A Christian Directory

CHAP. VIII. Advice against Murder.

§. 1. THough Murder be a sin which human nature and interest do so powerfully rise up against that one would think besides the Laws of Nature, and the fear of temporal punishment, there should need no other argument against it; And though it be a sin which is not frequently committed, except by Soldiers, yet because man's corrupted heart is liable to it, and because one sin of such a heinous nature, may be more mischievous than many small infirmities, I shall not wholly pass by this sin, which falls in order here before me. I shall give men no other advice against it, than only to open to them, 1. The Causes, and 2. The Greatness, and 3. The Consequents of the sin.

§. 2. I. The Causes of Murder are either the Neerest, or the more radical and remote. The opening of the Neerest sort of Causes, will be but to tell you, how many ways of murdering the World is used to! And when you know the Cause, the contrary to it is the prevention: Avoid those Causes and you avoid the sin.

§. 3. 1. The greatest Cause of the cruellest murders, is unlawful wars: All that a man killeth in an unlawful war, he murdereth: And all that the Army killeth, he that setteth them a work by Command or Counsel is guilty of himself. And therefore how dreadful a thing is an unrighteous war? and how much have men need to look about them, and try every other lawful way, and suffer long, before they venture upon war. It is the skill and glory of a Soldier when he can kill more than other men. He studyeth it; he maketh it the matter of his greatest care and valous and endeavor: He goeth through very great difficulties to accomplish it: This is not like a sudden or involuntary act. Thieves and Robbers kill single persons; but Soldiers murder thousands at a time: And because there is none at present to judge them for it, they wash their hands as if they were innocent, and sleep as quietly as if the avenger of blood would never come. O what Devils are those Counsellers and inc • nd • ries to Princes and States, who stir them up to unlawful wars!

§. 4. 2. Another Cause and way of Murder, is by the Pride and tyranny of men in power. When they do it easily, because they can do it. When their Will and Interest is their Rule, and their Passion seemeth a sufficient warrant for their injustice. It is not only Nero 's, Tiberius 's, Domitian 's, &c. that are guilty of this crying crime; but O what man that careth for his soul, had not rather be tormented a thousand years, than have the blood-guiltiness of a famous applauded Alexander, or Caesar, or Tamerlane, to answer for! So dangerous a thing it is to have Power to do mischief, that Uriah may fall by a David's guilt, and Crispus may be killed by his father Const • mine. O what abundance of horrid murders do the histories of almost all Empires and Kingdoms of the World afford us! The maps of the affairs of Greeks and Romans, of Tartariuns, Turks, Russians, Germans, of Heathens and Infidels, of Papists, and too many Protestants are drawn out with too many purple lines, and their Histories written in letters of blood. What write the Christians of the Infidels, the Orthodox of the Arians, (Romans or Goths or Vandals) or the most impartial Historians of the mock Catholics of Rome, but Blood, Blood, Blood. How proudly and loftily doth a Tyrant look, when he telleth the oppressed innocent that displeaseth him, Sirra, I will make you know my power! Take him; Imprison him, Rack him; Hang him! Or as Pilate to Christ, Joh. 9. 10. Knowest thou not that I have power to Crucify thee, and have power to release • he? I will make you know that your life is in my hand: Heat the Furnace seven times horter, Dan. 3. Alas poor worm! Hast thou power to kill? So hath a Toad or Adder or mad D • gg or pestilence, when God permitteth it. Hast thou power to kill? But hast thou also power to keep thyself alive? and to keep thy Corpse from rottenness and dust? and to keep thy soul from paying for it in Hell? or to keep thy Conscience for worrying thee for it, to all Eternity? With how trembling a heart, and ghastly look wilt thou at last hear of this, which now thou gloriest in. The bones and dust of the oppressed Innocents, will be as great and honorable as thine: And their souls perhaps in rest and joy, when thine is tormented by infernal furies. When thou art in Nebuchad • ezzara glory, what a mercy were it to thee, if thou mightest be turned out among the beasts to prevent thy being turned out among the Devils. If killing and destroying be the glory of thy greatness, the Devils are more honorable than thou: And as thou agreest with them in thy work and glory, so shalt thou in the reward.

§. 4. 3. Another most heinous Cause of Murders, is a malignant enmity against the Godly, and a persecuting destructive Zeal. What a multitude of innocents hath this consumed! and what innumerable companies of holy souls are still crying for vengeance on these persecutors? The Enmity began immediately upon the fall, between the Woman's and the Serpents seed: It shown itself presently in the two first men, that were born into the World. A malignant envy against the accepted Sacrifice of Abel, was able to make his Brother to be his Murderer. And it is usual with the Devil to cast some bone of carnal interest also between them, to heighten the malignant enmity. Wicked men are all Covetous, voluptuous and proud: And the doctrine and practice of the Godly doth contradict them and condemn them: And they usually espouse some wicked interest, or engage themselves in some service of the Devil, which the servants of Christ are bound in their several places and callings to resist. And then not only this resistance, though it be but by the humblest words or actions, yea the very conceit that they are not for their interest and way, doth instigate the befooled world to persecution! And thus an Ishmael and an Isaac, an Esau and a Jacob, a Saul and a David cannot live together in peace. Gal. 4. 29. But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the spirit, even so it is now. Saul's interest maketh him think it just to persecute David; and religiously he blesseth those that furthered him! 1 Sam. 23. 21. Blessed be ye of the Lord, for ye have compassion on me. He justifieth himself in murdering the Priests, because he thought that they helped David against him; and Doeg seemeth but a dutiful subject, in executing his bloody command, 1 Sam. 22. And Shimei thought he might boldly curse him, 2 Sam. 16. 7, 8. And he could scarce have charged him with more odious sin, than to be [ a bloody man and a man of Belial.] If the Prophet speak against Jereboam's political Religion, he will say, Lay hold on him! 1 King. 13. 4. Even Asa will be raging wrathful, and imprison the Prophet that reprehendeth his sin, 2 Chron. 16. 10. Ahab will feed Michaiah in a Prison with the Bread and Water of affliction if he contradict him, 1 King. 22. 27. And even Jerusalem killed the Prophets, and stoned them which were sent to gather them under the gracious wing of Christ, Matth. 23. 37. Which of the Prophets did they not persecute? Act. 7. 52. And if you consider but what streams of blood since the death of Christ and his Apostles have been shed for the sake of Christ and righteousness, it will make you wonder, that so much cruelty can consist with humanity, and men and Devils should be so like! The same man, as Paul, as soon as he ceaseth to shed the blood of others, must look in the same way to lose his own. How many thousands were murdered by Heathen Rome, in the ten persecutions? And how many by the Arian Emperors and Kings! And how many by more Orthodox Princes in their particular distastes! And yet how far hath the pretended Vicar of Christ out-done them all! How many hundred thousands of the Albigenses, Waldenses and Bohemians hath the Papal rage consumed? Two hundred thousand the Irish murdered in a little space: 〈…〉 o outgo, the thirty or forty thousand which the French Massacre made an end of! The sacrifices offered by their fury in the flames, in the Marian persecution here in England, were nothing to what one day hath done in other parts. What Volumes can contain the particular Histories of them? what a Shambles was their Inquisition in the Low-Countries? and what is the employment of it still! so that a doubting man would be inclined to think, that Papal Rome is the murderous Babylon, that doth but consider, how drunken she is with the blood of the Saints and the Martyrs of Jesus, and that the blood of Saints will be found in her in her day of trial? Rev. 17. 6. & 18. 24. If we should look over all the rest of the World, and reckon up the the torments and murders of the innocent, (in Iapan, and most parts of the World, where ever Christianity came) it may increase your wonder, that Devils and men are still so like! Yea though there be as loud a testimony in human nature against this bloodiness as almost any sin whatsoever; and though the names of persecutors always stink to following Generations, how proudly soever they carried it for a time; and though one would think a persecutor should need no cure but his own pride, that his name may not be left as Pilate's in the Creed, to be odious in the mouths of the Ages that come after him; Yet for all this, so deep is the Enmity, so potent is the Devil; so blinding a thing is sin and interest and passion, that still one Generation of persecutors doth succeed the others; and they kill the present Saints while they honor the dead ones, and build them Monuments, and say, If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the Prophets blood. Read well Matth. 23. 29. to the end. What a Sea of righteous blood hath malignity and persecuting zeal drawn out?

§. 5. 4. Another cause of Murder is Rash and unrighteous judgment. When Judges are ignorant, or partial, or perverted by passion, or prejudice or respect of persons: But though many an innocent hath suffered this way, I hope among Christians, this is one of the rarest Causes.

§. 6. 5. Another way of murder is by oppression and uncharitableness; when the poor are kept destitute of necessaries to preserve their lives: Though few of them die directly of famine, yet thousands of them die of those sicknesses which they contract, by unwholesome food. And all those are guilty of their death, either that cause it by oppression, or that relieve them not when they are able and obliged to it, I am. 5. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

§. 7. 6. Another way and cause of murder, is by Thieves and Robbers that do it to possess themselves of that which is another man's: when riotousness or idleness hath consumed what they had themselves, and sloth and pride will not suffer them to labor, nor sensuality suffer them to endure want, then they will have it, by right or wrong, what ever it cost them: God's Laws or man's, the Gallows or Hell shall not deter them; but have it they will, though they rob and murder, and are hanged and damned for it. Alas, how dear a purchase do they make! How much easier are their greatest wants, than the wrath of God and the pains of Hell?

§. 8. 7. Another cause of murder is Guilt and Shame. When wicked people have done some great disgraceful sin, which will utterly shame them or undo them if it be known, they are tempted to murder them that know it, to conceal the crime and save themselves. Thus many a Whoremonger hath murdered her that he hath committed fornication with: And many a Whore hath murdered her Child (before the birth or after) to prevent the shame: But how madly do they forget the day, when both the one and the other will be brought to light? and the righteous judge will make them know, that all their wicked shifts will be their confusion, because there is no hiding them from him?

§. 9. 8 Another cause is Furious anger, which mastereth Reason, and for the present makes them mad. And Drunkenness which doth the same. Many a one hath killed another in his fury, or his drink; So dangerous is it to suffer Reason to lose its power, and to use ourselves to a Bedlam course! And so necessary is it, to get a sober meek and quiet spirit, and mortify and master these turbulent and beastly vices.

§. 10 9. Another cause of Murder is Malice and Revenge! When men's own wrongs or sufferings are so great a matter to them, and they have so little learnt to bear them, that they hate that man that is the cause of them, and boil with a revengeful desire of his ruin. And this sin hath in it so so much of the Devil, that those that are once addicted to it, are almost wholly at his command! He maketh witches of some, and Murderers of others, and wretches of all! who set themselves in the place of God, and will do Justice as they call it, for themselves, as if God were not just enough to do it! And so sweet is Revenge to their furious nature, (as the damning of men is to the Devil) that Revenged they will be though they lose their souls by it: And the impotency and baseness of their spirits is such, that they say, Flesh and blood is unable to bear it.

§. 11. 10. Another cause of murder is a wicked impatience with near relations, and a hatred of those that should be most dearly loved. Thus many men and women have murdered their Wives and Husbands, when either Adulterous Lust hath given up their hearts to another, or a cross, impatient, discontented mind hath made them seem intolerable burdens to each other: And then the Devil that destroyed their love, and brought them thus far, will be their teacher in the rest, and show them how to ease themselves; till he hath led them to the Gallows and to Hell. How necessary is it to keep in the way of duty, and abhor and suppress the beginnings of sin?

§. 12. 11. And sometimes Covetousness hath caused Murder, when one man desireth another man's estate: Thus Ahab came by Naboth 's Vineyards to his cost. And many a one desireth the death of another, whose estate must fall to him at the others death: Thus many a Child in heart is guilty of the murder of his Parents, though he actually commit it not: Yea a secret gladness when they are dead, doth show the guilt of some such desire • while they were living: And the very abatement of such moderate mourning as natural affection should procure, (because the estate is thereby come to them as the heirs) doth show that such are far from innocent. Many a Judas for Covetousness hath betrayed another! Many a false witness for Covetousness hath sold another's life: Many a Thief for Covetousness hath taken away another's life, to get his money: And many a Covetous Landlord hath longed for his Tenants death, and been glad to hear of it. And many a Covetous Soldier hath made a trade of killing men for Money. So true is it that the Love of money is the root of all evil, and therefore is one cause of this.

§. 13. 12. And Ambition is too common a Cause of Murder, among the great ones of the World: How many have dispatched others out of the World, because they stood in the way of their advancement? For a long time together it was the ordinary way of Rising and dying to the Roman and Greek Emperors; for one to procure the murder of the Emperor that he might usurp his Seat, and then to be so murdered by another himself: And every Soldier that looked for preferment by the change, was ready to be an instrument in the fact. And thus hath even the Roman seat of his Mock Holiness, for a long time and oft received its Successors, by the poison or other murdering of the possessors of the desired place. And alas how many thousand hath that See devoured to defend its Universal Empire, under the name of the spiritual Headship of the Church? How many unlawful Wars have they raised or cherished, even against Christian Emperors and Kings! How many thousands have been Massacred? How many Assassinate as Hen. 3. and Hen. 4. of France? Besides those that fires and Inquisitions have consumed: And all these have been the flames of Pride. Yea when their fellow-Sectaries in Munster and in England (the Anabaptists and Seekers) have catched some of their proud disease, it hath worked in the same way of blood and cruelty.

§. 14. 2. But besides these twelves great sins which are the nearest cause of Murder, there are many more which are yet greater, and deeper in nature, which are the Roots of all; especially these.

• 1. The first cause is the want of true Belief of the Word of God, and the judgment and punishment to come, and the want of the Knowledge of God himself: Atheism and Infidelity.
• 2. Hence cometh the want of the true Fear of God, and subjection to his holy Laws.
• 3. The predominance of selfishness in all the unsanctified, is the radical inclination to murder, and all the injustice that is committed.
• 4. And the want of Charity, or Loving our Neighbor as ourselves, doth bring men near to the execution, and leaveth little inward restraint.

§. 15. By all this you may see how this sin must be prevented! (and let not any man think it a needless work! Thousands have been guilty of murder that once thought themselves as far from it as you.) 1. The soul must be possessed with the Knowledge of God, and the true Belief of his Word and judgment. 2. Hereby it must be possessed of the Fear of God, and subjection to him. 3. And the Love of God must mortify the power of selfishness; 4. And also much possess us with a true Love to our neighbors, yea and enemies, for his sake. 5. And the twelve fore-mentioned causes of murder will thus be destroyed at the Root.

§. 16. II. And some further help it will be to understand the Greatness of this sin: Consider therefore, 1. It is an unlawful destroying, not only a Creature of God, but one of his noblest Creatures upon earth! Even one that beareth (at least the natural) Image of God. Gen. 9. 5, 6. And surely your blood of your lives will I require: at the hand of every beast will I require it; and at the hand of man: at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man: whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man. Yea God will not only have the beast slain that killeth a man, but also forbiddeth there the eating of blood, v. 4. that man might not be accustomed to cruelty.

2. It is the opening a door to confusion and all calamity in the World: For if one man may kill another without the sentence of the Magistrate, another may kill him; and the world will be like Mastiffs or mad Dogs turned all loose on one another, kill that kill can.

3. If it be a wicked man that is killed, it is the sending of a soul to Hell, and cutting off his time of Repentance and his hopes. If it be a Godly man, it is a depriving of the World of the blessing of a profitable member, and all that are about him of the benefits of his goodness, and God of the service which he was here to have performed. These are enough to infer the dreadful consequents to the Murderer, which are such as these.

III. 1. It is a sin which bringeth so great a guilt, that if it be repented of and pardoned, yet Conscience very hardly doth ever attain to peace and quietness in this World: And if it be unpardoned, it is enough to make a man his own Executioner and tormenter.

2. It is a sin that seldom scapeth vengeance in this life: If the Law of the Land take not away their lives, as God appointeth, Gen. 9. 6. God useth to follow them with his extraordinary Plagues, and causeth their sin to find them out, so that the blood-thirsty man doth seldom live out half his days. The Treatises purposely written on this subject, and the experience of all Ages, do give us very wonderful Narratives of God's judgments, in the detecting of murderers and bringing them to punishment. They go about awhile like Cain, with a terrified Conscience, afraid of everyone they see, till seasonable vengeance give them their reward; or rather send them to the place where they must receive it.

3. For it is eternal torment under the wrath of God, which is the final punishment which they must expect, (If very great Repentance and the blood of Christ do not prevent it.) There are few I think that by shame, and terror of Conscience, are not brought to such a Repentance for it, as Cain and Judas had, or as a man hath that hath brought calamity on himself; and therefore wish they had never done it, because of their own unhappiness thereby (except those persecutors or murderers that are hardened by Error, pride or power): But this will not prevent the vengeance of God in their damnation: It must be a deep Repentance proceeding from the Love of God and man, and the hatred of sin, and sense of God's displeasure for it, which is only found in sanctified souls! And alas how few Murderers ever have the grace to manifest any such renovation and repentance?

Tit. 2. Advice against Self-murder.

THough Self-murder be a sin which Nature hath as strongly inclined man against, as any sin in the World that I remember, and therefore I shall say but little of it; yet experience telleth us that it is a sin that some persons are in danger of, and therefore I shall not pass it by.

The prevention of it lieth in the avoiding of these following Causes of it.

§. 1. Direct. 1. The commonest cause is prevailing Melancholy which is near to madness: therefore to prevent this sad disease, or to cure it if contracted, and to watch them in the mean time, is the chief prevention of this sin. Though there be much more hope of the salvation of such, as want the use of their Understandings, because so far it may be called involuntary, yet it is a very dreadful case, especially so far as reason remaineth in any power. But it is not more natural for a man in a Feaver to thirst and rave, than for Melancholy at the height to incline men to make away themselves. For the disease will let them feel nothing but misery and despair, and say nothing, but, I am forsaken miserable and undone! and not only maketh them aweary of their lives (even while they are afraid to die), but the Devil hath some great advantage by it, to urge them to do it: so that if they pass over a Bridge, he urgeth them to leap into the Water: If they see a Knife, they are presently urged to kill themselves with it; and feel as if it were something within them importunately provoking them, and saying, Do it, Do it now; and giving them no rest: In so much that many of them contrive it, and cast about secretly how they may accomplish it.

Though the cure of these poor people belong as much to others care as to their own, yet so far as they yet can use their reason, they must be warned, 1. To abhor all these suggestions, and give them not room a moment in their minds.

And 2 To avoid all occasions of the sin, and not to be near a Knife, a River, or any instrument which the Devil would have them use in the execution.

And 3. To open their case to others, and tell them all, that they may help to their preservation.

4. And especially to be willing to use the means, both Physic and satisfying Counsel, which tends to cure their disease, And if there be any rooted cause in the mind that was antecedent to the Melancholy, it must carefully be looked to in the cure.

§. 2. Direct. 2. Take heed of worldly trouble and discontent; for this also is a common Cause. Either it suddenly casteth men into Melancholy, or without it of itself overturneth their reason, so far as to make them violently dispatch themselves. Especially if it fall out in a mind where there is a mixture of these two Causes, 1. Unmortified love to any Creature, 2. And an impotent, and passionate mind; there discontent doth cause such unquietness that they will furiously go to Hell for ease. Mortify therefore first your worldly lusts, and set not too much by any earthly thing: If you did not foolishly overvalue yourselves, or your credit, or your wealth or friends, there would be nothing to feed your discontent; Make no greater a matter of the world than it deserveth, and you will make no such great matter of your sufferings.

And 2. Mortify your turbulent passions; and give not way to Bedlam fury to overcome your reason: Go to Christ to beg and learn to be meek and lowly in spirit, and then your troubled minds will have rest, Matth 11. 28, 29. Passionate Women and such other feeble spirited persons, that are easily troubled and hardly quietted and pleased, have great cause to bend their greatest endeavors, to the curing of this impotent temper of mind, and procuring from God such strengthening grace, as may restore their Reason to its power.

§. 3. Direct. 3. And sometimes sudden passion itself, without any longer discontent, hath caused men to make away themselves. Mortify therefore and watch over such distracting Passions.

§. 4. Direct. 4. Take heed of running into the guilt of any heinous sin. For though you may feel no hurt from it at the present, when Conscience is awakened, it is so disquieting a thing, that it maketh many a one hang himself. Some grievous sins are so tormenting to the Conscience, that they give many no rest, till they have brought them to to Judas 's or Achitophel 's End. Especially take heed of sinning against Conscience, and of yielding to that for fear of men, which God and Conscience charge you to forbear. For the case of many a hundred as well as Spira, may tell you into what Calamity this may cast you. If man be the master of your Religion, you have no Religion: For what is Religion but the subjection of the soul to God, especially in the matters of his Worship: And if God be subjected to man, he is taken for No-God. When you Worship a God that is inferior to a man, then you may subject your Religion to the will of that man. Keep God and Conscience at peace with you, if you love yourselves, though thereby you lose your peace with the World.

§. 5. Direct. 5. Keep up a Believing foresight of the state which Death will send you to: and then if you have the use of Reason, Hell at least will hold your hands, and make you afraid of venturing upon death. What Repentance are you like to have, when you die in the very act of sin? And when an unmortified lust or love of the world, doth hurry you to the halter by sinful discontent? And what hope of pardon without Repentance? How exceeding likely therefore is it, that when ever you put yourselves out of your present pain and trouble, you send your souls to endless torments. And will it ease you to pass from poverty or crosses into Hell? Or will you damn your souls, because another wrongeth you? O the madness of a sinner? Who will you think hath wronged you most, when you feel Hell fire? Are you aweary of your lives, and will you go to Hell for ease? Alas, how quickly would you be glad to be here again, in a painfuller condition, than that which you were so weary of? yea, and to endure it a thousand years? Suppose you saw Hell before your eyes? Would you leap into it? Is not time of Repentance a mercy to be valued? Yea, a little reprieve from endless misery is better than nothing. What need you make haste to come to Hell? Will it not be soon enough if you stay thence as long as you can? And why will you throw away your hopes, and put yourselves past all possibility of recovery, before God put you so himself?

§. 6. Direct. 6. Understand the wonders of mercy revealed, and bestowed on mankind in Jesus Christ: and understand the tenor of the Covenant of Grace. The ignorance of this is it that keepeth a bitter taste upon your Spirits; and maketh you cry out, Forsaken and Undone; when such Miracles of mercy are wrought for your salvation. And the ignorance of this is it that maketh you foolishly cry out, There is no hope; The day of grace is past; It is too late; God will never show me mercy! When his Word assureth all that will believe it, that whoever confesseth and forsaketh his sins, shall have mercy! Prov. 28 13. And if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive. 1 John 1. 9. And that whoever will, may freely drink of the waters of life. Rev. 22. 17. And that whoever believeth in him, shall not perish, but have everlasting life John 3. 17. I have no other hope of my salvation, but that Gospel, which promiseth pardon and salvation unto all, that at any time, repent and turn to God by faith in Christ: And I dare lay my salvation on the truth of this, that Christ never rejected any sinner how great soever, that at any time in this life, was truly willing to come to him, and to God by him, John 6. 37. He that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out. But the malicious Devil would • ain make God seem odious to the soul, and representeth Love itself as our enemy, that we might not Love him! Despair is such a part of Hell, that if he could bring us to it, he would think he had us half in Hell already: and then he would urge us to dispatch ourselves, that we might be there indeed, and our despair might be uncurable. How blind is he that seeth not the Devil in all this?

CHAP. IX. Directions for the forgiving of Enemies and those that injure us, Against Wrath, and Malice, and Revenge, and Persecution.

§. 1. IT is not only actual Murder which is forbidden in the sixth Comm • ndment, but also all inordinate Wrath, and Malice and desires of Revenge, and injuring the person of our neighbor or our enemy: For so the Prophet and Judge of the Church hath himself expounded it, Mat. 5. 21, 22. Anger hath a hurting inclination, and Malice is a fixed Anger; and Revenge is the fruit of both or either of them. He that will be free from injurious actions, must subdue that wrath and malice which is their cause. Heart-murders and injuries must be carefully rooted up: For out of the Heart proceed evil thoughts and murders, &c. Matth. 15. 19. This is the fire of Hell on which an evil tongue is set, James 3. 6. and this must be quenched if you would be innocent.

§. 2. Direct. 1. See God in your neighbor, and Love him for that of God which is upon him. If he be Holy, he hath the Moral Image of God. If he be unholy, he hath his Natural Image as he is a man. He is not only God's Creature, but his Reasonable Creature, and the Lord of his inferior works: And art thou a child of God, and yet canst not see him, and love him in his works? Without God he is nothing, whom thou art so much offended with: And though there be somewhat in him which is not of God, which may deserve thy hatred, yet that is not his substance or person: Hate not, or wrong not that which is of God. It would raise in you such a reverence, as would asswage your wrath, if you could but see God in him that you are displeased with.

§. 3. Direct. 2. To this end observe more the Good which is in your neighbor, than the evil. Malice overlooketh all that is good and amiable, and can see nothing but that which is bad and detestable: It hearkeneth more to them that dispraise and open the faults of others, than to those that praise them and declare their virtues: Not that Good and Evil must be confounded: But the Good as well as the Evil must be acknowledged. We have more use ourselves for the observation of their virtues than of their faults: and it is more our duty: And were it never so little good that is in them, the right observing of it, at least would much diminish your dislike.

§. 4. Direct. 3. Learn but to Love your neighbor as yourself, and this will make it easy to you both to forbear him and forgive him. With your self you are not apt to be so angry. Against yourself you bear no malice, nor desire no revenge that shall do you hurt. As you are angry with yourself penitently for the faults you have committed, but not so as to desire your own destruction, or final hurt; but with such a displeasure as tendeth to your recovery; so also must you do by others.

Direct. 4. To this end be sure to mortify your selfishness. For it is the inordinate respect that men have to themselves, which maketh them aggravate the faults of all that are against them, or offend them. Be humble and self-denying and you will think yourselves so mean and inconsiderable, that no fault can be very great, nor deserve much displeasure, merely as it is against you. A proud self-esteeming man is easily provoked and hardly reconciled without great submission: because he thinketh so highly of himself, that he thinketh heinously of all that is said or done against him; and he is so over-dear to himself, that he is impatient with his adversary.

§. 5. Direct. 5. Be not your own Judge in cases of settled malice or revenge; but let some impartial sober by stander be the Judge. For a selfish, passionate, distempered mind, is very unlikely to judge aright. And most men have so much of these diseases, that they are very unfit to be Judges in their own case. Ask first some wise impartial man, whether it be best for thee to be malicious and revengeful against such a one that thou thinkest hath greatly wronged thee, or rather to love him and forgive him.

§. 6. Direct. 6. Take time to deliberate upon the matter, and do nothing rashly in the heat of passion against another. Wrath and Malice will vanish, if you bring the matter into the light, and use but those effectual Considerations which will show their sinfulness and shame: I shall therefore next here set down some such Considerations, as are most powerful to suppress them.

§. 7. Consid. 1. Remember first, That whoever hath offended you, hath offended God by greater injuries, and if God forgive him the greater, why should not you forgive the less? The same fault which he did against you, is a greater crime as against God, than as against you! And many a hundred more hath he committed: Its a small matter to displease such a Worm as man, in comparison of the displeasing of Almighty God And should not his children imitate their Heavenly Father! Doth he remit the pains of Hell, and cannot you forbear your passionate revenge? Let me ask you, Whether you desire that God should forgive him his sins or not? (both that and all the rest which he hath committed): If you say, No, you are Devilish and inhumane, who would not have God forgive a sinner: If you say, Yea, you condemn, yea, and contradict yourselves! While you say you would have God forgive him, and yet yourselves will not forgive him: (I speak not of necessary Correction but Revenge ).

§. 8. Consid. 2. Consider also that you have much more yourselves to be forgiven by God, or you are undone forever! There is no comparison between other men's offenses against you, and your offenses against God, either for the number of them, or the greatness, or the desert. Dost thou owe to God ten thousand talents, and wilt thou lay hold on thy Brother for an hundred pence? See then thy doom, Matth. 18. 34. The tormenters shall exact thy debt to God. Doth it beseem that man to aggravate or revenge his little injuries, who deserveth damnation, and forfeiteth his soul every day and hour? And hath no hope of his own salvation, but by the free forgiveness of all his sins?

§. 9. Consid. 3. Either thou art thyself a member of Christ or not! If not, thou art yet under the guilt of all the sins that ever thou didst commit. And doth it beseem that man to be severe and revengeful against others, that must forever be damned for his own transgressions, if a speedy conversion do not prevent it? Sure you have somewhat else to think on, than of your petty injuries from men! But if thou be indeed a member of Christ, thy sins are all pardoned by the price of thy Redeemers blood! And canst thou feel the sweetness of so great a mercy, and not feel a strong obligation on thee, to forgive thy Brother? Must Christ be a Sacrifice for thy offenses? And must thy Brother, who offended thee, be sacrificed to thy wrath?

§. 10. Consid. 4. Thou art not forgiven of God, if thou dost not forgive. For, 1. If ever the Love of God, and the blood of Christ had come in power upon thy heart, they would undoubtedly have caused thee to forgive thy Brother! 2. Yea, God hath made thy forgiving others, to be a condition, without which he will not finally or plenarily forgive thee. Thou hast no warrant to pray or hope for pardon upon any lower terms: but [ Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us: For if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses, Matth. 6. 14, 15. Likewise (saith Christ) shall my heavenly Father do also unto you (even deliver you to the tormentors) if from your hearts ye forgive not everyone his Brother their trespasses: Matth. 18. 35. For he shall have judgment without mercy that hath shown no mercy, and mercy rejoiceth against judgment, James 2. 13.]

§. 11. Consid. 5. Remember also that you have need of forgiveness from others, as well as they have need of it from you. Have you wronged none! Have you provoked none! Have you not passions which must be pardoned? And a nature which must be born with? Can so corrupt a creature as man is, be no annoyance to those he liveth with? Sure all the sins which burden yourself, and displease the Lord, must needs be some trouble to all about you▪ And he that needeth pardon, is obliged the more to pardon others.

§. 12. Consid. 6. Nay, it is the unhappiness of all mankind, that their corruptions will in some measure be injurious to all that they have to do with; and it is impossible for such distempered sinners to live together, and not by their mistakes, or selfishness, or passions, to exercise the patience and forbearance of each other. Therefore you must either be malicious and revengeful against all mankind, or else against none on such accounts as are common to all.

§. 13. Observe also how easily you can forgive yourselves, though you do a thousand fold more against yourselves, than ever any enemy did. It is not their wrongs or offenses against you, that you are in any danger of being damned for: You shall not suffer for their sins, but for your own! In the day of judgment, it is not your sufferings from others, but your own offenses against God that will be charged upon you: and if ever you be undone, it will be by these! Men or Devils can never do that against you, which by every sin you do against yourselves! No robber, no oppressor, no persecutor, no deceiver, can ever hurt you so much as you hurt yourselves: And yet how gently do you take it at your own hands? How easily do you pardon it to yourselves? How lovingly do you think of yourselves? So far are you from malice or revenge against yourselves, that you can scarce endure to hear plainly of your sins? But are more inclined to bear malice against those that do reprove you. Judge whether this be equal dealing? and loving your neighbors as yourselves?

§. 14. Consid. 8. Consider how great a crime it is, for a Worm to usurp the authority of God, and censure him for not doing justice, and to presume to anticipate his judgment, and take the Sword as it were out of his hands: as all do that will be their own avengers. It is the Magistrate and not you that beareth the Sword of public Justice; and what he doth not, God will do in his time and way: Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance it mine, I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger feed him; if he thirst give him drink: For in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil (that is, the evil that is done against you) but overcome evil with good: Rom. 12. 19, 20, 21. He that becometh a Revenger for himself, doth by his actions as it were say to God, Thou art unjust, and dost not do me justice, and therefore I will do it for myself. And shall such an impatient blaspheming Atheist go unpunished.

§. 15. Consid. 9. Consider how much fitter God is than you, to execute revenge and justice on your enemies. He hath the highest authority, and you have none: He is impartial and most just, and you are unrighteous and perverted by selfishness and partiality. He is Eternal and Omniscient, and seeth to the end, and what will be the consequent; and therefore knoweth the fittest season and degree: But you are short sighted creatures, that see no further than the present day, and know not what will be tomorrow; and therefore may be ignorant of an hundred things, which would stop you and change your counsel if you had foreseen them. He is most Wise and Good, and knoweth what is fit for every person, and how to do good with as little hurt as may be in the doing of it: But you are ignorant of yourselves, and blinded by interest and passion, and are so bad yourselves, that you are inclined to do hurt▪ to others. At least, for ought you know, you may miscarry in your passion, and come off with guilt and a wounded conscience: but you may be sure that God will not miscarry, but will do all in perfect Wisdom, and Righteousness, and Truth.

§. 16. Consid. 10. Do you not understand that your passion, malice and revenge, 1. Do hurt your selves much more than they can hurt another, and 2. Much more than any other can hurt you. Would you be revenged on another! And will you therefore hurt yourselves? The stone of reproach which you cast at him, doth fly back into your face, and wound yourselves. Do you not feel that the fire of • assion and malice, are like a scorching Feavor, which overthrow your health and quietness, and fill you full of restlessness and pain? And will you do this against yourselves, because another hath abused you? Did not he that offended you, do enough against you? If you would have more, why are you offended with him? If you would not have more, why do you inflict it on yourselves? If you love disquietness, why do you complain of him that doth disquiet you! If you do not, why do you disquiet yourselves? and that much more than he can do? He that wrongeth you, toucheth but your estates, or bodies or names: It may be it is but by a blast of wind, the words of his mouth: And will you therefore wound yourselves at the very heart? God hath locked up your Heart from others: None can touch that but yourselves: Their words, their wrongs cannot reach your Hearts, unless you open them the door, yea, unless it be your own doing! Will you take the Dagger which pierced but your skin, and pierce your own hearts with it, because another so much wronged you? If you do, blame no one for it so much as yourselves: Blame them for touching your estates or names, but blame yourselves for all that is at your hearts. And if you might desire another's hurt, it is folly to hurt yourselves much more, and to do a greater mischief to yourselves, that so you may do a less to him: If you rail at him, or slander, or defame him, you touch but his reputation: If you trouble him at Law, you touch but his estate: If you beat him, it reacheth but to his flesh! But the passion and guilt is a fire in your own hearts; and the wrath of God which you procure, doth fall upon your souls forever! I have heard but of a few that have said openly [I am contented to be damned, so I may but be avenged]: But many thousands speak it by their deeds. And O how just is their damnation, who will run into Hell that they may hurt another! Even as I have heard of some passionate Wives and Children, who have hanged themselves, or cut their throats, to be revenged on their Husbands or Children by grieving them.

§. 17. Consid. 11. Remember that malice and hurtfulness are the special sins and Image of the Devil. All sin is from him as the Tempter: but some sins are so eminently his own, that they may be called the Nature and Image of the Devil; and those are principally, Rebellion against God▪ Malignity or enmity to good; Pride or self-exaltation; Lying and Calumny; and Malice, Hurtfulness and Murder: These are above the sins of mere sensuality or carnality, and most properly denominate men (in whom they prevail) the Serpents seed. I speak but as Christ himself hath spoken, John 8. 44. to those that were esteemed the wisest and most (ceremoniously) religious of those times: Ye are of your father the Devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do: He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him: When he speaketh a Lye, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. And what pity is it that a man that should bear the Image of God, should be transformed as it were into an incarnate Devil, and by being like to Satan, and bearing his Image!

§. 18. Consid. 12. The person that you are angry with is either a child of God, or of the Devil, and one that must live either in Heaven or Hell. If he be a child of God, will not his Fathers interest and image reconcile you to him? Will you hate and hurt a member of Christ! If you have any hope of being saved yourselves, are you not ashamed to think of meeting him in Heaven, whom you hated and persecuted here on earth? If there were any shame and grief in Heaven, it would overwhelm you there with shame and grief, to meet those in the Union of those blessed joys, whom you hated and abused. Believe unfeignedly that you must dwell with them forever in the dearest intimacy of Eternal Love, and you cannot possibly rage against them, nor play the Devils against those, with whom you must live in Unity before God. But if they be wicked men and such as must be damned (as malice will make you easily believe), are they not miserable enough already, in being the slaves of sin and Satan? And will they not be miserable time enough and long enough in Hell? Do you thirst to have them tormented before the time! O cruel men! O devilish malice! Would you wish them more punishment than Hell fire? Can you not patiently endure to see a poor sinner, have a little prosperity and ease, who must lie in everlasting flames? But the truth is, malicious men are ordinarily Atheists, and never think of another world; and therefore desire to be the avengers of themselves, because they believe not, that there is any God to do it, or any future Judgment and execution to be expected.

§. 19. Consid. 13. And remember how near both he and you are to death and judgment, when God will judge righteously betwixt you both. There are few so cruelly malicious, but if they both lay dying they would abate their malice and be easily reconciled, as remembering that their dust and bones will lie in quietness together, and malice is a miserable case to appear in before the Lord! Why then do you cherish your vice, by putting away the day of death from your remembrance? Do you not know that you are dying? Is a few more days so great a matter with you, that you will therefore do that because you have a few more days to live, which else you durst not do or think of? O hearken to the dreadful trumpet of God, which is summoning you all to come away, and methinks this should sound a retreat to the malicious, from persecuting those with whom they are going to be judged. God will shortly make the third, if you will needs be quarrelling! Unless it be mast •••• Dogs or fighting Cocks, there are scarce any creatures but will give over fighting, if man or beast do come upon them, that would destroy or hurt them both.

§. 20. Consid. 14. Wrathful and hurtful creatures are commonly hated and pursued by all: and loveing, gentle, harmless, profitable creatures, are commonly beloved: And will you make yourselves like wild Beasts or Vermin, that all men naturally hate and seek to destroy? If a Wolf, or a Fox, or an Adder do but appear, every man is ready to seek the death of him, as a hurtful creature, and an enemy to mankind: But harmless creatures no one meddleth with (unless for their own benefit and use): So if you will be malicious hurtful Serpents that hiss, and sting, and trouble others, you will be the common hatred of the world, and it will be thought a meritorious work to mischief you: Whereas if you will be loving, kind and profitable, it will be taken to be men's interest to love you, and desire your good.

§. 21. Consid. 15. Observe how you unfit yourselves for all holy duties, and communion with God, while you cherish wrath and malice in your hearts. Do you find yourselves fit for Meditation, Conference or Prayer while you are in wrath? I know you cannot: It both undisposeth you to the duty, and the guilt affrighteth you, and telleth you that you are unfit to come near to God. As a Feavor taketh away a man's appetite to his meat, and his disposition to labor, so doth wrath and malice destroy both your disposition to holy duties, and your pleasure in them. And conscience will tell you that it is so terrible to draw near God in such a case, that you will be readier were it possible to hide yourselves as Adam and Eve, or fly as Cain, as not enduring the presence of God. And therefore the Common-Prayer Book above all other sins, enableth the Pastor to keep away the malicious from the Sacrament of Communion; and conscience maketh many that have little conscience in anything else, that they dare not come to that Sa • rament, while wrath and malice are in their breasts: And Christ himself saith, Matth. 5. 23, 24, 25. If thou bring thy gift unto the Altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the Altar, and go thy way, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift▪ Agree with thine adversary quickly while thou art in the way with him, lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the Judge, and the Judge deliver thee to the Officer, and thou be cast into prison, &c.

§. 22. Consid. 16. And your sin is aggravated, in that you hinder the good of those that you are offended with, and also provoke them to add sin to sin, and to be as furious and uncharitable as yourselves. If your neighbor be not faulty, why are you so displeased with him? If he be, Why will you make him worse? Will you bring him to amendment by hatred or cruelty? Do you think one vice will cure another? Or is any man like to hearken to the counsel of an enemy? Or to love the words of one that hateth him? Is malice and fierceness an attractive thing? Or rather is it not the way to drive men further, from their duty, and into sin, by driving them from you who pretend to reform them by such unlikely contrary means as these? And as you do your worst to harden them in their faults, and to make them hate what ever you would persuade them to: so at present you seek to kindle in their breasts, the same fire of malice or passion which is kindled in yourselves. As Love is the most effectual way to cause Love; so passion is the most effectual cause of passion; and malice is the most effectual cause of malice; and hurting another is the powerfullest means, to provoke him to hurt you again if he be able: (And weak things are oft times able to do hurt, when injuries boil up their passions to the height, or make them desperate.) If your sinful provocations fill him also with rage, and make him curse, or swear, or rail, or plot revenge, or do you a mischief, you are guilty of this sin, and have a hand in the damnation of his soul, as much as in you lieth.

§. 23. Consid. 17. Consider how much fitter means there are at hand, to right yourself, and attain any ends that are good, than by passion, malice or revenge. If your end be nothing but to do mischief, and make another miserable, you are to the world as mad Dogs, and Wolves, and Serpents to the Country; and they that know you will be as glad when the world is rid of you, as when an Adder or a Toad is killed. But if your end be only to right yourselves, and to reclaim your enemy, or reform your brother, fury and revenge is not the way. God hath appointed Governors to do justice in Common-wealths and Families, and to those you may repair, and not take upon you to revenge yourselves: And, God himself is the most righteous Governor of all the world, and to him you may confidently refer the case, when Magistrates and Rulers fail you: and his judgment will be soon enough and severe enough. And if you would rather have your neighbor reclaimed than destroyed, it is Love and gentleness that are the way, with peaceable convictions, and such reasonings as show that you desire his Good! Overcome him with kindness, if you would melt him into repentance, and heap coals of fire on his head. If thy enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: This is overcoming evil with good, (and not by beastly fury to overcome him): but when you are drawn to sinful passion and revenge, you are overcome of evil, Rom. 12. 19, 20, 21. If you would do good, it must be by good, and not by evil.

§. 24. Consid. 18. Remember also how little you are concerned in the words or actions of other▪ men towards you, in comparison of your carriage to yourselves and them. You have greater matters to mind, than your little sufferings by them; even the preserving of your innocence and your peace with God! It is your own actions, and not theirs that you must answer for. You shall not be condemned for suffering wrong, but for doing wrong you may. All their injuries against you, make you not the less esteemed of God, and therefore diminish not your felicity: It is themselves that they mortally wound, even to damnation, if they impenitently oppress another: Keep yourselves and you keep your salvation, what ever others do against you.

§. 25. Consid. 19. Remember that injuries are your trials and temptations: God trieth you by them, and Satan tempteth you by them! God trieth your Love and patience and obedience; that you may be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect, and may be indeed his Children, while you Love your enemies, and bless them that curse you, and do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you, Matth. 5. 44, 45. and being tried you may receive the Crown of life, Jam. 1. 3, 4. 12. And Satan on the other side is at work, to try whether he can draw you by injuries to impatiency, and to hatred, malice, revenge or cruelty, and so damn your souls by the hurting of your bodies. And when you foreknow his design, will you let him overcome. Hear every provoking word that's given you, and every injury that's done unto you, as if a messenger from Satan were sent to buffet you, or to speak that provoking language in his name; and as if he said to you [I come from the Devil to call thee all that's naught and to abuse thee, and to try whether I can thus provoke thee to passion, malice, railing or revenge, to sin against God and damn thy soul.] If you knew one came to you from the Devil on this errand, tell me how you would entertain him! And do you not know that this is indeed the case? Rev. 2. 10. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer; behold the Devil shall cast some of you into Prison that ye may be tried, and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful to the death and I will give thee a Crown of life. As trying imprisonments so all other trying injuries are from the Devil by God's permission, whoever be his instruments: And will you be overcome by him when you foreknow the end of his attempts?

§. 26. Consid. 20. Lastly, set before you the example of our Lord Jesus Christ: See whether he was addicted to wrath and malice, hurtfulness or revenge! If you will not imitate him, you are none of his Disciples! nor will he be your savior. A serious view of the holy pattern of Love and meekness and patience and forgiveness, which is set before us in the life of Christ, is a most powerful remedy against malice and revenge; and will cure it if anything will cure it. Phil. 2. 5, 6, 7. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God—yet made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant. 1 Pet. 4. 1. forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind. 1 Pet. 2. 19. to the 25. For this is thank worthy if a man for Conscience toward God endure grief suffering wrongfully; For what glory is it if when ye be buffeted for your faults ye shall 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: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an ensample that ye should follow his steps: who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: who when he was reviled, reviled not again: when he suffered he threatened not, but committed it to him that judgeth righteously. Think not to live and reign with Christ if you will not follow him and suffer with him. It is impudent presumption and not faith, to look to be like the Saints in glory, while you are like the Devil in malice and cruelty.

CHAP. X. Cases resolved about forgiving injuries and debts, and about self-defense, and seeking right, by Law or otherwise.

THE Cases about forgiving, and revenging are many, and some of them difficult: I shall resolve those of ordinary use in our practice, and pass by the rest.

§. 1. Quest. 1. Is a man bound to forgive all injuries and damages that are done him? If not, What injuries be they which every man is obliged to forgive?

Answ. To both these Questions I briefly answer, 1. We must distinguish between a Crime or sin against God, and the common good, and an injury or damage to ourselves. 2. And between public justice and private revenge; 3. And between those damages which fall upon myself only, and those that by me redound to others (as Wife or Children, &c. ) 4. And between the remitting of a punishment, and the remitting of reparations of my loss. 5. And between the various punishments to be remitted. He that will confound any of these shall sooner deceive himself and others, than resolve the doubts.

§. 2. Prop. 1. It frequently falleth out, that it is not in our power to remit the penalty of a crime; no not the temporal penalty. For this is a wrong to God the Universal Governor; and God only can forgive it, and man no farther than God hath commissioned him: Murder, whoredom, drunkenness, swearing, &c. as they are sins against God, the Magistrate is bound to punish; and private men to endeavor it by the Magistrate: And if it may be said that the Sovereign Ruler of a Nation, hath power to forgive such crimes; the meaning is no more than this, 1. That as to the species of these sins, if he do forgive the temporal punishment which in his Office he should have inflicted, yet no human power can question him for it: because he hath none on Earth above him: But yet God will question him, and show him that he had no power to dispense with his Laws, nor disoblige himself from his duty. 2. And that in some cases an individual crime may be forgiven by the Magistrate as to the temporal punishment, even where the Ends of the Law and Government require it: But this must not be ordinary.

§. 3. Prop. 2. It is not always in the power of the Magistrate to remit the temporal punishment, of beynous crimes against the common-good. Because it is ordinarily necessary to the common good that they be punished: and his power is for the common good, and not against it: The enemies of the public peace must by punishment be restrained.

§. 4. Prop. 3. Much less is it in the power of a private man, to remit a penalty to be inflicted by a Magistrate. And what I say of Magistrates, holdeth of Parents, and other Governors, caeteris paribus, according to the proportion of their Authority.

§. 5. Prop. 4. I may by just means exact satisfaction for damages to myself, in my reputation or estate, when the Ends of Christianity, even the honor of God and the public good, and the benefit of men's souls requireth it; that is, when I only vindicate these by lawful means, as they are the Talents which God hath committed to me for his service, and for which he will call me to account. It may fall out that the vindicating of a Ministers or other Christians name from a slander, may become very needful for the interest and honor of Religion, and for the good of many souls: And if I have an estate which I resolve to use for God, and a Thief or a deceiver take it from me, who will do no good with it but hurt, I may be bound to vindicate it; that I may be enabled to do good, and may give God a comfortable account of my Stewardship: besides the suppressing of thievery and deceit as they are against the common good.

§. 6. Prop. 5. When my estate is not entirely my own, but Wife or Child or any other is a sharer in it, it is not wholly in my power to remit any debt or damage out of it, but I must have the Consent of them that are joint-owners; Unless I be entrusted for them.

§. 7. Prop. 6. If I be primarily obliged to maintain Wife and Children or any others with my Estate, I am bound on their behalf to use all just means to vindicate it from any that shall injuriously invade it: Otherwise I am guilty of their sufferings whom I should maintain: I may no more suffer a thief than a dog to go away with my Children's meat.

§. 8. Prop. 7. And as I must vindicate my Estate for others to whom I am entrusted to Administer it by God, so must I for myself also, so far as God would have me use it myself. For he that hath charged me to provide for my Family, requireth also that I famish not myself: And he hath required me to love my Neighbor but as myself: And therefore as I am bound to vindicate and help my Neighbor if a Thief or Oppressor would rob him, (according to my place and power), so must I do also for myself: In all these seven cases I am not obliged to forgive.

§. 9. But on the other side in all these Cases following, I am bound to forgive and let go my right.

Prop. 1. As the Church may declare to penitent sinners, the remission of the eternal punishment, so may it remit the temporal punishment of excommunication to the penitent: Yea, this they are obliged by Christ to do, ministerially as under him.

§. 10. Prop. 2. When the Repentance and satisfaction of the sinner is like to conduce more to the public good, and the honor of God, and other Ends of Government, than his punishment would do, a private man may not be obliged to prosecute him before the Magistrate, and the Magistrate hath power to forgive him as to the penalty which it belongeth to him to inflict: (Though this may not • xtend to the remitting of crimes ordinarily and frequently, nor to the remitting of some sort of heinous crimes at all; because this cannot attain the ends of Government as aforesaid).

§. 11. Prop. 3. All personal wrongs so far as they are merely against myself, and disable me not from my duty to God and my Neighbor, I may and must forgive: For my own interest is put more in my own power; and here it is that I am commanded to forgive. If you say that I am bound to preserve my own life and soul as much as another's; I answer, It's true; I am bound to preserve my own and another's ultimately for the service and glory of God; and God's interest in me I cannot remit or give away. As there is no obligation to duty but what is Originally from God, so there is none but what is Ultimately for God, even to Please and Glorify him.

Obj. But if this be all I shall forgive no wrongs: for there is none which doth not some way hinder me in my duty.

Answ. Yes, there may be many to your body, your estate and name, which yet may be no disablement or hindrance to you, except you make it so yourself: As if you receive a box on the Ear, or be slandered or reviled where none heareth it but yourself, or such as will make no evil use of it; or if a little be diminished injuriously out of a superfluous estate, or so as to be employed as well as you would have done. 2. But I further answer this objection in the next propositions.

§. 12. Prop. 4. If my patient suffering a personal injury, which somewhat hindereth me from my duty, be like to be as great a service to God, or to do more good, than by that duty I should do, I ought to pass by and forgive that injury: Because then God's interest obligeth me not to vindicate my right.

§. 13. Prop. 5. If when I am injured, and thereby disabled from doing some good which I should else have done, I am not able by seeking reparation or the punishment of the person, to recover my capacity, and promote the service of God, I am bound to pass by and remit that injury (I speak not of the criminal part, but the injury as such: For a man may be bound to bring a Thief to punishment, on the account of God's honor, and the common Good, (though else he might forgive the injury to himself.)

§. 14. Prop. 6. If it be probable that he that defraudeth me of my Estate, will do more good with it than I should have done, I am not bound to vindicate it from him for my own interest (Though as he is criminal, and the crime is hurtful, as an ill example, to the common good, so I may be bound to it): Nay were it not for the said criminal respect, I am bound rather to let him take it, than to vindicate it by any such means as would break Charity and do more hurt than good.

§. 15. Prop. 7. If I am absolutely trusted with the Person or Estate of another, I may so far forgive the wrongs done to that other, upon sufficient reasons as well as against myself.

§. 16. Prop. 8. A private man may not usurp the Magistrates power, or do any act which is proper to his office, nor yet may he break his Laws, for the avenging of himself: He may use no other means than the Law of God and his Sovereign do allow him. Therefore he may not rail or revile or slander or rob or strike or hurt any (unless in case of defense as afterward), nor take any other prohibited course.

§. 17. Prop. 9. No rigor or severity must be used to right myself, where gentler means may probably do it; but the most harmless way must first be tried.

§. 18. Prop. 10. In general, All wrongs, and debts and damages must be forgiven, when the hurt is like to be greater which will come by our righting ourselves, than that which by forbearance we shall sustain: And all must be forgiven where God's Law or man's forbiddeth us not to forgive. Therefore a man that will here know his duty, must conduct his actions by very great prudence (which if he have not himself, he must make use of a guide or Counselor): and he must be able to compare the Evil which he suffereth with the evil which will in probability follow his Vindication, and to discern which of them is the greater: Or else he can never know how far and when he may and must forgive. And herein he must observe,

§. 19. 1. The hurt that cometh to a man's soul is greater than the hurt that befalleth the body: And therefore if my suing a man at Law be like to hurt his soul by uncharitableness, or to hurt my own, or the souls of others by scandal or disturbances, I must rather suffer any mere bodily injuries, than use that means: But if yet greater hurt to souls would follow that bodily suffering of mine, the Case is then altered the other way. So if by forgiving debts or wrongs, I be liker to do more good to the soul of him whom I forgive, or others, than the recovery of my own, or the righting of myself is like any way to equal, I am obliged to forgive that debt or wrong.

§. 20. 2. The good or hurt which cometh to a community or to many, is caeteris paribus to be more regarded th • n that which cometh to myself or any one alone. Because many are of more worth than One; and because God's honor ( caeteris paribus ) is more concerned in the good of many than of one. Therefore I must not seek my own right to the hurt of many, either of their souls or bodies, unless some greater good require it.

§. 21. 3. The good or hurt of public persons Magistrates or Pastors is ( caeteris paribus ) of more regard than the good or hurt of single men: Therefore caeteris paribus I must not right myself to the dishonor or the hurt of Governors (no though I were none of their charge or subjects): because the public good is more concerned in their honor or welfare than in mine. The same may be said of persons by their Gifts and interests more eminently serviceable to God and the common good than I am.

§. 22. 4. The good or hurt of a near relation, of a dear friend, of a worthy person, is more to be regarded by me caeteris paribus than the good or hurt of a vile unworthy person, or a stranger: And therefore the Israelites might not take Usury of a poor brother, which yet they might do of an aliene of another Land! The Laws of nature and Friendship may more oblige me to one than to another, though they were supposed equal in themselves: Therefore I am not bound to remit a debt or wrong to a Thief or deceiver or a vile person, when a nearer or a worthier person would be equally damnified by his benefit: And thus far, (if without any partial self-love a man can justly estimate himself) he may not only as he is ne • rest himself, but also for his real worth, prefer his own commodity before the commodity of a more unworthy and unserviceable person.

§. 23. 5. Another man's Necessities are more regardable than our own superfluities; as his life is more regardable than our corporal delights. Therefore it is a great sin for any man to reduce another to extremity, and deprive him of necessaries for his life, merely to vindicate his own right in superfluities for the satisfaction of his concupiscence and • ensual desires: If a poor man steal to save his own or his Children's lives, and the rich man vindicate his own, merely to live in greater fullness or gallantry in the World, he sinneth both the sin of sensuality and uncharitableness: (But how far for the common good he is bound to prosecute the Thief as criminal, is a case which depends on other circumstances) And this is the most common case, in which the forgiving of debts and damages is required in Scripture, viz. when the other is poor and we are rich, and his necessities require it as an act of Charity (And also the former case, when the hurt by our vindication is like to be greater than our benefit will countervail.)

§. 24. Quest. 2. What is the meaning of those words of Christ, Matth. 5. 38, 39, 40, 41, 42. Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you that ye resist not evil; but whosoever shall smite thee on the right cheek, turn to him the other also: and if any man will sue thee at the Law and take away thy Coat, let him have thy Cloak also: And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him two: Give to him that asketh thee; and from him that would borrow of thee turn thou not away.

Answ. The meaning of the Text is this: as if he had said

§. 25. Quest. 3. Am I bound to forgive another, if he ask me not forgiveness? The reason of the question is because Christ saith, Luke 17. 3, 4. If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him: and if he repent forgive him: And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent, thou shalt forgive him.

Answ. In the resolving of this, while some have barely affirmed, and others denied, for want of distinguishing, they have said worse than nothing. It is necessary that we distinguish,

• 1. Between the forgiving of an enemy, and of a stranger, and of a neighbor, and of a brother, as such.
• 2. Between the several penalties to be remitted (as well as revenges to be forborne). And so briefly the case must be thus resolved.

Prop. 1. An Enemy, a stranger, and a neighbor, as such, must be forgiven (in the cases before asserted) though they ask not forgiveness, nor say, I repent: For,

• 1. Many other Scriptures absolutely require it.
• 2. And forgiving them as such, is but the continuing them in our common charity, as men, or neighbors; that is, our not endeavoring to ruin them, or do them any hurt, and our hearty desiring and endeavoring their good, according to their capacities or ours: And thus far we must forgive them.

Prop. 2. A Brother must be also thus far forgiven, though he say not, I repent: that is, we must Love him as a man, and wish and endeavor his good to our power.

Prop. 3. A Brother as a Brother, is not to be so forgiven, as to be restored to our estimation, and affection, and usage of him as a Brother, either in spiritual account, or intimate special Love and familiarity, as long as he is Impenitent in his gross offenses; and that is, till he turn again and say, I repent. A Natural Brother is still to be Loved as a Natural Brother. For that kind of Love dependeth not on his honesty or repentance. But,

• 1. A Brother in a Religious sense.
• 2. Or a bosom familiar friend, are both unfit for to be received in these capacities, till they are penitent for gross offenses: Therefore the Church is not to pardon the Impenitent, in point of Communion, nor particular Christians to pardon them in their esteem and carriage: Nor am I bound to take an unfit person to be my bosom friend to know my secrets: Therefore if either of these offend, I must not forgive them, that is, by forgiveness continue them in the respect and usuage of this brotherhood, till they Repent: And this (first especially) is the Brother mentioned in the Text.

§. 26. Quest. 4. Is it lawful to sue a Brother at Law? The reason of the question is, from the words of the Apostle Paul, 1 Cor. 6. 7. There is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to Law one with another: Why do you not rather take wrong? Why do you not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?

Answ. 1. Distinguish betwixt going to Law before Heathens, or other enemies to the Christian Religion, and before Christian Magistrates.

2. Between going to Law in malice for revenge, and going merely to seek my right, or to seek the suppression and reformation of sin.

3. Between going to Law when you are bound to forgive, and when you are not.

4. And between going to Law in haste and needlessly, and going to Law as the last remedy, in case of necessity, when other means fail.

5. And between going to Law when the hurt is like to be greater than the benefit, and going to Law when it is likely to do good. There is a great deal of difference between these cases.

§. 27. Prop. 1. Christians must rather suffer wrong, than go to Law before the enemies of Religion, when it is like to harden them, and to bring Christianity into contempt.

Prop. 2. It is not lawful to make Law and Justice the means of private unlawful revenge; nor to vent our malice, nor to oppress the innocent.

Prop. 3. When ever I am bound to forgive the trespass, wrong, or debt, then it is unlawful to seek my own at Law. For that is not forgiving.

Prop. 4. There are many other remedies which must first be tried (ordinarily) before we go to Law: As

• 1. To rebuke our neighbor for his wrong, and privately to desire necessary reparations.
• 2. To take two or three to admonish him: or to refer the matter to Arbitrators (or in some cases to a lott). And if any make Law their first remedy needlessly, while the other means should first be used, it is a sin.

Prop. 5. It is not lawful to go to Law-suits, when prudence may discern that the hurt which may come by it, will be greater than the benefit; (either by hardening the person, or disturbing ourselves, or scandalizing others against Religion, or drawing any to ways of unpeaceableness and revenge, &c. ) The foreseen consequents may over-rule the case.

§. 28. But on the other side, Prop. 1. It is lawful to make use of Christian Judicatories, so it be done in a lawful manner; yea, and in some cases, of the Judicatories of Infidels.

Prop. 2. The suppressing of sin, and the defending of the innocent, and righting of the wronged, being the duty of Governors, it is lawful to seek these benefits at their hands.

Prop. 3. In cases where I am not obliged to forgive (as I have shown before some such there be), I may justly make use of Governors as the Ordinance of God.

Prop. 4. The order and season is when I have tried other means in vain! When persuasion or arbitration will do no good, or cannot be used with hope of success.

Prop. 5. And the great condition to prove it lawful is, when it is not like to do more hurt than good, either directly of itself, or by men's abuse: when Religion, or the soul of any man, or any ones body, or estate, or name, is not like to lose more than my gain, or any other benefits will compensate: When all these concur its lawful to go to Law.

§. 29. Quest. 5. Is it lawful to defend my person, life or estate against a Thief, or Murderer, or unjust Invader, by force of arms?

Answ. You must distinguish, 1. Between such Defense as the Law of the Land alloweth, and such as it forbiddeth.

2. Between Necessary and Unnecessary actions of defense.

Prop. 1. There is no doubt but it is both lawful and a duty to defend ourselves by such convenient means, as are likely to attain their end, and are not contrary to any Law, of God or Man! We must defend our Neighbor if he be assaulted or oppressed; and we must love our neighbors as ourselves.

Prop. 2. This Self-defense by force, is then lawful, when it is Necessary, and other more gentle means have been ineffectual, or have no place, (supposing still that the means be such as the Law of God or man forbiddeth not).

Prop. 3. And it is necessary to the Lawfulness of it, that the means be such as in its nature is like to be successful, or like to do more good than harm.

§. 30. But on the other side: Prop. 1. We may not defend ourselves by any such force as either the Laws of God, or our Rulers, thereto authorized by him, shall forbid. For,

• 1. The Laws are made by such as have more power over our lives, than we have over them ourselves.
• 2. And they are made for the good of the Common-wealth: which is to be preferred before the good or life of any single person. And what ever selfish Infidels say, both nature and grace do teach us to lay down our lives, for the welfare of the Church or State, and to prefer a multitude before ourselves. Therefore it is better to be robbed, oppressed, or killed, than to break the peace of the Common-wealth.

Prop. 2. Therefore a private man may not raise an Army to defend his life against his Prince, or lawful Governor. Perhaps he might hold his hands if personally he went about to murder him, without the violation of the public peace: But he cannot raise a War without it.

Prop. 3. We may not do that by blood or violence, which might be done by persuasion, or by any lawful gentle means: Violence must be used, even in defense, but in case of true necessity.

Prop. 4. When Self-defense is like to have Consequents so ill, as the saving of ourselves cannot countervail, it is then unlawful finis gratia, and not to be attempted.

Prop. 5. Therefore if Self-defense be unlikely to prevail, our strength being inconsiderable, and when the enemy is but like to be the more exasperated by it, and our sufferings like to be the greater, Nature and reason teach us to submit, and use the more effectual (lawful) means.

§. 31. Quest. 6. Is it lawful to take away another's life in the defending of my purse or estate?

Answ. 1. You must again distinguish between such defense as the Law of the Land alloweth, and such as it forbiddeth.

2. Between what is Necessary and what is Unnecessary.

3. Between a life less worth than the prize which he contendeth for, and a life more worth than it, or than mine own.

4. Between the simple defense of my purse, and the defense of it and my life together.

5. Between what I do with purpose and desire, and what I do unwillingly through the assailants • emerity or violence.

6. And between what I do in mere defense, and what I do to bring a Thief or Robber unto legal punishment. And so I answer,

Prop. 1. You may not defend your purse or your estate by such actions as the Law of the Land forbiddeth. (Unless it go against the Law of God): Because it is to be supposed that it is better a man's estate or purse be lost, than Law and public order violated.

Prop. 2. You may not (against an ordinary Thief or Robber) defend your purse with the probable hazard of his life, if a few good words, or other safe and gentle means, which you have opportunity to use, be like to serve turn without such violence.

Prop. 3. If it might be supposed that a Prince or other person of great use and service to the Common-wealth, should in a frolic or otherwise assault your person for your estate, or purse, it is not lawful to take away his life by a defensive violence, if you know it to be he: Because (though in some Countries the Law might allow it you, yet) finis gratia it is unlawful; because his life is more necessary to the common good, than yours.

Prop. 4. If a pilfering Thief would steal your purse, without any violence which hazardeth your life, (ordinarily) you may not take away his life in the defending of it. Because it is the work of the Magistrate to punish him by public Justice, and your defense requireth it not.

Prop. 5. All this is chiefly meant, of the voluntary designed taking away of his life; and not of any lawful action, which doth it accidentally against your will.

§. 33. On the other side: Prop. 1. If the Law of the Land allow you to take away a man's life in the defending of your purse, it removeth the scruple, if the weight of the matter also do allow it: Because it supposeth that the Law taketh the offender to be worthy of death, and maketh you in that case the executioner of it. And if indeed the crime be such as deserveth death, you may be the executioner when the Law alloweth it.

Prop. 2. And this is more clear, when the Robber for your money doth assault your life, or is like for ought you see to do it.

Prop. 3. And when gentler means will not serve the turn, but violence is the only remedy which is left you, which is like to avail for your defense.

Prop. 4. And when the person is a vile offender, who is rather a plague and burden to the Common-wealth, than any necessary member of it.

Prop. 5. If you desire not, and design not his death, but he rush upon it himself in his fury, while you lawfully defend your own, the case is yet less questionable.

Prop. 6. If a Thief have taken your purse, though you may not take away his life after to recover it (because it is of less value) nor yet in revenge (because that belongeth not to private men); yet if the Law require or allow you to pursue him to bring him to a judicial trial, if you kill him while he resisteth, it is not your sin; because you are but suppressing sin in your place, according to the allowance of the Law.

§. 34. Quest. 7. May I kill or wound another in the defense or vindication of my honor or good name?

Answ. No: not by private assault or violence; But if the crime be so great that the Law of the Land doth punish it with death, if that Law be just, you may in some cases, seek to bring the offender to public justice: But that is rare; and otherwise you may not do it: For,

• 1. It belongeth only to the Magistrate, and not to you, to be the avenger.
• 2. And killing a man can be no meet defense against calumny or slander: For if you will kill a man for prevention, you kill the innocent: If you kill him afterward, it is no Defense, but an unprofitable revenge, which vindicateth not your honor, but dishonoreth you more. Your patience is your honor: and your bloody revenge doth show you to be so like the Devil, the destroyer, that it is your greatest shame.
• 3. It is odious Pride which maketh men over-value their reputation among men, and think that a man's life is a just compensation to them for their dishonor! Such bloody Sacrifices are fit to app • ase only the blood-thirsty Spirit! But what is it that Pride will not do and justify?

CHAP. XI. Special Directions to escape the guilt of persecuting. Determining also the case about Liberty in matters of Religion.

THough this be a subject which the guilty cannot endure to hear of, yet the misery of persecutors, the blood and groans and ruins of the Church, and the lamentable divisions of prof • ssed Christians, do all command me not to pass it by in silence; but to tell them the truth, whether they will hear or whether they will forbear; though they were such as Ezek. 3. 7, 8, 9, 11.

§. 1. Direct. 1. If you would escape this dreadful guilt, Understand well what Persecution is. Else you may either run into it ignorantly, or oppose a duty as if it were persecution.

§. 2. The Verb [ Persequor ] is often taken in a good sense, for no more than continuato motu, vel ad extremum sequor; and sometime for the blameless prosecution of a delinquent: But we take it here, as the English word [ Persecute ] is most commonly taken, for [ inimico affectu insequor ]; for a malicious or injurious hurting or prosecuting another, and that for the sake of Religion or Righteousness. For it is not common injuries which we here intend to speak of. Three things then go to make up Persecution. 1. That it be the Hurting of another, in his Body, liberty, relations, estate, or reputation. 2. That it be done injuriously, to one who deserveth it not, in the particular which is the cause. 3. That it be for the cause of Religion or of Righteousness, that is, for the Truth of God which we hold or utter; or for the worship of God which we perform; or for obedience to the will of God revealed in his Laws. This is the cause on the sufferers part what ever is intended by the Persecuter.

§. 3. There are divers sorts of Persecution. As to the Principles of the Persecutors, 1. There is a Persecution which is openly professed to be for the cause of Religion; As Heathens and Mohammedans persecute Christians as Christians: And there is an Hypocritical Persecution when the pretended cause is some odious crime, but the real cause is men's Religion, or obedience to God. This is the common Persecution which nominal Christians exercise on serious Christians, or on one another. They will not say that they Persecute them because they are Godly or serious Christians; but that is the true cause: For if they will but set them above God, and obey them against God, they will abate their Persecution. Many of the Heathens thus persecuted the Christians too, under the name of Ungodly, and evil doers: But the true cause was because they obeyed not their commands in the Worshipping of their Idol God's. So do the Papists persecute and murder men, not as Professors of the truth (which is the true cause), but under the name of Heretics and Sch • smaticks or Rebels against the Pope, or what ever their malice pleaseth to accuse them of. And profane nominal Christians seldom persecute the serious and sincere directly by that name, but under some Nickname which they set upon them, or under the name of Hypocrites, or self-conceited or factious persons, or such like. And if they live in a place and Age where there are many Civil Wars or differences, they are sure to fetch some odious name or accusation thence: Which side soever it be that they are on; or if they meddle not on any side, they are sure by every party whom they please not, to hear Religion loaded with such reproaches as the times will allow them to vent against it. Even the Papists who take this course with Protestants, it seems by Acosta are so used themselves, not by the Heathens; but by one another, yea by the multitude, yea by their Priests: For so saith he speaking of the Parish Priests Priests among the Indians, having reproved their Diceing, Carding, Hunting, Idleness, Lib. 4 c. 15. pag. 404, 405. Itaque is cui Pastoralis Indorum cura committitur, non solum contra diaboli machinas & naturae incentiva pugnare debet; sed jam etiam confirmatae hominum consuetudini & tempore & turba praepotenti sese objicere; & ad excipienda invidorum ac malevolorum tela forte pectus opponere; qui siquid à profano suo instituto abhorrentem viderint, proditorem, hypocritam, hostem clama • t: that is, [ He therefore to whom the Pastoral care of the Indians is committed, must not only fight against the Engines of the Devil and the incentives of nature, but also now must object or set himself against the confirmed custom of men, which is grown very powerful both by time and by the multitude; and must valiantly oppose his breast to receive the darts of the envious and malevolent, who if they see anything contrary to their profane fashion (or breeding) cry out, A Traitor, An Hypocrite, an Enemy. ] It seems then that this is a common course.

§. 4. 2. Persecution is either done in Ignorance or Knowledge: The commonest persecution is that which is done in Ignorance, and error: when men think a Good cause to be bad, or a bad cause to be good, and so persecute Truth while they take it to be falsehood, or good while they take it to be evil or obtrude by violence their Errors for Truths, and their evils as good and necessary things. Thus Peter testifieth of the Jews who killed the Prince of life, Act. 3. 13, 14, 17. [ I know that through Ignorance you did it, as did also your Rulers ]: And Paul 1 Cor. 2. 8. [ which none of the Princes of this world kn • w: for had they known it, they would not have Crucified the Lord of glory. ] And Christ himself saith, Joh. 16. 3. These things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father or me. And Paul saith of himself, Act. 26. 9. I thought verily with myself that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth, which thing I also did, &c. And 1 Tim. 1. 13. that it was ignorantly in unbelief that he was a blaspheamer, a persecutor and injurious. And on the other side, some Pers • cute Truth and Goodness while they know it to be so. Not because it is Truth or Goodness, but because it is against their carnal worldly interest and inclination. As the Conscience of a worldling, a drunkard a whoremonger beareth witness against his sin while he goeth on in it, so ofttimes doth the Conscience of the Pers • cutor; and he hath secret convictions that those whom he persecuteth are better and happier than himself.

§. 5. 3. As to the cause, sometime persecution is for Christianity and Godliness in the gross, or for some great essential point: And sometimes it is only for some particular Truth or duty and that perhaps of a lower nature; so small or so dark that it is become a great Controversy whether it be Truth or error, duty or sin. In some respects it is more comfortable to the persecuted and more heinous in the persecutor, that the suffering be for the Greatest things: For this leaveth no doubt in the mind whether our cause be good or not; and this showeth that the persecutors mind is most aliene from God and truth: But in some other respect it is an aggravation of the sin of the persecutor and of the comfort of the persecuted, when it is for smaller truths and duties: For it is a sign of great uncharitableness and cruelty, when men can find in their hearts to persecute others for little things: And it is a sign of a heart that is true to God, and very sincere, when we will rather suffer anything from Man, than renounce the smallest truth of God, or commit the smallest sin against him, or omit the smallest duty when it is a duty.

4. Sometime persecution is directly for Religion; that is, for matters of professed Faith or Worship: And sometimes it is for a civil or a common cause: Yet still it is for our Obedience to God (or else it is not the persecution which we speak of,) though the Matter of it be some common or civil thing: As if I were persecuted merely for giving to the poor, or helping the sick, or for being Loyal to my Prince and to the Laws, or for doing my duty to my Parents, or because I will not bear false-witness, or tell a lie, or subscribe a falsehood, or any such like: This is truly persecution, whatever the matter of it be, as long as it is truly for Obeying God that we undergo the suffering.

§. 6. I omit many other less considerable distributions: And also those afflictions which are but improperly called persecutions; (as when a man is punished for a fault in a far greater measure than it deserveth: this is Injustice, but not persecution, (unless it be his Religion and Obedience to God, which is the secret cause of it.)

§. 7. Direct. 2. Understand well the greatness of the sin of Persecution, that you may be kept in a due fear of being tempted to it. Here therefore I shall show you how Great a sin it is.

§. 8. 1. Persecution is a fighting against God: So it is called, Act. 5. 39. And to fight against God, is odious Malignity, and desperate folly: 1. It is Venemous malignity, for a Creature to fight against his Creator, and a sinner against his Redeemer who would save him; and for so blind a worm to rise up against the wisdom of the All-knowing God! and for so vile a sinner to oppose the fountain of Love and Goodness! 2. And what Folly can be greater, than for a Mole to reproach the Sun for darkness? or a lump of Earth to take up Arms against the Almighty terrible God? Art thou able to make good thy cause against him? or to stand before him when he is offended, and chargeth thee with sin? Hear a Pharisee, Act. 6. 38, 39. [ And now I say unto you, refrain from these men and let them alone; for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to naught: But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest happily ye be found even to fight against God. ] Or hear Christ himself, Act. 9. 4, 5. I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks! with bare feet or hands to beat the thorns! How unmeet a match is man for God! He needeth not so much as a word to take away thy soul, and crush thee to the lowest Hell. His will alone can lay thee under thy deserved pains. Canst thou Conquer the Almighty God? Wilt thou assault the Power which was never overcome, or storm Jehovah's Throne or Kingdom? First try to take down the Sun and Moon and Stars from the Firmament, and to stop the course of the Rivers or of the Sea; and to rebuke the Winds, and turn night into day, and Winter into Summer, and decrepit Age into vigorous Youth: Attempt not greater matters till thou hast performed these: It is a greater matter than any of these, to conquer God whose cause thou fightest against. Hear him again, Isa. 45. 9. [ Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker: Let the potsherd strive with the Potsherds of the Earth? Shall the Clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? ] Or thy work, [ He hath no hands ]? And Isa. 45. 9. [ who would set the briars and thorns against me in battle? I would go through them, I would burn them together. ] Woe to the man that is not content to fight with men, but chooseth the most dreadful God to be his enemy! It had been better for thee that all the World had been against thee!

§. 9. 2. Persecution opposeth the gracious design of our Redeemer, and hindereth his Gospel, and work of mercy to the world, and endeavoreth the ruin of his Kingdom upon earth. Christ came to save men, and persecutors raise up their power against him, as if they envied salvation to the World. And if God have made the work of man's Redemption, the most wonderful of all his works, which ever he revealed to the sons of men, you may easily conceive what thanks he will give them, that resist him in so high and glorious a design. If you could pull the Stars out of the Firmament, or hinder the motions of the Heavens, or deny the rain to the thirsty Earth, you might look for as good a reward for this, as for opposing the merciful Redeemer of the World, in the blessed work of man's salvation.

§. 10. 3. Persecution is a resisting or fighting against the Holy Ghost: Act. 7. 51. saith Stephen to the Jews, [ Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears; ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye! ] If you silence the Ministers who are the means by which the spirit worketh, in the illuminating and sanctifying of souls ( Act. 26. 17, 18.); or if you afflict men for those Holy duties, which the spirit of God hath taught them to perform, or would force men from that which the spirit of Christ is sent to draw them to; this is to raise War against that spirit, into whose name you were yourselves baptized.

§. 11. 4. Persecution endeavoreth the damnation of men's souls, either by depriving them of the Preaching of the Gospel which should save them, or by forcing them upon that sin for which God will condemn them. Yea the banishing or silencing of one faithful Preacher, may conduce to the damnation of many hundreds? If it be said that others who are set up in their stead may save men's souls as well as they. I answer, 1. God seldom, if ever, did qualify supernumeraries for the work of the Ministry! Many a Nation hath had too few, but I never read of any Nation that had too many who were well qualified for that great and difficult work, no not from the days of Christ till now! so that if they are all fit men, there are none of them to be spared; but all are too few if they conjoin their greatest skill and diligence. Christ biddeth us pray the Lord of the harvest, to send forth more laborers into his Harvest; but never biddeth us pray to send out fewer, or to call any in that were but tolerably fitted for the work. 2. Many persecutors banish all Preachers of the Gospel, and set up no other to do the service which they were called to. And it is rarely seen that any who can find in their hearts, to cast out any faithful Ministers of Christ, have hearts to set up better, or any that are competent in their stead: But it is ordinarily seen, that when the judgment is so far depraved, as to approve of the casting out of worthy men, it is also so far depraved as to think an ignorant, unskillful, heartless, or scandalous sort of Ministers, to be as fit to save men souls as they: And how many poor Congregations in the Eastern and the Western Churches (nay how many thousand) have ignorant, ungodly, sensual Pastors, who are such unsavory Salt, as to be unfit for the Land or for the Dunghill? Whilest men are extinguishing the clearest lights, or thrusting them into obscurity: Matth. 5. 13, 14, 15. Luk. 14. 35. 3. And there may be something of suitableness between a Pastor and the flock, which may give him advantage to be more profitable to their souls, than another man of equal parts. 4. And, though God can work by the weakest means, yet ordinarily we see that his work upon men's souls is so far Moral, as that he usually prospereth men, according to the fitness of their labors to the work! and some men have far more success than others. He that should expel a dozen or twenty of the ablest Physicians out of London, and say, the • e are enough left in their steads who may save men's lives as well as they; might, notwithstanding that assertion, be found guilty of the blood of no small numbers. And as men have sometime an averseness to one sort of food, (as good as any to another man), and as this distemper is not laudable; and yet he that would force them to eat nothing else but that which they so abhor were liker to kill them than to cure them, so is it with the souls of many. And there are few who have any spiritual discerning and relish, but have some special sense of what is helpful or hurtful to their souls, in Sermons, Books and Conference, which a stander by is not so fit a judge of as themselves. So that it is clear, that persecution driveth men towards their damnation! And O how sad a case it is, to have the damnation of one soul to answer for! (which is worse than the murdering of many bodies.) Much more to be guilty of the perdition of a multitude!

§. 12. 5. Persecution is unjustice, and oppression of the innocent! And what a multitude of terrible threatenings against this sin are found throughout the holy Scriptures? Doth a man deserve to be cruelly used, for being faithful to his God, and for preferring him before man? and for being afraid to sin against him? or for doing that which God commandeth him, and that upon pain of greater sufferings, than man can inflict upon him? Is it not his Savior that hath said, Fear not them that can kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do: but fear him who after he hath killed hath power to cast into Hell; yea, I say unto you, fear him: Though Christianity was once called a Sect which everywhere was spoken against, Act. 28. 22. and Paul was accused as a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among the people, Act. 24. 5. and Christ was Crucified as a Usurper of the Crown; yet innocence shall be innocence still in spite of malice, and lying accusations; because God will be the final Judge, and will bring all secret things to light, and will justify those whom injustice hath condemned, and will not call them as slandering tongues have called them. Yea the Consciences of the persecutors are often forced to say, as they did of Daniel, Dan. 6. 5. We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the Law of his God. And therefore the net which they were fain to lay for him, was a Law against his Religion or prayers to God; For a Law against Treason, sedition, swearing, drunkenness, fornication, &c. would have done them no service! And yet they would fain have aspersed him there, verse 4. Jer. 22. 13. Woe to hi • that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, &c. Isa. 33. 1. Woe to thee that spoilest and thou wast not spoiled: Isa. 5. 20. Woe to them that call evil good and good evil: Jer. 2. 34. In thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor innocents: Prov. 6. 16, 17. Hands that shed innocent blood the Lord doth hate, &c.

§. 13. 6. Persecution maketh men likest unto Devils, and maketh them his most notable servants in the world: Many wicked men may neglect that duty which they are convinced they should do. But to hate it, and malice men that do it, and seek their ruin, this if anything, is a work more beseeming a Devil than a man. These are the Commanders in the Armies of the Devil, against the Cause and Kingdom of the Lord! John 8. 42. 44. and accordingly shall they speed.

§. 14. 7. Persecution is an inhumane disingenuous sin, and showeth an extinction of the light of Nature. A good natured man, if he had no grace at all, would abhor to be cruel, and to oppress his brethren; and that me • lie because they are true to their consciences, and obey their God, while they do no hurt to any others: If they had deserved execution, an ingenuous nature would not be forward, to be their executioner; Much more when they deserve encouragement and imitation: It is no honor to be numbered with blood-thirsty men.

§. 15. 8. It is a sin that hath so little of commodity, honor or pleasure to invite men to it, that maketh it utterly without excuse, and showeth that the serpentine nature is the cause, ( Gen. 3. 15.) What get men by shedding the blood of innocents, or silencing the faithful Preachers of the Gospel? What sweetness could they find in cruelty, if a malicious nature made it not sweet?

§. 16. 9. It is a sin which men have as terrible warnings against from God, as any sin in the world, that I can remember: 1. In God's threatenings. 2. In sad examples, and Judgments in this life, even on posterity: 3. And in the infamy that followeth the Names of Persecutors when they are dead.

§. 17. 1. How terrible are those words of Christ, Matth. 18. 6. But who so shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the Sea. How terrible is that character which Paul giveth of the Jews, 1 Thess. 2. 15, 16. Who both killed the Lord Jesus and their own Prophets, and have persecuted us: and they please not God, and are contrary to all men; forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved to fill up their sins always; for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost. Such terrors against persecutors are so common through the Scriptures, that it would be tedious to recite them.

§. 18. 2. And for examples, the captivity first, and afterward the casting off of the Jews, may serve instead of many, 2 Chron. 36. 16. But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words and misused his Prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, till there was no remedy. And of their casting off, see Mat. 23. 37, 38. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the Prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee, how oft would I have gathered thy children together as a Hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not: behold your house is left unto you desolate —And verse. 34, 35, 36. Behold I send unto you Prophets, and wise men, and Scribes; and some of them ye shall kill and crucify, and some of them shall ye scourge in your Synagogues, and persecute them from City to City; that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the Temple and the Altar: Verily I say unto you, all these things shall come on this generation. To give you the particular examples of God's judgments against Persecutors, and their posterity after them, would be a Voluminous work: You may find them in the Holy Scriptures, and the Churches Martyrologies.

§. 19. 3. And by a marvelous providence God doth so over-rule, the tongue of fame, and the pens of Historians, and the thoughts of men, that commonly the names of Persecutors stink when they are dead: yea, though they were never so much honored and flattered while they were alive! What odious names are the names of Pharaoh, Ahab, Pilate, Herod, Nero, Domitian, Dioclesian, &c.? What a name hath the French Massacre left on Charles the ninth? And the English persecution on Queen Mary? And so of others throughout the world! Yea, what a blot leaveth it on Asa, Amaziah, or any, that do but hurt a Prophet of the Lord! The eleventh Chapter of the Hebrews, and all the Mar • yrologies that are written to preserve the name of the witnesses of Christ, are all the records of the impity, and the perpetual shame of those, by whom they suffered. Even Learning, and Wisdom, and common Virtue, hath got that estimation in the nature of man, that he that persecuteth but a Seneca, a Cicero, a Demosthenes, or a Socrates, hath irrecoverably wounded his reputation to posterity, and left his name to the hatred of all succeeding ages. Prov. 10. 7. The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot.

§. 20. 4. The persecution of Godliness as such in Ministers or private Christians, is one of the most visible undoubted marks, of one that is yet unsanctified, and in a state of sin and condemnation: For it showeth most clearly the predominancy of the Scrpentine nature in the persecutor. Though Asa in a peevish fit may imprison the Prophet, and those Christians that are engaged in a Sect or party, may in a sin • ul zeal be injurious to those of the contrary party; and yet there may remain some roots of uprightness within: Yet he that shall set himself to hinder the Gospel, and the serious practice of Godliness in the world, and to that end hinder or persecute the Preachers, and Professors and Practisers of it, hath the plainest mark of a child of the Devil, and the most visible brand of the wrath of God, upon his soul, of any sort of men on earth. If there might be any hope of grace in him that at present doth but neglect or disobey the Gospel, and doth not himself live a godly life (as indeed there is not,) yet there can be no possibility that he should have grace at that present who hateth and opposeth it, and that he should be justified by the Gospel who persecuteth it, and that he should be a godly man, who setteth himself against the godly, and seeketh to destroy them.

§. 21. 11. And it is a far more heinous sin in a Professed Christian, than in an Infidel or Heathen. For th • se do according to the darkness of their Education and the interest of their party, and the principles of their own profession. But for a professed Christian to persecute Christianity, and one that pro •• ss • th to believe the Gospel, to persecute the Preachers and serious practicers of the doctrine of the Gospel, this is so near that sin which is commonly said to be the unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost, that it is not easy to perceive a difference; and if I did consent to that description of the unpardonable sin, I should have little hope of the conversion of any one of these. But however they make up such a mixture of Hypocrisy, and Impiety, and Cruelty, as showeth them to exceed all ordinary sinners, in malignity and misery. They are a self-condemned sort of men: Out of their own mouths will God condemn them. They profess themselves to believe in God, and yet they persecute those that serve him: They dare not speak against the preaching and practicing of the doctrine o • Godliness, directly and in plain expressions; and yet they persecute them, and cannot endure them! They fight against the interest and Law of God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, when they have in Baptism vowed themselves unto his service. Of all men on earth, these men will have least to say for their sin, or against their condemnation.

§. 22. 12. Lastly, Remember that Christ taketh all that is done by persecutors against his servants for his cause, to be done as to himself, and will accordingly in judgment charge it on them. So speaketh he to Saul, Acts 9. 5, 6. Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me—I am Jesus whom thou persecutest! And Matth. 25. 41. to 46. Even to them that did not • eed, and clothe, and visit, and relieve them, he saith, Verily, I say unto you, in as much as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. What then will he say to them that impoverished and imprisoned them? Remember that it is Christ reputatively whom thou dost hate, deride and persecute.

§. 23. Direct. 3. If you world escape the guilt of persecution, the cause and interest of Christ in the world, must be truly understood. He that knoweth not that Holiness is Christ's end, and Scripture is his Word, and Law, and that the Preachers of the Gospel are his messengers, and that preaching is his appointed means, and that sanctified believers are his members, and the whole number of them are his mystical body, and all that profess to be such are his visible body, or Kingdom in the world, and that sin is the thing which he came to destroy, and the Devil, the world and the flesh are the enemies which he causeth us to conquer; I say, He that knoweth not this, doth not know what Christianity or Godliness is; and therefore may easily persecute it in his ignorance. If you know not, or believe not, that serious Godliness in heart and life, and serious preaching, and discipline to promote it, are Christ's great cause and interest in the world, you may fight against him in the dark, whilst ignorantly you call yourselves his followers. If the Devil can but make you think that Ignorance is as good as Knowledge, and Pharisaical formality, and hypocritical shows, are as good as spiritual worship, and rational service of God; and that seeming and lip-service is as good as seriousness in Religion, and that the strict and serious obeying of God, and living as we profess, according to the principles of our Religion, is but hypocrisy, pride, or faction; (that is, that all are hypocrites who will not be hypocrites, but seriously Religious): I say, if Satan can bring you once to such erroneous malignant thoughts as these, no wonder if he make you persecutors. O value the great blessing of a sound understanding: For if Error blind you (either impious error, or factious error ) there is no wickedness so great but you may promote it, and nothing so good and holy, but you may persecute it, and think all the while that you are doing well. John 16. 2. They shall put you out of the Synagogues; yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you, will think that he doth God service. What Prophet so great, or Saint so holy, that did not suffer by such hands? Yea, Christ himself was persecuted as a sinner, that never sinned.

§. 24. Direct. 4. And (if you would escape the guilt of persecution) the cause and interest of Christ, must be highest in your esteem, and preferred before all worldly carnal interests of your own. Otherwise the Devil will be still persuading you, that your own interest requireth you, to suppress the interest of Christ: For the truth is, the Gospel of Christ is quite against the interest of carnality and concupiscence: It doth condemn ambition, covetousness and lust: It forbiddeth those sins on pain of damnation, which the proud, and covetous, and sensual love, and will not part with: And therefore it is no more wonder to have a proud man, or a covetous man, or a lustful voluptuous man to be a persecutor, than for a Dog to fly in his face who takes his bone from him. If you love your pride, and lust, and pleasures, better than the Gospel and a holy life, no marvel if you be persecutors: For these will not well agree together: And though sometimes the providence of God may so contrive things, that an ambitious hypocrite may think that his worldly interest requireth him, to seem religious, and promote the preaching and practice of godliness, this is but seldom, and usually not long: For he cannot choose but quickly find that Christ is no Patron of his sin, and that Holiness is contrary to his worldly lusts: Therefore if you cannot value the Cause of Godliness, above your lusts and carnal interests, I cannot tell you how to avoid the guilt of persecution, nor the wrath and vengeance of Almighty God.

§. 25. Direct. 5. Yea, though you do prefer Christ's interest in the main, You must carefully take heed of stepping into any forbidden way, and espousing any interest of your own or others, which is contrary to the Laws or interest of Christ. Otherwise in the defense or prosecution of your cause, you will be carried into a seeming Necessity of persecuting before you are aware: This hath been the ruin of multitudes of great ones in the world. When Ahab had set himself in a way of sin, the Prophet must reprove him; and then he hateth and persecuteth the Prophet, because he prophesied not good of him but evil: When Jeroboam thought that his interest required him, to set up Calves at Dan and Bethel, and to make Priests for them of the ba • est of the people, the Prophet must speak against his sin: and then he stretcheth out his hand against him, and saith, Lay hold on him: If Asa sin and the Prophet tell him of it, his rage may proceed to imprison his reprover. If Amaziah sin with the Idolaters, the Prophet must reprove him, and he will silence him or smite him: And silenced he is, and what must follow? 2 Chron. 15, 16. The King said to him, Art thou made of the Kings counsel? forbear: why shouldst thou be smitten? (This seemeth to be gentle dealing.) Then the Prophet forbore and said, I know that God hath determined to destroy thee, because thou hast done this, and hast not hearkened to my counsel. It Pilate do but hear, [ If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar's friend, ] he thinketh it his interest to crucify Christ: As Herod thought it his interest to kill him, and therefore to kill so many other Inf • nts, when he heard of the birth of a King of the Jews. Because of an Herodias, and the honor of his word, Herod will not stick to behead John the Baptist: And another Herod will kill James with the Sword, and imprison Peter, because he seeth that it pleaseth the Jews. Instances of this desperate sin are innumerable: There is no way so common, by which Satan hath engaged the Rulers of the world, against the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, and against the Preachers of his Gospel, and the people that obey him, than by persuading them as Haman did Ahasuerus, Esther 3. 8, 9. [ There is a certain people scattered abroad, and dispersed among the people in all the Provinces of thy Kingdom, and their Laws are divers from all people, neither keep they the Kings Laws: therefore it is not for the Kings profit to suffer them: if it please the King, let it be written that they may be destroyed. ] When once the Devil hath got men, by error or sensuality, to espouse an interest that Christ is against, he hath half done his work: For then he knoweth that Christ or his servants will never bend to the wills of sinners; nor be reconciled to their wicked ways, nor take part with them in a sinful cause: And then it is easy for Satan to persuade such men, that these precise Preachers and people are their enemies, and are against their interest and honor, and that they are a turbulent seditious sort of people, unfit to be governed (because they will not be false to God, nor take part with the Devil, nor be friends to sin.) When once Nebuchadnezzar hath set up his golden Image, he thinks he is obliged in honor to persecute them that will not bow down, as refractory persons that obey not the King. When Jeroboam is once engaged to set up his Calves, he is presently engaged against those that are against them; and that is against God and all his servants. Therefore as Rulers love their souls, let them take heed what cause and interest they espouse.

§. 26. Direct. 6. To Love your neighbors as yourselves, and do as you would be done by, is the infallible means to avoid the guilt of persecution. For Charity suffereth long, and is kind, it envieth not, it is not easily provoked, it thinketh no evil, rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; it beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 1 Cor. 13. 4, 5, 6, 7. Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: therefore Love is the fulfilling of the Law, Rom▪ 13. 10. And if it fulfill the Law, it wrongeth no man. When did you see a Man persecute himself? imprison, banish, defame, slander, revile or put to death himself (if he were well in his wits)? Never fear persecution from a man that Loveth his neighbor as himself, and doth as he would be done by, and is not selfish and uncharitable.

§. 27. Direct. 7. Pride also must be subdued if you would not be persecutors: For a proud man cannot endure to have his word disobeyed, though it contradict the Word of God: Nor can he endure to be reproved by the Preachers of the Gospel; but will do as Herod with John the Baptist, or as Asa or Amaziah, by the Prophets! Till the soul be humbled, it will not bear the sharp remedies which our Savior hath prescribed; but will persecute him that would administer them.

§. 28. Direct. 8. Passion must be subdued, and the mind kept calm, if you would avoid the guilt of persecution. Asa was in a rage when he imprisoned the Prophet: (A fit work for a raging man). And Nebuchadnezzar was in a rage and fury when he commanded the punishment of the three witnesses, Dan. 3. 13. The wrath of man worketh not the will of God, James 1. 20. The nature of wrathfulness tendeth to hurting those you are angry with. And wrath is impatient, and unjust, and will not hear what men 〈…〉 say, but rashly passeth unrighteous sentence. And it blindeth Reason, so that it cannot see the truth.

§. 29. Direct. 9. And hearkening to malicious backbiters and slanderers, and favoring the enemies of Godliness in their calumnies, will engage men in persecution ere they are aware. For when the wicked are in the favor, and at the ear of Rulers, they have opportunity to vent those false reports, which they never want a will to vent! And anything may be said of men behind their backs, with an appearance of truth, when there is none to contradict it. If Haman may be heard, the Jews shall be destroyed, as not being for the Kings profit, nor obedient to his Laws. If Sanballat and Tobiah may be heard, the building of the Walls of Jerusalem, shall signify no better than an intended rebellion. They are true words, though to some ungrateful, which are spoken by the Holy Ghost, Prov. 29. 12. [ If a Ruler hearken to lies, all his servants are wicked ] (for they will soon accommodate themselves to so vicious a humor) Prov. 25. 4, 5. Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer: Take away the wicked from before the King; and his Throne shall be established in righteousness. If the Devil might be believed, Job was one that served God for gain, and might have been made to curse him to his face. And if his servants may be believed, there is nothing so vile which the best men are not guilty of.

§. 30. Direct. 10. Take heed of engaging yourselves in a Sect or Faction! For when once you depart from Catholic Charity, there groweth up instead of it, a partial respect to the interest of that Sect to which you join: And you will think that whatsoever doth promote that Sect, doth promote Christianity, and what ever is against that Sect, is against the Church or cause of God. A narrow Sectarian separating mind, will make all the truths of God give place, to the opinions of his party; and will measure the prosperity of the Gospel in the world, by the prosperity of his party; as if he had forgot, that there are anymore men on the face of the earth, or thought God, regarded none but them. He will not stick to persecute all the rest of the Church of Christ, if the interest of his Sect require it. When once men incorporate themselves into a party, it possesseth them with another spirit; even with a strange uncharitableness, injustice, cruelty and partiality! What hath the Christian world suffered by one Sects persecuting another, and faction rising up in fury, to maintain its own interest, as if it had been to maintain the being of all Religion! The bloodthirsty Papists, whose Inquisition, Massacres, and manifold murders have filled the earth with the blood of innocents, is a sufficient testimony of this. And still here among us, they seem as thirsty of blood as ever▪ and tell us to our faces, that they would soon make an end of us, if we were in their power: As if the two hundred thousand lately murdered in so short a time in Ireland, had rather irritated than quenched their thirst. And all faction naturally tendeth to persecution. Own not therefore any dividing opinions or names: Maintain the Unity of the Body of Christ (not of the body of the Pope)! Let Christian and Catholic, be all your titles, as to your Religion. Mark those that cause divisions and offenses, and avoid them, Rom. 16. 17.

§. 31. Direct. 11. To this end, Overvalue not any private or singular opinions, of your own or others: For if once spiritual pride, and ignorance of your own weakness, hath made you espouse some particular opinion as peculiarly your own; you will dote on the brats of your own brains, and will think your conceits to be far more illuminating and necessary than indeed they are, as if men's sincerity lay in the embracing of them, and their salvation on the receiving of them! And then you will make a party for your opinion, and will think all that are against it, deserve to be cast out, as enemies to reformation, or to the truth of God, or to the Church: And perhaps twenty years after experience may bring you to your wits, and make you see, either the falsehood or the smallness, of all those points, which you made so great a matter of; and then what comfort will you have in your persecutions?

§. 32. Direct. 12. Obey not the solicitations of selfish passionate disputers. Bishops and Divines falling out among themselves, and then drawing Princes to own their quarrels, when they find their arguments will not serve, hath been the distraction, division and ruin of the Christian world. And he that falleth in with one of the parties, to bear out that by the ruins of the other, is lost himself in their contentions. Would Rulers let wrangling Bishops and Disputers alone, and never lend them their Swords to end their differences, unless the substance of Religion be endangered, they would be weary of quarrelling, and would chide themselves friends, and no such tragical consequents would follow, as do when the Sword interposeth to suppress the discountenanced party, and to end their Syllogisms and wranglings in blood.

§. 33. Direct. 13. Take heed lest an uncharitable hurting spirit do prevail under the name of holy Zeal. As it did with James and John, when they would have fire from Heaven to have revenged the contempt of their Ministry: To whom Christ saith, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. The difference between a Christian zeal, and an envious, contentious, censorious, hurtful zeal, is excellently described by the Apostle James, Chap. 3. throughout, Where envying and strife is, there is confusion, and every evil work. The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good works, without partiality and hypocrisy.

§. 34. Direct. 14. The Catholic Church, and Particular Churches, and our Communion with each, must be distinguished; and a man must not be cast out of our Catholic Communion, because by some tolerable difference he is uncapabable of Communion with some particular Church. If a man be impenitent in any Heresy or sin, which is contrary to the common nature of Christianity or Godliness, and so unfit for Catholic Communion, he is to be cast out of Christian Communion: But if some particular Church do impose any unnecessary doctrine or practice, and he dare not approve it, or join in it (be it right or wrong); yea, or if he withdraw himself from one Church, through the badness of the Minister, or through any falling out between them, and join to another that hath a Minister more suitable to his case; these are not crimes to be punished with ejection from Catholic Communion. He that is not fit for Communion with some one particular Church, may be fit for Communion with many others, that give him no such occasion of difference or distaste. Without Catholic principles, persecution will not be avoided.

§. 35. Direct. 15. Let Church Union and Communion be laid upon none but Catholic terms, which are possible and fit for all to be agreed in. Common Reason will tell any impartial man, that there can be no more effectual engine to divide the Churches, and raise contentions and persecutions, than to make Laws for Church-communion requiring such conditions, as it is certain the members cannot consent to. If any man knew that my opinion is against the doctrine of Transubstantiation, or of the Dominicans Predetermination, and he would make a Law that no man shall have Communion with that Church who subscribeth not to these, he unavoidably excludeth me (Unless I be such a Beast, as to Believe nothing soundly, and therefore to say anything. ) If ever the Churches agree, and Christians be reconciled, it must be by leaving out all dividing impositions, and requiring nothing as necessary to Communion, which all may not rationally be expected to consent in. Now these Catholic principles of Communion must be such as these:

• 1. Such points of faith only as constitute Christianity, and which every upright Christian holdeth; and therefore only such as are contained in our Baptismal Covenant or Profession, which maketh us Christians: And not those other which only some stronger Christians believe or understand: Because the weak are not to be cast out of the family of Christ.
• 2. Such points as the Primitive Churches did agree in, and not innovations, which they never practiced or agreed in: For they are our pattern, and were better than we: and no more can be necessary to our Concord and Communion, than was to theirs.
• 3. Such points as all the Church hath sometime or other at least agreed in: For what reason can we have to think that the Churches should now agree in that, which they never hitherto agreed in.
• 4. Such points as all the true Christians in the world are now agreed in: For otherwise we shall exclude some true Christians from our Christian Communion.
• 5. No points of Worship, much less of Modes and Circumstances, which are not necessary, and more necessary to the Churches good, than is the Communion of all those persons, who by dissenting are like to be separated or cast out: and whose omission would not do more hurt, than this separation and division is like to do.
• 6. Especially no such things must be made necessary to communion, as the most conscientious are ordinarily fearful of and averse to, and may be forborne without any great detriment to godliness.

§. 36. Object. But, it will be said, that Catholic Communion indeed requireth no more than you say: But particular Churches may require more of their members: For that may be necessary or fit for a member of this particular Church, which is not to at all.

Answ. Catholic Communion is that which all Christians and Churches have with one another, and the terms of it are such as all Christians may agree in: Catholic Communion is principally existent and exercised in particular Churches, (as there is no existent Christianity or faith, which existeth not in individual Christians:) Therefore if one particular Church may so narrow the door of its Communion, then another and another, and everyone may do so: if not by the same particular impositions, yet by some other of the like nature: For what power one Church hath herein, others have: And then Catholic Communion will be scarce found existent externally in the world: but a mere Catholic Christian would be denied Communion in every particular Church he cometh to. And how do you hold Catholic Communion when you will admit no mere Catholic Christian as such to your Communion, but only such as supererogate according to your private Church-terms.

2. But grant that every Church may impose more upon its members, it must be only that which is Necessary to those common things which all agree in: And then the necessity will be discernible to all sober minded persons, and will prevent divisions: As it is Necessary that he that will communicate with our Churches, do join with them in the same Translation of Scripture, and Version of Psalms, and under the same Pastor, as the rest of the Church doth: For here the Church cannot use variety of Pastors, Translations, Versions, &c. to fit the variety of men's humors: There is an evident necessity, that if they will be one Society, they must agree in the same, in each of these: Therefore when the Church hath United in one, if any man refuse that one person or way which the Church is necessarily United in, he refuseth communion with that Church, and the Church doth not excommunicate him! But if that Church agree on things hurtful or unnecessary as necessary to its communion, it must bear the blame of the separations itself.

3. And grant yet that some Churches cannot admit such scrupulous persons to her communion as dare not join in every punctillio, circumstance or mode; It doth not follow that those persons must therefore be excommunicated, or forbidden to worship God among themselves without that which they scruple: or to join in or with a Congregation which imposeth no such things upon them. Persecution will unavoidably come in, upon such domineering narrow terms as those. The man is a Christian still, though he scruple one of our modes or ceremonies, and is capable of Catholic Communion: And if private and little inconveniencies shall be thought a sufficient cause, to forbid all such the public worshipping of God, on pretence that in one Nation, there must not be variety of modes, this is a dividing principle, and not Catholic, and plungeth men into the guilt of persecution. It was not so in the Churches of the Roman Empire: In the days of Basil his Church, and that at Neocaesarea differed: and ordinarily several Bishops used several forms of prayer and worship in their several Churches, without offense: And further,

§. 37. Direct. 16. Different faults must have different penalties: And excommunication or forbidding men all public worship of God, must not be the penalty of every dissent. Is there no smaller penalty sufficient if a doubtful subscription or ceremony be scrupled, than to silence Ministers therefore from preaching the Gospel, or excommunicating men, and forbidding them to worship God at all except they can do this? This is the highest ecclesiastical penalty that can be laid on men for the greatest heresy or crime: Doubtless there are lesser punishments that may suffice for lesser faults.

§. 38. Direct. 17. Every friend of Christ and the Church must choose such penalties for Ministers and private Christians who offend, as are least to the hindrance of the Gospel, or hurtful to the people's souls: Therefore silencing Ministers is not a fit penalty for every fault which they commit! The providence of God (as I said before) hath furnished the world with so few that are fit for that high and sacred work, that no man can pretend that they are supernumeraries, or unnecessary, and that others may be substituted to the Churches profit: For the number is so small, that all are much too few; and so many as are silenced, so many Churches (either the same or others) must be unsupplyed or ill-supplied. And God working ordinarily by means, we may conclude that silencing of such Preachers doth as plainly tend to men's damnation, as the prohibiting of Physicians doth to their death, and more. And it is not the part of a friend either of God or men, to endeavor the damnation of one soul, much less of multitudes, because a Minister hath displeased him: If one man must pay for another man's sins, let it be a pecuniary mulct, or the loss of a member, rather than the loss of his soul. It is more merciful every time a Minister offendeth, to cut off a hand or an arm of some of his flock, than to say to him, Teach them no more the way to salvation, that so they may be damned. If a Father offend, and his children must needs pay for • ll his faults, it is better beat the children or maim them, than forbid him to feed them, when there is none else to do it, and so to famish them. What Reason is there that men's souls should be untaught because a Minister hath offended? I know still, those men that care not for their own souls, and therefore care as little for others, will say, What if the People have but a Reader, or a weak, ignorant, lifeless Preacher? Doth it follow that therefore the people must be damned? I answer, no: No more than it followeth that the City that hath none but Women Physicians must die of their sicknesses, or that they that live only upon Grass or Roots must famish. Nature may do more to overcome a disease without a Physician in one than in another. Some perhaps are converted already, and have the Law written in their hearts, and are taught of God, and can make shift to live without a Teacher: But for the rest whose diseases need a skillful diligent Physician; whose ignorance and impenitence extremely needeth a skillful diligent lively Teacher, he that depriveth them of such, doth take the probable course to damn them! And it is the same course which the Devil himself would take; and he partly knoweth what tendeth to men's damnation! He that knoweth what a case the Heathen, Infidel, Mahometan world is in for want of Teachers; and what a case the Greek Church, the Muscovites, the Abbassines, Syrians, Armenians, Papists, and most of the Christians of the world are in, for want of able, skillful, godly Pastors, will lay his hand on his mouth, and meddle with such reasonings as these no more.

Object. But by this devise you will have the Clergy lawless, or as the Papists, exempt them from the Magistrates punishments, for fear of depriving the people of instruction.

Answ. No such matter: It is the contrary that I am advising: I would have them punished more severely than other men, as their sins are more aggravated than other men's. Yea, and I would have them silenced when it is meet; and that is in two cases: viz. 1. If they commit such capital crimes, as God and man would have punished with death, its fit they die, (and then they are silenced): For in this case it is supposed that their lives (by their impunity) are like to do more hurt than good. 2. If their Heresy, insufficiency, scandal, or any fault what ever, do make them more hurtful than profitable to the Church, it is fit they be cast out: If their Ministry be not like to do more good, than their faults to do harm, let them be silenced! But if it be otherwise, then let them be punished in their bodies or purses, rather than the people's souls should suffer. The Laws have variety of penalties for other men! Will none of those suffice for Ministers?

But alas, What talk I of their faults! Search all Church History, and observe whether in all ages Ministers have not been silenced rather for their duties, than their faults; or for not subscribing to some unnecessary opinion or imposition of a prevailing party; or about some wrangling controversies which Church disturbers set afoot! There is many a poor Minister would work in Bridewell, or be tied to shovell the Streets all the rest of the Week, if he might but have liberty to preach the Gospel! And would not such a penalty be sufficient, for a dissent in some unnecessary point? As it is not every fault that a Magistrate is deposed for by the Sovereign, but such as make him unfit for the place, so is it also with the Ministers.

§. 39. Direct. 18. Malignity and Profaneness must not be gratified or encouraged: It must be considered, how the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to his Law, nor can be: And that enmity is put between the Woman's and the Serpents seed; and that the whole business of the world, is but the prosecution of the War, between the Armies of Christ and Satan: And that malignity inclineth the ungodly world, to slander and reproach the servants of the Lord; and they are glad of any opportunity to make them odious, or to exasperate Magistrates against them: And that their silencing and fall is the joy of the ungodly: And if there be any Civil differences or sidings, the ungodly rabble will take that side, be it right or wrong, which they think will do most to the downfall of the godly, whom they hate. Therefore besides the merits of the particular cause, a Ruler that regardeth the interest of the Gospel and men's salvation, must have some care that the course which he taketh against godly Ministers and people, when they displease him, be such as doth not strengthen the hands of evil doers, nor harden them, increase them, or make them glad: I do not say that a Ruler must be against what ever the ungodly part is for; or that he must be for that which the major part of godly men are for, (I know this is a deceitful rule.) But yet that which pleaseth the malignant rabble, and displeaseth or hurteth the generality of godly men, is so seldom pleasing to God, that its much to be suspected.

§. 40. Direct. 19. The substance of faith, and the Practice of Godliness must be valued above all opinions, and parties and worldly interests: And Godly men accounted, as they are, (caeteris paribus) the best members both of Church and State. If Rulers once knew the difference between a Saint and a sensualist, a vile person would be contemned in their eyes, and they would honor them that fear the Lord, Psal. 15. 4. And if they honored them as God commandeth them, they would not persecute them: And if the promoting of practical Godliness were their design, there were little danger of their oppressing those that must be the instruments of propagating it, if ever it prosper in the World.

§. 41. Direct. 20. To this end, Remember the near and dear relation which every true believer standeth in, to God, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost: They are called by God, his peculiar treasure, his jewels, his Children, the members of Christ, the Temples of the Holy Ghost; God dwelleth in them by Love, and Christ by faith, and the Spirit by all his sanctifying gifts: If this were well believed, men would more reverence them on God's account, than causelessly to persecute them: Zech. 2. 8. He that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of my eye.

§. 42 Direct. 21. Look not so much on men's infirmities, as to overlook or make light of all that is good in them: But look as much at the good as at the evil: And then you will see reason for lenity as well as for severity; and for love and tenderness, rather than for hatred and persecution: And you will discern that those may be serviceable to the Church, in whom blinded malice can see nothing worthy of honor or respect.

§. 43. Direct. 22. Estimate and use all lesser matters as means to spiritual worship and practical holiness: If there be anything of worth in Controversies, and Ceremonies, and such other matters of inferior rank, it is as they are a means to the power of Godliness, which is their end. And if once they be no otherwise esteemed, they will not be made use of against the interest of Godliness, to the silencing of the Preachers, and persecuting the professors of it.

§. 44. Direct. 23. Remember that the Understanding is not Free (save only participative, as it is subject to the will): It acteth of itself per modum naturae, and is necessitated by its object (further than as it is under the power of the will). A man cannot hold what opinion he would himself, nor be against what he would not have to be true: much less can he believe as another man commandeth him. My understanding is not at my own command: I cannot be of every man's belief that is uppermost. Evidence and not force is the natural means to compel the mind: even as Goodness and not force is the natural means to win men's Love. It is as wise a thing to say, Love me or I will kill thee; as to say, [ Believe me or I will kill thee ].

§. 45. Direct. 24. Consider that it is essential to Religion to be above the authority of man, (unless as they subserve the authority of God): He that worshippeth a God that is subject to any man, must subject his Religion to that man: (But this is no Religion because it is no God whom he worshippeth.) But if the God whom I serve be above all men, my Religion or service of him, must needs be also above the will of men.

§. 46. Direct. 25. Consider that an obedient disposition towards God's Laws, and a tender Conscience which feareth in the smallest matter to offend him, is a substantial part of Holiness, and of great necessity to salvation: It is part of the excellency of the soul; and therefore to be greatly encouraged by Governors: To drive this out of the World, is to drive out Godliness, and make men rebels against their maker: And nothing is more certain, than that the violent imposing of unnecessary disputable things in the worship of God, doth unavoidably tend either to debauch the Conscience, and drive men from their obedience to God, or to destroy them or undo them in the World: For it is not possible that all Conscionable persons should discern the lawfulness of all such disputable things.

§. 47. Direct. 26. Remember that such violence in doubtful matters, is the way to set up the most debauched Atheists, and consequently to undo Church and Common-wealth. For whatever oaths or subscriptions you require, he that believeth not that there is a God or a Devil; a Heaven or a Hell, will yield to all, and make no more of perjury or a lie, than to eat a bit of bread! If you cast out all Ministers that will not swear or subscribe this or that form about things doubtful, you will cast out never an Atheist or debauched Infidel by it: All that have no Conscience will be kept in: and all that are true to God and their Conscience, if they think it is sin which you require of them will be cast out: And whither this tendeth you may easily foresee.

§. 48. Direct. 27. Remember that if by force you do prevail with a man to go against his Conscience, you do but make him dissemble and lie. And if Hypocrites be not hateful to you, why do you cry out so much against hypocrites (where you cannot prove your accusation)? But if they be so hateful, why do you so eagerly make men hypocrites? What ever their tongues may say, you can scarce believe yourselves that prisons or fire will change men's judgments in matters of faith and duty to God?

§. 49. Direct. 28. Consider not only whether the thing which you impose be sin in itself, but also what it is to him that thinketh it a sin. His own doubting Conscience may make that a sin to him, which is no sin to another. And he that doubteth (whether such or such a meat be lawful) is condemned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin, Rom. 14. 23. And is it like to be damnation to him that doth it against his Conscience? and will you drive on any man towards damnation? Destroy not him with thy meat for whom Christ died, Rom. 14. 15. 1 Cor. 8. 11.

§. 50. If it be objected, that Then there will be no Government, if every man must be left to his own Conscience; I answer, that the Holy Ghost did not fear such objecters when he laid down this doctrine here expressed. 1. It is easy to distinguish between things necessary and things unnecessary. 2. And between great penalties and small: And 1. It followeth not that a Man must be left to his own Conscience in everything, because he must be so in some things. In things necessary as it is a sin to do them doubtingly, so it may be a greater sin to leave them undone: (As for a man to maintain his family, or defend his King, or hear the Word of God, &c. ); He that can say, My Conscience is against it, must not be excused from a necessary duty: And he that can say, My Conscience bids me do it, must not be excused in a sin: But yet the Apostle knew what he said, when he (that was a greater Church-Governor than you) determined the case of mutual forbearance as in▪ Rom. 14. and 15. and 1 Cor. 8. 2: And he is not wholly left to himself, who is punished with a small penalty for a small offense: For if a man must be still punished more, as long as he obeyeth God and his Conscience before men, an honest man must not be suffered to live▪ For he will certainly do it to the death.

§. 51. Direct. 29. Remember the wonderful variety of men's apprehensions, which must be supposed in all Laws! Men's faces are scarce more various and unlike, than their understandi • gs are: For besides that nature hath diversified intellects as well as faces, the diversity and unlikeness is much increased, by variety of educations, company, representations, accidents, cogitations, and many other causes. It is wiser to make Laws that all men shall take the same Physic, or eat only the same meat, or that all shoos shall be of a size, and all clothes of the same bigness; upon supposition that all men's health or appetite, or feet, or bodies, are alike; than to make Laws that all men shall agree (or say that they agree) in every opinion circumstance or ceremony in matters of Religion.

§. 52. Direct. 30. Remember especially, that most Christians are ignorant and of weak understandings, and not able to make use of all the distinctions and subtle • ies which are needful, to bring them over to your mind in doubtful and unnecessary things. Therefore the Laws which will be the means of Peace, must suppose this weakness and ignorance of most subjects! And how convenient it is, to say to a poor ignorant Christian, [Know this or profess this or that, which the ablest Godly Pastors themselves are not agreed in, or else thou shalt be imprisoned or banished] I leave to equal men to judge.

§. 53. Direct. 31. Human infirmities must be supposed in the best and strongest Christians: All have their errors, and their faults; Divines themselves as well as others: Therefore either some errors and faults must be accounted tolerable, or else no two persons must tolerate one another in the world, but kill on till the strongest only shall survive: Gal. 6. 1, 2. Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself lest though • also be tempted: Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the Law of Christ. And if the strong must be born with themselves, then They that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please themselves: but everyone to please his neighbor for good to edification: For even Christ pleased not himself, &c. Rom. 15. 1, 2, 3. And him that is weak in the faith we must receive; but not to doubtful disputations, Rom. 14. 1.

§. 54. Direct. 32. The Pastors must not be impatient under the abuses which they receive from weak or distempered brethren. We must excel others in patience and meekness and forbearance, as much as we do in knowledge and in other graces. If the Nurse or Mother will take every word or action of the child, as if it were the injury of an enemy, there will be no preservation of the family in peace! If children cry, or fight, or chide, or make any fowl or troublesome work, the mother will not therefore turn them out of doors, or use them like strangers, but remember that it is her place and duty to bear with that weakness which she cannot cure. The proud impatience of the Pastors hath frequently brought them into the guilt of persecution, to the alienating of the people's hearts, and the distraction and division of the Churches: when poor distempered persons are offended with them, and it may be revile them, and call them seducers, or antichristian, or superstitious, or what their pride and passion shall suggest; or if some weak ones raise up some erroneous opinions; alas many Pastors have no more wit or grace or pity, than presently to be rough with them and revile them again, and seek to right themselves by ways of force, and club down every error and contention; when they should overcome them by evidence of truth, and by meekness, patience and love. (Though there be place also for severity, with turbulent, implacable, impenitent heretics).

§. 55. Direct. 33. Time of learning and overcoming their mistakes, must be allowed to those that are mis-informed. We must not turn those of the lower forms out of Christ's School, because they learn not as much as those of the higher forms in a few weeks or years. The Holy Ghost teacheth those who for the time might have been Teachers of others, and yet had need to be taught the first Principles, Heb. 5. 11, 12. He doth not turn them out of the Church for their non-proficiency. And where there is ignorance, there will be error.

§. 56. Direct. 34. Some inconveniences must be expected and tolerated, and no perfect Order or Concord expected here on earth. It is not good reasoning to say, If we suffer these men, they will cause this or that disorder or inconvenience: But you must also consider whither you must drive it, if you suffer them not; and what will be the consequents: He that will follow his Conscience to a prison will likely follow it to death. And if nothing but death or prison or banishment can restrain them from what they take to be their duty, it must be considered how many must be so used; and whether (if they were truly faulty) they deserve so much: and if they do, yet whether the evils of the Toleration or of the Punishment are like to be the greater. Peace and Concord will never be perfect, till Knowledge and Holiness be perfect.

§. 57. Direct. 35. You may go further in restraining than in constraining: in forbidding men to preach against approved doctrines or practices of the Church, than in forcing them to preach for them, or to subscribe or speak their approbation or assent: If they be not points or practices of great necessity, a man may be sit for the Ministry and Church-communion, who meddleth not with them, but Preacheth the wholesome truths of the Gospel, and lets them alone. And, because no duty is at all times a duty, a sober man's judgment will allow him to be silent at many an error, when he dare not subscribe to or approve the least. But if here any proud and cruel Pastors, shall come in with their less •• selfish incommodities, and say, If they do not approve of what we say and do, they will secretly foment a faction against us; I should answer them, that as good men will foment no faction, so if such Proud impatient turbulent men, will endure none that subscribe not to all their opinions, or differ from them in a circumstance or a Ceremony, they shall raise a greater faction (if they'll call it so) against themselves, and make the people look on them as tyrants and not as Pastors, and they shall see in the end, when they have bought their wit by dear experience, that they have but torn the Church in pieces, by preventing divisions by carnal means, and that they have lost themselves by being over zealous for themselves; and that DOCTRINE and LOVE are the instruments of a wise Shepherd, that loveth the flock, and understands his work.

§. 58. Direct. 36. Distinguish between, the making of new Laws or articles of belief, and the punishing of men for the Laws already made; And think not that we must have new Laws or Canons, every time the old ones are broken: or that any Law can be made which can keep itself from being broken. Perversness in this error hath brought the Church to the misery which it endureth. God hath made an Universal Law sufficient for the Universal Church, in matters of faith and holy practice; leaving it to men to determine of necessary circumstances which were unfit for an universal Law: And if the sufficiency of God's Law, were acknowledged in men's practices, the Churches would have had more peace: But when particular Countries have their particular Volumes of Articles, Consessions, Liturgies, and I know not what else to be subscribed to, and none must Preach that will not say or write or swear, [that he believeth all this to be true and good, and nothing in it to be against the Word of God] this Engine wracks the limbs of the Churches all to pieces: And then whats the pretense for this epidemical calamity? Why no better than this [Every Heretic will subscribe to the Scriptures, and take it in his own sense]: And what followeth? Must we needs therefore have new Laws which Heretics will not subscribe to, or which they cannot break? It is the Commendation of God's Law, as fit to be the means of Unity, that all are so easily agreed to it in terms, and therefore would agree in the sense if they understood it. But they will not do so by the Laws of men: All or many Heretics in the primitive times, would profess assent to the Churches Creed; no doubt in a corrupt and private sense: But the Churches did not therefore make new Creeds; till above 300 years after Christ, they began to put in some particular words to obviate Heretics, which Hilary complained of as the Cause of all their divisions! And what if Heretics will subscribe to all you bid them, and take it in their own corrupted sense? Must you therefore be still making new Laws and Articles, till you meet with some which they cannot mis-understand, or dare not thus abuse? What if men will mis-interpret and break the Laws of the Land? Must they be made new till none can mis-expound or violate them? Sure there is a wiser way than this! God's word containeth in sufficient expressions, all that is necessary to be subscribed to: Require none therefore to subscribe to anymore; (in matters of faith or holy practice ): But if you think any Articles need a special interpretation, let the Church give her sense of those Articles; and if any man Preach against that sense, and corrupt the Word of God which he hath subscribed, let his fault be proved, and let him be admonished and censured as it deserves: Censured I say, not for not subscribing more than Scripture, but for corrupting the Scriptures to which he hath subscribed, or breaking God's Laws which he promised to observe.

§. 59. Direct. 37. The Good of men, and not their ruin must be intended in all the Discipline of the Church: Or the good of the Church, when we have but little hope of theirs. If this were done, it would easily be perceived, that persecution is an unlikely means to do good by.

§. 60. Direct. 38. Neither unlimited Liberty in matters of Religion must be allowed, nor unnecessary force and rigor used, but Tolerable differences and parties must be tolerated, and intolerable ones by the wisest means suppressed: And to this end, by the Counsel of the most prudent peaceable Divines, the Tollerable and the Intollerable must be statedly distinguished! And those that are only Tolerated must be under a Law for their Toleration, prescribing them their terms of good behavior; and those that are Approved, must moreover have the Countenance and Maintenance of the Magistrate: And if this were done, 1. The advantage of the said Encouragement from Governors: 2. With the regulation of the the toleration, and the Magistrates careful Government of the Tolerated, would prevent both persecution, and most of the divisions and calamities of the Church. Thus did the ancient Christian Emperors and Bishops: (And was their experience nothing?) The Novatians (as good and Orthodox men) were allowed their own Churches and Bishops even in Constantinople, at the Emperors nose. Especially if it be made the work of some Justices, 1. To judge of persons to be tolerated, and grant them Patents, 2. And to over-rule them and punish them when they deserve it; No other way would avoid so many inconveniences.

§. 61. Direct. 39. The things intolerable are these two: 1. (Not the believing, but) the preaching and propagating of principles contrary to the essentials of Godliness or Christianity, or Government, Justice, Charity or Peace. 2. The turbulent unpeaceable management of those opinions which in themselves are tolerable. If any would Preach against the Articles of the Creed, the Petitions of the Lord's Prayer, or any of the Ten Commandments, he is not to be suffered: And if any that is Orthodox do in their separated meetings, make it their business to revile at others, and destroy men's Charity, or to stir men up to rebellion or sedition or contempt of Magistracy; none of this should be endured.

§. 62. As for those Libertines that under the name of Liberty of Conscience do plead for a liberty of such vicious practices, and in order thereto would prove that the Magistrate hath nothing to do in matters of Religion, I have Preached and wrote so much against them, whilst that Error reigned, and I find it so unseasonable, now the constitution of things looks another way, that I will not weary myself and the Reader with so unnecessary a task as to confute them. Only I shall say, that Rom. 13. telleth us that Rulers are a terror to them that do evil: and that Heretics and turbulent firebrands do evil: therefore Rulers should be a terror to them: And that if all things are to be done to the Glory of God, and his interest is to be set highest in the World, then Magistrates and Government are for the same end: And if no action which we do is of so base a nature, as ultimately to be terminated in the concernments of the flesh, much less is Government so vile a thing, when Rulers are in Scripture called God's, as being the Officers of God.

§. 63. Direct. 40. Remember Death, and live together as men that are near dying, and must live together in another world. The foolish expectation of prosperity and long life, is it which setteth men together by the ears: When Ridley and Hooper were both in Prison, and preparing for the flames, their contentions were soon ended, and Ridley repented of his persecuting way. If the persecutors and persecuted were shut up together in one house that hath the Plague, in the time of this lamentable Contagion, it's two to one but they would be reconciled. When men see that they are going into another World, it takes off the edge of their bitterness and violence, and the apprehensions of the righteous judgment of God, doth awe them into a patience and forbearance with each other: Can you persecute that man on Earth, with whom you look to dwell in Heaven? (But to restrain a man from damning souls, by Heresy or turbulency or any such course, my Conscience would not forbid it me if I were dying.)

§. 64. Direct. 41. Let the Proud themselves who will regard no higher motives, remember how fame and History will represent them to posterity when they are dead. There is no man that desireth his name should stink and be odious to future Generations: There is nothing that an ambitious man desireth more, than a great surviving name. And will you knowingly and willfully then expose it, to perpetual contempt and hatred? Read over what History you please, and find out the name of one Persecutor if you can, that is not now a word of ignominy, and doth not rott, as God hath threatened? If you say, that it is only in the esteem of such as I, or the persecuted party; neither your opinion shall be judge nor mine; but the opinion and language of Historians, and of the wisest men, who are the masters of fame. Certainly that report of Holy Scripture and History which hath prevailed, will still prevail: And while there are Wise, and Good, and Merciful men in the World, the Names and Manners of the Foolish, and Wicked, and Cruel will be odious; as they continue at this day.

§. 65. I have wrote these Directions to discharge my duty, for those that are willing to escape the guilt of so desperate a sin: But not with any expectation at all, that it should do much good with any considerable number of persecutors: For they will not read such things as these: And God seldom giveth professed Christians over to this sin, till they have very grievously blinded their minds, and hardened their hearts, and by malignity and obstinacy are prepared for his sorest judgments: And I know that whoever will live Godly in Christ Jesus (It is not said, Who professeth to believe in Christ Jesus; but to live Godly ) shall suffer persecution, and that the Cross must still be the passage to the Crown.

CHAP. XII. Directions against Scandal as given.

§. 1. SCandal being a murdering of souls, is a violation of the general Law of Charity, and of the sixth Commandment in particular. In handling this subject, I shall 1. Shew you what is true scandal given to another: 2. What things go under the Name of Scandal, which are not it, but are falsely so named. 3. What are the particular ways and sorts of scandal. 4. The greatness of this sin. 5. Directions to avoid it.

§. 2. I. I shall not need to stand upon the Etymology of the word [ Scandal ]; whether it come from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 claudico, as Erasmus thought, or from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 curvum, &c. Martinius, Stephanus, Lyserus, &c. have sufficiently done it, whither I refer you: As for the sense of the word it is past doubt, that the ordinary use of it in Scripture is for a stumbling block, for a man to fall upon, or a trap to ensnare a man: And in the Old Testament it is oft used for a stumbling stone, on which a man may fall into any corporal calamity, or a snare to hurt or ruin a man in the world: (As Exod. 10. 7. 1 Sam. 18. 21. & 25. 31. Psal. 119. 165. Ezek. 7. 19. Sept. ) But in the New Testament, (which speaketh more of spiritual hurts) it is taken for a stumbling block or temptation, by which a man is in danger of falling into sin, or spiritual loss, or ruin, or dislike of Godliness, or any way to be turned from God, or hindered in a Religious holy way: (And if sometimes it be taken for Grieving or Troubling, it is as it hereby thus hindereth or ensnareth): So that to scandalize, is, sometimes taken for the doing of a blameless action, from which another unjustly taketh occasion to fall, or sin, or be perverted: But when it signifieth a sin (as we take it in this place) then to scandalize is,

§. 3. II. By this you may see, 1. That to scandalize, is not merely to displease, or grieve another: For many a man is displeased through his folly and vice, by that which tendeth to his good: and many a man is tempted (that is, scandalized ) by that which pleaseth him: When Christ saith, [ If thy right eye or hand offend, (or scandalize thee) pluck it out, or cut it off, ] &c. Mat. 5. he doth not by [ offending ] mean [ displeasing ] or [ grieving ]: For by so offending it may profit us: But he plainly meaneth [If it draw thee to sin]: or else he had never added, that it is better to enter maimed into life, than having two eyes or hands to be cast into Hell! That is, in a word, [Thy damnation is a greater hurt than the loss of hand or eye, and therefore if there were no other way to avoid it, this would be a very cheap way]. So pedem offender in lapidem is to stumble upon a stone. The most censorious and humorous sort of men, have got a notion, that what ever offendeth or displeaseth them is scandalous! And they think that no man must do anything which grieveth or displeaseth them, lest he be guilty of scandal: And by this trick whoever can purchase impatiency and pievishness enough, to be always displeased with the actions of others, shall rule the world. But the truth is, the ordinary way of scandalizing these men, is by pleasing them.

§. 4. I will give you one instance of scandal in Scripture, which may help this sort of people, better to understand it. Gal. 2. 10. to 16. Peter there giveth true scandal to the Jews and Gentiles: He walked not uprightly according to the truth of the Gospel, but laid a stumbling block before the Jews and Gentiles: And this was not by displeasing the Jews, but by pleasing them: The Jews thought it a sin to eat with the Gentiles, and to have communion with uncircumcised men: Peter knew the contrary, but for fear of them of the circumcision, lest they should be offended at him as a sinner, he [ withdrew and separated himself ]. This scandal tended to harden the Jews in their sinful separation, and to seduce the Gentiles into a conceit of the necessity of circumcision: and Barnabas was carried away with the dissimulation. Here you may see, that if any think it a sin in us to have communion in such or such Congregations, with such persons, in such worship, which God alloweth us not to separate from, it is a sin of scandal in us to separate to avoid these men's offense. We scandalize them and others, even by pleasing them, and by avoiding that which they falsely called scandalous. And if we would not scandalize them, we must do that which is just, and not by our practice hide the sound doctrine which is contrary to their separating error.

§. 5. 2. And it is as apparent that to scandalize another, is not (as is vulgarly imagined by the ignorant), to do that which is commonly reputed sinful, or which hath the appearance of a sin, or which will make a man evil thought of, or spoken of by others: Yet commonly when men say, [ This is a scandalous action ], they mean; it is an action which is reproachful or of evil report as a sin: And therefore in our English speech it is common to say of one that slandereth another, that he raised a scandal of him: But this is not the meaning of the word in Scripture: Materially indeed scandal may consist in any such thing, which may be a stumbling block to another: But formally it is the Tempting of another, or occasioning his fall, or ruin, or hurt, which is the nature of scandalizing. And this is done more seldom by committing open disgraceful sins, and doing that which will make the doer evil spoken of: For by that means others are the more assisted against the temptation of imitating him: But scandal is most commonly found in those actions, which are under least reproach among men, or which have the most plausible appearance of good in them, when they are evil! For these are apter to deceive and overthrow another.

§. 6. 3. And it is also apparent, that it is no sinful scandalizing to do a duty or necessary action, which I have not power to forbear, though I know that another will be offended, or fall by it into sin. If God have made it my duty, even at this time, I must not disobey him, and omit my duty, because another will make it an occasion of his sin. It must be either a sinful or an indifferent action, that is, scandal, or something that is in my own power to do, or to forbear: Yet this must be added, that Affirmatives binding not ad semper, to all times, and no duty being a duty at every moment, it may oft fall out, that that which else would have been my duty at this time, may become at this time no duty but a sin, by the evil consequents which I may foresee; as if another man will make it an occasion of his fall. So that this may oblige me to defer a duty to a fitter time and place. For all such duties as have the nature of a means, are never duties when they cross the interest of their chief ends, and make against that which they are used to effect. And therefore here Christian prudence, foreseeing consequents, and weighing the Good and Evil together, is necessary to him that will know a duty from a sin, and a scandal from no scandal.

§. 7. III. The several ways of scandalizing are these following: 1. Scandal is either intended or not intended, either that which is done maliciously of set purpose, or that which is done through negligence, carelessness or contempt. Some men do purposely contrive the fall or ruin of another, and this is a Devillish aggravation of the sin: And some do hurt to others while they intend it not: yet this is far from excusing them from sin: For it is Voluntary as an Omission of the Will, though not as its positive choice: That is called Voluntary which the will is chargeable with, or culpable of: And it is chargeable with its Omissions, and sluggish neglects of the duty which it should do! Those that are careless of the consequent of their actions, and contemn the souls of other men, and will go their own way, come of it what will, and say, let other men look to themselves, are the commonest sort of scandalizers; and are as culpable, as a servant that would leave hot water or fire when the children are like to fall into it; or that would leave Straw or Gunpowder near the fire, or would leave open the doors, though not of purpose to let in the Thieves.

§. 8. 2. Scandal is that which tendeth to another's fall, either directly or indirectly, immediately or remotely! The former may easily be foreseen; but the latter requireth a large foreseeing comparing understanding: Yet this kind of scandal also must be avoided; and wise men that would not undo men's souls while they think no harm, must look far before them, and foresee what is like to be the consequent of their actions at the greatest distance and at many removes.

3. Scandals also are Aptitudinal or Actual: Many things are Apt to Tempt, and occasion the ruin of another; which yet never attain so bad an end, because God disappointeth them: But that is no thanks to them that give the scandal.

§. 9. 4. Scandal also as to the Means of it, is of several sorts. 1. By Doctrine; 2. By persuasion; 3. By alluring Promises; 4. By Threats; 5. By Violence; 6. By Gifts; 7. By Example; 8. By Omission of duties, and by silence: By all these ways you may scandalize.

§. 10. 1. False Doctrine is directly scandalous: for it seduceth the judgment, which then mis-guideth the will, which then misruleth the rest of the Faculties! False Doctrine if it be in weighty practical points, is the pernicious plague of souls and Nations.

§. 11. 2. Also the solicitations of seducers and of tempting people, are scandalous, and tend to the ruin of souls: when people have no reason to draw a man to sin, they weary him out by tedious importunity! And many a one yields to the earnestness, or importunity, or tediousness of a persuasion, who could easily resist it, if it came only with pretence of reason.

§. 12. 3. Alluring promises of some gain or pleasure that shall come by sin, is another scandal which doth cause the fall of many. The course that Satan tried with Christ [ All this will I give thee ], was but the same which he found most successful with sinners in the world! This is a bait which sinners will themselves hunt after, if it be not offered them. Judas will go to the Pharisees with a [ What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? ] Peter saith of the scandalous Heretics of his time, They allure through the lust of the flesh, through much wantonness those that were clean escaped from them who live in error: While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption, 2 Pet. 2. 18, 19.

§. 13. 4. Threatenings also and scorns are scandals, which frighten unbelieving souls into sin: Thus Rabshakeh thought to prevail with Hezekiah. Thus Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. 3. thought to have drawn those three Worthies to Idolatry: Thus the Pharisees thought to have frightened the Apostles, from preaching anymore in the name of Christ?— Acts 4. 17, 21. Thus Saul thought to have perverted the Disciples, by breathing out threatenings against them, Acts 9. 1.

§. 14. 5. And what words will not do, the ungodly think to do by force: And it enrageth them, that any should resist their wills, and that their force is patiently endured. What cruel torments! What various sorts of heavy sufferings have the Devil and his instruments devised, to be stumbling blocks to the weak, to affright them into sin?

§. 15. 6. Gifts also have blinded the eyes of some who seemed wise, Exod. 23. 8. As oppression maketh a wise man mad, so a gift destroyeth the heart. What scandals have preferments proved to the world, and how many have they ruined? Few are able to esteem the reproach of Christ to be greater riches than the treasures of the world.

§. 16. 7. And evil examples are the commonest sort of scandals; not as they offend or grieve, or are apparently sinful; but as they seem good, and therefore are temptations to the weak to imitate them. So apt are men to imitation, especially in evil, that they will do what they see another do, without examining whether it be justifiable or not. Especially if it be the example either of Great men, or of Learned men, or of men reputed eminently Godly, or of a Multitude, any of these the people are apt to imitate: This therefore is the common way of scandal! When people do that which is evil as if it were good, and thereby draw the ignorant to think it good, and so imitate them! Or else when they do that which is lawful itself, in such a manner as tendeth to deceive another, and draw him to that which is indeed unlawful; or to hinder him in anything that is good.

§. 17 8. Lastly, Even Silence and Omissions also may be scandalous, and draw another into error and sin. If by silence you seem to consent to false doctrine, or to wicked works, when you have opportunity to control them, hereby you draw others to consent also to the sin: Or if you omit those public or private duties, which others may be witnesses of, you tempt them to the like omission, and to think they are no duties, but indifferent things: For in evil they will easily rest in your judgment, and say that you are wiser than they: But they are not so ductile and flexible to good.

§. 18. 5. Scandals also are distinguishable by the effects: which are such as these:

• 1. Some Scandals do tempt men to actual infidelity, and to deny or doubt of the truth of the Gospel.
• 2. Some scandals would draw men but into some particular error, and from some particular Truth, while he holds the rest.
• 3. Some scandals draw men to dislike and distaste the way of Godliness; and some to dislike the servants of God.
• 4. Some scandals tend to confound men, and bring them to utter uncertainties in Religion.
• 5. Some tend to terrify men from the way of Godliness.
• 6. Some only stop them for a time, and discourage or hinder them in their way.