judge Divine. And experience teacheth me, that it is best for men of my Profession to meddle with no more; but leave it to the Contzeus, the Arnisaeus 's and other Jesuits, to promote their cause by Voluminous politics: The Popes false-named Church, is a Kingdom, and his Ministers may write of Politicks more congruously, and (it seems) with less offense than we. Saith the Geographia Nubiensis aptly [ There is a certain King dwelling at Rome called the Pope ] &c. when he goeth to describe him. Nothing well suites with our function but the pure Doctrine of Salvation. Let States-men and Lawyers mind the rest.

Two things I must apologize for in this Part: 1. That it's maimed by defect of those Directions to Princes, Nobles, Parliament-men, and other Magistrates, on whose duty the happiness of Kingdoms, Churches, and the World dependeth. To which I answer, that those must teach them whom they will hear: while my Reason and experience forbid me as an unacceptable person to speak to them without a special invitation, I can bear the Censures of Strangers who knew not them or me: I am not so proud as to expect that men so much above me should stoop to read any Directions of mine; much less to think me fit to teach them. Everyone may reprove a poor servant or a beggar: (It's part of their privilege). But Great men must not be so much as admonished, by any but themselves, and such as they will hear. At least nothing is a duty, which a man hath reason to think, is like to do much more harm than good. And my own judgment is much against pragmatical presumptuous Preachers, who are over-forward to meddle with their Governors or their affairs, and think that God sendeth them to reprove persons and things that are strange to them and above them, and vent their distastes upon uncertain reports, or without a Call.

2. And I expect to be both blamed and mis-understood, for what I hear say in the Confutation of Mr. Richard Hooker his Political Principles, and my Citation of B. Bilson and such others: But they must observe, 1. That it is not all in Mr. Hookers first and eighth Book which I gainsay; but the principle of the Peoples being the fountain of Authority, or that Kings receive their Office itself from them; with the consequents hereof. How far the people have in any Countrys the power of Electing the Persons, Families, or Forms of Government, or how far nature giveth them propriety, and the consequents of this, I meddle not with at all. 2. Nor do I choose Mr. Hooker out of any envy to his name and honor, but I confess I do it, to let men know truly whose Principles these are. And if any (causelessly) question whether the eighth (imperfect) Book be in those passages his own, let them remember that the sum of all that I confute, is in his first Book, which is old, and highly honored, by—you know whom. And I will do him the honor, and myself the dishonor to confess, that I think the far greater number of Casuists and Authors of Politicks, Papists and Protestants are on his side, and fewest on mine! But truth is truth.

On the subjects duty I am larger, because, if they will not hear, at least I may boldly and freely instruct them.

If in the later part there be any useful Cases of Conscience left out, it is because I could not remember them.

A Christian Directory. TOM. IV. Christian Politicks.

CHAP. I. General Rules for an Upright Conversation.

§. 1. S OLOMON saith, Prov. 10. 9. He that walketh uprightly walketh surely. And Perfection and Uprightness are the characters of Job, Chap. 1. 1, 8. & 2. 3. And in the Scripture to be Upright or Righteous, and to walk uprightly, and to do righteously are the titles of those that are acceptable to God. And by Uprightness is meant not only sincerity as opposed to Hypocrisy; but also Rectitude of Heart and Life, as opposed to crookedness or sin; and this as it is found in various Degrees: of which we use to call the lowest degree that is saving by the name of sincerity, and the highest by the name of Perfection.

§. 2. Concerning Uprightness of life, I shall I. Briefly tell you some of those blessings that should make us all in love with it, and II. Give you some necessary Rules of practice.

§. 3. I. Uprightness of heart and life is a certain fruit of the Spirit of Grace, and consequently a mark of our Union with Christ, and a proof of our acceptableness with God, Psal. 7. 10. My defense is of God, who saveth the upright in heart. Psal. 11. 7. For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness, and his countenance doth behold the upright. It is a title that God himself assumeth, Psal. 25. 8. Good and upright is the Lord. Psal. 92. 15. To show that the Lord is upright, He is my rock, and no unrighteousness is in him. And God-calleth himself the Maker, the Director, the Protector, and the Lover of the upright. Eccl. 7. 29. God made man upright. Psal. 1. 6. The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous. Psal. 25. 12. What man is he that feareth the Lord? him will he teach in the way that he shall choose. Prov. 2. 7. He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous; he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.

2. The Upright are the Pillars of human society, that keep up Truth and Justice in the world; without whom it would be but a company of liars, deceivers, robbers and enemies, that live in constant rapine or • ostility. There were no Trust to be put in one another, further than self-interest did oblige men: Psal. 15. 1, 2. Lord who shall abide in thy Tabernacle? Who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. Therefore the wicked and the enemies of Peace, and destroyers of Societies, are still described as Enemies to the upright: Psal. 11. 2, 3. For lo the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart. If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? Job 12. 4. The just and upright man is laughed to scorn. Psal. 37. 14. The wicked have drawn out the sword, to slay such as be of upright conversation. And indeed it is for the uprights sake that societies are preserved by God, as Sodom might have been for ten Lots. At least they are under the protection of Omnipotency themselves. Isa. 33. 15, 16. He that walketh righteously and speaketh uprightly, he that despiseth the gain of oppression, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ear from hearing of blood, that shutteth his eyes from seeing evil; He shall dwell on high; his place of defense shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure; Thine eyes shall see the King in his beauty; they shall behold the Land that is very far off: Prov. • 8. 10. The upright shall have good things in possession: Prov. 14. 11. The house of the wicked shall be overthrown; but the tabernacle of the upright shall flourish.

3. Uprightness affordeth Peace of Conscience, and quietness and holy security to the soul. This was Paul's rejoicing, the testimony of his conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity he had had his conversation in the world, and not in fleshly wisdom, 2 Cor. 1. 12. And this was David's comfort, 2 Sam. 22. 22, 23, 24. For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God: For all his judgments were before me, and as for his Statutes I did not depart from them. I was also upright before him, and have kept myself from mine iniquity. Therefore hath the Lord recompensed me according to my righteousness,—with the merciful thou wilt show thyself merciful, and with the upright thou wilt show thyself upright: Yea, peace is too little; exceeding joy is the portion, and most beseeming condition of the upright. Psal. 32. 11. Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice ye righteous, and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart, Psal. 33. 1. Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous, for praise is comely for the upright, Psal. 64. 10. The righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and trust in him, and all the upright in heart shall glory. Psal. 97. 11. Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart. The Spirit that sanctifieth them, will comfort them.

4. As the Upright so their upright life and duties are specially delightful and acceptable to God. Prov. 15. 8. The prayer of the upright is his delight, Psal. 15. 2. Therefore God blesseth their duties to them, and they are comforted and strengthened by experience of success, Prov. 10. 29. The way of the Lord is strength to the upright, but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity. Mic. 2. 7. Do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly?

5. No carnal policies, no worldly might, no help of friends, nor any other human means, doth put a man in so safe a state, as Uprightness of heart and life. To walk uprightly is to walk surely, because such walk with God, and in his way, and under his favor, and his promise: And if God be not sufficient security for us, there is none. Psal. 140. 13. Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name; the upright shall dwell in thy presence. Prov. 11. 3, 6. The integrity of the upright shall guide them, but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them. The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them, but transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtiness.

6. Lastly, The failings and weaknesses of the Upright are pardoned, and therefore they shall certainly be saved, Rom. 7. 24, 25. & 8. 1. The upright may say in all their weaknesses as Solomon, 1 Chron. 29. 17. I know also, my God, that thou tryest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness: As for me, in the uprightness of my heart I have willingly offered all these things. God will do good to them that are good, and to them that are upright in their hearts, Psal. 125. 4. The Upright love him, Cant. 1. 4. and are loved by him. No good thing will he withhold from them, Psal. 84. 11. The way to right comforting the mind of man, is to show to him his uprightness, Job 33. 23. And who so walketh uprightly shall be saved. Prov. 28. 18. For the high way of the upright is to depart from evil, and he that keepeth his way, preserveth his soul, Prov. 16. 17. I conclude with Psal. 37. 37. Mark the upright man, and behold the just, for the end of that man is peace.

§. 4. II. The true Rules of an Upright life are these that follow.

1. He that will walk uprightly must be absolutely devoted and subjected unto God: He must have a God, and the true God, and but one God; not notionally only, but in sincerity and reality: He must have a God whose word shall be an absolute Law to him: A God that shall command himself, his time, his estate, and all that he hath, or that he can do: A God whose will must be his will, and may do with him what he please; and who is more to him than all the world; whose Love will satisfy him as better than life, and whose approbation is his sufficient encouragement and reward.

2. His Hope must be set upon Heaven as the only felicity of his soul: He must look for his Reward and the End of all his labors and patience in another world; and not with the Hypocrite, dream of a felicity that is made up first of worldly things, and then of Heaven when he can keep the world no longer. He that cannot, that doth not in heart, quit all the world, for a heavenly treasure, and venture his all upon the Promise of better things hereafter, and forsaking all, take Christ and everlasting happiness for his portion, cannot be upright in heart or life.

3. He must have an Infallible Teacher (which is only Christ) and the encouragement of pardoning grace when he faileth, that he sink not by despair: And therefore he must live by faith on a Mediator. And he must have the fixed principle of a Nature renewed by the Spirit of Christ.

4. He that will walk uprightly, must have a certain, just, infallible Rule: and must hold to that, and try all by it: And this is only the Word of God. The teachings of Men must be valued as helps to understand this Word; and the judgments of our Teachers, and those that are wiser than ourselves, must be of great authority with us in subordination to the Scripture. But neither the Learned, nor the Godly, nor the Great, must be our Rule in co-ordination with the Word of God.

5. He that will walk uprightly, must have both a solid and a large understanding, to know things truly as they are, and to see all particulars which must be taken notice of, in all the cases which he must determine, and all the actions which his integrity is concerned in. 1. There is no walking uprightly in the dark. Zeal will cause you to go apace; but not at all to go Right, if Judgment guide it not. Erroneous zeal will make you do evil with double violence, and with blasphemous fathering your sins on God, and with impenitence and justification of your sin. This made Paul mad in persecuting the Church. Prov. 15. 21. Folly is joy to him that is destitute of wisdom; but a man of understanding walketh uprightly. No man can do that well which he understandeth not well. Therefore you must study and take unwearied pains for knowledge: Wisdom never grew up with idleness, though the conceit of wisdom doth nowhere more prosper. This age hath told us to what desperate precipices men will be carried by ignorant zeal. 2. And the understanding must be large, or it cannot be solid: When many particulars are concerned in an action, the over-looking of someone may spoil the work. Narrow minded men are turned as the weather-cock, with the wind of the times, or of every temptation; and they seldom avoid one sin, but by falling into another. It is Prudence that must manage an upright life: And Prudence seeth all that must be seen, and putteth every circumstance into the balance: For want of which, much mischief may be done, while you seem to be doing the greatest good. The prudent man looketh well to his going, Prov. 14. 15 See therefore that ye walk circumspectly (at a hairs breadth) not as fools, but as wise.

6. But because you will object, that, alas, few even of the upright, have wits so strong as to be fit for this, I add, that he that will walk uprightly, must in the great essential parts of Religion have this foresaid knowledge of his own, and in the rest at least he must have the conduct of the wise. And therefore, 1. He must be wise in the great matters of his salvation, though he be weak in other things. 2. And he must labor to be truly acquainted, who are indeed wise men, that are meet to be his guides: And he must have recourse to such in Cases of Conscience, as a sick man to his Physician. It is a great mercy to be so far wise, as to know a wise man from a fool, and a Counselor from a deceiver.

7. He that will walk uprightly must be the master of his passions; not stupid, but calm and sober. Though some passion is needful to excite the understanding to its duty, yet that which is inordinate doth powerfully deceive the mind. Men are very apt to be confident of what they passionately apprehend. And passionate judgments are frequently mistaken, and ever to be suspected: It being exceeding difficult to entertain any passion which shall not in some measure pervert our reason: which is one great reason why the most confident are ordinarily the most erroneous and blind. Be sure therefore when ever you are injured, or passion any way engaged, to set a double guard upon your judgments.

8. He that will walk uprightly, must not only difference between simple Good and Evil, but between a greater Good and a less: For most sin in the world consisteth in preferring a Lesser Good before a Greater. He must still keep the balance in his hand, and compare good with good: Otherwise he will make himself a Religion of sin, and prefer Sacrifice before mercy; and will hinder the Gospel and men's salvation for a ceremony, and violate the bonds of love and faithfulness for every opinion which he calleth Truth: and will tythe Mint and Cumin, while he neglecteth the great things of the Law. When a lesser good is preferred before a greater, it is a sin, and the common way of sinning. It is not then a duty when it is inconsistent with a greater good.

9. He must ever have a conjunct respect to the Command and the End: The good of some actions is but little discernible anywhere, but in the Command; and others are evidently good because of the good they tend to. We must neither do evil and break a Law, that good may come by it; Nor yet pretend obedience to do mischief, as if God had made his Laws for Destruction of the Church or men's souls, and not for Edification.

10. He must keep in Union with the Universal Church, and prefer its interest before the interest of any party whatsoever, and do nothing that tendeth to its hurt.

11. He must love his neighbor as himself, and do as he would be done by, and love his enemies, and forgive wrongs: and hear their defamations as his own.

12. He must be Impartial; and not lose his Judgment and Charity in the opinion or interest of a Party or Sect: Nor think all right that is Held or Done by those that he best liketh; nor all wrong that is held or done by those that are his adversaries. But judge of the Words and Deeds of those that are against him, as if they had been said or done by those of his own side: Else he will live in sl • ndering, backbiting and gross unrighteousness.

13. He must be deliberate in judging of Things and Persons: not rash or hasty in believing reports or receiving opinions: not judging of Truths by the first appearance; but search into the naked evidence: Nor judging of persons by prejudice, fame and common talk.

14. He must be willing to receive and obey the Truth at the dearest rate; especially of laborious study, and a self-denying life: Not taking all to be Truth that costeth men dear, nor yet thinking that Truth indeed can be over-prized.

15. He must be Humble and self-suspicious, and come to Christ's School as a little child; and not have a proud over-valuing of himself and his own understanding. The proud and selfish are blind and cross, and have usually some opinions or interests of their own, that lie cross to duty, and to other men's good.

16. He must have an eye to posterity, and not only to the present time or age: and to other Nations, and not only to the Country where he liveth. Many things seem necessary for some present strait, or work, that we would do (which in the next age may be of mischievous effects:) Especially in Ecclesiastical and Political professions, Covenants and impositions, we must look further than our present needs. And many things seem necessary for a local narrow interest, which those at a distance will otherwise esteem.

17. He that will walk uprightly must be able to bear the displeasure of all the world, when the interest of truth requireth it: yea, to be rejected of learned and good men themselves; and account man's favor no better than it is: Not to despise it as it is a means to any good, but to be quite above it as to his own interest. Not that uprightness doth use to make a man despised by the upright; but that it may bring him under their censure in some particulars, which are not commonly received or understood to be of God.

18. He must make it a great part of the work of his life to kill all those carnal desires, which the sensual make it their work and felicity to please: That Appetite, sense, and lust, and self-will may not be the constant pervert • rs of his life: As a fool in a Dropsy studyeth to please his Thirst, and a wise man to cure it.

19. He must live a life of constant and skillful watchfulness; apprehending himself in continual danger; and knowing his particular Corruptions, Temptations and Remedies. He must have a tender conscience, and keep as far as possible from temptation, and take heed of unnecessary approaches or delightful thoughts of sin. O what strong Resolutions, what sound knowledge, have the near-baits of se • suality (meat, drink, lust and pleasures) overcome? Never think yourselves safe among neartemptations and opportunities of sinning.

20. Live as those that are going to the grave: Dye daily; and look on this world, as if you did look on it out of the world to which you go. Let Faith as constantly behold the world unseen, as your eye seeth this. Death and Eternity make men wise: We easily Confess and Repent of many things when we come to die, which no Counsels or Sermons could make us penitently confess before. Death will answer a thousand objections and temptations, and prove many vanities to be sin, which you thought the Preacher did not prove: Dying men are not drawn to drunkenness, filthiness, or time-wasting sports; nor flattered into folly by sensual baits: Nor do they then fear the face or threats of persecutors. As it is from another world, that we must fetch the Motives, so also the Def • nsative of an Upright life. And O happy are they that faithfully practice these Rules of Uprightness.

THough it be my judgment that much more of the Doctrine of Politicks or Civil Government belongeth to Theology, than those men understand, who make Kings and Laws to be mere human Creatures, yet to deliver my Reader from the fear lest I should meddle with matters that belong not to my Calling, and my Book from that reproach, I shall over-pass all these points, which else I should have treated of, as useful to Practice in Governing and Obeying. 1. Of Man as sociable, and of Communities and Societies, and the Reason of them, of their Original and the Obligation on the members. 2. Of a City, and of Civility. 3. Of a Republic in general: 1. Of its Institution: 2. Of its Constitution; and of its parts: 3. Of its Species: 4. Of the difference between it, 1. And a Community in general: 2. A Family, 3. A Village, 4. A City, 5. A Church, 6. An accidental Meeting. 5. Of its Administration. 6. Of the Relation between God's Government and Mans, and God's Laws and Mans; and of their difference: and between Mans Judging and God's Judging. Nay, I will not only gratify you, by passing over this and much more in the Theory, but also as to the Practical part, I shall pass over, 1. The Directions for Supreme Governors: 2. And for inferior Magistrates towards God, and their Superiors, and the people. 3. And the Determination of the Question, How far Magistrates have to do in matters of Religion? Whether they be Christian or Heathen? 4. How far they should grant or not grant Liberty of Conscience (as it is called) viz. of Judging, Professing and Practising in matters of Religion: with other such matters belonging to Government: And all the Controversies about Titles and Supremacy, Conservations, Forfeitures, Decayes, Dangers, Remedies, and Restorations, which belong either to Politicians, Lawyers or Divines: All these I pretermit, save only that I shall venture to leave a few brief Memorandums with Civil Governors (instead of Directions) for securing the Interest of Christ and the Church and men's salvation: Yet assuring the Reader that I omit none of this out of any contempt of the matter or of Magistracy, or as if I thought them not worthy of all our Prayers and Assistance, or thought their office of small concernment, to the welfare of the world and of the Church; but for those Reasons, which all may know that know me and the Government under which we live, and which I must not tell to others.

CHAP. II. Memorandum's to Civil Rulers for the interest of Christ, the Church, and men's Salvation.

§. 1. Memor. 1. REmember that your power is from God, and therefore for God, and not against God, Rom. 13. 2, 3, 4. You are his Ministers, and can have no power except it be given you from above, Joh. 19. 11. Remember therefore that as Constables are your officers and subjects, so you are the officers and subjects of God, and the Redeemer; and are infinitely more below him, than the lowest subject is below you: And that you owe him more obedience, than can be due to you: And therefore should study his Laws (in Nature and Scripture), and make them your daily meditation and delight. Josh. 1. 3, 4, 5. Psal. 1. 2, 3. Deut. 17. 18, 19, 20. And remember how strict a judgment you must undergo when you must give account of your Stewardship; and the greater have been your dignities and mercies, if they are abused by ungodliness, the greater will be your punishment, Luk. 16. 2. & 12. 48.

§. 2. Memorand. 2. Remember therefore and watch most carefully, that you never own or espouse any Interest which is adverse to the Will or Interest of Christ: and that you never fall out with his interest or his ordinances; and that no temptation ever persuade you that the Interest of Christ and the Gospel and the Church, is an enemy to you, or against your real interest: and that you keep not up suspicions against them: But see that you devote yourselves and your power wholly to his Will and Service, and make all your interest stand in a pure subservience to him, as it stands in a real dependence on him.

§. 3. Memorand. 3. Remember that under God, your End is the public good: Therefore desire nothing to yourselves, nor do nothing to others, which is really against your End.

§. 4. Memorand. 4. Remember therefore that all your Laws are to be but subservient to the Laws of God, to promote the obedience of them with your Subjects, and never to be either contrary to them, nor co-ordinate, or independent on them: But as the By Laws of Corporations are in respect to the Laws and will of the sovereign power; which have all their Life and power therefrom.

§. 5. Memorand. 5. Let none persuade you that you are such terrestrial animals that have nothing to do with the Heavenly concernments of your subjects: For if once men think that the end of your office is only the bodily prosperity of the people, and the End of the Ministry is the good of their souls, it will tempt them to prefer a Minister before you as they prefer their souls before their bodies: And they that are taught to contemn these earthly things, will be ready to think they must contemn your office; seeing no means as such can be better than the end. There is no such thing as a temporal Happiness to any people, but what tendeth to the happiness of their souls; and must be thereby measured, and thence be estimated. Though Ministers are more immediately employed about the soul, yet your office is ultimately for the happiness of souls as well as theirs; though bodily things (rewards or punishments) are the means by which you may promote it, which Ministers as such may not meddle with. Therefore you are custodes utrius{que} tabulae, and must bend the force of all your Government, to the saving of the people's souls. And as to the objection from Heathen Governors, distinguish between the Office, and an Aptitude to exercise it; The Office consisteth, 1. In an Obligation to do the duty, 2. And in Authority to do it: Both these a Heathen Ruler hath (else the omission were a duty and not a sin). But it is the Aptitude to do the duty of his place which a Heathen wanteth: and he wanteth it culpably: and therefore the omission is his sin: Even as it is the sin of an insufficient Minister that he doth not Preach; For the Question is of the like nature, and will have the like solution: Whether an ignorant Minister be bound to Preach, who is unable or Heretical? It is Aptitude that he wanteth, and neither Authority nor Obligation if he be really a Minister: But he is obliged in this Order, first to get Abilities and then to Preach: so is it in the present case.

§. 6. Memorand. 6. Encourage and strengthen a Learned, Holy, self denying, serious, laborious Ministry: as knowing that the same Lord hath commissioned them in the institution of their office, who instituted yours: and that it is such men that are suited to the work for which their office was appointed: And that souls are precious: and those that are the Guides and Physicians of souls, can never be too well furnished, nor too diligent. And the Church hath nowhere prospered on earth, but in the prosperity of the abilities, holiness and diligence of their Pastors: God hath always built by such, and the Devil hath pulled down by pulling down such.

§. 7. Memorand. 7. Remember that the people that are seriously Religious, that Love and Worship and Obey the Lord, with all their heart, are the best of your subjects, and the honor of your Dominions: see therefore that serious Godliness be everywhere encouraged, and that the profane and ignorant rabble be never encouraged in their enmity and opposition to it: And that true Fanaticism, Hypocrisy and Schism be so prudently discountenanced and suppressed, that none may have encouragement to set themselves against Godliness, under the slander or pretension of such names. If Christianity be better than Heathenism, those Christians then are they that must be countenanced, who go further in Holiness and Charity and Justice than Heathens do, rather than those that go no further (besides Opinions and Formalities ) than a Cato a Plato or Socrates have done. If all Religion were a deceit, it were fit to be banished, and Atheism professed, and men confess themselves to be but bruits: But if there be a God, there must be a Religion: And if we must be Religious, we must sure be so in seriousness, and not hypocrisy and jest. It being no such small contemptible matter, to be turned into dissembling complement.

§. 8. Memorand. 8. Endeavor the Unity and Concord of all the Churches and Christians that are under your Government, and that upon the terms which all Christ's Churches have sometime been united in: that is; In the Holy Scriptures implicitly as the General Rule: In the ancient Creeds explicitly as the sum of our Credenda; and in the Lord's Prayer as the summary of our Expetenda, and in the Decalogue as the summary of our Agenda; supposing that we live in peaceable Obedience to our Governors, whose Laws must rule us not only in things Civil, but in the Ordering of those circumstances of Worship and discipline, which God hath left to their determination.

§. 9. Memorand. 9. Let all things in God's Worship be done to Edification, decently and in Order, and the body honor God as well as the soul: But yet see that the Ornaments or garments of Religion, be never used against the substance; but that Holiness, Unity, Charity and Peace, have always the precedency.

§. 10. Memorand. 10. Let the fear of sinning against God, be cherished in all, and let there be a tenderness for such as are over scrupulous and fearful in some smaller things; and let not things be ordered so as shall most tend to the advantage of debauched Consciences, that dare say or do anything for their carnal ends. For they are truest to their Governors that are truest to their God: And when it is the wrath of God and Hell that a man is afraid of, it is pity he should be too eagerly spurred on: The unconscionable sort will be true to their Governors, no longer than it serves their interest: Therefore Conscientiousness should be encouraged.

§. 11. Memorand. 11. If the Clergy or most Religious people offend, let their punishment be such as falleth only on themselves, and reacheth not Christ, nor the Gospel, nor the Church. Punish not Christ for his servants failings, nor the Gospel for them that sin against it; nor the souls of the people for their Pastors faults: But see that the interest of Christ and men's souls be still secured.

§. 12. Memorand. 12. If the dissensions of Lawyers or States-men make factions in the Common-wealth, let not the fault be laid on Religion, though some Divines fall into either faction: When the difference is not in Divinity, but in Law Cases, blame not Religion for that which it hath no hand in: And watch against Satan, who always laboreth to make Civil factions or differences tend, to the dishonor of Religion, and the detriment of the Church and Gospel.

§. 13. Memorand. 13. Take those that are Covetous, ambitious or selfish, and seek for preferment, to be the unfittest to be consulted with in the matters of Religion, and the unfittest to be trusted with the charge of souls: And let the humble, mortified, self-denying men, be taken as fitter Pastors for the Churches.

§. 14. Memorand. 14. Side not with any faction of contentious Pastors, to the oppression of the rest, when the difference is in tolerable things: But rather drive them on to unity upon condescending and forbearing terms: For there will else be no end; but the faction which you side with, will break into more factions, and the Church will receive damage by the loss of the oppressed party; and by the Division much more. What lamentable work the contentions of the Bishops have made in the Churches in all Ages since the primitive times, all History doth too openly declare! And how much a holy prudent peaceable Magistrate can do to keep peace among them, more than will be done if their own impetuosity be left unrestrained, it is easy to observe: Especially if he keep the Sword in his own hand, and trust it not in the hands of Church-men, especially of one faction to the oppression of the rest.

§. 15. Memorand. 15. Believe not the accusations that are brought against the Faithful Ministers of Christ, till they are proved, and judge not them or any of his servants upon the reports of Adversaries, till they have spoken for themselves: For the common corruption of depraved nature doth engage all the ungodly in such an enmity against holiness, that there is little Truth or Righteousness to be expected from wicked and malicious lips, for any holy cause or person. And if such persons find but entertainment and encouragement, their malice will abound, and their calumnies will be impudent: which is the sense of, Prov. 29. 12. If a Ruler hearken to lies, all his servants are wicked. The example of Saul and Doeg is but such, as would be ordinary, if Rulers would but hearken to such calumniators.

§. 16. Memorand. 16. When the case is doubtful about using punishments and severities against the scrupulous in the matters of Religion, remember your General Directions, and see what influence they must have into such particulars; as that the very work and end of your office is, that under your Government the people may live quietly and peaceably in all Godliness and Honesty, 1 Tim. 2. 2. and that Rulers are not a terror to good works but to evil, and for the praise of them that do good; and ministers of God to us for good; and revengers to execute wrath upon them that do evil, Rom. 13. 3, 4. and remember the danger of persecution, as described, Matth. 18. 6, 10, 14. and 1 Thes. 2. 15, 16. and 2 Chron. 36. 14, 15, 16, 17. and that he that doubteth of things indifferent is damned if he do them, because he doth them not of faith, Rom. 14. 23. And remember whom and what it is that God himself forgiveth and forbeareth: And always difference the Infirmities of serious conscionable Christians, from the wickedness of unconscionable and ungodly men. Yet not extenuating the wickedness of any, because of his hypocritical profession of Religion.

§. 17. Memorand. 17. Remember that you must be examples of Holiness to the People: and shun all those sins which you would have them shun, and be eminent in all those virtues which you would commend unto them. This is not only necessary to the happiness of those under you, but also for the saving of yourselves. As Paul saith to Timothy, Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine, continue in them: for in doing this, thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee, 1 Tim. 4. 16. so may I say to Rulers, Take heed to yourselves and unto Government, and continue herein; for in doing this, you will save yourselves and those you govern. They that are good are likest to do good: but the wicked will do wickedly, Dan. 12. 10.

The chief means for Rulers to become thus Holy and exemplary is, 1. To hearken to the doctrine and counsel of the Word of the Lord, and to meditate in it day and night, Josh. 1. 3, 4. Deut. 17. 18, 19, 20. And to have faithful, holy and self-denying Teachers, 2 Chron. 20. 20. 2. To beware of the company and counsels of the wicked. Prov. 25. 4, 5. Take away the wicked from before the King, and his Throne shall be established in Righteousness. 3. To watch most carefully against the special temptations of their great places, especially against sensuality and Pride, and preferring their own Honor, and Interest and Will, before the Honor and Interest and Will of Jesus Christ. Eccles. 10. 16, 17. Woe to thee O Land, when thy King is a Child, and thy Princes eat in the morning: Blessed art thou O Land, when thy King is the Son of Nobles, and thy Princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness. It is an abomination to Kings to commit wickedness: for the Throne is established by Righteousness, Prov. 16. 12. 4. To remember always the End of Holiness. How sure a way it is to Glory hereafter, and to leave a sweet and glorious name and memorial upon earth; when wickedness is the certain way to shame on earth, and misery forever.

§. 18. Memorand. 18. Rulers should not be contented to do good at home, and to be the Joy and blessing of their own subjects, but also set their hearts to the promoting of faith, and holiness, and Concord throughout the Churches of the World; And to improve their interests in Princes and States by amicable correspondencies and treaties to these ends; that they may be blessings to the utmost extent of their capacities. As Constantine interceded with the Persian King to forbear the persecuting of Christians in his Dominion, &c —But I shall presume to speak no farther to my Superiors: In the Golden Age these Memorandum's will be practiced.

I will only annex Erasmus his Image of a Good Prince, and of a Bad, recited by Alstedius Encyclop. l. 23. Polit. c. 3. pag. 173, 174.

CHAP. III. Directions for Subjects concerning their duty to their Rulers.

BEing now to speak of the duties which I must practice, and to those of my own rank, I shall do it with some more freedom, confidence and expectation of regard and practice.

§. 1. Direct. 1. Though I shall pass by most of the theory, and especially of the controversial points in Politicks, and not presume to play the Lawyers part; yet I must advise you to understand so much, of the cause, and nature and end of Government, as is necessary to direct you in your obedience, and to preserve you from all temptations to rebellion. Especially take heed of those mistakes which confound sovereignty and subjection, and which delude▪ the people with a conceit that they are the Original of power, and may entrust it as they please; and call their Rulers to account, and take the forfeiture, and recall their trust, &c. It is not to flatter Kings, but to give God his due, that I shall caution you against these mistakes of Popularity: And first I shall briefly lay down the truth, and then answer some few of the chief objections.

§. 2. Propos. 1. That there be Government in genere, and obedience thereto, is determined even in Nature, by the God of Nature, in making man a sociable creature, and each man insufficient for himself, and in making Republics necess •••• to the welfare and safety of individuals, and Government necessary to these Republics. This therefore is not left to the people's wills. Though some odd cases may be imagined, in which some individual persons, may live out of a Common-wealth, and not b • obliged to live under Civil-Government; yet that exception doth but confirm the general Rule: Even as all men ordinarily are bound to live in Communion with some particular Church, and know their own Pastor, though yet some few may be excepted, as some Ambassadors, Travelers, Seamen, Soldiers, banished men, &c. So here, the obligation to live under Government lieth upon the generality of the World, though some few may be excepted.

§. 3. Prop. 2. Rulers therefore are God's officers, placed under him in his Kingdom, as he is the Universal absolute Sovereign of the World: And they receive their power from God, who is the only Original of Power. Not only their strength from his strength, but their Authority or Governing power, (which is Ius regendi ) from his supreme authority; as Mayors and Bailiffs in Corporations receive their power from the King: Rom. 13. 1, 2, 3. There is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

§. 4. Prop. 3. This Governing power in genere is not an empty name, but in the very institution containeth in it those things Materially which are absolutely necessary to the end of Government.

§. 5. Prop. 4. Yet God hath left that which is commonly called the specification of Government, and some lower parts of the Matter, and Manner of exercise, undetermined, as also the Individual persons or families that shall Rule. In these three therefore it is that Communities interpose. 1. Whether the sovereignty shall be in one or two or ten, or how many, and how divided for their exercise, God hath not determined. 2. Nor hath he determined of every particular, whether the Power shall extend to this or that or the other thing, or not? Nor whether it shall be exercised thus or thus, by standing Courts, or temporary Judges, &c. 3. Nor hath he named the person or family that shall rule.

§. 6. Prop. 5. Though these in the constitution are determined of by explicit or implicit contract or consent between the Ruler and the Community, yet by none of these three can the people be truly and properly said to Give the Ruler his Power of Government. Not by the first or last; for both those do but determine who shall be the Recipient of that power; whether one or more, and who individually. Not the second, for that is but a limiting or bounding or regulating the Governing power, that it be not exercised to their hurt: The bounding and regulating of their power, is not the Giving them power. The People having the strength cannot be ruled against their concordant wills: And therefore if they contract with their Governors, that they will be Ruled thus and thus or not at all, this is not to Give them power. Yet Propriety they have, and there they may be Givers. So that this Bounding or Regulating, and Choosing the form, and Persons, and giving of their propriety, is all that they have to do. And the choosing of the Family or person is not at all a Giving the Power: They are but sine quibus non to that: They do but open the door to let in the Governor: They do but name the family or man to whom God and not they shall Give the power.

As when God hath already determined what authority the Husband shall have over the Wife, the Wife by choosing him to be her Husband giveth him not his power, but only chooseth the man to whom God giveth it by his standing Law: Though about the disposing of her estate, she may limit him by pre-contracts: But if she contract against his Go • ernment, it is acontradiction and null. Nor if he abuse his power, doth it at all fall into her hands.

If the King by Charter give power to a Corporation to choose their Mayor or other Officer, they do but nominate the persons that shall receive it; but it is the Kings Charter, and not they that give him the power.

If a Soldier voluntarily list himself under the Kings General, or other Commanders; he doth but choose the man that shall command him, but it is the Kings Commission that giveth him the power to command those that voluntarily so list themselves. And if the authority be abused or forfeited, it is not into the Soldiers hands, but into the Kings.

§. 7. Prop. 6. The Constituting-Consent or Contract of Ancestors obligeth all their posterity, if they will have any of the protection or other benefit of Government, to stand to the constitution: Else Governments should be so unsettled and mutable as to be uncapable of their proper End.

§. 8. Prop. 7. God hath neither in nature or Scripture, estated this Power of Government, in whole or in part, upon the people of a mere Community, (much less on Subjects) whether Noble or Ignoble, Learned or unlearned, the part of the Community, or the whole body, Real or Representative: The people as such, have not this Power, either to Use or to Give: But the absolute Sovereign of all the world, doth communicate the Sovereign power in every Kingdom or other sort of Common-wealth from himself Immediately: I say, Immediately; not without the Mediation of an Instrument signifying his will: for the Law of Nature and Scripture are his Instrument, and the Charter of Authority: nor yet so Immediately as without any kind of medium; for the Consent and Nomination of the Community before expressed, may be Conditio sine qua non, so far as aforesaid. But it is so Immediately from God, as that there is no immediate Recipient, to receive the power first from God, and convey it to the Sovereign.

§. 9. Prop. 8. The Natural power of individual persons over themselves is tota specie different from this Political or Civil Power. And it is not the Individuals resignation of this Natural power of selfdisposal, unto one or more, which is the efficient Cause of Sovereignty or Civil Power.

§. 10. Prop. 9. If you take the word [ Law ] properly, for the expression of a Rulers Will obliging the Governed, or making their duty; and not improperly for mere Contracts between the Sovereign and the people, then it is clear in the definition itself, that neither Subjects, nor the Community as such have any Legislative power: Neither Nature nor Scripture hath given the people a Power of making Laws, either by themselves, or with the Sovereign: Either the sole power or a part of it: But the very Nature of Government requireth, that the whole Legislative power, that is, the power of making Governing Laws, belong to the summa Majestas or Sovereign alone. (Unless when the summa potestas is in many hands, you compare the partakers among themselves, and call one Party the Sovereign, as having more of the Sovereignty than the rest). For those that are no Governors at all, cannot perform the chief act of Government, which is the making of Governing-Laws: But the people are no Governors at all, either as a Community, or as Subjects: So that you may easily perceive that all the Arguments for a natural Democracy are built upon false suppositions; and where ever the People have any part in the Sovereignty; it is by the after-Constitution and not by Nature; And that Kings receive not their Power from the people's gift, (who never had it themselves to use or give), but from God alone.

§. 11. Prop. 10. Though God have not made an Universal determination for any one sort of Government, against the rest; (whether Monarchy, Aristocracy or Democracy) because that is best for one people which may be worse for others, yet ordinarily Monarchy is accounted better than Aristocracy; and Aristocracy better than Democracy: So much briefly of the Original of Power.

§. 12. Object. 1. But (saith worthy Mr. Richard Hooker) Eccl. Pol. l. 1. §. 10. p. 21. [That which we spake of the power of Government, must here be applied to the power of making Laws, whereby to govern: which power God hath over all; and by the Natural Law whereto he hath made all subject, the lawful power of making Laws to command whole politick societies of men, belongeth so properly to the same entire societies, that for any Prince or Potentate of what kind soever upon earth, to exercise the same of himself, and not either by express Commission immediately and personally received from God, or else by Authority derived at first from their Consent, upon whose persons they impose Laws, it is no better than mere Tyranny. Laws they are not therefore, which public approbation hath not made so.]

Answ. Because the Authority of this famous Divine is with his Party so great, I shall adventure to say something, lest his words do the more harm; but not by confident opposition, but humble proposal and submission of my judgment to superiors and wiser men, as being conscious of my own inferiority and infirmity: I take all this to be an assertion nowhere by him proved: (and by me elsewhere disproved fully). Laws are the Effects and signs of the Rulers Will: and instruments of Government. Legislation is the first part of Government: And if the whole Body are naturally Governors, the Pares imperans and pars subdita are confounded. If the most Absolute Monarch can make no Laws, then disobeying them were no fault. It is enough that their Power be derived from God immediately, though the persons be chosen by men. Their Authority is not derived from the people's consent, but from God, by their consent, as a bare condition sine qua non. What if a Community say all to their elected King, [ We take not ourselves to have any Governing power to give or use, but we only choose you or your family to that Office which God hath instituted, who in that Institution giveth you the power upon our choice ]: Can any man prove, that such a King hath no power, but is a Tyrant? because the people disclaim the Giving of the Power: When indeed they do their duty. Remember that in all this we speak not of the Government of this or that particular Kingdom; but of Kingdoms and other Commonwealths indefinitely.

Object. 2. But, saith he, Lib. 8. p. 192. [Unto me it seemeth almost out of doubt and controversy, that every independent multitude before any certain form of regiment established, hath under God Supreme Authority, full Dominion over itself,—]

Answ. If by Dominion were meant Propriety, every Individual hath it: But for Governing Power, it seemeth as clear to me, that your independent multitude hath no Civil Power of Government at all; but only a Power to choose them Governors: While they have no Governors, they have no Governing Power, for that maketh a Governor.

§. 14. Object. 3. Ibid. [A man who is Lord of himself, may be made another's servant, &c.]

Answ. 1. He may hire out himself to Labor for another; because he hath so far the power of himself, and his Labor is his own, which he may sell for wages: But in a family, that the Master be the Governor to see God's Laws obeyed by his servants, is of Divine appointment, and this Governing power the servant giveth not to his Master, but only maketh himself the object of it. 2. The power that nature giveth a man over himself, is tota specie distinct from Civil Government: (as Dr. Hammond hath well shown against I. G. ) An Individual person hath not that power of his own life as the King hath. He may not put himself to death, for that which the King may put him to death for. 3. If this were true, that every individual, by self-resignation might give a King his power over him; yet a posse ad esse non valet consequentia: And that it is not so is proved, in that God the Universal Sovereign hath prevented them, by determining himself, of his own Officers, and giving them their power in the same Charter by which he enableth the people to choose them. Therefore it is no better reasoning than to say, [If all the persons in London subjected themselves to the Lord Mayor, he would thereby receive his power from them,] when the King hath prevented that already, by giving him the power himself in his Charter; and leaving only the choice of the person to them; and that under the direction of the Rules which he hath given them.

§. 15. Object. 4. But, saith he, pag. 193. l. 8. [In Kingdoms of this quality, ( as this we live in ) the Highest Governor hath indeed universal dominion, but with dependency upon that whole entire body over the several parts whereof he hath dominion: so that it standeth for an axiom in this • ase, The King is major singulis, universis minor. ]

Answ. If you had included Himself, its certain that he cannot be Greater than the whole, because he cannot be greater than himself. But seeing you speak of the whole in contradistinction from him, I answer, That indeed in genere causae finalis the Sovereign is Universis Minor, that is, The whole Kingdom is naturally more worth than One, and their felicity a greater good: or else the bonum publicum, or salus populi could not be the End of Government: But this is nothing to our case: For we are speaking of Governing power as a means to this end: And so in genere causae efficientis the Sovereign (yea, and his lowest Officer) hath more Authority or Ius Regendi than all the people as such; (for they all as such have none at all): Even as the Church is of more worth than the Pastor, and yet the Pastor alone hath more Authority to administer the Sacraments and to Govern the people, than all the flock hath: For they have none either to use or give (what ever some say to the contrary,) but only choose him to whom God will give it.

§. 16. Object. 5. Saith the Reverend Author lib. 8. p. 194. [Neither can any man with reason think, but that the first institution of Kings, (a sufficient consideration wherefore their power should always depend on that from which it did always flow) by original influence of power from the Body into the King, is the cause of Kings dependency in power upon the body: By dependency we mean subordination and subjection.] ☜

Answ. 1. But it their institution in genere was of God, and that give them their power, and it never flowed from the Body at all, then all your superstructure falleth with your ground-work. 2. And here you seem plainly to confound all Kingdoms by turning the pars imperans into the pars subdita, & vice versa: If the King be subject, how are they his subjects? I will not infer what this will lead them to do, when they are taught that Kings are in subordination and subjection to them. Sad experience hath shown us what this very principle would effect.

§. 17. Object. 6. Ibid. [A manifest token of which dependency may be this; as there is no more certain argument, that Lands are held under any as Lord's, than if we see that such lands in defect of heirs fall unto them by Escheat: In like manner it doth follow rightly that seeing Dominion when there is none to inherit it, returneth unto the body, therefore they which before were inheritors of it, did hold it in dependence on the body: So that by comparing the Body with the Head as touching power, it seemeth always to reside in both: fundamentally and radically in one, in the other derivatively: in one the Habit, in the other the Act of Power.]

Answ. Power no more falleth to the multitude by Escheat, than the Power of the Pastor falls to the Church, or the Power of the Physician to the Hospital, or the Power of the Schoolmaster to the Scholars: that is, not at all: When all the Heirs are dead, they are an ungoverned Community, that have power to choose a Governor, but no Power to Govern, neither (as you distinguish it) in Habit nor in act; originally n • r derivatively. As it is with a Corporation when the Mayor is dead, the power falleth not to the people.

Therefore there is no good ground given for your following question, [ May a body politick than at all times withdraw in whole or in part the influence of dominion which passeth from it, if inconveniences do • row thereby? ] Though you answer this question soberly yourself, its easy to see how the multitude may be tempted to answer it on your grounds, especially if they think your inconvenience turn into a necessity, and what use they will make of your next words, [ It must be presumed that Supreme Governors will not in such cases oppose themselves, and be stiff in detaining that, the use whereof is with public detriment. ] A strange presumption.

§. 18. Object. 7. [The Axioms of our Regal Government are these, Lex facit Regem: The Kings grant of any favor made contrary to Law is void; Rex nihil potest nisi quod jure potest. ]

Answ. If Lex be taken improperly for the constituting contract between Prince and people, and if your facit have respect only to the species and person, and not the substance of the Power itself, then I contradict you not. But if Lex be taken properly, for Authoritativa constitutio debiti, or the signification of the Sovereigns will to oblige the Subject, then Lex non facit Regem, sed Rex Legem.

§. 19▪ Object. 8. Lib. 8. p. 210. [When all which the wisdom of all sorts can do is done for the devising of Laws in the Church, it is the general consent of all that giveth them the form and vigor of Laws: without which they could be no more to us than the Councils of Physicians to the sick: Well might they seem is wholesome admonitions and instructions, but Laws could they never be, without consent of the whole Church to be guided by them, whereunto both nature and the practice of the Church of God set down in Scripture, is found every way so fully consonant, that God himself would not impose, no not his own Laws upon his people, by the hand of Moses, without their free and open consent.] ☜

Answ. 1. Wisdom doth but prepare Laws, and Governing power enacteth them, and giveth them their form. But the whole Body hath no such Governing power, Therefore they give them not their form. 2. The people's consent to God's Laws gave them not their form or authority: This opinion I have elsewhere confuted, against a more erroneous Author. Their consent to God's Laws was required indeed, as naturally necessary to their obedience, but not as necessary to the Being or Obligation of the Law. Can you think that it had been no sin in them to have disobeyed God's Laws, unless they had first consented to them? Then all the world might escape sin and damnation by denying consent to the Laws of God. 3. This doctrine will teach men that we have no Church-Laws: For the whole Church never signified their consent. Millions of the poorer sort have no voices in choosing Parliament men or Convocations: And this will teach the minor dissenting part, to think themselves disobliged for want of consenting: and will give every dissenting part or person a Negative voice to all Church Laws. 4. A single Bishop hath a Governing power over his particular Church, and they are bound to obey him: Heb. 13. 7. 17. And if the governing power of one Pastor be not suspended for want of the consent of any or all the people, then much less, the Governing Power of King and Parliament.

§. 20. Object. 9. Lib. 8. p. 220. [It is a thing even undoubtedly natural that all free and independent societies should themselves make their own Laws; and that this power should belong to the whole, not to any certain part of a politick body—]

Answ. This is oft affirmed, but no proof at all of it: In many Nations the Representatives of the whole Body have the Legislative power, or part of it. But that is from the special constitution of that particular Common-wealth, and not from Nature, nor common to all Nations. All that naturally belongeth to the people as such, was but to choose their Law-makers, and secure their liberties, and not to make Laws themselves by themselves, or mere representers.

§. 21. Object. 10. Lib. 8. p. 221. [For of this thing no man doubteth, namely, that in all societies, Companies and Corporations, what severally each shall be bound unto, it must be with all their assents ratified: Against all equity it were that a man should suffer detriment at the hands of men for not observing that which he never did either by himself or by others, mediately or immediately agree to.—]

Answ. I am one that more than doubt of that which you say no man doubteth of. Do you not so much as except God's Laws, and all those that only do enforce them, or drive men to obey them? As men are obliged to obey God, whether they consent or not; so are they to obey the Laws of their Sovereigns, though they never consented to them, no nor to their Sovereignty, as long as they are members of that Common-wealth, to the Government whereof the Sovereign is lawfully called: Millions of dissenters may be bound to obey, till they quit the Society.

§. 22. Object. 11. Lib. 8. p. 205. [If Magistrates be Heads of the Church, they are of Necessity Christians.]

Answ. That can never be proved. A Constitutive Head indeed must be a Christian and more, even a Pastor to a particular Church, and Christ to the universal. This Headship our Kings disclaim: But a Head of the Church, that is, Over the Church, or a Coercive Governor of it, the King would be if he were no Christian. As one that is no Physician may be Head over all the Physicians in his Kingdom; or though he be no Philosopher, or Artist, he may be Head over all the Philosophers and Artists; and in all their Causes have the Supreme Coercive power; so would the King over all Protestants if he were no Protestant, and over all Christians if he were no Christian? But you think that he that is no member of the Church cannot be the Head of it: I answer, Not a Constitutive Essential Head as the Pastor is: But he may be the Head over it, and have all the coercive power over it. What if the King be not a member of many Corporations in his Kingdom? Yet as he is Head of the Kingdom, he is Head of or over them as they are parts of it.

§. 23▪ Object. 12. Lib. 8. p. 218, 223, 224. [What power the King hath, he hath it by Law: the bounds and limits of it are known; the entire community giveth order, &c. p. 223. As for them that exercise power altogether against order, although the kind of power which they have may be of God, yet is their exercise thereof against God, and therefore not of God, otherwise than by permission, as all injustice is. Pag. 224. 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.]

Answ. It is true that no man can exercise more power than he hath: The power that we speak of being 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Ius regendi, it is impossible to use more Authority than they have; though they may command beyond and without authority. And it is true, that where a man hath no authority or right to command, he cannot directly bind to obedience. But yet a Ruler may exercise more power than Man ever gave him, and oblige men to obedience thereby. God giveth them Power to Govern for his Glory, according to his Laws, and to promote Obedience to those Laws of God (in Nature and Scripture) by subordinate Laws of their own. And all this the Sovereign may do, if the people at the choice of him or his family, should only say, We take you for our Sovereign Ruler: For then he may do all that true Reason or Scripture make the work of a Sovereign Ruler; even Govern the people by all such just means, as tend to the public good and their everlasting happiness: And yet that people that should do no more but choose persons or families to Govern them, and set them no bounds, doth Give no Power to those they choose, but determine of the persons that shall have power from God. Yet it is granted you, that if the person or family chosen contract with them to Govern only with such and such limitations, they have bound themselves by their own contract; and thus both specifications of Government and Degrees of power come in by men: But always distinguish, 1. Between the people's Giving away their Propriety (in their Goods, Labors, &c. ) (which they may do) and giving Authority, or Governing power (which they have not to give.) 2. Between their Naming the persons that shall receive it from the Universal King, and Giving it themselves. 3. Between bounding and limiting Power, and Giving Power. 4. And between a Sovereigns binding himself by contract, and being bound by the Authority of others. If they be limited by contracts, which are commonly called the Constitutive or fundamental Laws, it is their own consent and contract that effectively obligeth and limiteth them; of which indeed the Peoples will may be the Occasion, when they resolve that they will be governed on no other terms: But if the contract limit them not, but they be chosen simply to be the summae Potestates, without naming any particular powers either by concession or restraint, than as to Ruling they are Absolute as to men, and limited only by God, from whose highest Power they can never be exempt, who in Nature and Scripture restraineth them from all that is impious and unjust, against his Laws and honor, or against the public happiness and safety. And here also remember, that if any shall imagine that God restraineth a Magistrate when it is not so, and that the commands of their Governors are contrary to the Word of God, when it is no such matter, their error will not justify their disobedience.

Though I have answered these Passages of this Reverend Author, it is not to draw any to undervalue his learned Writings, but to set right the Reader in the Principles of his Obedience, on which the Practice doth so much depend.

And I confess, that other Authors of Politicks, say as much as Mr. Hooker saith, both Papists and Protestants; but not all, nor I think the soundest: I will instance now in Alstedius only (an excellent person, but in this mistaken) who saith, Encyclop. l. 23. Polit. c. 3. p. 178. [ Populus Universus dignior & potior est tum magistratu tum Ephoris—Hinc recte docent Doct. Politici, populum obtinere regnum & jura Majestatis proprietate & dominio: Principem & Ephoros Usu & administratione: (whereas the people have not the Regnum vel jura Majestatis any way at all)— Si administratores efficium suum facere nolint, si impia & iniqua mandent, si contra dilectionem Dei & proximi agant, populus propriae salutis curam arripiet, imperium male utentibus abrogabit, & in locum eorum alios substituet.—Porro Ephori validiora ipso Rege imperia obtinent: Principem enim constit •• nt & deponunt: id quod amplissimum est praeeminentiae argumentum. Atque haec prerogativa mutuis pactis stabilitur.—Interin • princeps summam potestatem obtinere dicitur, quatenus Ephori administrationem imperii, & cumulum potestatis ipsi committunt. Denique optimatum universorum potestas non est infinita & absoluta, sed certis veluti rhetris & clathris definita, utpote non ad propriam libidinem, sed ad utilitatem & salutem populi alligata. Hinc illorum munia sunt Regem designare, constituere, inaugurare, constitutum consiliis & auxiliis juvare; sine consensu & approbatione Principis, quamdiu ill suum officium facit, nihil in Reipublicae negotiis suscipere: Nonn •• quam conventum inscio Principe agere, necessitate reipublicae exigente—Populum contra omnis generis turbatores & violatores defendere —] I suppose Mr. Hookers Principles, and Alstedius 's were much the same. I will not venture to recite the Conclusion cap. 12. pag. 199. R. 5. de resistendo Tyranno.

Many other Authors go the same way, and say that the people have the Majestas Realis (both Papists, and Protestants, and Heathens) But I suppose that what I have said against Hooker will serve to show the weakness of their grounds: Though it is none of my purpose to contradict either Hooker or any other, so far as they open the odiousness of the sin of Tyranny (which at this day keepeth out the Gospel from the far greatest part of the world, and is the greatest enemy to the Kingdom of Christ); nor yet as they plead for the just Liberties of the People: But I am not for their Authority.

§. 24. Direct. 2. Begin with an Absolute Universal resolved Obedience to God, your Creator and Redeemer, who is your Sovereign King, and will be your final righteous Judge. As he that is no loyal Subject to the King, can never well obey his Officers: so he that subjecteth not his soul, to the Original Power of his Creator, can never well obey the Derivative Power of earthly Governors.

Object. But, you may say, experience teacheth us, that many ungodly people are obedient to their superiors as well as others. I answer, Materially they are, but not Formally and from a right principle, and to right ends: As a Rebel against the King, may obey a Justice of Peace for his own Ends, as long as he will let him alone, or take his part. But not formally as he is the Kings Officer. So ungodly men may flatter Princes and Magistrates for their own ends, or on some low and by account, but not sincerely as the Officers of God. He is not like to be truly obedient to man, that is so foollish, dishonest and impious as to rebel against his Maker: nor to obey that authority which he first denieth, in its Original and first efficient cause. What ever Satan and his servants may say, and however some hypocrites may contradict in their practices the Religion which they profess, yet nothing is more certain, than that the most serious godly Christians, are the best subjects upon earth, As their principles themselves will easily demonstrate.

§. 25. Direct. 3. Having begun with God, obey your Governors as the Officers of God, with an obedience ultimately Divine. All things must be done in Holiness by the Holy. That is, God must be discerned, obeyed and intended in all: And therefore in Magistrates in a special manner. In two respects Magistrates are obeyed or rather flattered by the ungodly: First as they are men that are able to do them corporal good or hurt: As a Horse, or Dog, or other Bruit will follow you for his belly, and loveth to be where he fareth best: Secondly, As the Head of his Party, and encourager of him in his evil way, when he meets with Rulers that will be so bad. Wicked men Love wicked Magistrates for being the servants of Satan: But faithful men must Honor and Obey a Magistrate, as an Officer of God: Even a Magistrate as a Magistrate, and not only as Holy, is an Officer of the Lord of all. Therefore the fifth Commandment is as the hinge of the two Tables: Many of the Ancients thought that it was the last Commandment of the first Table, and the Moderns think it is the first Comandment of the last Table: For it commandeth our duty to the noblest sort of men; but not merely as men, but as the Officers of God. They debase Magistrates, that look at them merely as those that master other men, as the strongest Beast doth by the weaker; Nothing will make you sincere and constant in your honoring and obeying them, but taking them as the Officers of God, and remembering by whose commission they rule, and whose work they do: that They are Ministers of God to us for good, Rom. 13. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. If you do not this, 1. You wrong God, whose servants they are: For he that despiseth, despiseth not man but God. 2. You wrong the Magistrate, as much as you should do an Ambassador, if you took him to be the messenger of some Jack Straw, or some fellow that signifieth no more than his personal worth importeth. 3. And you wrong yourselves: For while you neglect the Interest and authority of God in your Rulers, you forfeit the acceptance, protection and reward of God. Subjects as well as servants must learn that great lesson; Col. 3. 23. 24, 25. And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily as to the Lord, and not unto men: knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance, for ye serve the Lord Christ: But he that doth wrong shall receive for the wrong that he hath done, and there is no respect of persons. So Eph. 6. 5, 6, 7, 8. Magistrates are as truly God's Officers as Preachers: And therefore as he that heareth Preachers heareth him, so he that obeyeth Rulers obeyeth him: The exceptions are but the like in both cases: It is not everything that we must receive from Preachers; nor every thing that we must do at the command of Rulers: But both in their proper place and work, must be regarded as the officers of God; and not as men that have no higher Authority than their own to bear them out.

§. 26. Direct. 4. Let no vices of the person cause you to forget the dignity of his office: The authority of a sinful Ruler is of God, and must accordingly be obeyed: Of this read Bishop Bilson at large in his excellent Treatise of Christian Subjection; against the Papists that excommunicate and depose Princes whom they account Heretics, or favorers of them. Those sins which will damn a man's soul and deprive him of Heaven, will not deprive him of his Kingdom, nor disoblige the subjects from their obedience. An Infidel, or an ungodly Christian (that is, an Hypocrite) is capable of being a Prince, as well as of being a Parent, Husband, Master: And the Apostle hath taught all as well as servants, their duty to such, 1 Pet. 2. 18, 19, 20, 21. Servants, be subject to your Masters with all fear: and not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward: For this is thank-worthy if a man for conscience toward God, endure grief, suffering wrongfully? For what glory is it if when you are buffeted for your faults you take it patiently? but if when ye do well and suffer for it ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God: For even hereunto were ye called. Though it be a rare mercy to have Godly Rulers, and a great judgment to have ungodly ones, it is such as must be born.

§. 27. Direct. 5. Do not either divulge or aggravate the vices of your Governors to their dishonor. For their Honor is necessary to the public good. If they have not care of their own honor, yet their subjects must have a care of it. If once they be dishonored, they will the more easily be contemned, hated and disobeyed. Therefore the dishonoring of the Rulers tendeth to the dissolution of the Government, and ruin of the Common-wealth. Only in two cases did the ancient Christians aggravate the wickedness of their Governors. 1. In case they were such cruel monsters as Nero, who lived to the misery of mankind: 2. In case they were not only open enemies of the Church of Christ, but their Honor stood in competition with the Honor of Christianity, piety and honesty, as in Julian's case: I confess against Nero and Julian both living and dead (and many like them,) the tongues and pens of wise and sober persons have been very free: But the fifth Commandment is not to be forgotten, Honor thy Father and Mother. And 1 Pet. 2. 17. Fear God: Honor the King: Though you must not call evil good, yet you may conceal and hide evil: Cham was cursed for opening his fathers nakedness. Though you must flatter none in their fins, nor hinder their Repentance, but further it by all righteous means, yet must you speak Honourably of your Rulers, and endeavor to breed an Honorable esteem of them in the people's minds; and not as some, that think they do well if they can secretly make their Rulers seem odious, by opening and aggravating their faults.

§. 28. Direct. 6. Subdue your passions, that no injuries which you may suffer by them, may disturb your reason, and make you dishonor them by way of revenge. If you may not revenge yourselves on private men, much less on Magistrates: And the Tongue may be an unjust revenger, as well as the hand. Passion will provoke you to be telling all men, [Thus and thus I was used], and to persuade you that it is no sin to tell the truth of what you suffered: But remember that the public good and the honor of God's officers are of greater value, than the righting of a particular person that is injured. Many a discontented person hath set Kingdoms on fire, by divulging the faults of Governors for the righting of themselves.

Obj. But shall cruel and unrighteous or persecuting men do mischief and not hear of it, nor be humbled for it?

Answ. 1. Preachers of the Gospel, and others that have opportunity, may privately tell them of it, to bring them to repentance (if they will endure it,) without dishonoring them by making it public. 2. Historians will tell posterity of it, to their perpetual infamy, (if repentance and well-doing recover not their honor.) Flatterers abuse the living, but Truth will dishonor their wickedness when they are dead: For it is God's own decree, that the memory of the just is blessed, but the name of the wicked shall rot, Prov. 10. 7. 3. And God himself will fully be avenged upon the impenitent forever, having told you that it were better for him that offendeth one of his little ones, that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the Sea. And is not all this enough, without the revenge of your passionate tongues? To speak evil of dignities, and despise dominion, and bring railing accusations, are the sins of the old licentious Heretics. Christ left us his example not to revile the meanest when we are reviled, 1 Pet. 2. 23. If you believe that God will justify the innocent, and avenge them speedily, Luk. 18. 7, 8. what need you be so forward to justify and avenge yourselves?

Obj. If God will have their names to rot, and spoken evil of when they are dead, why may I not do it while they are alive?

Answ. There is a great deal of difference between a true Historian, and a selfavenger in the reason of the thing; and in the effects: To dishonor bad Rulers while they live, doth tend to excite the people to rebellion, and to disable them to govern: But for Truth to be spoken of them when they are dead, doth only lay an odium upon the sin, and is a warning to others that they follow them not in evil: And this no wicked Prince was ever so Great and powerful as to prevent: For it is a part of God's resolved judgment. Yet must Historians so open the faults of the person, as not to bring the office into contempt, but preserve the reverence due to the authority and place of Governors.

§ 29. Direct. 7. By all means overcome a selfish mind, and get such a Holy and a public spirit, as more regardeth God's honor and the public interest than your own. It is SELFISHNESS that is the great Rebel and Enemy of God and of the King and of our Neighbor. A selfish private spirit careth not what the Common-wealth suffereth if he himself may be a gainer by it. To revenge himself, or to rise up to some higher place, or increase his riches, he will betray and ruin his King, his Country, and his nearest friends. A selfish, ambitious, covetous man, is faithful to no man, longer than he serveth his ends; nor is he any further to be trusted, than his own interest will allow. Self-denial, and a public spirit, are necessary to every faithful subject.

§. 30. Direct. 8. Wish not evil to your Governors in your secret thoughts: but if any such thought would enter into your hearts, reject it with abhorrence. Eccles. 10. 20. Curse not the King, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bed-chamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter. A feverish misguided Zeal for Religion, and a passionate discontent for personal injuries, do make many greatly guilty in this point; They would be much pleased if God would show some grievous judgment upon persecutors; and take no warning by Christ's rebukes of James and John, but secretly are wishing for fire from Heaven, not knowing what manner of spirit they are of. They cherish such thoughts as are pleasing to them, though they dare not utter them in words. And he that dare wish hurt, is in danger of being drawn by temptation to do hurt.

Obj. But may we not pray for the cutting off of persecutors? And may we not give God thanks for it if he do it himself, without any sinful means of ours?

Answ. Every Ruler that casteth down one sect or party of Christians, and setteth up another (perhaps as true to the interest of Christianity as they) is not to be prayed against and his destruction wished by the suffering party. 2. If he be a persecutor of Christianity and Piety itself, as Heathens, and Infidels are, yet if his Government do more good, than his persecution doth harm, you may not so much as wish his downfall. 3. If he were a Nero or a Julian, you must pray first for his conversion, and if that may not be, then next for his restraint, and never for his destruction but on supposition that neither of the former may be attained (which you cannot say). 4. You must pray for the deliverance of the persecuted Church, and leave the way and means to God, and not prescribe to him: Hurtful desires and prayers are seldom of God. 5. You may freelyer rejoice afterwards, than desire it before: because when a Julian is cut off, you know that God's righteous will is accomplished; when before you knew not that it was his will: Yet after, it is the deliverance of the Church, and not the hurt of a persecutor as such, that you must give thanks for: Be very suspicious here lest partiality and passion blind you.

§. 31. Direct. 9. Learn how to suffer; and know what use God can make of your sufferings, and think not better of prosperity and worse of suffering than you have cause. It is a carnal unbelieving heart, that maketh so great a matter of poverty, imprisonment, banishment or death, as if they were undone if they suffer for Christ, or be sent to Heaven before the time: As if Kingdoms must be disturbed to save you from suffering: This better beseems an infidel and a worldling, that takes his earthly prosperity for his portion, and thinks he hath no other to win or lose. Do you not know what the Church hath gained by suffering? How pure it hath been when the fire of persecution hath refined it? and how prosperity hath been the very that that hath polluted it, and shattered it all to pieces; by letting in all the ungodly world into the visible Communion of the Saints, and by setting the Bishops on contending for superiority, and overtopping Emperors and Kings? Many thousands that would be excellent persons in adversity, cannot bear a high or prosperous state, but their brains are turned, and pride and contention maketh them the scorn of the adversaries that observe them.

§. 32. Direct. 10. Trust God, and live by faith: and then you will find no need of rebellions or any sinful means. Do you believe that both the Hearts and Lives of Kings, and all their affairs, are in the hand of God? If not, you are Atheists. If you do, then do you not think that God is fitter than you to dispose of them. He that believeth will not make haste? Deliverance from persecutions must be prayed and waited for, and not snatched by violence, as a hungry dog will snatch the meat out of his masters hands, and bite his fingers! Do you believe that all shall work together for good to them that Love God? Rom. 8. 28. And do you believe that the godly are more than Conquerors, when they are killed all day, and counted as sheep unto the slaughter? v. 32, 33, 34, 35. And do you believe that it is cause of exceeding joy, when for the sake of righteousness you are hated and persecuted, and all manner of evil is falsely spoken of you? Matth. 5. 10, 11, 12. If you do not, you believe not Christ: If you do, will you strive by sinful means against your own good, and happiness and joy. Will you desire to conquer when you may be more than Conquerors? Certainly the use of sinful means, doth come from secret unbelief and diffidence? Learn to Trust God, and you will easily be subject to your Governors.

§. 34. Direct. 11. Look not for too great matters in the world: Take it but for that Wilderness which is the way to the promised land of rest: And then you will not count it strange, to meet with hard usage and sufferings from almost all. 1 Pet. 4. 12, 13. Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial, which is to try you, as if some strange thing happened to you: but rejoice in that ye are partakers of the sufferings of Christ. Are you content with God and Heaven for your portion? If not, how are you Christians: If you are, you have small temptation to rebel or use unlawful means for earthly privileges. Paul saith, he took pleasure in persecutions, 2 Cor. 12. 10. Learn you to do so, and you will easily bear them.

§. 35. Direct. 12. Abhor the popular spirit of envy, which maketh the poor for the most part think odiously of the Rich and their superiors; because they have that which they had rather have themselves. I have long observed it, that the poor laboring people, are very apt to speak of the Rich, as sober men speak of drunkards; As if their very estates and dignity and greatness were a vice. And it is very much to flatter their own Conscience, and delude themselves with ungrounded hopes of Heaven. When they have not the spirit of Regeneration and holiness, to witness their title to eternal life, they think their Poverty will serve the turn: And they will ordinarily say, that they hope God will not punish them in another world, because they have had their part in this: But they will easily believe that almost all Rich and Great men go to Hell? And when they read Luke 16. of the Rich man and Lazarus, they think they are the Lazarus'es, and read it as if God would save men merely for being poor, and damn men for being Great and Rich: when yet they would themselves be as Rich and Great, if they knew how to attain it. They think that they are the maintainers of the Common-wealth, and the Rich are the Caterpillars of it, that live upon their labors, like drones in the hive, or mice and vermin that eat the honey, which the poor laboring Bees have long been gathering. For they are unacquainted with the Labors and cares of their Governors, and sensible only of their own. This envyous spirit exceedingly disposeth the poor to discontents, and tumults and rebellions: but it is not of God, I am. 3. 15, 16, 17.

§. 36. Direct. 13. Keep not company with envious murmurers at Government: for their words fret like a canker, and their sin is of an infecting kind. What a multitude were drawn into the Rebellion of Corah, who no doubt were provoked by the leaders discontented words: It seemeth they were for Popularity, Numb. 16. 3, 13, 14. Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the Congregation are holy, everyone of them, and the Lord is among them: wherefore then lift you up yourselves above the Congregation of the Lord—Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the Wilderness; except thou make thyself altogether a Prince over us?—Wilt thou put out the eyes of these men? What confidence, and what fair pretenses are here? so probable and plausible to the people that it is no wonder that multitudes were carried to rebellion by it? Though God disowned them by a dreadful judgment, and shown whom he had chosen to be the Governors of his people.

§. 37. Direct. 14. Keep humble, and take heed of Pride: The humble is ready to obey and yield, and not only to be subject to Magistrates, but to all men, even voluntarily to be subject to them that cannot constrain them. 1 Pet. 5. 5. Be all of you subject one to another. It is no hard matter for a twig to bow, and for a humble soul to yield and obey another, in anything that is lawful. But the Proud take subjection for vassalage, and obedience for slavery, and say, Who is Lord over us: Our tongues are our own; what Lord shall control us? will we be made slaves to such and such! Only from Pride cometh contention, Prov. 13. 10. By causing impatience, it causeth disobedience and sedition.

§. 38. Direct. 15. Meddle not uncalled with the matters of superiors, and take not upon you to censure their actions, whom you have neither ability fitness or authority to censure. How commonly will every tradesman and laborer at his work, be censuring the Counsels and Government of the King? and speaking of things, which they never had means sufficiently to understand. Unless you had been upon the place, and heard all the debates and consultations, and understood all the circumstances and reasons of the business, how can you imagine that at so great a distance you are competent judges! Fear God, and judge not that you be not judged. If busy-bodies and medlers with other men's matters among equals are condemned, 2 Thes. 3. 11. 1 Tim. 5. 13. 1 Pet. 4. 15. much more when they meddle, and that censoriously with the matters of their Governors. If you would please God, know and keep your places, as Soldiers in an Army, which is their comely order and their strength.

§. 39. Direct. 16. Consider the great temptations of the Rich and great; and pity them that stand in so dangerous a station, instead of murmuring at them or envying their greatness. You little know what you should be yourselves, if you were in their places, and the world and the flesh had so great a stroke at you, as they have at them. He that can swim in a calmer water, may be carried down a violent stream. It is harder for that bird to fly that hath many pound weights tied to keep her down, than that which hath but a straw to carry to her nest. It is harder mounting Heavenwards with Lordships and Kingdoms, than with your less impediments. Why do you not pity them that stand on the top of barren mountains, in the stroke of every storm and wind, when you dwell in the quiet fruitful vales? Do you envy them that must go to Heaven as a Camel through a needles eye, if ever they come there? And are you discontented that you are not in their con •• tion? will you rebel and fight to make your salvation as difficult as theirs? Are you so unthankful to God for your safer station, that you murmur at it, and long to be in the more dangerous place?

§. 40. Direct. 17. Pray constantly and heartily for the spiritual and corporal welfare of your Governors: And you have reason to believe, that God who hath commanded you to put up such prayers, will not suffer them to be wholly lost, but will answer them some way to the benefit of them that perform the duty; 1 Tim. 2. 1, 2, 3. And the very performance of it will do us much good of itself: For it will keep the heart well disposed to our Governors, and keep out all sinful desires of their hurt; or control them and cast them out if they come in: Prayer is the exercise of Love and good desires: And exercise increaseth and confirmeth habits. If any ill wishes against your Governors should st • all into your minds, the next time you pray for them, conscience will accuse you of hypocrisy, and either the sinful desires will corrupt or end your Prayers, or else your prayers will cast out those ill desires. Certainly the faithful fervent prayers of the Righteous, do prevail much with God: And things would go better than they do in the world, if we prayed for Rulers as heartily as we ought.

§. 41. Obj. For all the prayers of the Church five parts of six of the World are yet Idolaters, Heathens, Infidels and Mohammedans: And for all the prayers of the Reformed Churches, most of the Christian part of the world, are drowned in Popery or gross ignorance and superstition, and the poor Greek Churches have Mahometane or tyrannical Governors, and carnal proud usurping Prelates domineer over the Roman Church, and there are but three Protestant Kings on the whole earth! And among the Israelites themselves, who had Priests and Prophets to pray for their Princes, a good King was so rare, that when you have named five or six over Judah, (and never a one after the division over Israel ) you scarce know where to find the rest. What good then do your Prayers for Kings and Magistrates?

Answ. 1. As I said before, they keep the hearts of subjects in an obedient holy frame. 2. Were it not for prayers, those few good ones would be fewer, or worse than they are: and the bad ones might be worse, or at least do more hurt to the Church than they now do. 3. It is not to be expected that all should be granted in kind, that believers pray for: For then not only Kings, but all the world, should be converted and saved: For we should pray for everyone: But God who knoweth best how to distribute his mercies, and to honor himself and refine his Church by the malice and persecution of his enemies, will make his people's prayers a means, of that measure of good which he will do for Rulers, and by them in the world: And that's enough to encourage us to pray. 4. And indeed if when Proud ungodly worldlings, have sold their souls by wicked means to climb up into places of power and command, and domineer over others, the Prayers of the faithful should presently convert and save them all, because they are Governors, this would seem to charge God with respect of persons, and defect of Justice, and would drown the world in wickedness, treasons, bloodshed and confusion; by encouraging men by flatteries or treacheries or murders, to usurp such places, in which they may both gratify their lusts, and after save their souls, while the godly are obliged to pray them into Heaven. It is no such hearing of prayers for Governors which God hath promised. 5. And yet, I must observe, that most Christians are so cold and formal in their Prayers, for the Rulers, of the world and of the Church, that we have great reason to impute the unhappiness of Governors very much to their neglect: Almost all men are taken up so much with their own concernments, that they put off the public concernments of the world, and of the Church and State with a few customary heartless words; and understand not the meaning of the three first Petitions of the Lord's Prayer, and the Reason of their precedency, or put them not up with that feeling as they do the other three. If we could once observe that the generality of Christians were more earnest and importunate with God, for the Hallowing of his name through all the world, and the coming of his Kingdom, and the obeying of his will in Earth as it is in Heaven, and the Conversion of the Kings and Kingdoms of the world, than for any of their personal concernments, I should take it for a better prognostic of the happiness of Kings and Kingdoms, than any that hath yet appeared in our days: And those that are taken up with the expectations of Christ's visible reign on earth, would find it a more lawful and comfortable way, to promote his Government thus by his own appointed, officers, than to rebel against Kings and seek to pull them down, on pretence of setting up him that hath appointed them, whose Kingdom (personal) is not of this world.

§. 42. Direct. 18. When you are tempted to dishonorable thoughts of your Governors, look over the face of all the earth, and compare your case with the nations of the world; and then your murmurings may be turned into thankfulness for so great a mercy. What cause hath God to difference us from other nations, and give us anymore than an equal proportion of mercy with the rest of the world. Have we deserved to have a Christian King, when five parts of the world have Rulers that are Heathens and Mohammedans? Have we deserved to have a Protestant King, when all the world hath but two more? How happy were the world if it were so with all nations as it is with us? Remember how unthankfulness forfeiteth our happiness.

§. 43. Direct. 19. Consider as well the Benefits which you receive by Governors, as the sufferings which you undergo: And especially consider of the common benefits, and value them above your own. He that knoweth what man is, and what the world is, and what the Temptations▪ of Great men are, and what he himself deserveth, and what need the best have of affliction, and what good they may get by the right improvement of it, will never wonder nor grudge, to have his earthly mercies mixed with crosses, and to find some salt or sowreness in the sauce, of his pleasant dishes. For the most luscious is not of best concoction. And he that will more observe his few afflictions than his many benefits, hath much more selfish tenderness of the flesh, than ingenuous thankfulness to his benefactor. It is for your good that Rulers are the Ministers of God, Rom. 13. 3, 4, 5. Perhaps you will think it strange that I say to you (what I have oft said), that I think there are not very many Rulers, no not Tyrants and persecutors so bad, but that the Godly that live under them do receive from their Government more good than hurt: and (though it must be confessed that better Governors would do better, yet) almost the worst are better than none. And none are more beholden to God for Magistrates than the Godly are, however none suffer so much by them in most places of the world. My reason is, 1. Because the multitude of the needy, and the dissolute Prodigals, if they were all ungoverned, would tear out the throats of the more wealthy and industrious, and as Robbers use men in their houses and on the high way, so would such persons use all about them, and turn all into a constant war: And hereby all honest industry would be overthrown, while the fruit of men's labors were all at the mercy of everyone that is stronger than the owner; and a robber can take away all a night, which you have been laboring for many years, or may set all on fire over your heads: And more persons would be killed in these wars by those that sought their goods, than Tyrants and persecutors use to kill (unless they be of the most cruel sort of all.) 2. And it is plain that in most Countries the universal enmity of corrupted nature to serious Godliness, would inflame the rabble if they were but ungoverned, to commit more murders and cruelties upon the Godly, than most of the persecutors in the world have committed. Yet I deny not, that in most places there are a sober sort of men of the middle rank, that will hear reason, and are more equal to Religion than the Highest or the Lowest usually are. But suppose these sober men were the more numerous, yet is the vulgar rabble the more violent, and if Rulers restrained them not, would leave few of the faithful alive on earth. As many volumes as are written of the Martyrs, who have suffered by persecutors, I think they saved the lives of many more than they murdered. Though this is no thanks to them, it is a mercy to others: As many as Queen Mary Martyred, they had been far more if She had but turned the rabble loose upon them, and never meddled with them by Authority. I do not think Nero or Dioclesian Martyred near so many, as the people turned loose upon them would have done. Much more was Julian a protector of the Church from the popular rage, though in comparison of a Constantine, or Theodosius he was a plague. If you will but consider thus the benefits of your common protection, your thankfulness for Rulers would overcome your murmurings. In some places and at sometimes perhaps the people would favor the Gospel, and flock after Christ if Rulers hindered them not: But that would not be the ordinary case; and their inconstancy is so great, that what they built up one day in their zeal, the next day they would pull down in fury.

§. 44. Direct. 20. Think not that any change of the form of Government, would cure that which is caused by the people's sin, or the common pravity of human nature. Some think they can contrive such forms of Government, as that Rulers shall be able to do no hurt: But either they will disable them to do good, or else their engine is but glass, and will fail or break when it comes to execution. Men that are themselves so bad and unhumbled, as not to know how bad they are, and how bad mankind is, are still laying the blame upon the form of Government, when anything is amiss, and think by a change to find a cure. As if when an Army is infected with the Plague, or composed of Cowards, the change of the General or form of Government, would prove a cure. But if a Monarch be faulty, in an Aristocracy you will but have many faulty Governors for one: and in a Democracy a multitude of Tyrants.

§. 45. Direct. 21. Set yourselves much more to study your Duty to your Governors, than the duty of your Governors to you: as knowing that both your temporal and eternal happiness dependeth much more upon yourselves than upon them. God doth not call you to study other men's duties so much as your own. If your Rulers sin, you shall not answer for it: but if you sin yourselves you shall. If you should live under the Turk that would oppress and persecute you, your souls shall speed never the worse for this: It is not you but He that should be damned for it. If you say, But it is we that should be oppressed by it, I answer, 1. How small are temporal things to a true believer, in comparison of eternal things? Have not you a greater hurt to fear, than the killing of your bodies by men? Luke 12. 4. 2. And even for this life, do you not believe, that your lives and liberties are in the power of God, and that he can relieve you from the oppression of all the world, by less than a word, even by his will? If you believe not this, you are Atheists: If you do, you must needs perceive that it concerneth you more to care for your duty to your Governors, than for theirs to you: and not so much to regard what you receive, as what you do; nor how you are used by others, as how you behave yourselves to them. Be much more afraid lest you should be guilty of murmuring, dishonoring, disobeying, flattering, not praying for your Governors, than lest you suffer anything unjustly from them. 1 Pet. 4. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17.