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S E R M O N S
PREACHED By the Right Reverend Father in God,
SET H
Lord Biftiop of S A 2? <V M.
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L 0 N V O N:
Printed by A^» C/^rl^^ for jT^we/ CaKns* at th Kings Arms ia Ludgate-Jlreet*
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<'fffil obnnip/lno
NiA Giinft Refiftancc of Lawful j\ Powers, on 2^w. 1 3.2.
on. Preached at wkiteb4>> . j» 1661.
II. Againft the Antifcripturifls 5^ on
tbi^ T/w. J. 16. All Scripture it given by
rfn^irAtion of God. Preached at w
baly Feb. IP. 167!. . ? no
»
III. Concerning the Sinfulnefs, Dan ger and Remedies of Infidelity, on
Heb.
The Contents.
Heb. J. iz. Take heed, 'Brethre*) left there he in any ofn* an evil heart of
i ''jbfftfi^ftt^^1****^ *^™ ****• •••• it Kr^-t a,J
C.W* -^^t Exhortwie another 4% Prc^che^ it
- ?^tF^^^ tt^ \afHf^lf^
IV- A ^Sermon Preachecf before the the Peers, in the Abby-Church at Weflminfter , Get oh. 10. 1666. on Ecclef. xi. ^. But know, that for all theje things God will bring thee to Judg- me#t.C '
*' -. -.: v ; **
V. A Seriflon concerning the Strange- nefs , Frequency , and defperate Confequence of Impenitency. Preached *tH4)itehdl> 4pril>i. ^666. (facm ^ft^r the, gwat/Piague ) on '-.Revdtto&.-ZQ. And the reft tf the wen which wre wt. kilM hy the Plague^ yet relented not of the works of their hands.
. A Sermon againft Ingratitude, ^i ^Preached at whitcbii,, Feb.z6, tdlf . fonjctime before the great Plague, on <De*t. $z.6. 5Do.yo# thus requite the Lord) OfoolifbfeopletndHmtte'! .': ' umsDnoO afl
i W " • ' ' ' I A
Againft
RESISTANCE
La
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vvful rowers.
SERMON
Preached before the
KING at White-Hall,
. v. 1661
LOND OX:
Printed by A. C. for Jo/?^ Martjn, and are to be fold by Jams s Collins at the Kings Arms in Ltt
I
6' 6 k
Againft Refinance of Law ful POWER s.
ROM. xiii. i.
J «° * 7 > I k f
that refift, fiall receive to them/elves damnation.
• .\:.*f .»', f\f*t
Mongft all the ftra* cagems of the De vil, tending to the undermining of Religion, and the fuhverfion of the fouls of men.
B
though
^ettftance
though there cannot be any more unreafonable, yet there was never any more unhappily fuccefstul, than the creating and fomenting an Opinion in the World , That Reli gion is an enemy to Government, and tlfe- ^bringing Sincerity and Zeal in Religion into jealoufie, and dilgrace with the Civil Powers.
It was. by this jealoufie , blown into the heads of the High Priefts, and" the Sanhedrim amongft the Jews, and of Herod > and Pontius <Pilate , that Chrift himfelf ( the Captain of our Salvation , the Author and Pinifier of our raitb) was accu- fed y condemned , and executed on a Tree. By this the Apoftles were haled before the Governours of Provinces, forced from one City to flee unto another : for this they endured bonds, and imprifonment, and fundry kinds of death. It was
through
of Hatttf ui
through this fancy, that the Chri- ftians, for three hundred years to gether , .endured the rage of Hea« then Emperours ; bring deflltute^ afflifted , and tormented. Our Lord Chrift was traduced as an ene my toCi/uvaman refra&ary to the Roman Laws } and a Nonconfor* mift to the Religion , and Laws of his Country. The Apoftles were charged as difturbers of the publick peace, with turning the world upfide doTbn. The Primitive Chriftians were accounted enemies to the Commonwealth, adverfe, and ma levolent to the Empire : and the Chriftian Religion it felf was bruit ed, and furrnifed to have fomething in it offenfive , and dangerous to the Civil Government 5 as appears not only by the Edicts of Heathen Emperours, but alfo by the Apo* logics of Clemens silexandrinw, fa- B %• pin
fficfittance
ftin Martyr, TertHllian,
Neither was it thus only of old, before the Roman Empire was be come Chriftian ; but even finccthe time of fonftantine , down to our Fathers days , nay to our own, we fhallfind the Devil ftill managing the fame pretence , carrying on the fame Antichriftian myftery of ini quity , which began to work in the time of our LordChrift, and his Apoftles,
Thole, that profefs to know the Arcana Imperil, and publickly pro claim themfelves to the World to be qualified for Molders of Com monwealths , and Di&atours to Princes , are the Writers of Poli^ ticks j Macbiavtl abroad , and o thers nearer home : fome of thefc, pretending diicoveries of things un known co all our Fathers, if they be
of
ftri&ly aoalyfed , will be foiuid to refolve their whole myftery into this one pretence, That Religion, in the height and exaltation of ic , is prejudicial to Policy ; and that, to be athorow-paced , a fincerc and zea'ous Chriftian , is to be dange rous to the State.
As the remedy for which evil, they have thought fit and nccefla- ry to enervate the Principles of all Religion fo far , as to remove the Do&rine of Good and Evil , the Immortality of the Soul , the Re wards and Punilhments of the World to come ; that fo Religion may appear wholly to derive from Policy.
How definitive thefe Doctrines are , not only to the fouls of men, in reference to the World to come - but to the incerefts of this life, (the regular and fecure acquifition and B 3 enjoy-
3igawft foeftftance
enjoyment vvhercot r are entirely derived from the great and ever- lafting Ordinance of Government) I am not now called to (peak. But furely it cannot be unneceflary to endeavour to ftate this Queftion, to fearch into the grounds of this pre tence 5 to examine thorowly from whence all this clamour, thefe fears and jealoufies ; whence all this mighty fcandal hath arifen.
TheGofpel of our Saviour is not like the Alcoran , which hates the light, and abhors a ftri<a exami nation of the Principles whereon it ftands* When the Jews con tended with our Saviour, andop- pofed his Do6trine5 he defired to bring the matter in queftion to a rational decifion^o/w x. The Que- ftion there was , Whether he were ;he Son of God ? And he pro- pounc1? them this fair »MeiwJ Verfe
w
of fUtitfn !Mbtt& 7
1?. Jf I do tbevorks of my Father, believe me : if 1 h not , believe me
not.
And I verily , as a Minifter of Cbrift, (chough thcmeancft of ten thoufand) am bold in the power, and through the evidence of the truth of the Gofpel, to fay, Let the Adverfaries of Religion fearch and look ; let them employ their Wit, their fnduftry, their Logick, if any thing can be found in the Principles of Chriftianity , prejudicial to the power of juft and lawful Magi- ftrates : Nay moreover , if it be poflfiblc for Men or Angels to ftate the Rights of Civil Government upon clearer and firmer Principles, to fecure them by more powerful Obligations , to urge them upon men by more efficacious Motives of Rewards and Punifhments , than thofe are, which the very Founda- B 4 tions
8 ^ainft EeOftancc
tions of Chriftianity do cxprclly propound : then lettheGofpel,and the Minifters of it, endure all that contempt and obloquy which thefe men defire to caft upon them.
And for the Foundations of our Religion ; there are thofe, that tell us, that Chriftianity is founded up on (jtfite , (tybicb # , indeed, by interpretation a Stone) but the Apo- ftle tells us., (Epbefii. 29.) that we are built upon the foundation of tbe (propbets and ^po/lles , Jefiu Qmft limfelf being tbe cbief corner-ftone : wherefore by thefe the prefcnt Que- ftion is to be decided.
if any men, at any time, taking upon them the iacred nameoi -Cbri* ftians , have fwerved from the Rule of their Profeflion ? and Rafting contrary to the Spirit of Chrift} have made that holy Name to be blafphemcd . it is reafon that they
be
of
be efteemed the utter enemies of Chriftianity, and that they them- ielves fliould bear their condemna tion : but to charge their exorbi- tancies upon that Proteffion which they have prophaned and injured, is fuch an injuftice, as cannot con- fift with moral honefty , or Philo- fophical ingenuity.
So then , trie V(bod>u , bic fahusl As Saint Paul (i Cor.xv. 14,17^0.) concerning the Relurreition of Chrift y If Cbrift be not ri/en , our preaching u <~vain , and your faith is 'Vain : — — but now is £hrift rifen : fo 1 5 If, within the compafs of thofe Foundations, which I have mentioned , be found any colour or fhadow of licenfc for any per- fon whatfoever^upon any pretence whatfoever 5 to entrench upon the power of lawful Magiftrates ; if any warrant ac all for open Rebel lion.
10
Stgainft
lion , or privy Gonfpiracies ; for murthering or depofing of Princes, or abfolving Subje&s from their Allegiance : then let t(ings ceafe to be our Nurflng Fathers , and Queens to be our Nurfing Mothers • let Da- vid look to his otyn bou/e • let the Ligkt of our Eyes, the Breath of our tfyfirih, the Reftorer of Religion, the Defender of our Faith, look ra ther firft to defend himfelf. It will then be realbnable to expert , that the %ings of the earth fliould ftand .*pfai.ii.i up, and * the Rulers take cottnfel to gether againft the Lord , and againfl his C/;n//,that they ftiould break their bonds in funder , and caft their cords from them : then our Preaching is Vain, and your Faith is vain.
But now indeed the cafe is o- therwife, and that evidently. What the Laws of men could never do with all their Temporal Rewards
and
of 2Utt)£ trt
and Punishments, in that they are yeak • that Chriftianity, in the true Spirit of it , performs , to the ut> moft height that is conceiveable.
The Foundation of Govern ment and Obedience, is deeply and firmly rooted in the Foundation of our Religion. And, if the Scripture cannot be bnktn, if it be true, that Heaven and Earth frail pafs a^ayy be fore one jot cf it /hall pafs aTbay : it is as true, that the Ordinances of the Sun and Moon {hall fail , before this Ordinance fliall be diffolved. For if by the Principles of our Religi on we are obliged to believe con cerning the Books of the Old Te- ftament, that they have been deli vered by holy men of Qod , ^ho/pake M they were moved by the holy Qhoft, ^ Pet. i. 21. then the holy Ghoft hathfaid, By meKjngs reign, &c. * viii, 1 5- If Chrift be the Son ? of
Stgatnft
bf God , the Son of God hath faid Render to £*far the things Tthicb are Ctfars , Mat. xxii. 21. If the Holy Spirit did overflhadow Petery and the reft of the Apoftles ; then Peter, overfliadowed and filled with the Spirit, commands us in the Name of God to fubmit our f elves to every Ordinance of man , i Pet, ii. i j. If Saint <Paul were called to be an A- poftle by the miraculous appea rance of our Lord Ch rift after his Afcenfion , and was by him im» mediately inftrud'ed in the pure and genuine fpirit of Chriftianity . then Saint (P^«/'s Theory concern ing Government is an authentick Chriftian Theory ? whereby the Dcdrines and praaiies of Chrifti- ans are to be judged : and that Theory is delivered in the feven firft Verfes of this Chapter . Let every foul be fubjtft to the higher Toners,
of aafltf ui f tftotts. 3
&c. ^wrf rkj that refifty fiall receive to themfelves damnation.
1 call it a Chriftian Theory of Government , becaufe it is a brief and comprehenflve Scheme,where- by all Queftions concerning Obe dience and Government 5 may, ac cording to Chriftian Principles, be refolved.
The whole difcourfe of the Apo* ftle confifteth of two general parts;
Firft, A ftrift Injunction. Secondly, EfF;(5tual Motives.
Firft, The Injunction in the firft words , Let every foul be fubjeft to the higher <Pwersy See.
Secondly, The Motives in the yvords following-, which are taken from
I4 The Original and Inftitucion of Government • it is ordained of God : h^nce follows
II. The
i4 Sigainft
II. The Sinfulnefs of Refiftance • 7 ley refifl the Ordinance of God. And
HI. The Danger of it , They frail receive damnation. Which is .again enforced by
IV. The End of Government in relpeft of evil and good men.
Out of all which follows
V. The neceflicy of fiibjedion ; Wherefore ye muft needs be 'fubft&k And
VL The nature of that neceffi* ty • it is not of prudence, but of fonfcience.
After all which the Apoftle (like a legitimate Demonftratour) re- fumes his Propotition , and con cludes it with an ^ "^ wtiw, Verfe 7. Render therefore to all their dues, tribute to Tbhom tribute is due, cuftom to fthom cuHom , fear to whom lonour to whom honour*
^ott)et0, 15
The words, which I have cho- fen, contain in them the danger of refinance to the Civil Powers. They relate both to the Antecedent and Subfequent part of the Apo- ftle's Difcourfe, and are as efficaci ous towards the preffing of the Injunction of Obedience, as it is poflible for words to exprefe, or men to conceive.
The ftrongeft, and moft opera tive Arguments upon men (at leafl> wife • — °IQ* vtw gyni ei<r,9 j are Argu ments of terrour. The moft ter* rible thing within the compafs of ' humane apprehenfion, is Damna tion ; which imports 5 belides the judgments of this life, the eternal privation of the enjoyment of God, utter darknefs , and everlafting burn*
Thofe that refift , (hatt receive to damnation.
6 Stgainft IMftance
reflft'] Mw.fa<- Red- fiance is a Relative Ad:, and it im plies Tome perlon or thing to be refifted. What then is the Corre late of dV)?sn*c&7H?
That is delivered in the firft Verfe, Tbofe tbat re fin ij«««j ^**<ra*, the Authorities fet over them, Civil Authorities having jw Gladii, the Authorities fupreme f or fubordi- nace, juftiy obtaining over them. It is not Acvfefw*, or ^7^5 which is here uied , (which fignifie corpo ral ftrength and power) but i^/*, which the Scripture diftinguifti- ech from both the other- From ^ettftf/fti; ^ Lul^e iv. 56, and ix, i. i Cor. xv. 24. Epbef. i. 21. from HfciT©-^ y/^e 25 . It anfwers the He- Ire^ word n^a^which cheS^w- aginf tranflates by all the names of Legal Authority, *>*/.*> /3*«**fc» re?1«'*i
It is taken rot the
of SaMtil
\?
the Perfons of Governours, as well as for their Power : (b Epbef.lii 10. That to Principalities and Powers
&c. and
^4W/? tPoTbers^ and the Rulers of this World) Ephef. vii. 2. So that wd may not feparate their Perfonai and their Politick capacity.
It remains 9 that we enquire the meaning of d^i^Ti^ and et^Tttar^o/, what it is to refift in the Language oftheGofpel. Now^
i . That to oppofe by force is to refift, it is fo plain, that I need not fpeak to it. We meet both the words in that fence, James iv 6 ,7. Ktfe<Q- -v^epw.-/; etvn-metoTtu God refi/tetb the proud ; and *,*\\v
i. But the word fignifies Oppo- fition by futility , as well as by force. The Opposition of Elymas the Sor- C cerer
8 Rgaitift
cerer to Saint <Paul} is exploited by
**l-»«e. fK7/"\t*/-J 4 £T- %ri« Q '.fl' *1 ** /4
this word, Jtt.wi 8. MW and the opposition of Jannes and Jam- bres to ^oes *v%w™ ^ Tim. iv.
;. Andlaftly, it fignifies oppo- iicion by Words, as well as by Deeds. So «tfeHF, ^«wfMftfi, to gain* fay, and to ^^/j/?3 are the fame, Luke xxi, 15. and JrmSw is ^a contraditl, A£is vi. 10.
The words then do clearly and phiniy comprehend all manner of refiftance or oppoficion.
This hitherto concerns the Pro* pofition taken materially : if we reflect upon the form of it , there will be two things to be conil- dered.
Firft, That the Propofition is in definite, and equipollent to an Uni- verfal ; they that refift', that is, every foul ( as in the firft Verfe)
Verle ) that refifts, without any ex ception of perfbns.
Secondly, That the Ad of Reff- fiance is fee down likewile abfo- lutely without any reftraint 9 in re- fpe& of any pretences or caufes whatfoever. So that the fence of the words refolvcd, and expounded by the Scriptures , is this ; Every Soul , which upon any pretence whatfoevcr , in any manner what- foever, fliall refift the lawful Au thority that is over him , fball n* ceiVe to bimfelf damnation , that is, he puts himfelf thereby into a ftate of damnation.
This I conceive to be the mean ing of the HolyGhoftin the words of my Text. 1 muftacknowledge^ that two things have been queftion* ed in this Propofition by the men of this unhappy , viperous ^ and adulterous Generation;
C i I
2O
Eeftftance
I. The firft is , Whether ought to be interpreted fo.feverely, as to fignifie eternal damnation.
II. Whether that, which is faid concerning all perfons and preten ces , can be made good upon the Principles of Chriftianky.
1. As to the former of the(e, I (hall only fay , that the Argument brought againft this interpretation doth, in truth, exceedingly con firm
•
* -ft All ^ « ^ *V3 1 fcMtiflfaft '
ofyfi. the Allegation is, that ™ ifo* is ufed in Scripture for Temporal Judgment. The place produced is, i (V. xi. 29. He that eatetb and drinketh mVortlnly , eateth and drinketb™ x?t>«, damnation to Jnmfelf: where the Apoftle fecmeth to ex plain TO K?^« by the following words, Verle }o. For this caufe many are tyeak and fickly, and many flee]} ,• viz. by Temporal Judgments,
And
of aaitofrt pottos* .a
And irideecl this is true ; but sol. thefe things like wife ought to be obferved.
^i.Jhat the (ime penalty is de-. nounced in the Gofpel to thofe, who refift Authority , and to thdfe, that are guilty of the body of Ckrift, i Cot. xi. ^7. and trample upon ^eb tie Hood of the tW^wmjL Cove-
•/ c-> >r*r» -\
. i I .. - • . . jt.iV/>-'
»4Wf.
z. That neither Jinani&s and Sappkira, nor yet the ' '(jonntbians.^ were by, their Temporal Judgments exempted from Eternal.
3. And laftly, That feeing the great difference betwixt the Legal and Evangelical difpehfation did confift in this y that the expreQ Promifes and Threatnings y under the Law , were Temporal ; and under the Gofpel, Eternal : if God fhall., under the Gofpcl, bcfides Eternal punifhments due to every C 5 fin,
3igamft i&eftftancc
fin, add moreover to fome particu lar fins thethreatnings of tempo ral Judgments, let thefe mm con- fider what advantage they have gotten , and what can mor? be de- vifcd tq contribute tq the aggrava tions of fuch a fin. I fliall fay nornore to the fir ft Queftion, nor to that part of the Text , which concerns the damnation of Refi- fters precifely confidered : but fliall apply my felt to 'the refolution of thefecond.
II. It is impofljble in half an hour, to fpeak concerning all thofe pretences for refiftance of Magi- ftrates ; which , being raifed by Satan , and made u(e qf by the children of difobedience, are falfly charged upon Religion. I fliall (Ingle out fome of the chief of them , and examine them by tke
to and the Teftimony, by the Old
and
of jiaMul
____
and New Teftament ; adding to them, as occafion requires, the judgment and pra&ife of the Pri mitive Chriftians- and afterwards make a brief Application.
Thofe , which have given the greateft fcandal,as having troubled the Chriftian World , and almoft turned it upfide down , are redu cible to the two Heads of Religion, and Civil Affairs.
Firft, Thofe which refer to Re ligion, are fuch fcandalous Tenets as thele:
'
^L That Erroneous (fuppole Heretical or Idolatrous) Powers may be refifted j i efpecially if they endeavour -to farce men to their own Religion.
II. That Chriftian Magiftrates have no power in matters of Religion : vi%. None
C 4 i. la
24 Slgaittft laefiftancc
i . In religious Caufes. < 2. Over religious Perfons.
By Orders.
Ey perfonal Gifts."
Secondly, Thofe which refer to matters Civil, are reducible toiuch as theie-
L Har(h Adminiftration. II. Pretences of Competition of Power- and the like.
Now I (hall not be afraid or backward to acknowledge , that if any one of thefe Tenets be agree able to the Principles of Chriftia- nity, or to the pra&ife of the Pri mitive and pureft Chriftians , who are to beprefumed to have known the mind of Chrift and his Apo- files ; then we are to admit 5 that there is reafbn in what is alledgedtq create a Jealoufie upon Religion.
of
For, i. If Erroneous, or Idolatrous Magiftraces may be refitted, (becaufe they are fo , or becaufe they join oppreffion of god ly men unto their errour in Reli- ftion) how can anyKingdom ftand? Thefe are matters wherein every man makes himfelf a Judge ; and it is not material, whether he judge righteous or unrighceous judgment^ the matter once ftated in fbefi, that in fuch cafes men may refift , the tfypotbefis is ealily made 9 and men let loofe to a<a according to their proper apprehenfions , or the pre tences of thofe , who have power with them.
What (halt be done , when, at the fame time , a Prince (ball be judged by one part of his Subje&s Heretical and prophane5 for depart ing from Superftition , and vindi cating his power from unjuft Ufur^
pations
26 Sigamft Eefiftance
pations over it ; while another part jhall judge him to be Superfluous, and will never believe him to abhor Idols, (b long as he will not com mit Sacrilege ? What (hall be done, while fome conclude him to be ir religious, becaule he will not wor- ihip Images; others Idolatrous, be- cauie he kneels at the Communion? and both efteem him an Qppref- four,becaufe he reftrains their Zeal, and hinders them from that excels of Riot, which they pant afcer, to the devouring of one another ?
Suppofing this Tenet to be true, it is indeed evident no Government can be. But now what colour can there be, to charge this Tenet upon Chriftianity ? Doth the Old or New Teftament give any occafion to this Do&rine ? Is it counte nanced (t .) byMofes, or(zj by the Prophets ? or (3,) by our Sa viour J
of 2Utt)f ul f ottjcrs. 27
viour ? or (4.) by the Apoftles ? (5 ) that Qoiid of Witness, (the Noble Army of Martyrs) did they giveTeftimony to this Aflertion, or to the contrary | TJ may pot iniift : a word to each of thefe.
j. Mofcs was fa fat from the Do&rine of Refiftance, that, not- withftanding the hardnefs of Pha raoh's heart, the cruelty of the bon dage, the weaknefs of the Egyptians by Plagues, the numbers :of Jfracl, fix hundred thouland , and three thoufand five hundred and fifty fighting men above twenty years old . befides the Tribe of Levi : yec he would .not lead them into the promiled Land without Pha raoh's pofitive and exprefs confent to their departure.
i. As for the Prophets; in the third Chapter of Daniel we find three of Gods Children put to the
trial
3tgatnft
trial (the fiery trial) of this Do- tfrine, by Nebuchadnezzar , an Ido later, and a Tyrant 9 acting highly under both thofe Capacities toge ther. They werecaft into the fiery Furnace , becaufe they would not worfhip the Golden Image which he had fet up. And in the fixth, we find Daniel thrown into the Lions Den, only for praying to the God oflfrad. Let us conlider their Behaviour, did they tefift, or mu tiny, or labour to alienate, or dif- content^ or (by denouncing threats or terrours^) to difcourage Subjects from Obedience ? How had they been inftru&ed by their Prophets ? Jeremy ( 2 Cbron. xxxvi. 13. ) had taught them 3 th^t Zedekiak had turned from the Lord God of //• rael, in rebelling againft Nebucbad- ne%£ar , who had made him fwear by god : and that they ought to feek
the
of aatttful jEott3fl;& 19
the feace of tie Qty thither they were carried Captives, and to pray unto the Lord for if, Jer.xxix.7. And there fore the three Children in the third of Daniel only refer themlelves to God for deliverance ; and Daniel, in the midft of the Lions Den.,prays heartily forDdrw*, 0 t(ing, live for ever! Dan.vi.zi.
3. In the next place, lee uscon- fider the cafe of Chrift and his A- poftles , and fee whether any fuch Tenet may be collected from their Doftrine or Practice, their Speeches or their AiStions. As for what concerns our Lord Chrift , I have had the Honour formerly in this place more at large to vindicate him from fuch afperfions. He paid Tribute at the expence of a Mira cle , Mat. xvii. 17. He fubmittcd himfelf to all the Powers that were over him ; to the Sanhedrim , and
their
Stgainft a&cfiftance
their Delegates , to Herod, to <Pon- t\M tpilats : he fubmitted himfelf to death by an un juft fentence, even to the bitter and accurfed death up on the Crofs, <Pkilip.ii. 8. This was his Pra&ife : as for his Doctrine ; He taughc men to render to fofar the things that V>ere C<efars y Mat. xxii. 2 1 . He acknowledged Filatis po^er to be from above , John xix. 1 1. He rebuked Peter for linking with the Sword, and told him,that tbofe that take the Swordy foall peri/b ly the Slbord, Mat. xxvi. 52. He taught his Difciples to fray for them •»lnch fiiould pcrfecute them., JMat. v. 4 4- And the utmoft permiffion which he gave them , was 3 when they were per/tented in one Qty> to flee unto another, Matth x.ij,
4. As for the Apoftles : They taught men to obey them that have the rule over them ? Hcbf. xiii, 17.
of
To fubmit them/elves to every Ordi nance of man, iPet.ii* 13. To do all things Without murmuring or difou- ting, Philip ii. 1 4. To fray for Kjngs, and all that are in Authority, i Tim* ii. 2. Saint <Peter hath told us, that fuch as defptfe Dominion, and fotak evil of Dignities, are ( in an clpe- cial manner) rejerved to Judgment, i Pet. ii 9,10. and Saint Paul, in my Text, that thy fh all recede dam nation.
This Do&rine they Sealed with their blood. Saint <Peter (according to Ecclefiaftical Tradition ) was crucified, and Saint <Paul beheaded, James the Son of Zebedew (lain with the Sword, O"c.
Now,as for the Powers^to which all thele Inftru&ions and Behavi ours did refer, they were for Idola try, and Tyranny, and Perlecution, Humani generis portenta,
If
Eeftttattce
otj. If it be objc&ed, That all thefe fubmitced , becaufe they were not
Sol. able to refill : the Anfwer, upon Chriftian Principles , might be ; That Be , which reftrained the Flames , and flopped the mouths of Lions, could have given his Servants power to refift. that Chrift could prayed bis Father ^ who would
Matth. have given him more than twelve Le gions of Angels for his relief 5 that the Apoftles, who wrought migh ty figns and wonders, could have refcued themfelves ; had it not rather pleaied the great Ordainer of Powers, by their fubmiffion, to ratifie and eltablifli the Doctrine of Obedience.
5. But the belief, and pra<aife of the Primitive Chriftians will fatis- fie this Objection even to common Senle and Reafon.
The Inftances in this kind are in-
finite?
of Safltfttl tNrtfcets, 33
finite, where Chriftians, abound ing in numbers, being in Arms, and abundantly able to make re- fiftance, havechofen, with the ex- pence of their lives, to yield obe dience to Idolaters, perfccuting them for their Religion. I fliafi name but two Examples.
Tertullian * tells the Emperour; APoic§. that his Qtits, Jflands, fatties, Coun cils, Armies, Qtygiments, and Com panies • the Palace, the Senate, the Courts of judicature Wre filled Ttitb Chrtjtians: and yec they fubmitted to perftcution.
And we read that the 7 Mean Legion confifted of fix thoufandj fix hundred, fixty and fix perfons, every man Chriftian, when they fubmitted to the Decimation of Maximinlan for Religion.
I (hail fay no more to the firft Pretence. '*up7-
D II. How
Eefiftance
II. Now the fecond is like un to it, alike prejudical to Govern ment; alike falfe, and fcandalous to Religion.
Mar. xii. An idbufe^ or f\ingdom divided * cor.xiv. cannot ftand : and §od is not the dutbor of fonfufion, but of (Peace^ and that especially in Religion* if oone have this power to order mat* ters of Religion , there muft be Confufion : if any other befide the Supreme Magiftrate, there will be Divifion. The inevitable In conveniences of the exemption of religious Things, and religious Per- fons, from the power of the Ma giftrate, are abundantly fet forth by fuch, as would improve tticm to the difadvantage of Religion. And, indeed, to go about to de« ny, or to dimkiifh the difnaal Con* fequences of fuch Pretences, were to endeavour to put out the eyes of
all
of
all the men of Reafbn, and Expe rience in the world.
My pretcnt Duty is to enquire, what relation thefe Pretences have to the Principles of Chriftianity ; and that
Fir ft, As to religious Caufes.
Secondly, As to Ecdefiaftical Perfons.
Thirdly, As to holy, or gifted Brethren - as they ftyle them- felves
Now, in order to a refolution in thefe Enquiries, I (lull (as a Lemma) humbly propofe one Ob^ fervation.
It is this, That., whereas there! are two things, whereon all Po litical adtainiftration doth depend t '• Concerning the Rights , and Bounds, and regulation of Sove reign Powers ; z- Concerning the Duties, and Obedience of Sub-
: we find both Chrift, and the Apoftles, frequently labouring to fettle in the Confciences of men that part, which concerns Obe dience ; but no where reftraining, or limiting, or particularly regu lating the Office of Sovereign Powers ; but leaving them to thofe general Rules, which con cern the Account and Duty of all men in their feveral ftatiqns, and to the terms, whereupon the Pro vidence of God was wont to let- jle the Princes, and Govemours of the World. Let the rights of fafar be what they will (in refe rence to Tribute, or other mat ters) Chrift will not determine them : This he will . thofe things, which belong toCqar (according to ]us Gentium) muft be rendered to him. He doth not examine ; Pilate's power, in cafe of Blalphe-
of EaMul $o$er& 37
my:orTreafbn; but acknowledges it, and fubmits. He falls not up on fi fiing, or examining the power of the Sanhedrim; either their ori ginal power, or the power lefc them by the Romans : They fit in JWo/es Chair, &c. fPkatfoeVer therefore they bid yon do ^ do it, Matth.xxiii. 1,3.
And fo likewife 'the Apoftles, they Teem to be unconcerned (as it were) in the governing part of Civil Policy. No word is found in all their Writings, enquiring into the Rights of thefyman Em- pcf^fs (who were fovereign) or limiting the Exercife of their Power. Only thus much they take for certain, fuch, as they were, they were ordained of God. And they fpend all their labour in founding deeply, and firmly eftabliftung that other part, which concerns Obedience. From
3 8 Stgaittft
From this Obfervation it will follow, That whatever Things, or Perfons were not before the times of Chrift, and his Apoftles, exempt from the power of the Magiftrate, are not by the Foun dations, and Principles of Chrifti- anity exempted. (Non eripit mor- talia, qui wgna dat cceleftia.) And if will only remain for us to en quire, what was the manner of the Nations of the World, and of God's peculiar people, in reference to thefe Particulars, before, and at the times of Chrift, and his Apoftles. To which if we<$hali add the pndice of the beftf and moft ancient Chriftian Empe rors, ! know not what more can be defired to clear the prefent Ar gument.
I fuppofe it needlefs to put in a Caution, that while we {peak
of
of jUtttf ul
of the Magiftrate's power to or der matters of Religion ; we do not entitle him to the Prieft's Of fice (the Spiritual Fun&ion ) or the Execution of it, in preaching the word, adminiftring the Sacra ments, cxercifing the power of Ordination, or of the Keys, £rc. Bleflfed be the Lord God of our Fathers ,who hath put it into our So vereign's heart to be tender of the rights of the Church, as of the Apple of his Eye.
This is a- Calumny infifted on generally by almoftallour Adver- laries, but it is too rude, and grofs, to be fpoken to in this place. Ra ther let us fee whether the Sove reigns among all people, Hea then, Jews, Chriftians, have not claimed, and exercilcd power in all Caufes, over all Perfons, as well Ecclefiaftical, as Civil.
04 i , For
%gainft iRefiftance
Rom.i. i. For Caufes. The New Te- I4- ftament fometimes divides the Gen tiles into Greeks, and Barbarians; fometimes into wife, and un wife: according to which divifion the Ro mans are, Ifuppofe, reckoned un der the Greeks, from whence they were moftly extracted, and with whom they contended in Civility, Briefly, -J- the Greeks, 2* the Ro mans, 3- the Barbarous Nati ons did always exercife fuch a power.
Pd«.!ib7 O1-) Jrlftoth, thegreatefta- pp.8, mong the Greeks, tells us, that the firft, and principal thing in a Common Wealth is » ^i n 0^ 6%- t**v*. And, accordingly, ifwecon- fulc the Fragments, which are left us, of the Laws of the moft an- tient Grecian Common-Wealths, we (Ball find nothing fb frequent, ?sthe Ordinances concerning their Religion,
of &att)fut oflwsu 41
2. Amongft the Romans, Ci cero fthe wifeft) faith5 that Re ligion is the Foundation of Hu mane Society -y as in truth it is. To fay nothing of the Ordinan ces of Numa, the Jus (Poritificium &G. the Titles of the Twelve Tables are many of them concerning Re ligion.
("3.3 As for the Barbarous Nations, I fliail not multiply Te- ftimonies, nor go beyond the line of Scripture. In the third of Da- nid we find an Edidl of the King of Babylon enjoyning all fpeop/e, Languages, and Tongues to commie Idolatry ; farf. 4. 5. And, by and by, another Edi<5t, that no man (hould fpeak amifs of the God of Sba- dracb, frfefecb, and Alednego Vcrf 29. In the fixth-we find Darius (the Perfian) by the advice of his Coun cil figning a Decree., againft peti-
titionin?
Stgainft
(for thirty days) any God lefides bimfelf -y Ver(c9. and fhort- ly another, that all men (houldtrem* hie, 4nd fear before the God of Da niel ; Verlcatf. In the third of Jo- nab, the King of I{imvehy and his Nobles proclaim a publick Faft. In the firft of E^ra, (jms puts forth an Edift to build the Temple at Hieritfalem. In the fourth, *4rtaxerxes reverfeth it. In the fixth Darius re-inforceth it.
J fuppofe it is now evident, that Greeks, and Barbarians did exer- cife this power.
To think to elevate the force of thefe Inftances, becaufe all theie were Strangers from God > and a\ms frm tfa Common-Wealth of lfratly is to miftake the purpofe for which they arealledged*
However , it was not thus a-
mcng
of
mong the Kings of the Nations only, but among the holieft, and wifeft of the Governours, and Kings of Jfrad, and Juda-, who for abolifliing falfe Worfliip, and ordaining the true, are often high ly commended by the Holy Ghoft in the Scriptures. The time would fail me to fpeak diftin&ly, and particularly, of the Ordinances concerning Religion, which were made by SMofes* Jofrua, Da^uid Solomon, 4/a, Jehofiapbat, He^ekiab, Manaffes al(b, and Jofiab: con cerning whom the Scripture gives thefe Charaders. Mojes was the v man of God. Jofliua tte ferVant Jo of the Lord. David a mm after - Gods own heart. There was none lity unto Solomon. Ad bis beart i Ttoas perfect vitb tie Lord. The Lord V4s Kith Jehoftiaphat.Hezekiah did l >fhat, ftkifh »45 rigbtin the fight of
the"
44 gatnft fteSOance
Manaffeth
; and his Goodnefs was re corded.
Now the A As of every one of thefe concerning the Worfliip of God, and matters of Religion are recorded, and applauded in the Scriptures. For thefe all ordered, and regulated Services, and Sacra-' ments, and Covenants with God - they erefted Altars and Taber' nacles, and Temples, and dedi cated them unto the Lord - they deftroyed Idolatry, reformed a- buies in Gods Worfhip, fettled both the ftanding Worfhip of God, and occafional Thanksgiv ings, and Humiliations : to o\nit other matters.
The whole ^aronical Minifte- ry., which coniifted in ceremonies, and Sacrifices, Typical, and C^r-
nal
45
nal Ordinances, was not ordered by the hand of Mr on, but o •Afo/«, who was f(inS in Jefn-* run*
The Tabernacle, and Temple- fervice (which, befidc the Mofai- cal Inftitutions, confided of Spi ritual abiding Ordinances) was in- ftituted by David: who, being the facet Singer of Ifrael, and ac quainted more then ever any man (for ought appears) with the ways, and helps of lifting up the Heart to fpiritual intercourfe wjth God, to that end appointed the ufe of Mufick in the Church } and (with out fear of ftinting the Spirit) he prefcribed Sec- forms of Praife , and Prayers tor the ufe of the Temple- and ordered the fervice for every day. A Pfalm, confid ing partly of the one hundred and fifth, oinety fixth, and one
hundred
Sigafnft Eefiftance
hundred and eighteenth, he firft delivered to jlfapb, and his Bre thren, at the reduction of the Ark from thehoufeof Obed-Edom; i Cbron. xvi. 7. And divers other <Pfalms were compiled by him for the Service ot the Church-
And what he had ordained, So lomon put in pra&ice. In the fifth Chapter of the fecond Book of £hronides , we find the pattern of the Service of this Time, and u; Place, the Sow of d/apb^Heman, and Jeduthuny arrayed m white Linen, With mufical Inftruments , praifing 13. the Lord y faying, For be is g?ody Sec. V/^. reciting the one hundred and eighteenth (Pfalm : and^ in to* u* ken of Gobi's acceptance, a Clond filled tbe houje.
The one hundred' thirty and fixth (Pjalm likcwife was wont to be fung in Thanksgivings. So
we
Of
we find alfo Ek^ekUbj and Jofid,
pratfae tbe Lord in tie Words of Da*
* / £»
xxxv.
Thus flood the matter under the Law ; the ordering of mat ters of Religion was not exempt ed from the Supreme Power. Hezekiab varied from Mo/es his Law, and was blamelels. Nei* ther was it otherwife in the bcft, and pureft Times under the Go£ pel.
It had been but a ilender invi tation to the Emperours to be come Chriftian; if, by fubmit- ting to Chriftianity, they muft lofe fo confiderable a part of the So vereign Power enjoyed by all their Predeceflburs, and be there by expofed inevitably to Sediti ons, and Rebellions, upon every Fratuick eruption of religious Me lancholy. The primitive Empe rours
Mftance
rours underftood themfelves other- wife, and fo did the Chriftians under them. I may not (land to recite the Annals of the Church.
It fynftantine had not inter- pofed for the composing of the Arrian Hsrefle, what had be come cither of Government, or Religion ?
The drawing up of Canons for the regulation of Religion was by our Lord committed to the Apoftles, and their Succef- fours, the Bifbops, and other EC- defiaftical Perfons : but,that thefe Canons fliould be enforced as Laws by temporal Penalties it, was by landiionof Civil powers.
In the fecond Oecumenical Council, the Fathers, affembled at Conftantinople , beicech Jheo- dofew the Elder to ratifie the De crees of that Synod.
Thus
of SattJfnt $tftotts. 49
Thus we find Jufttnian efta- N*>-*I. blifiiing the Nomo-£anonicon, or fade of the Univerfal Church, confiding of the Canons of the four firft General, and five ancient Provincial Councils; and com manding them «>< rip* <pt/x*7?e<%, to be kept as Laws- Briefly, to de termine this Queftion, we need only to view the Titles of the fixteenth Book of the (ode of TfaodopKf, the thirteen firft Ti tles in the (ode of Juftinian, <Pbo- tius's Nomo-Canon , and the like.
The Pretence of exemption of Ecclefiaftical Caufes, fo as hath been intimated, as it is incon- fiftent with Government- fo it is alfo with the Principles of Chri- ftianity.
2. Thus much having been fpoken concerning the regulation
E of
50 ftgainft i&eftftattcc
of Matters of Religion, it will be needlefs to enlarge concerning the fecond Pretence of the exemption of Ecciefiaftical Perfons.
This Tenet is equally dange rous with the former, and equal ly contrary to the Principles of Chriftianity. It were to be wifli* ed, that all men profefling them- iclves Minifters were thorowly convinced of the Doctrine of O- bediencc : otherwife, as they grow popular, they become dan* gercus. Sacerdotum quidam eo fnnt ingenio, uty ni pareant , territent. And Saint Cbry/oftom commenting upon every Sow/, e?c, faith, ^'A™- 5TA©-? i&'Ewfrfysti* 4t nwn-w. Both the Apoftle, the Evangelift, and the Prophet. Our Saviour was both Prieft, and Prophet - and the Apo- ftles were Ecciefiaftical perfons : yet did not think themfelves exempted.
Such
of natttfui ffouws. 51
Such pcrfons were not exempted, either before, or after the Times of our Saviour • neither in T a Single, or * Joynt capacity. From tie &e» MIC. six.- ginning it *toa$ not fo.
i. As to Single pcrfons under the Law, we find an Inftance of the Exercife of the Sovereign power over an High-Prieft of- fending, in Jbiatbar, whom So- , Kings & lomon tbruft out. and placed Zadoc **
. - . J Ibid.jJ*
in his room.
i. As to the calling of Aflem- blies ; before the Gofpel-times, it did belong to the Supreme Magiftrate, We find Mofes, not i Jofhuah^ not Eleazgr* Da* not dtiathar'i Solomon, not Zadoc ; fummoning the Priefts, and Levites, to raeet together. And
In the Primitive Times of the Chriftian Eraperours, we do not
E a mccc
Sigainft &efiftance
meet with Councils, or Synods called by the Bifhop of Qfywe , nor with Minifters, cafting them* felvcs into Claffical, and Sy no dical Meetings; nor with Af* femblics of Divines , called a- gainft, or without the Prince's content.
The indi&ion of Times, and Places, the convocation of Per- fons, the Prefidency, the order of Debates, the difmiflion of the Aflemblies, the roboration of Ca nons ("as to making them Laws of the Empire) in the General, and provincial Councils, were all the work of the Supreme Magi- ftrate. And
As for matters of Appeal, we find <Paul appealing to Ctfar : A- tbanafius ( from the Synod at Tyre) to fynftarttine ; to whom three Appeals were likewile made
in
of EaMnl potters* 5?
in the Caufc of C&ilianus , and Donatus : and many more in- ftances of this, and the like na ture.
3. I fliould now difmifs this Head concerning Religion, did there not remain one Pretence more, and that fo wild, andmon- ftrous, that it looks as if it were the laft effort of the enemy of man-kind (uliimus Diaboli cona* tus) for it ftrikes at the Heart both of Government, and of Re ligion. It is this, that Saints, and gifted Perfonsy (as they call thcm- fclves) are exempt from humane Laws: and in effect refblves in to this, that to reprobate others, and affume to themfelves the Ti tle of the Godly Party, to talk of Reformation, and the Power of GodlinefS, of advancing the Kingdom of Jefus Chrift ^rc.
is
54
is to juftifie Sacriledg? and Trea- fon, and horrid Rebellion, and to qualify them for the King*, and Priefts, and Prophets of th? world.
How far this S^tanical mad- nefs hath prevailed, to the con- fufion of all things Civil, and Sacred ; to the fcandal of Religi on ; the planting, and watering of Atheifm, and Infidelity . I tremble to call to our remem brance.
If my prefent bufinefs were to refute the men , that have given this offence, how e^fie were it to examine their Gift?, and their Saintlhip, and how hard to find them. But as the woman of Sa maria faid to our Saviour, jtrt
Job. !v,:i. * f — . _
thou greater than our Father J#cob? are they greater Saints, -or better gifted^ then Pwr/aod JP^^;and
the
of Hatful $tftott&. 57
the reftof theApoftles? He, chat {aid, Let every Soul be fubjeft to Rom *\ the higher, ty&jie*, had been Vrap'4 Icar. #& (Whether in the body, or outy he l'3' coH/d wo* W/0 ^ dt third keavens: hath any of them been carried higher ?
Chrift the natural Son of God, the Brightness of hi* Glory, th **•'*- Exprefs Image of his <Perfony faid,
fyndcr to fafar *^e *k*n&* *b** are Mlrt x Ctfars : are they greater then Chrift *
alfo?
But my prefent pur^ofe being chiefly to remove thelc fcandals from Religion j come, and let us reafon together, What could Chrift, and his Apoflles have done more to prevent this fcandal, then they have done ? Their Do- Arinc, and practice hath been already (hewn, and the Danger, and Heiaoufnefs oJ the Sin of E 4 Rcfiftance
fttfiftance
Refinance (in all the kinds, and degrees of it) difcovercd i neither can any thing more be imagined, which might be defired to anti cipate, and obviate this pretence, unlefs it be, that thefe things fhould have been particularly fore told, and the Perfons (at leaft their Party and Se&) deicribed- that the world might be forewarned of them,
Will it then fatisfy the enemies of our Religion, concerning the Truth, and Infallibility of the Scriptures, and the abhorrcncy of the Ghriftiatl Principle from this damnable Tenet ; if it (hall briefly appear, that thefe things have been punctually foretold by Chrift and his Apoftles ?
Chrift hath given warning • of .-grievous Wolves in -Sheep's ' clod*
More
of 2Utt)f ul ^otbcrg. 57
More particularly Saint hath told us, that in the laft days u perilous times (hould come that there fhould be fodd)1) higk*mind<:d Tray vafe four*, fc^viiig 4 /orw o/ godlineft, but denying the power thereof.
Saint (Pefer, that there fhould **<*•«•« be falfe Teachers, vhicb (hould pri-
• I/- • i 7 1 • ' r
V«j l>r/w^ m damnable bere/ies^ pre- vcrfc i« fumptuws, ftlfoilled, not afraid to fpeak evil of Dignities.
Now, if all this be not fuffi- cient, Saint Jude hath taken up this Prophefie of Saint <Pcter and given us two clear Characters of thefePerfbns, whereby they might be known. He tells us, '* That they fhall be Separatifts from the Church, and z* fal(c-pretenders to the Spirit. Jbefe are they, Tbbich fe* Judc f>- par ate them/elves, being fenfual, having not the fpirit.
I (hall fay no more to the Pre
tences
%gainft Ucfidancc
icnces relating to that Head which concerns the matter of Religi on.
^•Neither Oialil I enlarge upon that other Head referring to matters Civil, where I in- ftanced in two Pretences taken from,
I. Harfii Adminiftration in the Magiftrate.
II. Competition as to power in Subje&s.
I. Neither the Time, nor the Defign, which I have propound ed , nor (indeed) my Profpflion nor Abilities do allow me to enter into the Depths of the Po liticks, or to difcourlc of the limitations of Sovereign Powers. Thus much is obvious to every
TO- ,
That there is no Cruelty fo
great as laxnefi 9^ Government,
nor
of &atttftu
nor any Tyrany in th<e World like the rage of Subjects let loofe; and that the little fringer of Li- centioufnp Is tf harder then the Loyns of the fevereft Laws, and ftrifteft Government.
I (hall briefly (hew, that ,the Scripture, forelceing the eafinQ^ Cby reafoq of the Self- love, and partiality of men) of this Pre tence, and the danger of i£, hath dircftiy oppofcd it fclf agaioft it.
I (hall not mention particular Commands : let us have recogrfe to the main Foundations; the Body, and Subftance of Chrifti- anity,theMISHPAT H AME- L E K (the Jus <%egium ) the Fundamental Law of the Kings of Jfrael.
i. Christianity obligeth us to believe not only, that Chrift is
God
Stgatnft &tfiftance
God, and that the Gofpel is from God: but that all the Circum* fiances of the Miniftery of Chrift, and his Apoftles, were ordered by his Providence. Why then were the times of Tiberius ^ and Cali* gulay and Claudius, and Nero (out of the Series of the Time fpun out from the Creation^) chofen, and feleded for the promulgati on of the Do&dne of Obedi ence. If harfti Adminiftration of Power will exempt men from Obedience ; at that time, when Qaudius, or Nero was Qtyman Emperour, why fhould the Holy Ghoft mdve Saint Taut to write to the Romans , They that refift, (hall receive to tbemfelves 'Damna tion ? So much briefly for the Gofpel.
x. As for the Jusfygiumin the eighth of the firft Book of &*-
mml
of gaftfnl f otters, 61
muel we find the Ifraelites defiring a King : and God (though re- je&ed by this motion) commands Samuel to hearken to their voice. Yet, that they might know what they did, and not be furprized ( believing they might caft of again their King at plcafure^) he charges him to proteft folemly, and ftiew them ^cn DDTC> Our Tranflation renders it, Tk man ner of the Kjng. The Septa* agint , and all ancient Eaftern and Weftern Tranflations rea der it by words of fignifying the Law, or the Right of the King,
This ( faith Samuel) (hall be™1'
>sraa He (haH tnke your Sons, and Daughters, your Vine-yards , your Fields, and your Floch, Sec. He tells them of harfti Admini- ftratipns.
Was
Was it the meaning of the Holy Ghoft, chat (de jure) Princes ought to do, or that it was lawful for them to do after the manner there def- cribed ?
vcrfe>4 In the leventecnth Chapter of Deuteronomy we find the Duty of the Kings of I/rael defcribcd in a way direfily contrary to this; they
turn afide to the ri%ht hand, or to the left from his Commandments.
PfaU. f^A w* d>™f*r*> 0 ye fyngs } 10. 1 1. be inftru&edy ye Judges of the Earth : ferve the Lord with fear , and re* Joyce with trembling.
Was it a Prediction of what would be their condition, what would be the manner of their Kings ?
Not that neither. We do not read of any of the Kings of Ju- daht or J/rael, that proceeded to
the
of
the height there expreffcd. Even l Kmgs ^fc*£, Who /eld kimfelftotoorkvick- »''•** dnfjr, did not take Njbotb's Vin- yard, by force- he would not feife on it, till Je^tbel had brought about the pretence of a Legal For feiture.
What then is the meaning of •jbonOTcn? Surely it imports thus much, that, if all this hard ufagc fhould come upon them , they might cry unto the Lord ; (Verfe 1 8.} but that it would not diflblve Jus fygium (the right of Sove reignty) or enable them to re- fift their Kings, or rebel againft them.
JL There remains yet one Pre tence to fpeak to, it concerns Com petition of Power, either on
l. Pretences of Succeffion in to the Magiftrate's place in cafe of failour of Duty , or upon
iuppolab
6* Slgafoft gefiftance
(uppofals of forfeiture of Power.
2. Pretences of the laft refolu- tion of Power into the people, the diffufcd multitude, or the peoples Rcprefencativc, and the like.
Concerning which kind of Pre tences I muft repeat what hath been faid of the other. If they be admitted, they are deftru&ive to Magiftracy. If they be encou raged by Religion, there will be reafon, chat Magistrates be jea lous over it. But now is the Spirit of the Scriptures, and the tendency of it entirely bent ano^ ther way.
The New Teftament affords no Inftance in this. kind. As to the Old , I fliali defire, that two Inftances may be confidered.
1 . The Cafe of David, and Saul.
2. The Gale of £W;3and Mofes :
which
of
which two Inftances (if the time would bear it) would take in the Subftance of all, that may be al- ledged in this kind.
i. It is (I conceive) impoflible to carry the firft fort of Pretences higher, then they were ftated in the Cafe of J)avid9 and Saul. Saul was at firft declared, and confti* tuced King by Samuel, a&ing in the Name of the Lord : and, when he had reigned two years, the fame Samuel, in the Name of ' the fame God, before the (ame people, denounces publickly, that his Kingdom fliould not continue- 'J1™* and that God had fought a man after Us oVn heart, becaufe he in vaded the Priefts Office. After this, he limits a certain day , he tells him, This day the Lord bath rent ?** the Kingdom of Jfrael from theei and it to thy neighbour, becaufe of F his
66 Stgamft Eeftftance
his rebellion againil God in the Cafe of drnalik.
The pretence of Failour, and Forfeiture can go no higher. Now for the pretences of David to ftep into his Government, and wreft it from him : He was anointed
chap. xvi. by Samuel , for ought appears, without refervation for the life ot Saul. He was qualified for Go-
!;bld: , vernment • a valtant man. a man
v*ri. ic, *
of War, prudent in matters, a comely Per/on, and the Lord y>M Ttoith him. He had received Teftimony from God of his Ele&ion : the Spirit of God departed from Saul, and refted upon him. He had power in his hand, he was fet 0^er tie menof War, accepted by all the people all 1/rael, nd Judab loved him. After all this, you knovy his Provocations, his Ad vantages, and his Behaviour; he
durft
67
durft not touch the Lords anointed ^ and, when another pretended to have done it at Saul's entreaty in ex tremis, he revenged his death, and lamented over him, Te mountains of Gtlkoa, &.c.
a. But that other Pretence, that after a lawiul Sovereign is efta- bliflied (according to the Suppo- fition of my Text, and my Dif- courfe) the power ftill remains in the people, (in the diffufed body of them, or their Reprefentatives) to alter the Government, as they pleafe ; it is in refpeft of Policy, and Government, what the Sin againft the Holy Ghoft is to Re ligion, it deftroys the foundations of the peace, and fafety of men,1 and makes that to be the Arti fice of man, which is the Ordi nance of God. How much God abhorred this Pretence, will ap- F i pear
atgatnft Keftftancc
pear in the Cafe of Cora/?, and his company. When God fcnt Mo- fes to bring the Ifraelites out of
E&IIP** ke fw&H^I him, and put
xod.iv. his Name upon him ; Thou [halt
be to him inftead of God : and when
Aftsvii. he had brought them forth, he
j£ur. made him a Prince and a Law-
*xxii.4- giver over them.
The fupreme Power was in M0/ft, who called to his afliftance a Senate, or Parliament, (Smcr) confiding of the Heads of the xi. Tribes of Ifrael. In this Coun cil Nature foon began to work, f. fome envied Mofes, Tbhom God bad cbo/en, and Aaron the Saint of the Lord. Datbanpnd ^i>4m,theSonS of Eliab, Heads of Families, in the Tribe of f%eubtny thought both the Civil Power, and (if that muft be transferred, from the firft-born,co one Tribe) the Priefthood alfo was
due
of aaftful ffotbegg. 69
due to them, being Eldeft Bre thren of the Eldeft Tribe, fyrab^n eminent man amongft the LeVites, was offended, that the High-Priefts Office went befide him, and was fettled upon Aaron, and his Pofte- rity.
Thele were their fccret griefs- for a redrefs whereof they make a party in the Parliament, they gain to them two hundred and fifty men, famou* in the Parliament, men of renown • and , in order to thck ambitious Defigns, they remonftrate againft ^o/e^Vcrf«i }, and their Declaration was this Pretence, which we are upon; that all the Congregation mim-to were Ho/jf, and that Mofes, and Aaron had lifted up tbemfelves above them-, that is , that their power was a contrivance of themfelvcs, not an Ordinance of God ; that, notwith-
(landing
7Q
(landing what God had done to fettle the Civil, and Ecclefiaftical power, it remained tlill in the peo ple, or their Reprefentatives aflerti- bled together. Now the Scripture tells us, that, fince the world be gan, God was never more high ly provoked, then upon this oc- cafion • tybw be beard tbtsy l:e IPM Tbratb, and greatly abhorred tlnm 5 he invented a'ntfb thing in the world for their fakes i for the Earth opened ' and foalloKed up Vattan, and covered the Congregation of .Abiram*
" ^aVC n°W ^°ne W^C^ ChC^C ^rC"
tences, and my endeavour hath been to vindicate Religion from the charges of unbelieving Poli- tiaans, and indeed to fhew, that ir is not a Spirit of carnal Com pliance, but the true, and geuuinp Spirit: of Chriftianicy, which runs ugh the Doftrine}and Govern
ment
*
caii
of
ment of the Church of England. After what hath been fpokcn, ! hope, I may prefume to lay with the Apoftle, Do we noT» ma\e void the Lavs through Paith ? yeay "toe l tablifi the LaVs.
We have feen the Chriftian Theory ^ doth the Philofophical Theory provide better for the fafety of Princes^and the eftabiQiment of Government ?
It tells us in effcft, that Might is Right; chat every thing is juft, or unjuft. good, or evil accord ing to the pleafure of the prevail ing Force, whom we are to obey till a ftronger then he cometh, or we be able to go through with re- fiftance.
That, in reference to this life, Obedience is a matter of Wit, and Prudence, and after life there re main for us no Concernments.
F 4 How
Mftattce
How ftramincous is this The* ory compared with the Chriftian Theory, which fpeaks in this wife, Let every Soul be JubjeEt to the higher Powers > &c?
That this is the genuine Chri ftian Theory, hath in fome mea- fur* been demonftrated- fo that indeed it may be wondered from whence thefe Prejudices have ari- fen.
But alas ! that my head toere wa ters ! They have one grand Ob- je&ion, to which having ipoken I fhall conclude.
If this be the Do&rine of Chri- ftianity? how comes it to pafs, that thofe, who pretend the higheft to Religion^ and profefs themfelves the onely Chriftians, (the Bigot, and Jefuited Romanift . the fright ed, and tranfported Reformift) have -been authors of the moft
hor-
of Satttftti fatten;* 73
horrible Tfe&fons, and Rebelli ons ?
On the one hand, what mean the Cafholick Leagues ? On the other, the Solemn League , and Covenant, forced upon Subjects, renitente Trindpe ?
On one hand what means (fliall I (ay the lowing of the Oxen, or ra ther) the roaring of the Bulls, the thundring of Excommunications, the abfolving Subje<Sts from their Allegiance, the A&ual Murthers of Princes, the attempts for blowing up King, Lords, and Commons at one clap? What is the mean ing of the noile of the Bells, of the claps of Squibs,and Fire- works, which we hear ? On the other hand what was the meaning of that black, and terrible difpenfation, which will caufe the ears of all Pofterity to tingle.
It
74 #gaintt tfofiftancc
It is but a little while fince the anointed of the Lord, the holicft, the wifeft, the beft of Kings, was taken in the fnares of men pre tending to reformation, and fa- crificed to the fury of men po£ fefled by an eVtl Spirit from the Lord. He was offered as a Lamb that it dumb , or rather like the Lamb of God, to the rage of wild fanatical Enthufiafts.
It is but a very little while, fincc the Lamentation of Jertmy was in the mouth of all the faithful in the Land.
Lam. it*. ur }**&** an our rncts were amongft the Genrikf (^provoked to ferve other Gods ) the Law was no more , t be Prophets alJQ received no Vtfeon from the Lord. Aild all theie things were brought to pafs by men pretending wonders in Re ligion,
And
of ftfltof trt ffottwsi
And they would know the reafbn of all thcfc Difpenfations. But who art thou, O man ! who prcffeft into the fecret of Gods Pavilion ? HoV* unfearcbable are hs Judgments , and bis V>ays paft finding out; fucb knowledge is too Wonderful , Tbe cannot attain unto it.
It may be, thefe things have been done, that the Sayings of our Saviour might be fulfilled ,
It cannot be but offences Kill come _
I i Matth'
but Tbo be to them , by whom they
come^ andj It Tbere better, that a mdftone, &c.
It may be, the Gunpowder- Treafon was permitted to be de- figned, that the difappointment plight be had in everlafting re membrance, and celebrated, as it is this day : Son of man, Ttrite th name of the day, even of this fame
day:
XXIV, 2.
76 %ga<nft jleCftancc
day : tie %jng of Babylon fet Urn- filf againft Jeru/alcm this fame day.
It may be, God fuffered the late Rebellion to prevail, that he might not leave him/elf without ft/tar/;, but fliew forth his wonders in our days, in the miraculous reftitution of our gracious Sovereign, and the Church. If he had not been driven out, how could he have been reftqred ? not by might , nor by po^er , but by the Spirit of our God.
It may be, this was done, that we might fay no more, The Lord liveth, which delivered u* from the Trealon of pretended Catholicks: but The Lord livethfthich hath deli vered us from the Tyranny, and blood rage of the wild Fanatical Enthufialts.
Surely, all thefe things have been permitted,that the Stone Tbbich,
the Builders refufed , might be made tried and precious, and that his Patience, his Piety, his Con- ftancy in Religion , his Chri- ftian Magnanimity being mani- feft to all the World, by the im patient defire of all Nations , he might become the bead of the
Corner. 2 A mh
. -•
Surely, thefe things were fuf- fered5 that tho Faith, and Pati ence, and Loyalty of the Church of England might be made bright and glorious by the Flames of Perfecution : and that in the day; when God (hall have given our moft Gracious Sovereign the hearts, or necks of all his Enemies, it may not repent him of the Kind- nefs he hath (hewn to Religion, and Government, in lifting out of the duft thcdefpifed Head of that only Church, ( for ought I
know
78 Stgamft Beftftance
know ) which makes Obedience without bale reftri&ions, and li mitations, an Article of its Re ligion.
Laftly, thcfc things, it may be, have been permitted, that by the Triumph of this day, and by the vengeance lately executed in the fight of this Sun, the Athciftical world might be convinced, that the Tofbers, that be, are ordained of §od, and that, though the kicked do evil an hundred times, and God prolong their days . yet Vengeance is his^ and heTbill repay it, and They that refift, (hall receive to tlnmfelves Damnation.
Againft the
Antifcripturifts.
-#: • • ' A • :
SERMON
Preached at
VHITE-H4LL.
February 20. 16^-
BY SETH Lord Bifliop of Sarum.
Dp i* ^ajeaie0 Special Command
Printed by A. ۥ for James Ctlli*s\ at the Kings Arms within Ludgatc near St.
•' * * r • ••
I
oj Hl • . ^(8^ *i$' -J c^
'/. o ^
1
Againft the
Antiferipturifts. ?
T" '** X*
2 Tim, 111. ID.
.
y#/ Scripture is given by In- fyiration of(jod. "tijo|^
N the verfe preceding it is (aid concerning the Scriptures of the old Te- ftament, that they are able to make a man ivife unto falvation,
•M » "• /^ I 1 /" " L
Ttbicb is in Jefus Chrift) : And it I follows immediately, *4ll Scripture, &c.
"Hvffi* (the Faith ^) is often by a Metonymy taken for the Gol-
G pel
Stgatnft tije
pel, which is the Object of th< GIL i.ij. Faith of Chriftians. We read often Rwn!'».' of the Preaching, and Hearing of Tit. 1. 4? f^ ; °^ the Analogy of Faith, the }yd- 3l common Faith Tbhich was once delivered, to the Saints (in the preaching ol Chrift,* and the Writings of his Evangelifts and ApoftlesJ and ib I conceive it is to be taken in this place. So that the meaning of the whole is this, The Old Teftamenc underftood and expounded accord ing to the Analogy of the New, is able to make a man wife. And the Pen*men of the Canonical Books of the Old Teftamcnt ( wherein Timothy had been in- ftru&ed ion £jfc *) and of the Books of the New Teftament fwhich except thofe of St. John were ex- cant before the writing of this E- , piftle) were infpired and directed by the Spirit of God.
The words of the Text are an entire Propofinon, afiertingthe Di vine Authority of the Canon of Scripture; and mysndeavourfliall be at this time to prove the truth of that Propofition. Wherein, that I may proceed with all plainnefs and clearnefs, I fhall premife two words by way of £ Petition,
^Precaution. „
l. By way of Petition, Ifuppofe and take for granted ;
1. The great principle of the power of God, and his provi dence in governing the world.
2. That our Body ot Canonical Books of the Old Teftament, is the fame with that which was in ilie i& the time of Chrift and hi^ Apoftles, And our body of the New Tefta- mcnt the fame \fvliich was du*- ciently received ititheChupch,
G 2
84 ^gainft tl)e
So that what (hall be pro ved of thofe, is applicable to the Original Scripture ufed in our time.
3. That thofe Books of NevCr Teftament whofe Authors were not anciently queftion- ed, were written by thole Authors whpfe name they bear. And that thofe few others which were fome- ticnes queftioned by Ibme particular Churches, and af terward Univcrfally receiv ed, contain in them no one point of faith or Manners diflenticnt from the Con tents of thofe Books which were never queftioned. 2. By way of Precaution and Admonition 1 muft intreat you to take notice, that I fhall not now meddle with the Controverfies
con-
85
concerning Apocrypha , Tran- flations , f(tri and Chetib , He brew points, various Leftions, dubious Authors or parts of Scrip- cure.
But my endeavour at this time fhall be to Aflertthe Divine Au thority of the body and fubftance of the Original Books of the Ca non of the Old and New Tefta- ment : And this not in the way of common place, but in a par ticular Examination or Refutation of the moft dangerous Opinions of the Antifcripturifts, which arc thefe:
I. Of thofe who pretend to be lieve the truth of the New Tefta- ment, and yet they deny the Divine Authority of the Old.
1L Of thofe who pretend to be
lieve the truth,but deny the Divine
Authority of the New Teftament.
G 3 III. Of
ftgafnff tije
III. Of fuch as pretend to be lieve matters of Fa& to have been unty related in the New Tefta- rnf m, but do not believe the truth of the Do6trinal parts relating to Faith alnd Manners.
IV. Such as deny the truth of flife Relation' of matters of Fa6t in the New Teftarnent, and in con- fequence reje<5t the whole Body • of Scriptuif. f Of thefe as briefly and plainly as I can/- ;*fcf n*>
IODThefirft OpMori^ of thofe, who pretending to believe the Truth of the'Nevv Teftament, de ny the Divine Authority of the Old Teftament. "'The SeVerians^ and the Manicfaes, fBafiUdef, and Carpecfate* of old : The fataha^ fiHs of later times 3 (bine MA- btptijis^ ^ntinomiam, and other Fanatical Seflaries amongft our irlves,
In
In oppofition to thefe, I ftiall fliew, that fuppofmg the truth of the New Teftament, the Divine Authority of the Old Teftamenc is to be acknowledged: Becaufe the Divine Authority of the Old Teftament is aiTerted by Ghrift and his Evangelifts and Apoftles in the
New. *['
i. Next to the Redemption of the world, the great bufinefs which Chrift had to do upon Earth, was to Convince men that he was the Mefllas, and fo to after t his Legiflative Authority. And the great Argument which he ufed for the conviction of the world was this.
All the Marks and the entire Chara6ta of the Meffiah, and of his Aaions and Paflions, were prefigured and foretold by tfce Lcfto Luk.i4 14 and the Prophets, and the <P/<tlms, G 4 i. e. in
88 Slgamft
i. e. in the Volume of the Old Tefta- tnent.
And all things foretold or pre~ figured concerning the Mefliah, were accomplished by himfelf,
So that though the great Works of Chrift, and the purity and ex cellency of his Doctrine, and of his Life, were of themfelves fuffi- cient to juftific the Introduction of his Law into the World, yet he was pleafed to rcfolve (as it were) his own Authority into the Di vine Authority of the Old Te (la ment., and to make ufe of thole Other manifestations of hin^felf, in a co-ordination with that principle.
And therefore we find him ftilj prefling the JeTts with this, that if they did believe the Writings of Moffs, and their other Scriptures, they n)uft of neceffity believe him
il&*
^nttfcnptuttfts, 89
fylofes Wrote of me ( faith hej job, j, therefore, did ye believe JMofes, ye would believe me. The Scriptures teftifie of me, therefore fearch them Joh . ,3 diligently, ff«/M7i ™ >^^. . For the attaining of cvcrlafting life he re fers the Lawyer to the Law, What uiuo.* ^ Written in the Law ? fay? readeft tbou * For the avoiding of the place of torments, he makes Abraham re fer the Relations of Dives to Mofts Luk ]* and the Prophets.
In all his disputations with the Pharifees and Sadduces, the Law yers and the Scribes, he makes his appeal tq the Scriptures of the Old Teftament. And left any one fliould think that in all this he did only argue ad homines (that dilpu- ting with the Jews he only pro ceeded upon their own Hypothc- fis) we find him in the courfe of his Miniftration pofiuvely afliro
ing
3lgamft
Mar.i4. ing, chat the Scriptures muft beful-
job. 10. fM*A ; that they cannot be broken j
|£^ 5i that he cdwe nor fa ^e/?ro> f&* L<a»
and tie Prophets, but to fulfil them ;
M*r.<.is. alld that Hf^ven ^ &rffe ^//
jp^/5 dtHtyj before one jot or title of
tbeje fauld ferifk^ until alt TbM fulfil*
led. Thus he aflerted the Authority
of the Old Teftamcnt before his
death.
And after his Refurreftion he made a real demonftration that the Old Teftament was given by infpiration of God ; for on the day of his Refurreftion, falling into company of two of his Dijf- r«k.M. ciP^es> going to H^w4/i5 : He be gan at iffiojes and all the Prophets, and expounded to them in all the Scrip* tares the things concerning himfelf. > And afterward when the Ele ven were come together as a re-
4\ «
capitulation of this his method,
and
and that he might inftruft his Difciples in it, he faid unto them, Theje Were the Words which I fpak* Vcifc unto you, while I W& yet with you, tbtt all things muH be fulfilled, Which Were Written in the Law of Mofes, and in the Prophets , and in the Pfams (in the Volume of the Old Teftament ) concerning me. He opened their under/landings , and faid, thus it is Written, and thus it Moved : And as a fhort Idea of what they were to do , he tells them, and ye are Witness of thefe things.
2. In purfuance of this method we find the Evangelifts very cu rious, apd very frequent in oh- fer ving the accomplifliment of the predictions of the Old Teftament, reciting fometimes the fpeeches of Chrift, faying, that he did fuch, j£ pr fuch a thing, to the end that
the
Stgainft tl)e
II
the Scriptures might be fulfilled: / Tbiff not eat of the fruit of the fine till all things he fulfilled.
Sometimes in their own Perfons obferving the accomplifhment of particulars, and noting cither par ticular portions of Scriptures which were fulfilled, or the fulfilling of the Scriptures cited at large, with out any particular Quotation. Thus the Evangelifts writing of i is. the Conception, Nativity, Name liTj. of Chrift, of his coming out of |-*3- Egypt, dwelling at Nazareth, mi gration to Capernaum, riding to Jenifalem 5 Say,that tbefe things Tbere done that the Scriptures (or the fay ing of the Prophet) at large might be fulfilled : So likewise for the circumftances of his Paflion, the ^ flight of his Difciples, cafting lots upon his Garments, Vinegar gi- .»>. ven him to drink, piercing his
fide.
95
fide bones remaining unbroken, vcrf. u.
35
Other times they note the par ticular Prophet, Chrift healed Di- feafes,fpokc in Parablesf that t/;i Mat.s.i7. laying of 1/aiah the Prophet might * be fulfilled. When Herod flew the Ma, IJ? Children , then was fulfilled that "tobicb Tbas fpoken by Jeremy the Pro- phet, Rachel Tbeeping for her Chil dren, &c. and once we find a quotation of the fecond Pfalm^ Aa and the like : This for the Evan- gelifts.
^. Laftly, the Divine Authori ty of the Old Teftament is aflerc- ed by the Apoftles : Whom we find every where in their Writ ings , citing the Teftimonies of the Law and the Prophets, and^?-««« the PfalmS; appealing to them3 Aa'I.til Tbbat jaith the Scripture ? the Scrip- JtolJ? ju ture hath concluded (b or fo : Ar- Gai 3ifc-
guing
94
guing out of them, ofc times di- re£ly; thus not only the Apofties but ^polios mightily convinced the *- Je**9 ibmetimes ah abfurdo, do ye think the Scripture /peak* in Vain J
In a word? the Apofties follow* eel the way and method which their Matter uught them ,• they af- ferted that the Goipel was pronrif* u. td by the Prophets, Tbitneffed by .V. Me L<tt> and the Prophets : by all & 1 0.43. the Prophets. Affirming of them« Aa.M. 4, felves, that they believed all things Britten in the LaV? and in the Tro- phets : and that they continued tefti- &&i6. v.fying and faying no other things than the Prophets and Rfo/es did jay frould come*
Finally, left any place fhould
be left tor doubting concerning
any part of the Old Teftament,
the Apofties have exprefly affert-
Rom.7.u. ej concerning the LaV>, that it is
My,
/«/?, and good ; that the ^Pra- A^M. ^. • that they arc the Oracles nf AS lilt".
» /•
, /JV£/y Oracles ; that 60d /pd&e by the Prophets • that holy men ofG&d * P«. i.
/ % i i i r7 I x^'
ypaAe 4J f fcej ire re mov^a by the Holy ChoH. Laftly, (in the Text) that* Tim. 5. the i*e* y&pv*™* therein Timothy had been in/lituted by his Mother, Veregi- Ved by infpiration of God.
This is the fcn(e of the New Teftament concerning the Old Teftament - luppofing therefore the Truth of the New Teftament, the Divine Authority ot the Old Teftament is to be acknowledged, contrary to the firft Opinion oi the Antifcriptuvifts.
II. The Second Antifcriptural Opinion is of thole who pretend to believe the Truth , but they deny or doubt the Divine Autho rity of the New Teftament, ei*
ther
fyt
ther of the whole body of the New Teftament, or at leaft of that part which delivers the Speeches and Writings of the Apoftles.
Of this fort there are laid to be many, who by the power and influence of their Education are rcftrained from denying or di£be- lieving the Truth of the New Te- ftament, and yet through the in felicity of corrupt convention are fallen from that Veneration which is due to writings fuppofed to be of Divine Authority.
For the Hiftory of the New Teftament they have the fame refpeft which they have for Ta- citu* or Salluft, or lome fuch other Hiftory ; for the Myftery of the Gofpel, the fame which they have for fome part of fPlato, or rem nants of Pythagoras ; for the pra~ pans, the fame which they
have
97
have for Tome parts of Qcero or Seneca, or Epiftetus. All which writings they believe to be true, but no man believes them to be Divine. And (bmc there are who pretend a great veneration for the fpeeches of Chrift,but have a mean er efteem for the words, and writ ings of the Apoftles.
In oppofition to thefe opihioris, I (hall fliew, that fuppofing the words of Chrift and the Apoftles to be True, it will follow, that they are to be efteemed to be of Di vine Authority.
Becaufe Chrift and the Apoftles did profefs and declare, that what they delivered to the world, was of Divine Authority.
And becaufe our Lord Chrift did undertake not only for him- felf, but for the In(|>iration of his Apoftles alfo.
H «. Iri
ttjt
i. In the examination of the next Opinion, I fliall be obliged to lay before you fome of the evi dences of Divine Authority in Chrift and his ApofHes, here ic is fufficient to produce their aflertions of it.
The time of our Lord Chrifts miniftration (^betwixt three and four years) was fpent in preach ing and working, and his Au thority was often queftioned. . In Luke 10. i. and in the paral- ; lei places, While be KM in the Temple teaching the (People, and preaching the the Gofpel, the Chief <Fmfls and the Scribes and the Elders came upon him^ faying, tell w by what Authority then daft thefe things (^preacheft to the people,) and whogave t hee that Au thority ?
Knowing the perverfenefs o! their minds, he was not piea(c<
t(
99
to gratifie them at that time with a direct anfwer, but confounded them with a queftion concerning the Baptifm of John.
But at other times^ upon other occafions, we find the Divine Au« thority of his teaching abundant ly declared and afferted by him.
lam the way, the truth and thej^n**. life : The Words which 1 fpeak unto J you they are fpirit^ and they are life. The T^rds yhich I /peak, 1 fpeak not John K; of my (dfy but of the Father which dweBeth in me. My Doftrine is not 1^.7.1^. mine y hut his that fent me. I do nothing of my /elf, but M my Father Johc 8 hath taught me fo I fpeak* I have J°hn !^- not fpoken of my felf, but the Father that fent me, he gave me a Command- mtnt V>hat 1 fhould fay, and what 1 fiould fpeak. WbatfoeVer I fpeak there* john Iie even <M the Father faid unto ^m I/peak* Heaven and Earth fhall H ? fafs
too ^gamfttlte
pafs aV>ay, but my Tbords (batt not paft aVay.
Thus did our Saviour affert the Divine Authority of his Words.
^. Apd fo likewife the Apoftles arc very frequent in aflerting the Divine Authority of the things which they delivered.
In the 1 5. of the ABs, we find them aflembled about the queftion of Gircumcifionj and they account ed it no robbery to entitle their Decrees to the Holy Ghoft, Itjeew ed good to the Holy Ghoft and to us, V.\%.
Nor do they pretend to revela tion when gathered in Council on ly, but each one feverally for him- felf.
St. Peter profefles of himfelf^that
Per. 5.1. he was a partaker of the glory winch
P«,M, *^ revealed: And pf his
it KM revealed from Heaven.
St. John
10'
St. jjobn declares that he had ijohm.r
tyith the Father and the Son ; as for his other writings, that they contained the things which he bad x job.,.,. beard and feeen Ttith bis eyes Tthich be lad looked on, and bis bands bad bandied of tbe Word of life.
As for the Apocalypfe, he pro- APOC ,.* feffes, that kin* in tbe Spirit in Jfle ofPatmos he received it,and was commanded to Tbrite it in a Cook.
<TTI n i
The greateft writer among the Apoftles was St. Paul^ aftd the greateft queftion hath always been (amongft Unbelievers) concerning his Calling and the Authority of his Gofpel.
He knew this very well, and therefore we find him affecting both his Calling and his Gofpel with abundant care and dili gence.
He affims himfelf to have been
H 3 an
Sigamft
Gai. i.i. an J$o file not of man, neither by man,
but by Jefu*. Cbrift , and god the
Rom. ik ,. father ; That by God himfelf be Uw
2 $eparat ed to preach , conftituted a
^^y-^^ckr, an^poyWe, and a defender
7' of ,tbe Go/peL As concerning his
Eph.3.!. Goipel, he pmfefles to have^rdv-
erf it by ^tVelation of god.
: in As for thevSpirit W-herfewkh he
wrote and preached., he profeffed
himfelf ready to^'Ve a proof of £bnft
fpeakinginbtm. He appealed to the
Prophecick Spirit then - iii the
i Cor i ^hurckj tf any wan think hlmfetf 4
§|7." Prof bet or Spiritual, lei Urn acknow
ledge tbe things Tbbicb l^rite to be the
Commandments of God.
Out of this affurance'it was that he enjoyned his Epiftles to bt read Coi. 4. \6. in the Cburcbes of Coloff. Laodicea
Ibid. rr'f fT i - i J
iThcf.3. IwjjdQmca, and excommunicates fuch as fhould be dilbbedient in that particular.
And
And left any one fliemld here repeat the Objection made againft our Saviour, Thou bear eft "toitnefr of thyfelf, thy Tbitnef* is not true.
St. Paul fpeaking of all the A- poftlcs, affirms that Qod had fet them in the £hurcb, and that the
yftery ef the Gofpel was revealed
the holy dpoftles by the Spirit.
Particularly notwithftanding that difpute betwixt St. <Peter and St. Paul (from the firft Ages of the
-.. , v rr-5 ^t
Ghurch to our own Tuties, OD- jefted by Unbelievers to the pre-1 judice of Religion) it is remark able, that, in the fame place where St. Paul gives an account how Pe ter V>as to le blamed, and how and wherefore he Ttithftood him to his face at Antiich, he doth exprefly affirm., that the Gofyel of the Cir- cumcifion *%>as committed to Peter, and that Cod wrought effectually in H 4 Peter
Hier.Pro-
104 ^satott tt)e
*.. — : _. _
Peter to the \4poftlejkif> of the Cir- cumcifion,
Op the other fide St. Peter , in that very place, where he tnay P«,|. feem to complain of the &vnim* of St. Paul, yet even there he owns him as his beloved Brother, acknow- ledges his Wifdom to have been gi- grten him of (jod, and number? all his Epiftles, inter T&totvhy&tfa amongft the other Scriptures.
j. Laftly, For fuch as would put a difference of degrees betwixt the Authority of the words of Chrift, and the writings and Scr* jnpns of the Apoftles, they may take notice, that the Authority of thele re(blves it felf into the veraci ty of Chrift himfclf.
He it was who being to leave the World, pjromifed his Oifciples
^nc^ aga*n» c^at ^e would
down upon them the JSoly Spirit,
that
105
that (hould inftn4& them and teach n, *4. them all things, that (hould Lead them into all truth, faring to their remembrance all things Tbhich he him- /elf had fpoken^ that {hould fhew them things to come^ that with this j*. ij. Spirit they fhould not be lightly dafti'd, or fprinklcd, but that they fhould be Bafti%tdy and as it were A&, i 5. plunged into it.
How all thefe promifcs were performed, and how the Aflerti- ons of the Divine Authority of the Words of Chrift, and the A* poftles were proved to be true, I am next to (hew. In the interim I conclude chat fuppofing the truth of the words of Chrift and his A- poftles, they are to be efteemed of Divine Authority.
uIII. The third opinion is of fuch as pretend to believe matters pf fa& to have been truly related
in
Slgamfl; tlje
in the New Teftament, but they do not believe the truth of the Doctrinal parts relating to Faith or Manners.
Of thc(e there have always been too great a number, not only pre* tenders, who under a form of Chri- ftianity deny the power thereof, but generally all forts of Hereticks. When Porphyries had revolted from Chriftianity to Platonifm , and had bent all his forces againft the Scripture- Hiflory, he was refuted not only by ''Laftantiw, and &/e- tbodiw, men Orthodox in Do- &rine, but by Enjcbiiu and ^o/- linarisj and of lace days, Socinus and others have well aflerted the truth of the Scripture- Hiftory, who yet have been offended at the dogmatical parts of theGofpel, and concerning the Faich have made fhipwrack,
In
107
. In Oppofition to thefe I (hall endeavour to demonftrate , that, Suppofing Matters of Fa6t to be truly related in the New Tefta- ment, it is nnreafonable to fuf- pe& the truth of any of the Do* 6trines delivered by Chrift or his Apoftles. M(<!
Amongft the various fancies concerning Religion , wherewith the whole wo*ld hath been always embroiled : Two thitigs there are wherein all the Sons of Adam have agreed; namely,:4'P;Thae that is to be believed which hach^ received theteftimonyofGod.And 2. That this Teftimony is to be gathered from inftances of fupernatural Wif- dom and Power.
In the ftudy of natural and Phi- lofophicai Theology, the Spccula- tlvi ainongft the Greeks and (Ro- mans, and other Nations, fought
after
log
after wifdom, (Reafon, and De- monftration.) But, to reduce the People to the forms of religious Rites and Sacrifices prcfcribed them, they were made to believe the Epiphanies of the Gods, and the manifeftations of their Wi£ dom, and Power, by Oracles and Works fupernatural.
To thcfe even Mahomet pretend ed, though his great Argument was from the Sword : and of the Jews I need not fpeak.
For a Foundation of Religion, and in our inquifition after that, fliort of this Teftim'ony we ought not to ftays further we cannot go : And herein is the utmoft of humane wifdom to confider well thofe Evidences upon which w« adventure the intereft of our eter nity.
To this evidence therefore we ap
peal
peal in aflertingthe Do&rine of our Lord Chrift, and his Apoftles; Namely to the inftances of Super natural Knowledge and Supernatu ral Power,whereby their Do&rinc was attefted.
1 fliall not here wave the force, but I fhall decline the repetition of what I have formerly (poken concerning the atceftations given to it by Vifible Signs, Audible VoiceSjApparkions of Angels, Ful filling the Prophecies, Evidences of Chrifts Refurreftion, Miflion of che Holy Ghoft.
In Job. 7. i j« the Jews wondred at Chrift that he knew any thing : HoTJ? knolbetk this man Letters, [teing fa never learned them ? but if we mark the Scriptures, we (hall find that he kne*to all tbings, and that no thing was withdrawn from the reach of his underftanding.
He
10 Stgainft
job. ii. He knew the ficknefs and death
f* of Lazyrus, though abfentand at a
4.17- diftance- He Jan Nathaniel under
the Fig-treeyand convinced him that
he was the Son of God, and the
job,**?. Kjng °f tfrael : fame fie a man (Taid
the Woman of Samaria) tohich told
me all things that ever 1 did, is not this
theChnfl?
job. 6.6t. He was K^^V^.- The (ecrec **• murmurs at his hard fayings, the *6.i6. inward defires to ask him Que- Luk.9.47- ftions- the Realbnings and dialo- gifms of the hearts of his Difciples- the fecret Councils of the Sciibesi :.\. s. and Pharifees,their evil furmifiogs, ink. 6 s. ^^ treacherous intentions to in-
l-uk. ii. ii-
17. trap him, their mental Blaiphemy, were all naked and maniteft be fore him.
He kneto Tbhat WAS in wan. and
""15! needed not that any one fiould tell
tt,i7ix, He knew the various Kinds
of
of Devils / and how they were to be ejected : This f^ind cometb not Mac.i7. out but by Grayer and rafting. He ££c,i7. knew the Fiflies of the Sea, and 17- where they were, and what was in
them.
He knew not only things paft andprcfent, but to come ; He fore- Joh;j8;4; faw all things that Were to come upon M-U. him, V>ho it TfiM that (hould betray him, he foretold his Difciples all the circumftances of his Paffion, MAC ZQ; how he was to be Betrayed, Con- ^ demned, delivered to the G entiles ymock- ed,fcoHr&ed$it onjtitt'd and (ratified at Jerufakm.
Behold, faith he, I tell you be- fore 5 Let this faying fink into your hearts. H« forewarned <Peter of Mat z^. his denyal,and ths Difciples of their \ flight. J
He foretold things to come af- Luk* *Ii ter his death, the time and manner
of
Mai
of the deftru&ion of Jerufalem t
The fuccefs of his Gofpel, the Effeft
(unlikely) of his Crucifixion, chac
John u, it fliould draw all men after him, that
Mat*. a«. itjbould be preached and believed in the
Milling T*>boU fcor/djfpreading it (elf/i'Ae Li*-
31> Vtff, and /*&e ^ gram of Muftard-
Lttkc J^- fody c^ac Satans Kingdom fliould
be deftroycd fuddenly like %/;f-
ning ; nocwithftanding the fal/e
Matth.14. Drifts and fal/e Tropbets -frhicb fbould
arife.
Thefe and many more were in- ftances of the fupernatural know-^ IcdgeofChrift: And for his pow er, the time would fail me to in* fift upon the many and various inftances mentioned in the Go- fpels.
1 fliall omit the exercile of his
dominion over the Sun, Moon,
, and Starst Plants, and Animals,
Earth3and Water.the Wind and the
Sea
Sea, and briefly mind you of thofe which concerned the bodies of men; how he i. Fed their hun ger, 2. Healed their diftempers, 3. Raifed their dead, and 4* Caft out Devils.
He fed 4000 at one time, and 5000 at another.with 5 or 7 Loaves, »*• 3**
i r !• i T^TL Match, if.
and a tew little Fifties. 3o.
He healed the blind, lame, deaf, £ I*
dumb, maimed, feaverifli, fcjfrSJ*'' J1*
dropical, paralytick, leprous, and ^.4.13.
, - i r TT i Mar.i7.iz.
lunatick perions. He cured notMar,4z^ green wounds only., but ancient Luk*lz'51 inveterare Maladies of n, of 28 M«.^«J«.
^ Johrfy.f.
years continuance, one that was born blind.
He ufed no Plafters nor Potions,
no Telefmans or other Charms,
I but performed ail thefe things
; by a touch of his Hand or of his
Garment. He healed abfent per-
fons as well as prefent, he (poke
I the
.
tt)e
'1 37-
the word only and they were healed.
He raifed to irfe the Daughter of Jairw , the Widows Son at KpM$ Friend La%aru*y and raa- ny bodies of the Saints. Many of which healed and raifed perfons liv- ed till about Trajan's time, as Qua- dratu* a Dilciple of the Apoftles af- firmecj jn his Apology to Hadrian the Emperour.
Like a ftrong man armed he caft out Devils, whatever kind they were of he quickly difloged Mac.i7.i8 them 5 that foaming and tearing 'De- Vtl which withftood the power of his Difciples, and threw down and tore the pofleflfed perfon even as he was yet coming to Chrift himfelf; he prefently rebuked, and healed the child, and delivered him to bt$ father.
Neither their long pofleffion,
nor
115
nor their numbers could fecurc them, he caft leven at once out Mar. i*<9. of Mary Magdalen, and an whole Luk 8-17' Legion out of a certain man of the Countrey of the Qadanns , who had been poflTeffed by them a long time-
Moreover, for atteftation to the truth of his Gofpel, he delegated all this power to others, to the iz Apoftles, to the 70 Difciples : M«-'*T. He bequeathed it to Believers atLukc lo- his death, *and they alfb received and exerciied this fupernatural power.
I have given a few inftances of the Supernatural Wifclom and Power of Chrift folitarily con- fidered : The Hiftory of the Go- fpel affords us many Examples wherein they were glorioufly com bined.
By his Knowledge he foretold 1 j his
Stgatnft
Refurre&ion, he performed ic »8.i by his Power. By his Divine Un- " , !«! derftanding he forefaw his Afcen-
"• vinity he afcended.
He afcended, and by his power he fulfilled the Predictions and Protnifes which he had made. He 2'4' fent down the Holy Spirit, and fhed forth the gifts of fupernatu. , ral Wifdom and Power upon his Apoftles.
Not to mention the Apparition of Angels, and of Chrift himlclf,
7°: the Bath Kol, the Extafie^Dreams,
* Vifions^ and Impulfes which were given them for their own aflu- ranee : That they might be enabled to preach the Gofpel to all Nati ons, and deliver to the world thofe Scriptures whereof we arc fpeaking, they had the word of Knowledge
ij and of Wifdom and of Faith^ and
the
117
the gift of divers Tongues, and in terpretation of Tongues beftowed upon them.
And to juftifie their Do&rine to the Ages prefcnt and to come, they had the Gifts of Prophefie, and of Healing, and of Miraclev
Join (the beloved Difciple) heard AP. 4. i. a Voice as it Tom of a Trumpet ytalk- ing Kith him, ftbicb faid, Come up bi- tber, and 1 V>ill (keT*> tbee tbiugs Vhicb fhall be bereafter ; and immediately he WM in the Spirit, and received the Revelation.
Paul an Apoftle (^though born Aasi7.i out of due time) came to Pi/ions iCor.u and Revelation , he twice fore told what fliould happen to the Ship wherein he Was carried Pri- loner to Rome. He foretold the r Thcf Apoftacy of the latter times, the rifing of Antichrift, the perillous times which fiould come upon the lTim,3
_ _ 0 ^M M>&if*t flt 4*%*trft
1 1 « /agcJlutt u)C
Aft II8 fborld in the la[i days. Agabus * i. »o. Believer at large foretold the fa
5*^3 t i
mine which was to come upon all the World, and the binding of JW at Jeru/alem, &rc.
But the inftances of fupernatu- I ral Power exercifed in healing of •! Dilcafcs, raifing the dead, con-} founding the Oppofers of their Do&rine, and in feveral other kinds by the Apoftles and their Companions and Adherents, the Preachers and Writers of the Do- drine of the Gofpel, are fo abun dantly delivered in the New Tefta- jnent, that i fhall not offer at par ticulars.
In the 4* of the jift* we find all the Apaftles praying *iuhv*&9 that God would ftretcb forth his hand to heal, and that figns and Bonders wight he done by the I^ame of his hqty Cfyld Jefa. ^nd immediately
the
ube place T&M fhafan> and, they, loll filled »irf> the Holy Geft, and »itb tPoTfcrr.
The particular Miracles of par ticular perfbns are recorded. .In one word, they went and preached every where the Do&rines which are written in the Gofpcl • the Lord wording "frith them , and confirming Marc. their Jbords by mighty figns and l&on- ders, and gifts of the Holy Ghoft. This is the ftate of the mactec of Faft, .as iris propounded in the New Teftarnent : I conclude therefore, that, fuppofing matters of Faft to be truly delivered in the New Teftamcnt, there is no rea- fon to doubt of the Do&rines de livered by Chrift or his Apoftles^ relating to faith or manners. And I come to the confideration of the laft and extream Opinion of the Antifcripturifts.
I 4 IV /'The
10.
no
CBgautft
IV. The laft opinion, is of thofe who deny the truth of the Relation of matters of Fad delivered in the New Teftament , and in confe- cjuence rejcdt the whole body of the Scriptures,
riol could wifli there were no fuch as thefe, and that what I have yet to fay were altogether needlefs for that realbn.
But what mean then the publick Rumors which we hear ? and whence is an Opinion gone into the world,that feme great Philofophers and men of generous reafon are dif* fatisfied concerning the truth of Saripture}and believe the Authority of it to be wholy derived from the Jviagiftratc ?
In reference fo thefe 1 flhall en deavour,
I. Briefly, to fliew that the upon which thefe Wifcmen
i ^ --
and
and Philofophers reject the Scrip tures, is contrary to the Realon of mankind.
2. To evince, that the belief of the Divine Authority of the Scriptures is moft agreeable to Reafon.
i. As for the Argument and ground of thofe ( amongft us Chriftians) that reject the body of the Scriptures, I do not remem ber to have heard of other than
this.
They have often called upon Believers, Paftors perhaps, or Do lors in the Church,, for a clear and undeniable evidence of the truth of the ftory of the Gofpel,and they have not afforded it : therefore they conclude, the Scriptures are to be rejected.
But is this the reafoning of gene- ?ous wits f and men of mighty
deeds
Stgamft tfjc
deeds in difputation, of men pre tending to the depths of reafon and Philofophy ?
To give a man a clear and un deniable evidence of any thing, there are but two ways,Vi^,. f o con vince either* his Senlcs or his Un- derftanding • the former whereof is to be done by experiment:, the la ter by demonftration.
Would they have now an Ex periment whether fuch or fuch a thing were done 1 6 or 17 hundred years ago ? Would they have a de monftration of particulars, in their nature indifferent to be done or not to be done, depending upon the li berty of Caufes ?
Well were it for the world, if thefc Beaux Ejprits would have the patience, and endure the fa tigue of acquainting themfelves with the ways of knowledge (Ex-
periment
periment and demonstration ) it would not then be troubled with the dangerous impertinency offuch Pretenders no
Then thefe men would not cfall for Experiment in a fubjeft unca- pable of it, and (being inftru&ed thac demonftration is only of U- niverfal Propofitionsm materia, nc- ceffariay whofe contrary Pofitions imply acontradidion) they would know, that to demand this kind of evidence of the truth of the (lo ry of the Gofpel, is to be abfurdly injudicious, and to act contrary to theReaionof mankind.
For feeing we may not with ci vility fuppolethis principle to be advanced only for the deftruftion of Religion, and the ruine (or at leaft undeniable hazard ) of the Souls of men j We ought to believe that thefe Philofophers intend this
as
as a General Maxim/ 'that (in mat- k< tcrs at leaft of moment) men c ought not to adventure to aft, fC but upon clear and undeniable "evidence, and ( fpeaking pro perly ) that wife men ought to believe nothing at all. Where fore let us fuppofe this for a ge neral principle, and confider what will follow*
Setting afide the knowledge of the Affection* of a few Lines and Numbers , is not all learning to be caft away ? Muft not the Ci vil world of mankind be brought to fwift confufion ? muft not man kind it fclf, in a few days<ometo an end ?
Suppofe a fubjeft fliould not yield his Obedience, or a Tenant his Rent, till Titles be made out by Experiment or demonftation. Suppofe the husbandman and the
1x5
Merchant, the Artificer, the Soul- dier, the Banker, and the Judge /'7< (hould not adventure, but ftay for theaflurance of Experiment or DC- monftration, would not the whole world be confounded ?
Suppoie men fhould not marry, nor take Phyfick, nor eat or drink till they fliould have clear and un deniable evidence, that all thefe things are what they fuppo(ef and fhall fucceed according to expe&ati* on,would not mankind quickly be (pent, and brought to an end ?
If the management of all hu mane concernmentSjPolitical, Oe- conomicaljPcrfonal, proceed upon the grounds of Belief and Hope, and rational (but not demonftra- tive)inference. If neither thefePhilo- fophers (if they would confider)nor any other Perfon, cither ever didf or poflibly could a perform any
one
Slgatnft
one a&ion^ upon fuch evidence, as thefe men require concerning the truth of the ftories of the Scripture; then to rejeft them for want of fuch evidence, is repugnant to the Rea- fon of mankind.
I proceed therefore to my fe- cond aflertion, thac the Belief of the Divine Authority of the Scriptures is moft agrcable to rea- fon.
That the Divine Authority of all the Scriptures of the Old and New Teftament, are undeni ably concluded from fuppoficion of the truth of the Relation or Hi- ftory of matters of fa<5l in the New Teftament, I have already fliewn. And that the rejection of all Hiftory is againft the Reafon of mankind is evident, becaufe all mankind receive iome Hiftory or o- thenwherefore 1 (lull briefly fhew,
t. Thai:
1. That the Hiftory of the New Teftament hath all thofe ad vantages whereof any Hiftory is capable.
2. That it hath greater advan tages than any other Hiftory.
i. The Arguments inducing men to the belief of any hiftorical Rela tion, are all of them
intra, Internal, from the t. Credibility and Scibility of the Object. 2.Thc Know ledge and Integrity of the Writers. ;. The way and manner of writing.
extra, External, from the i. Reception of it in the world. 2. Concurrent tefti- monies of ftrangers, ). Con- ceflionsof Adverfaries, and 1 the like.
In all which particulars, no Hi ftory in the world can juftly pretend
any
3-1 <L»
_fi J
any advantage above that of th« New Teftament.
i. For the credibility of the Object , and Cognofcibility of it.
pernatural Power and wifdom are impoflible, is to deny the power of God and his providence in go verning the world : And to fay that fuch things are incredible^ as are and have been actually believ ed, in all times, aod by all iorts of perions Jews and Gentiles,Chri- flians and Mahometans (a few A- theiftical perfons only accepted) is an abfiirdity.
The Hiftory that we fpeak ofy pretends to no intrigues or Caba- liftick Counfels3 or Myifteries of State, but conteins it felf within the limits of things Vifible and Audible, things that were done or
fpoken
fpoken^io that no Hiftory can have advantage over it, re/pt£ttt Objetti.
2. As for Knowledge in the de liverers, 1 (hall fhew it by a brief Induction.
The whole New Teftament confifts of the Books of the Reve lation, Epiftles, Ads of the A- poftles, and the Gofpel$^>
The Au-thors of the Epiftles and the Revelation, in the Narrative parts of them, deliver the things done or fpoken to or by themfelves, and could not be ignorant of their own experiences.
The Book of the A<Sb contains (bme things done by or to the reft of the Apoftles, but chiefly the concernments of <Pd«/; and it was written by Luke, who was an indi vidual Companion of J^W, and intimately converfanc with the reft
the Apoftles,
K
t jo ftgtfnft
For the things Related in th< of St. &#&, he faith they delivered to him by thofc who from the beginning wefc Eye rieffet of the works, and fters of the Word, and his Hifto- *y agrees with the other Evange- lifts.-
The Gofpcl of St. &t*rk hath nothing which is not in St. Mat- tbtw or St. John, and was dila ted by St. <Petery the Head of the Apoftles.
fi/riSc. MattbeJfrwte an Apoftle^and St. Jobn the Bofbm Apoftle of Chrift. The Apoftles were chofcn by him for Witnefles of his Words and Aftions, they were with him from the beginning of his Miniftry, continued with him till his death, couverfed with him till his aicen- i joh.i.1. fionrZhatTbbtcb they had beard Jbbicb tbej bad feen Tbitb their Eyes, tybicb
tbey
tbty bad looked on, tyhicb their hands bad handled of tbt Vord of ltfey that they delivered in writing to the World : And more than this no Writer or Rdatct of Hiftory can pretend to.
^. For Arguments of their fin- lC^;*; cerity, they have left Precepts of Phi!- 4. 8*
17 J L L- • ft Ja«>'3-»4«
Veracity, and prohibitions or ly- EPH 4.i<. iog, under pain of Hell torments, ApnC8."; the Lake that burneth with fire and brimftone : They have pro- tefted that they did not follow tun- xPec I-1^
. •/ i r- » i I « iCor.i.i7
mnzty devijed Fables ; that they did things fincerelj M in the jigbttf God. .V"
atn They have appealed to the fearcher of hearts: 'She God and*c*'l*[ father of our Lord 'JeftM £hriftkntfto- ctbtfkat -lite not. Jhe things "fthicb I Twite wto you ? behold > before I lye not, Gal. * ; *o. faieh St.
K % They
have jefc behind them va rious inftances of their fimplicity and Godly fincerity in reprefenc- ing their failings to the world, and of candour and ingenuity in di- ftinguiflhing the dilates of their own Reaion from the infpirations of the Holy Spirit : 1 [peak by per- miflion, not by commandment of the Lord : This \ay I, not the Lord ; Thus it -is according to my judgment
But befides all this, lee the mat ter be eftimated according to com mon reafon : If thele men did devife a Fable and impo(e it up on the world, what end could they propound to themielves in ib doing ? was there any profit in being deftitute of all things ? or pleafiirein being perfecuted, af- .flicted, and tormented ? or honour in being counted Fools and Mad men.
Before they began to publifli the jStories whereof we (peak, their Mafter was gone, and all worldly | hopes were gone away with him: If they were not bound in Cohfci- Ijence, iand in Spirit; what obliga tion had he laid upon them to la- | bour and fuffertorhis honour as they did ?
To omit the feverity of his be^ i haviour to them, He called them ; off from their Vocations y ^fter^ j and Andrei f James y and John i from their Fi(h\ng^£Watthe'fo from his Cuftomers place, the reft ac cordingly. -•&']
They forfook their Nets, their Ships, MIC. 4.™, their Relations, and all their intc- refts, and followed him.
And this they did (clearly and
plainly) believing that he was to
be a; Great Temporal Prince/ and
in hopes of preferment under
K 3 him
hitb. In this Expectation they continued to the laft mirtute of his converfation with them upon Earth, and he permuted riem fo to' do.
:;Their laft words t6f him<were dcitVereid in this queftion, Lord M hi this time rtftore the om Knto 1/rad ? Of* the thing they nev'er doubted 5 they oftly defife to be informed of the
rktie \ * tfiiiV /V
j NoW afcer fo long
Confide hh-Anfw^n
His Anfwer was this, -/f i8r jo« fo know tbetimts, &tc {>ht ye [hall rective potyer when the Holy Gboft is come upon y$uy ami ye frail beftitnef- /es rf me unto the wmo ft parts of the e&rth • and immediately he vanifh- ed away.
-" Was 'this art nn^er to their ? or x fatisT^ion to their
, expectation? Was this an Obligati- |on laid upon them ? If he had 1 1 1 not fent down the Holy Ghoft,this ! would have moved them indeed, but it would have been to rage and .1 indignation ; this would have ob liged them indeed , but it would have been todeteftand abhor the I name and memory of him that had | abufed them. But for the honour I of his name, not their own, they did and fuffered all things, and glo ried in it. An irrefragable argument
of their fincerity in the things which
i j 1- i they delivered
j. Of the internal Arguments for the belief of Hiftory , there vremains only the Confideratiqn
of the way and manner o£ vjr^i-
> \ •.-' t-%.* v
nSr >• vj v. ibsrrtfra brji ^ MX Hiftones then carry their own
; credentials in them, when theprin- of them are delivered K 4, with
136
v?ith fuvch cireumftances of times, places, and perfons, as may ren der them Iiablc;to£xarainatian5and Refutation, if they contain any &1- fliood in themv vi^ri- rij^vv-ni .And in-this particular, no Hi- ftory hath any advantage over that Hiftpry whereof we are I peaking, as ,wili be, evident to him- thac filers it .-throughout. Concerning John tbe
j.uk. r.,y. *s recorded, that he was born fome fe\y Months before Chrift, that his Mother was Eli^ifath ., .that his Father was Z<icbariaby a Piieft of thp Courfe of A\>\$-y that they lived jn the Hill-fy\tntrey^iwiti\&&s~ He began to preach i&the * 5. of
tukt5,r. Ttkfriw, 'Pilate being Governour of Juttea, Herc&l Tetrarch -of •Uf, his Brother Thili^ Itureajind pf the .Region nitis, and Ly/tyiM Tetfar^h of
Pun&ual and particular *v • M«. i4.3
r t • 1 i !• Ylde J9'
Soon after this he was lmpri-/r/>/>.^. i foned and Beheaded by. Herod, for L^ti1* I reprehending him about Herodta*, \ all which were matters of Fa&, ve ry ealte,if falfe-,to have been refuted. Concerning Ghrift,: his birth is ftatcd co have been at a. time the moil remarkable that ever- Was, when the whole world was taxed by jtuguftus, in the days of Herod^ J^vhen Cyremvu was Governour of Syria^ the place eajfie to be enquired pf, it was in a Manger, in an Inn, MI . 4.<s in a -Town that wa$ a little one M,c,5.t, amohgshe thoufands of Jf<^3eafie po be examined-/ i fijjl^^ . When he was abouc y& years old, he was Baptized of -John > and u^aj*. •within a few days after he called his Apoftles - and in lefs diart four ycears fpace he performed all his mighty Works, whereof I fiiaii
mention
mention only (ome few
lars> ni-'iJcv
At fana inCfalilee he turned Wa-
*V. ter into Wine, at a Wedding, where *" was much company. He raifed . &6 Daughter of 'jairus, the Ruler of the Synagogue, there was but one in that place , fhe was his only Daughter, and about twelve
7. 2. years Old. He healed the Servant of that Centurion that had built a Synagogue. Can any thing be more particular? ^ ^
i.i& At Eetbany, fifteen furlongs from Jtrufalem ^ a few days, be fore his death ? he raifed La%a- r\M after he had been dead four days. Could any thing be more
examinable? v;jii6 ol yjfj?
His death was at Jerufaletp, ^at the time of the Paffover^j a:dtne of greateft. annual concourle in the worJd^ and then it is laid, that
the
i — —— — — — --—.——--———— —"^—~~™~~"™™~
i the Sun was dai>kened,thc Veil rent, I the Rocks torn in picccs,thc Graves ! opened. Can any thing be more re- I fot&blc than thefethings^f they had
S$ Kkewife for the Apoftles. The Keiteg of JEntM at Lydda, *& 9-53 raifing of Dorcas at Joppe, the paf- 104i fages with farneliM Captain of tMc Band called the Italian Band at CAfarta, and many other a<5bs of <Ttter. The increpation of Sar/'*- n |wj at ?4/?/;w, in the prefence of S^iwj ?W«* theGovernour. The M-' Bealing pf a Cripple at Lyftta, ift the prefence of the Prieft of J^i- «v? befides many other a6ts ot Pabl, and the reft of the Apoftles , are fo cirumftantiated in the Hi- ftoty , that if falfe they might have been very eafily cootradift-
befides all theft; this Hi-
ftory
«4°_- --->•
ftory contains a Narration of thing, done and fiuJ /not only by per- fons well affe&ed but by Herod and Pontius Pilate, and the Ropnan Goverriours, by the Pharifees, the Scribes, the High Priefts, and the Sanhedrim • all of them Enemies both to the Hiftorians and the Hi- ftory; and if any of thefe things had had been convi&ed of faifliood, would not the credit of the whole Goipel have (at once) been utterly overthrown ?
I conclude therefore, that in refpeft of internal Arguments for belief, no Hiftory hath, or in deed can have any advantage a- bove the Hiftory of the New Te- ftament.
2, /As for External Arguments,
Sl *'
I can but name them. Though the whole world in terefled them- felves againfttBe {lory (io exami-
nable
nable as you have heard) though che Books were extant, while the memory of things was recent, Uat* tbew within feven years, Mark with in eleven, Luke about twenty four, poft mortem Cbrijli ; the Epiftles of <P*ttrarid (Paul within thirty years, all the reft intra umu* bominis <etatem9 yet no man could ever convince them of falfhood.
Ttie (lories were received by men of the greateft Wifdcm^Learn- ing, and vertue amongft the Greeks and Latines. Many of the hard- eft paflfages were attefted and con- fefled by Enemies and Unbelie-
io vers.
~r\->&tfe*bi •**!* ry i-
f he Authors owned by Julian :
the Miracles confefled by Cel/us :-or^Cfc. the checking of the operation of the Devil by Torpbjrius : the Dark- nefs and Earthquake at the death
of Chrift by JballM and Pbkvnn
'1
I5-44- Trallianus; the Crucifixion of Chrift (by $ date under Ttbcriu*) by Ta- cituti And in one word, The en tire Volume of the Scriptures, the very fame which our Church re- | ceives (by vertue of the belief of the Hiftory of the Gofpel) before. any general Council, or the time of Cvnttantine^ without any Con vocation of the Clergy, or impe rial JLdidl for that purpoie, was
rally received by«all Chriftians^nd the world made Chriftians.
In refpeft of all thefe Argu- tnents,internal and external.,! might have juftly faid, that the Hiftory of the Gofpel hath the advantage of any other Hiftory • but feeing there are fame particulars where in the advantages are ftiper: emi nent, I (hall fpeakalittk of that diftind:ly by idclf3and fo conclude.
2. Thefe
vThefe advantages I (hall reduce to two heads , Teftimonium$$tgi.^
\ ni » iDdNfift*
i.
1UO rKtdw 3HV
Oppofition to
imJ (Prevailing of ;mi? Never any ftory was fo much oppofed as the Books and Hifto- ry of the New Teftament, by Jews and Gentiles, by the World and by the Devil.
The beginningsand propagation oftheGofpcl was by the Jews mali- cioufly and ftrenuoufly oppofed in the times of Chrift and his Apoftles, and in ail fucceeding Generations.
Left all men [bould believe in Chrift (bccaufe of his Miracles) the Rulers twkcQunftltodsftroy him^thQ People cryed out to have him Crucified.
Ltft the laH trrwr (as they called it) fhould fa urtr/e titan the fir ft, they
fealed
M4 satnft tije
(ealed up his Sepulchre, and fct a watch upon k ; and laftly, /uborned, tbe Soutdiers to fay , that hi* Dt fa- pies came by night while thy ^erefl ing (how could they know this ? ) andftole him a^ay.
Ads 4 6. That the firft Miracle wroug! by <Pe ter and John might not fpread among the People, the Rulers and Elders and Scribes, dnnas&nd £aia» pb<My and ]obn and Alexander, and all the Kindred of the High Prieft, laid bands upon them, and put them in bold, and tbreatned and commanded tbem not to Jpeak at all in tbe J^ame cf
When Stephen had uttered his teftimony, the people cryed with a loud Voice, and flopped their Ears, and ran upon him tyitb one accord, and ca/l him out of the Qty, and Jioned him.
Wherever they met with Be
lievers
iievers, Men or Women, they ba led them into (Pnfony breathing out :hreatnings and (laughter. Where ver they met with the Preachers,' :hey oppofed and blafphemed, they :umultuared jheyftirred tbe*Gentiles; :hey enraged the chief men of the Ci- :ies and the honourable women againft :hem-
The inftances of their malicious ippofition, in all ages of the! [Church, are To maoy as are not to >e numbred in a few Minutes, but uld require many days only to lame them.
They firft ftirred up Nero to per (ecute the Chriftians, they contri- red the death of (polycarpus, they E!ff. 1.4.1 i ;ood by, and infulted over the dy ing Martyrs; in a word, whoever ll read the ftories of primitive tmes, he will find that the Jews jwere generally che Setters and Infot-
L
-
mers againft the Martyrs, and the Brokers for their Goods after cxe* cution : And the Hiftories of our own and other Nations will fliew us the height of their malice, and the continuance of it.
Now, befide the little Nation of the Jews, the reft of the whole world, when this Hiftory began to be publiflied and the Books written, were Heathen, univerfally devoted to the Devil, whom there fore our Saviour ftyles, the Prince of this world.
And now that feud which had depended betwixt the feed of the Serpent and the feed of the woman 4000 years, was by the preaching and writing of thcfe things brought to a Crifis.
The profeffed and .declared de- fign of the Gofpel, was to drive the Devil out of his Dominion,
not-
147
notwithftanding the antiquity of his pofleffion, theuniverlality of his Church, and the content of all Na tions, whereby he held his title. Notwithftanding his Empire was fupported by Govcrnours and Laws, and fortified by the Arms and actual ftrcngth of all the world, he faw, that if the Gofpel were not fupprefled, a little time would fpoil the pride of all his glory, that in a moment he fliould fall like light ning, fro*® Heaven.
Th(ac he fliould be exorcifedout of the bodies which he poffcfled • That his famous Oracles fliould foon be put to filence : his gor---DcUc-7'; geous Temples and Images fliould be torn down, his Myfteries and lying wonders fet at nought : That Prayers and Vows would be made to him no more, and he fliould eeafe to be celebrated iit the Songs L i of
tt)e
of his Poets, and Hymns of his
That his revelling Feftivals would be turned to mourning, no more gifts would be prefent- ed, no beafts, nor children, wo men or men facrificed upon his Altars.
The Contention was de rerum fumma (pro art* <? focis) and his rage was kindled accordingly *• He fummons together all his wiles and ftratagems, he mufters all his forces, he founds an Alarm to the world, ftirs up young and old, rich and poor, all ages, ftxes, con ditions, the people wife and un- wife, the Common- Souldiers and Commanders, Counfellors and Judges, Senate and Emperors, by fuppreflmg thefe Books, and de- ftroying the Believers of them^ to erafe the memory of the Go-
fpel
^inttfcnpturifts. 149
fpel, and abolifh it for ever.
The people were enraged againft the Believers, as againft the com mon Enemy of mankind, and fro Jolenni{uo,t}\ty flandered them with unthought of wickednefs, they imputed to them all the calami ties of the world : And required them to death : Si Tiberi* afctn- dit in moenia — Chrifttinot ad Leo- nes—
Againft thefe Books, the 'Learn ed employed their Learning, and the Witty employed their Wit. Celfus, TorpbyrtHS, Jamblichus, Hit- rodes, and other Philolophers, en deavoured to dilpute them out of the world, Symmacbus and Ltbani* us, and other Rhetors to declaim them away. Julian and, Lucian and other Scoptick wits, endea voured to jeer and droll away the credit of them.
L 3 Mean
Mean while the Senators and Lawyers employ themfclves to de- ftroy the Books^ by ftretching a- gainft them the ancient Laws a- gainft bringing in Foreign Reli gions, and againft Magical and Fatidical Books : and to de- ftroy Books and Believers by New Laws made for that purpofe a- pim. Ep. gainft Combinations (Heuria) Sa- criledge, Treafbn, the Law that none fliould buy or fell, or draw water without Thurification to the Gods, and the like.
By force ofthefe they perfecute the Believers , as Enemies to the Commonwealth, and Traytors to the Emperoiir, as lacrilegious per- fons, andcontemnersof Religion.
The people fometimes rifing up. on them without any edift, fome* pmes by virtue of Edi&s Imperial or Proconfular.
^ t * '-,> /...'• - • ' ; « -:;
From
•V,
15*
From the beginning of the Go- fpel to the end 6f Dioclefian and aximian, this was the ftate of Believers.
Their Scriptures were forbidden to be read, and required to be burned ; their Oratories and (ob- fcurej Churches were pulled in pieces ; their Eftates were plun dered and confifcate ; their bodies were imprifoned and tormented; Fire and Sword, hot Iron Chairs and Coffins, Gridirons, and Caul drons, Hooks, Stakes and Gibbets, the Teeth of Lyons,and Tygers fpc. were their portion.
It cannot be (hewed, that ever a- ny Book or ftory met with equal Oppofition
i. Confider then how it pre vailed, how quickly and largely, how deeply and effectually, al though the Precepts were not con- L 4 trived
• wived tofbUicicche Affe&ions, nor the Doctrines to f ourt the Reafon of men.
AS. x.4it At one Sermon of <Petcr three thoufond, at another five thoufand were cpnverte^ : Within a few years after the Death of Chriit we find by St. (Pefer, that the
ip.t.i.i. Gofpel was preached throughout Pontu*, Qalatia, Cappadocia, dfia, !Bitbynia-y and fW had planted it from Jerufalem round about to J/-
Aasij. lyricum: Befides what was done by other Apoftles^n the Provinces aligned them at the Council of Je» rujalem.
Within fixty fix years this grain of Muftard feed was become £ Tree, Winy Proconful of Eitbynia o. (to whom the care of Religion, ex officio, did apperteinj appointed by Trajan to fupprels the Chrifti- ans he writes to him, that this Be-
lief
155
Hefwas U *g late ^diffufa, Crates, yicosttgrosjmpletos Chrifli cultoribus. During the fccond Century, it had (hoc -out great branches, the boughs of this Tree were ftretch- ed out, Ueflerni fumii* & wftr* vmnia iwplcvimuf. Ttrtullwn reck ons up the known parts of the World , in quibus omnibus Cbrijti nomen regnat, and concludes, ubiqi porrigitur, creditur, colitur, regnat, adoratur.
And laftly, During the third (a morte i briftt) the roVis of the air, and'Beafls of the field lodged under the (]?adoy> of it : The Net drew good and bad to (hore ; the Roman Em* perour and Empire declared them- felves Chriftians, i. e. Believers and Affertors of thefe Books : So migh- til) gre*to the Ttord of (jod and pre vailed.
It went pn conquering and to
con*
conquer, not by the Spirit of the Sword, but by the Sword of the Spirit; the powers of the Earth, and the gates of Hell could not withftand it . it drove the De vil away with all his Temples, Idols, Oracles, Priefts, Sacrifices, Services, like lightning : So fell the Dragon, the old Serpent that deceiv* ed the World, he was caft out with all his train.
So fell Lucifer tie Son of the morn, his Friends and his Followers la* mencing.
How art thou fallen from Hea ven ,O Lucifer the Son of the morn* ing! Defolata Jempla , rarifiimw Ttftimarum emfttor ! Some com plain of people forfaking of the Gods, others of the Gods forfak ing their Oracles and Temples, ancl becoming ufclefs to the World : He /aid 1 will afcend into Heaven^
and
and exalt my throne above tie Stars, but he was Toon brought dolbn to Hdl.
For the Gofpel like Leaven or Fire from Heaven, (eifcd upon all that flood before it; it leaven'd Cities, lilands, Caftles, Council?, Camps, the Tribes and Decuries, the Palaces, Senate, Pleading-pla ces.
It took pofleflion of the Learn ed, and the Wife, the greateft and nobleft Wits of the Eaftern and Weftern Nations : It railed up Philofophers to confound the Phi- lofophy, and noble Orators to con found the Rhctorick wherewith it was oppofed.
Againft Cel/us it excited Orlgen, againft Forplyrie Jpollinarius, and iWlttkodiu*- againft tporpbyrie and Hieroclcs , Lattantius and Eufeliut (bcfides what was written fyarfim
by
Mguftine, Cyril, <&c.) It fee up ClryJoHom againft Libanius, tPrudentius againft Symmacbu* and the Rhetoricians.
And as it fpread it felf large and high, fo where it took pofleffion, it took a deep pofleffion, Quantum Vertice—tantum radice: Thofethat received ic truly, received it in the love thereof, it took pofTefljon of their hearts : It penetrated their fpirits, and took its lodging in the inmoft recefles of the iouL The Consents of thefe Books was their moft precious Pearl, and they hid it in their heart. The Books them- felves were their greateft worldly treafure,and rather than they would deliver them to be burned, they chofeto fuflFer the lofs of Honour, Liberty, Eftate, Wives, and Chil- drcn,nay even Life it felf. When T>i oclefian required the Scriptures that
they
157
they might be burned, In one Province (Egypt) lfl one Mouth 17000 perfons chofe rather to dye than to deliver them : In compa- rifon of thefe they counted not'' their lives dear to them 5 the love of them was ftronger than Death, many waters could not quench it, neither could the flouds drown it. This was Tefthnonium %ei, and an advantage above all other Hiftories , or Writings in the World,
2. Moreover they had TfHimow nlum Dei. Indeed all that is already fpoken is an evidence of a Divine afliftance : But more particular ly, God gave Teftimony to thefc Books, by
1 . Their operation upon Belie vers of them.
2. His co-operation with Belie vers of them.
». The
158 ftgafnft
i. The Goipel which they eofi- tein 3 was the power of God to every true Believer* That which no Jnftkution in Philofophy, not Initiation in the Myfteries of any
C.Cf//,/3. r , _ , , ,
or the Gods, was ever able to ac- complifh , that was every where atchieved by the belief of the Go- Ipel, in a moment. Like a charm from Heaven, it ftilled the paffions, and mortified the lufts of men. What a Beadrolldoth Paul reckon iCor.f.9. up in the Corinthaw • But ye are Tbafhed ((aith he) but ye are fantti- fied, butyearejuftified, intbeName of the Lord Jeju*> and by the jpirit of our God.
tad de Notwithftanding all the calum- f*tf. f*?. nies thrown upon BelieverSjand the prejudice wherewith they were loaded, the unpropitious and re- luding world were forcibly con vinced that the Believers of thele
Books
159
Books were effectually caught to deny ungodlmefs and Worldly luttsy and to live Joberly, righttou/ly, and godly in this prefent tyorld : through the cloud of ignominy wherewith they were encompafled, their inr nocency broke forth as the light, and their juft dealing as the noon day - the piety, loyalty, juftice, charity, mag nanimity, patience, meeknefs, and purity of believers of theft Books, convinced the unbelieving world, that (jod °toas in them of a truth : for they taught <M having Authority and Power, and 720^^ the writings of other Scribes.
2. But befide the operation of Books upon the Believers, God was pleafcd to give teftimony to them by his co-operation with them in figns and wonders, and mighty deeds.
The Hiftory of the. Gofpel tells
us.
160 Sigamft ti)e
us, chat when Chrift was even now leaving the world, he left this Le gacy to believers for confirmation of the truth of the Gofpel- Jhefe figns (Taid he) /7? all follow them that believe $ In my name they /hall caft out Vevils ; Speak in welfe tongues i Take up Serpents j ]f they drink any deadly thing) it /hall not hurt them - They /hall lay hands en the Sick, and they fhall recover.
Now that this was made good, and that thefe figns ((b long as there was need) were continued among Believers, we have as good aflu- rance as we can haveof any thing beyond our own memory or expe rience.
They have been delivered to us by a Cloud of WitneflTes 5 by men of the greateft Wifdom and Learn ing in their Generations, by per- fons of fuch Integrity, that they
laid
kid down their lives in teftimoriy of their veracity ; delivered riot b} hcar-fay, but upon theif certaiii knowledge; delivered in their Di£ plications with, and apologies to the Adverfaries of Chriftianity, with a challenge to the examinatioti of the truth, or a conviftibri of the falfliood of them. Inftances ar^ very numerous, I fliall product only a very few.
Juftin the Martyr (who fufifered Anm i6j)affirms to Trypho the Jew; that thefe fupernatural gifts were found in his time among Chr?- ftians.
IrendtM an Auditdr cfi^otytiirft* who was a difciple of St -John (fuf« fered circa z&6) affirms upon his dwn knowledge, that the gift 6f^M./;t\. Prophefie was thefi frequent in the^** Church, that many had the gift of <• 7.
\t&m c i"11-
tongues, ipfi attdh'imHs • Ochcfscaft M
ttje
out Devils, Others healed Difeafes, Others raifed t-he dead • and thofe railed perfbns continued many years amongft them, pro certo. •fc~ Tertullian in his ^pologetica ad- Verfu* Gentes affirms that Jam de Vobis *D<KmondA ej taunt.
Origin againft Celjus, faith, that he himfelf had feen by invocation of God^ and the name of Jelus very many that were delivered from grievous maladies, *v ***ia*uv [aliena* tionc mentis) flwt&v $ a^w^e^r.
Not to mention others, Sr. An- gufline in- his Book dt (jhitate $ri ( begun about 41 o, but many years in writing^) /* ^^t) c. §, gives ; n ac count of very many Miracles done at £mta Carthage, and other pla ces, of no great diftance, noting times, places, perlbns, occafions, appealing to the Countrey, deli vering them under terms of the
greateft
greateft affurance ; Scio e?o ; cog-' wo/co tgo j nos interfuimus, & ocu- lis noftris afyeximus : And in his Retractations, Ea qu<e cognofcimus neq-y referre neq^ enumeranpofitmuf. j Other Hiftories and Writing$,and the Authorsand Believers oi: them canpretend no higher than to the ce* ftimony of men,thefe have the teftU mony of God alfo : // tee believe the teliimony of men, the testimony of Qod is greater. I conclude therefore,; that there is greater Reafon to believe the Hiftory of the New Teftament than any other Hiftory in theworld. The ( um of all is this, The Di-
* »• • " ' ' • * '• *"* IT •/'
vine Authority of the Scriptures is the great fundamental and compre- henfive Principle of Chriftianityy which being admitted it (lands, and being removed it prefently falls to the ground.
Againft this therefore the greac
Enemy
164 3tejautft t\)t
Enemy of Religion in thele later days (under precence of Reafon andPhiloiophy)dire<as his Forces, and is {aid Co have found a fuccefs very pernicious and deplorable.
i humbly conceive that the Re- folution of the belief of the Divine Authority of the Scriptures into the Decrees of Popes, or Deter minations of Councils with thofe who call chemfelves Roman-Ca- tholicks, into private impulfes and dictates of the Spirit with the En- thufiafts, and into the Laws and Edicts of Princes and Migiftrates with our new pretenders to Rea fon and Philolophy, is that engine whereby the Devil hath prevailed to fcandalize the world, and caft ic into Antifcriptural infidelity.
It is for this caufe that I have conceived it requifrte (after many others who have done worthily)
to
to have recourfe (once more) to the Original Reafon of things, and the common grounds whereupon mankind doth proceed in matters of this nature.
Where ( hoping that I have ef- caped the abfurdicy of begging the matter in Queftion, difcourfing in a circle, and the inconveniences of fome other methods) I have endea voured to demonftrate : That lup- pofing the truth of the New Tefta- ment, both i. The Old Teftament, and 2. The New Teftamcnt are to be received as of Diviiie Authority.
3. An-dfuppofing matters of fait to be truly related, the Do&rinal parts are to be believed.
4. For the Hiftorical Relation of matters of fait, that there is no ground to dif-believe it.
That for the reception of it,
it hath i. All the advantages
M whereof
1 66
whereof an Hiftory is capable.
2. Far greater advantages than any other Hiftory.
Wherefore I conclude/ that ,M the Scriptures ( i. e/j the Canonical Books of the OldTeftament and the Books of the New Tcftamenc} 'Tbere (jtVen by infylrat'um ofGid. erat dtmonHrandum*
Con-
Concerning the
Sinfulnefs,Danger Sc Remedies OF
INFIDELITY.
SERMON
Preached at Whitehall, •
February 16. 16—7
BY SETH Lord Bifhop of Sarum.
Printed by A. C. foir James cMuu* at the Kings Arms within LuJgate near St,
o
•
THE
SINFULNESST
IN FIDELITY:
Heb. iii. 12.
Take heed, brethren., lest there be in any of you, an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living Qod.— Exhort one ano ther daily --
Shall not fpend time in a difputation concerning the Author of this Epiftle v/3> whether it were <Paul or (Barnabas , orl*fo or Clemens',
r * -* * '
or Jpollos, &c. but fliall with the Church of England , fuppofe St. Paul to have been the Author of it.
If the Author of it be not infal libly known this ought not to de- tra<3: from its Authority.
Moft of the other Epiftles have been acknowledged to be of divine Authority , becaufe they were known to have proceeded froi Apoftolical writers*
This (on the contrary) hatl been concluded to be an Apofto-i lical Epiftle, fropter ™< vej&w £ Qjarattercm, by reafon of that di vine and Apoftolical Spirit, which to thole who have had their Sen- fes exercifed, hath manifeftly a; pcared in it.
If it were lawful (in this fenfe) to compare Jpiritual things Tbith fpi* ritual ; I fhould not fear to affirm,
thai
of 3)nffDcltf y*
that this Epiftle hath in it Ibme pc- buliar advantages, compared with feme other of the Epiftles. ('Ad vantages, I mean, of ufcfulnels, Inot of Authority, feeing all of [them iflued from the iame Spi rit.)
The defign of it is General, Fun damental, Comprehenfive, noc Private, Circumftantial , Occafi- onal: And it hath peculiarly con veyed to the Church two great ueafures. i . A Compleat Model, or Syftemc, of Chriftian Divinity. And 2. the way of that Analogy, and manner of ratiocination where* by the true Spirit, and meaning of the Types and Prophefies of the Old Teftament is to be found out and applied.
It was dire&ed to the Hebrews- That is, to thofe of the Jewifh Nation, who had received the Go-
fpel
fpcl,and made a profeffion of Chri- ftianity. And the main Scope and dcfign of it, is to preferve the Pro- , feffors of Chriftianity from Apo- ftacy and Infidelity.
The means ufed to this purpofe arc partly Didaftical, and partly p Protreptical ; Demonftrating the truths of the Gofpel, and then urging the profeffors of thofe j truths, to be ftedfaftin the faith, and to beware of Infidelity.
The Method here uled is a mixt j method of Dodtrine and Appli- j cation ; Dogmatical truths and pa- i thetical Exhortations continually interwoven.
chap. ,. He begins with the Great foun dation of our faith. Chrift is the Son of God, the brightnefs of his glory- better then the Angels. Chap. ,. Wherefore if the Wordfpoken by An gels V& ftedfajl, bon /hall we ef
cafe
of JnfitoeUt?, 173
cape if Tfee ntgkH fo gnat falva* now?
From the Companion of Chrift chap. with 3Mofes he concludes againft Hardnefs of heart and Infidelity.
He demonftrates the Priefthood 5 *-7- of Chrift to be more Excellent then that of ^aron ; and in the midft of his argument, he falls into an Application^ or Corollary, con* cerning the dreadful Condition of | them that fall away.
Thisishisdefign, and method throughout the Epiftle- What ever Do€brine he is upon, this is ftill the drift and aim of all his Ap plications, namely to prefervc the Profeflbrs of Chriftianity from Apoftacy and Infidelity.
The words, which I have cho- fen, are a Reiteration or Reinforce- iment of an Application, or Co rollary, arifirtg from the Confi-
derauon
175 SCJfe 3>infu!ttefe
deration of the Excellency of Chrift above Wlofcs. SWofes *toas faithful in the boufe as a Servant j Cbrift as a Son, o^er his o^n boufe.l Jhis boufe are yte, iffte bold faft our I faith.
Wherefore as the Holy § ho ft faith J Harden not your hearts
Take heed brethren , left
I fay, the words are an Ufc off Exhortation, and in them arecon-o fiderable,
i. The Perlbns to whom di-j rented : Profeflbrs of Chriftiani-S ty , exprefled in the Word £re- tbren.
^. Matter or Obje<a aboutl which it is converfant, Unbeti(f:\ heart unbelief.
5 . Form of Exhortation by way of Caveat, £^71. take heed.
Now every Caveat implies,
i. Evil in the thing.
2. Dah«
Of 3}ufiDCUtp. 174
2. Danger of the thing. '^ 5. That there are ways and means to prevent it. This is imply* ed in the Caveat, and exprefied in words following.
My delign, at this time, will be to enforce the Exhortation of the Text : And feeing that every Application is a Coniequence or Corollary arifing from iome An tecedent Propoficion, and the force of it is finally refolved into the truth and evidence and concernment of that Antecedent : Therefore ic will be neceflary to draw out thac An tecedent by refle&ing briefly upon the Text as it lies in the Series of the Epiftle.
I. Then.for the Perfons. They arc here ftyled Brethren, and elfc- where, Holy <&retbren, <Partaktrf %\\ of the heavenly £alling.T\\cy were , baptized into the profeP-
fion
fion of the Gofpcl,they had tafted of the Word of God, and the powers of the worldto come, • <•*•'
II. The Matter. Unbelief, or ra ther Disbelief, (not Negative Infidelity, but a poiitive Revolt ing from the faith which they had profeffed) Generally, a Dif- belief of the Word of God; Par ticularly, a Disbelief of the Go- fpel,as totheDo&rines,or Pro- mifes, orThreatnings Thereof,
III. For the Form ; that which is here expreflfed by '•&«**'!* (look to
' it) is in the other of forms Ex- hortation,thfoughout theEpiftle^
: expretted by terms of the great- eft Emphafis and earneftnefs imaginable- Let us Fear left toe
O ' • -»
falljbort, 4. 1. Labour to enter, 4. i. Ufe diligence, h not floihful, i.
Prefs
177
$refs earneftly, draft near$ bold faft, to 22.
Let U* give more diligent bed left b$ any means T*>e (bouldletit flij>,2. i.
So that the Sum of che Apoftles Argumentation is this : The laft refolucion of all the Obligation of men, is into reafons of Duty and of Incereft.
If tlaere be Wickednefs in In- fidelity^ it is matter of Duty ; if there be Danger in it, and Dan ger of ic, it is matter of Incereft and Concernment co Beware of it. ~ This Heart of Unbelief is art Evil heart (**?=/>* *»»«££) there is Wickednefs in it, It grieves the Spirit of God - It provoked him ft), that he (ware in his wrach,chac he would take Vengeance for it : there is Danger in it. Yet it was a thing Ordinary and c&mftion N imongft
firtnf ulnefs
amongft the Fathers of thcfe He brews^ ic was neque l^ov*o?j, neque (Jfyrum, there is Danger of io
" It is the Duty and Concern- cment of every one P-rofcffing 'f Chriftianity, to rake ,heed left '* there be in them an heart of lln- "belief ; and to ufe all means to "prevent it. This is the Antece dent. rijftfeftnfi io
Wherefore take heed bretbren^Stc*-- which is the Exhortation by way of Caveat ; -- Exhort one another dayly, &ct which is the way to pre vent it.
rfn5o then for the enforcement of the exhortation upon the whole matter, I am to fpeak
I. Of tie Evil of Infidelity,
II. Of the Dagger of falling into it.
III. Of the means of preventing it* And then to conclude with
IV. The Exhortation of the Text. J
Jh
179
In fpeaking of the Evil of Infidelity, I (hall not difcourfe at large, but confine my felf to an enquiry into two pretences,(Which having been broached in the late times o£ Infidelity towards the King, are faid to have operated ve ry fat towards a general Apoftacy from the faith, and the production of Infidelity towards God) both which appealing to the tenor of the Scriptures, muft be examined by them.
The firft is of a famous Author,1 ff, . and it is this, That the Scriptures do not make Infidelity to be a Sin, at the time of the delivery of the Scriptures.
The fecond is of a Writer tflore *• obfcure, but in it felf, fo agreeafcld C' * to the difpofition of the present ge neration, that it hath poffeffed the minds of many ; it is this, that , ;«
§>inf tflnefc
Although Infidelity (according to the Scriptures) in the times of Chrift and his. Apoftlcs, were fin* ful, and inexcusable- yet in our times, it is excufable. Thefe are the pretences to be examined! :\
The Subftancc of the Golpel, as it immediately relates to Ghri- ftian duty; "is fummarily reduced to the DoArines and Injunctions of our Lord Chrift, and his A-
poftles/-
•. ^» , •* * *•
The Author of Leviathan (cap. >v pag 286.) tells us in plain tferms, tlia& "We do not read any - Where (in the Scriptures) that they "which received not the Dottrine of ''Chrijl, did therein Sin.
"And again,that the Injund:ions [eof Chrift^and his Apoftles, men "might refufe without fin.
Now concerning this aflertionj cannot chufe buc fay, that had I
not
bf
not been acquainted with the works of that Author, (cfpecially thofe relating to religion) I fliould exceedingly wonder at it, becaufe it fuppoles men never to look in to their Bibles, which is the thing it would perfwade.
In the 11; of Mattl. Our Sa- viour askes the Jews this quefti- on, Did ye never read in the Scrip tures fuch a thing? aqueftion which I muft repeat to the Affertors of this do&rine. Did they never read in the Scriptures the Sinfulncfs, the Danger, the Hcinoufncfs of Infi delity? Surely he that runs may read it*
Our Saviour Chrift before his death, did oftentimes vehemently rebuke his Difciplcs/or Infidelity 50 faitblefs and perVerfe generation, bow long frail 1 endure you ? (Quoufqut tan- afatemini patknM noftra:) And N 5 afcec
fa
er his Refurreftion, he calls them i. fools and floy> of heart, for unbe lieving : Did they never read thefe Increpations ?
*; The Author of this Epiftle, and the reft of the Apoftles, do eve ry where vehemently and ear- neftly dchort from Unbelief. Did they never read thele Dehortati- ons?
3. In the 8 of John, Chrift tells the Job. S-M. Jews, that if they believe noty they *' (hall dye In their Sins. That tie\ratb of Qod abideth on them, that he that ielieVeth net, is damned already. Did they never read thefe Denunciati ons ?
Yes ! thefe laft, it feems,this Au thor had read, and as his manner is, thinking he could accomodate an anfwer to thefe, he hath pro- pounced fecurely of all the reft: To thefe he faith that they import
only
only a non-remiflion of the fins committed againft the Laws of their Countrey ; (that they fliould dye in them ; ) but that they do not evince any finfulnefs to be in In fidelity 5 Wherefore I muft crave licence to proceed.
The Apoftle in the n of the ; 4. Revelations, gives a Catalogue of r fuch finners as are of the higheft rank , Such as are moft abomi nable in the eyes of God, Such as are to have their portion in that lake which burnetb Tbith fire and brim- ftone , and he puts Unbelievers in the head of this Regiment; Jhe fear ful, and Unbelievers, and Abominable, and Murtberers, and Whoremongers, and Sorcerers, and Lyars frail haVe their portion in that lake.
But it may be, perhaps, that the Scripture doth not in plain and ex- .prefs terms, affirm Infidelity to be Sinful! N4 The
^^ SXttfttincfs
•Io The Text tells us plainly an4 exprefly,, that an heart of un» bcliei is-vs^** mvn& ^not^*) but T^VU^, pot incommodious but wick-
But Philofophers and Mathe maticians (pretending ftri&nefs and demonftration in diicourfe) regard not general words - but have recourle to the Definitions pf things, and from thence proceed to affirm or deny the Attribution which is under cjueftion. Let us therefore have recourfe to the de finition of Sin.
Thofe who have fpoken moft accurately concerning the nature of Sin, they have refolved, that the formal notion of it, confifts in a departure from God., It is fig 4 Deo, CT Converfio ad
Jn the fcconc of Jeremy, and the
twelfth.
~ of JntteWy* 185
twelfth, we fipd the Prophet as it were in furore /aero (in a prophe- tick rage) breaking forth into this Exclarwtion , £e aftonifbed, 0 ye leavens , be ye horribly afraid, be Very de/olafe , /aitb tbe Lordl What ailes the Prophet to cry fo loud ? to make the heavens refound his Ex clamation ? My people ( faith he ) have committed WQ Great wils , tbey have Forfaken me, that's the firft. An heart of unbelief, is an evil heart, in departing from tie living God.
It is true that the Spirit of God in the Scriptures, doth not ufual- ly defcend to Logical accuracy, to the ([uatenus^ or Caufaliiy, to the obiervation of the rules of
And this makes it ofc times, harder to deal with men of pcrverfe •pijnds, then many do imagine,
Buc
•
But the more rare this is, the more you will take notice of the Provi dence, when you (hall confider, how accurately, and how fully, the Scripture hath determined that which is in Queftion.
?.«. !n the 1 6. ofjobn, v. 8. our Sa« viour tells them , that the Spirit (ball rebuke the Ttoorld of Sin, of rigbteoufnefs, of judgment : Of Sin,
•i«. ffiecau/e tbey believe not on bim. Joh. j. ' 1 8. he that believetb not u Condemn ed, becaufe be believetb not. M™ fa* _ji*eiai> the rejection of the Gofpel is faid to be the very Condemnation, So exprefly is the ^' *fli deliver ed to us, Cby Caufal and Iden tical propofitions ) in the Scrip ture }• Who is it now, that can perfwade us, that the Scriptures do not affirm any Sinfulnefs to be in Infidelity ?
Yes verily !. the Scriptures not
only
only teach us, that unbelief is a fin, but they teach us likewife
6. The Hcinoufnefs and Aggri* vation, the Sinfulnefs and Punifh- mentof this Sin.
It was this that brought all other fin into the World ; and every Pre meditated fin arifes from it. ft hardens the heart, and fears the Confcience, and makes it bid de fiance to the Lord of Glory.
Concerning David we read iri the (pfalms, that once he Jaid in his bajte that all men are lyars y did he revoke it when he was at lei- fure ? No, the more he thought of it, the higher he proceeds, and becomes the more affured in this charge 5 Surely (faith he) {Men of?h\.6i.9. /oib degree are Vanity^ and men of high degree are (not lyars but) a Lie. Yet if one gives the lie to one of thefe lyars , it is the utmoft
pro-
88
t /i i i
provocation; it is the itated word
Kcb.*3-i9 of defiance, concluded fit to jufti-
fie the Duel or the Scab. On the
other fide, God glories in this,
Numbi*. that be is not a man that hefiould lye,
19< that the ftrenvth of Jfrael mil not lye.
iSam.M. • r i 1- • L- l. 1
*?-yet infidelity gives him the lye. fie that believeth not God makes him aLyar. (i John 5. i o.)
^. I defire to know what is that xatWeiw , whereby the Heinoufocfs of any fin is to be eftimate4-
Js ic the denunciation of Fu- iThc-.t.yiture Vengeance? The Lord Jefus frail be revealed from heaven tyitb his mighty jlngels^ in flaming fire, taking Vengeance upon ^Vnbdtevers, and they frail be puntfied *toith eVer- lafting deHruftion, from the prefence of the Lord, and from thepre/ence of his poster.
Is it Old or New, Pad or Pre- fent Inftanc^s of Vengeance? Were
not
of
not the body of this people newly *«n.iv** cut off for unbelief f And of anci ent days, whofe were the £arcajfes that fell in the Kildernefs . and to whom did Cod foear in Ins Wrath, Hcb.3. that they fhould not enter into bis reft, but to them that believed not ?
Confider but the ftory, from whence the Exhortation of the Text ariies. How God was pro voked through unbelief. The text tells us, that he Was Moved, he Was Tempted, he was Grieved, he Was ^Provoked, till be /Ware in bis wrath
The words are taken out of the 95 Pfalm, to which the 78. is pa- pfai«.ff. rallel. They Were (faith the Pfal- tnift) a ftubborn and rebellious Gt* neration ; They tempted God, and/poke againft bimy Therefore the Lord beard this and *toas Ibroth : So a fire ^ar kindled againft Jacob^nd anger again ft
Jfrad;
Becau/e they believed not in God, and truHed not in his Salva tion - —
When Qod heard this^ he y>M worth, and greatly abhorred Ifraeiy he gave way to his Indignation^ "torath, anger, difpleafure and 'jftaloufy.
I conceive now the firft Que- ftion to be ftated, viz. Whether (according to the tenor of the Scrip* ture) Infidelity were finful and dangerous, in the time of the de<- livery of the Scriptures : I proceed to thefecond Queftion, vi^. (How- ever it was in ancient times) jb'Jt. Whether Infidelity, be not in fuch times as ours Excufable? fiMy meaning is this: Whether (fpeaking according to the Scrip tural grounds, and reafon) Now that Miracles, extraordinary gifts and Prophefics are ccafed, Infidelity be not become Excufable (how ever
of
ever it might be Sinful and inexcu- (able during the time when Pro- phefies and Miracles were in ufe ? )
The firft verfe of this Epiftle ("to the Hebrews ) tells us what powerful and noble motives to believe, God had afforded to the Fathers.
God himfelf was pleafed to fpeak to them, WAWP& $ jwAcfl$Wf ac fundry times, and in divers man ners. fb$-
In the times of the Patriarchs, Judges,, Kings, and Prophets, by the ways of Vifions , Dreams, Voices, Similitudes, llrim, and by divers miracles and wonders.
So Jikewile, for tho(e that are here exhorted ; About the time of the Writing, of this Epiftle, God had fpoken to them by his Son ( the brightnefs of his Glory, the image of his perfon^) And by the
Apoftles
dfnfttlttdS
Apoftles, to whom al(b he bate Witnefs, by mighty figns and won ders, by divers miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghoft.
Now that fuch men as the(e,who had fo great advantages to bring them to believe, fhould be fevere- ly punifhed for Infidelity, I am perfwaded there is hardly any man but thinks it very juft and realbnable.
That (uch as hadlecn the won- cteriofGod, in Egypt and the Wil- derneis/ io manifeftly miracu* lous; fo often repeated, arid yet for all this would not believe, that their :Garcafles fhould fall in the Wildernefs.
That Ananias and Sappbira , who had .known the miracles which had been done by the A- poftlcs, fhould think to Coufetl the Apoftlcs : it defervcd the
Judgment
tf Jtttf Btttt£ 195
Judgment that befel them.
As for our felvcs had we lived in times of Miracles or Prophefies, we doubt not but we fhould have believed. Or, as 'P&i/fp (aid, (hew us the fatherland it fufficeth. Could we but once fee a miracle, or talk with one returning from the dead; it fhould fufficc, we would believe.
But feeing it is now many hun dreds of years, fince thefe things are ceafed/and we have nothing left us, Vr&ter miraculorum famam ; If we (hall not believe the Gofpel - by feme it is openly pretended, and by many it is fecretly imagin ed, that, in this cafe we may be Excufed.
I could wifh that the rime would ferye , clearly to rid away this phantafm; In order to it, I ftiall briefly dotf three things,,
O i. Shew
i. i. Shew that this Phantaftical imagination is no new inventi on, but that it hath of old, been the conceit of abominable Hypo crites.
20 2ly. I fhall inquire a little into the grounds of this Conceit, and (Lew the miftake of thofe fup- pofitions, into which it is refolv* ed.
> $ly. I (hall (hew, that our Sa viour (Knowing the thoughts of men^) hath taken particular care to prevent this Imagination - and bath clearly decided the matter in Queftion.
1. Though the prefent age be fruitful in inventions tending this way, yet this hath been Anticipated by the Wits of former times
. u- In the 1 1 of Luke 47. We find 47* the Scribes and Pharifes, luilding Sepulchres of t fa Prophets , Whom
their
of
their fathers bad killed.
If vfre would know, what they pretended, in -fo doing, we fliall find it in the parallel place of Mat- thew. They faidy if tye bad been in the days of our fathers, tyeTbould not have been partakers tfith them, in the blood of tbe Prophets.
That thefe men, did not believe the Prophets, it is manifeft; Chrift tells them, if they bad believed the rophet s, they Ttotild have believed bim ; for they wrote of hint.
Buc that they would have bcliev-, ed the Prophets, Cand not havd murthered them) had chey lived in their times, this they pretend ed : and it is very probable they^ had that opinion.
Yes Verily \ had they lived In the days of Miracles and Proplte- fies, they would have believed, the very ddrfceit which is novtf Pf e- tended I O 2 But
196
But the Truth is,thefe men were abominable Hypocrites, and the caufe of their Unbelief, was not the want of miracles and Prophe- fies, but Carnal prejudice, and in- tereft, and the Vile aHe&ions of their hearts. Did not Chrift work miracles ? Was not he that Pro phet which was to come ? Yet they took him, and with wicked hands they flew him, and brought upon thcmfelvcs the bloud of all the Prophets.
But 2/ji. If we (hall examine the bottom of this fancy, and re- folve it into its Principles, we (hall find that it fuppofcs thefe things.
i. That the want of the fight
of miracles, is fufficient to Jufti-
fie unbelief. 2. That to live in the very age
of miracles, isapter to create be
lief.
*
97
lief, then to be born and educat ed, in a believing nation, after the world hath been convinced by the miracles of former times (which is our Cafe. ) 3. That the bare fight of mi racles, is of it felf alone, fuffici* ent to create belief, in every perfon' thatfhould fee them.
Of which fuppofitions, the firft is contrary to common Reafon, and the two later are contrary to Scriptural Reafon, and to the v& perience of the world
i. If the want of the fight of miracles were enough to juftifie Infidelity, then for every "Dogma to be believed, Every Individual perfon, were to expeft the fight of miracles ; which if it fhould hap pen, the wonder (houid ceale, and miracles become no miracles3by che frequency of the performances of O 5 them
them, and fo they would ]be inept to create belief.
Every work of nature, is in it feif a miracle i Who would not think ic eafier to recover a man, (who had all his parts and hu mours already formed J from the dead, then from that liquid prin ciple whereof Job fpeakes, toraife joh.io.io. l?P fl€(b <wd skin, bones and jim^s : tp advance an underflanding crea»4 tpre? capable qf adoring or blaf- pheming the maker of him ? Ycc that is a miracle, and this is nones oply through the rarity of one, ^nd: frequency p'f. the other^ w
Again, if.evfry one werp to fee , miracles, the merit of faith would be taken away. 'c Jejus faid unto 6 T/;om^, becaufe tboy la/i feen~T (i thoy baft believed, <Blefied are they f ( ( hat b^e not feen, yet they baVe fo ti&Vfd. This for the firft fappofition6
iL«y «. , (. !V" "* " '*'» •» .. *»
v ;>•«•'• j .<. . k "*C"1
2. The
of lnfiDelit^ 199
a. The fecond is this, chat to live in the very age of miracles, is apter to create a belief, then to live in a believing nation -a good time after the times of Miracles*!
But, contrary to this, we have inftances both in Jews and Gen* tiles. After near 4000 years, how pertinacioufly do the Jews adhere to Mofes, againft whom their fa thers Murmured, and rebelled, not> withftanding the fight of all his mi* racles ; and when he had wrought that great miracle upon Corab and for his rebellion, the next day they rebelled again* • J»qi:
.And we find now-aH'che •'• whole world, (efpecially the wifer part) Converted to Chriftianity, where!- as the Apoftles complain -of the paucity of profeflbrs, and the In fidelity of the Jews, in the Age of Chrift aiuj his Apoftles> was fo O 4 great
200
&inf tttwfs
great and refolute that it hath a fatal operation upon that nation unto this day.
I am fenfible, that in the Com- puifon of later ages with the days of miracles, I may - be thought AM&W •vSsBi&fcw, and to advance a pa radox, where that I may not lean on my own undemanding, I be- fecch you to confider our Saviours decifion of the Queftion which we have in hand. ajflAi* ..
- I fupppffj I may take it for granted, that the condition of the Jews in our Saviours time^ was in refpedl of ityofa* the (ame, fas to the matter in ^QueftionJ with our Condition in relpeft of thrift. | .# b:
The tradition of the law, was apcompanyed with mighty Signs ^nd Bonders. And Ib lifcewife the Ergdicion of :-.che_ Gofpel
ty
of
In the times fucceeding fes, God foa? a Sealbn continued the fenfiblc-trunifeftation of his pre* fence ? by miracles. S& he- did likewife in the times fucceeding Chrift.
But before the time of our Sa viour both miracles and Prophe- fies had along time ceafed. ff% fee mi our Tokens (laith the P(al- mift) there is not one ^Prophet left » as ic is with us at this day
Qnely, they had the books of ipttojes and the prophets, Juft fxi Conveighed and propounded to them, as our;(criptures have been
tQ US. ?l"l
So that, if the Queftion be pro- pofed concerning thofe Jews ; whc- ther the prcfent miracles of Chrift, or the complexion of Motives which they had, to induce them to believe the writings of Wlojes,
were
were apter to create belief, It is the lame with our Queftion, Whe ther the living in the time of Mi racles, or our Motives ; are more powerful to believing. To deter mine which Queftion ; we may obferve; That the Apoftles after the fight of all our Saviours mi racles, continued in unbelief, till he had opened unto them the Scriptures, of JMo/es and the Pro phets. That after many miracles:, he refers the Jews to the fearching of the- Scriptures ; (bringing them a notion ad ignotiu**) And in the 5 of John and the 47. he decides johnj.47, this Queftion by another cc If ye <fdo not believe the writings of c Afo/es how fhall ye- believe my ''Words? raJriil:.,
Thus much concerning the cpnd fuppofition. /bif.
3. The third is shis; that j the
fight
fight of miracles, isofitfelfalone, fufficienc to bring every perfon to believing.
We ought indeed to own ic, to the eternal glory of pur blefled Redeemer, that the Faith of Chri- ftians is founded upon his Miracles as well as on his Doftrine, and ex ample. And he himfelf tells the Jews, that if he h#d not done mU racles they (hotild not baVe had fin (i t* the fin of Infidelity.) But J Now to dream of miracles, and hanker after them; or to think to Excufe our Infidelity, for want of the fight of them, (as if that alone would certainly make be-^ lievers of us all,) it argues that we have been floathful readers of the Scriptures,, u
It hjipned tq our Saviours mi- raclps ^s it di4 to his Preaching » According tp his parable of the
§>fnf ulnefe
fewer. Some of them lighted up on hearts that were honed and good, and brought forth the fruit of believing. Others fell by the way fide, or upon ftony places, or among the Thorns.
The prepbffeflion of their minds, by an expectation rffii temporal Mefliah, in the Rulers . The fear of perfecution by thcrn,in the Peo ple ; The Cares of the World, and deceitfulnefs of: richis^:The plea- lures and and lufts^tci which the Aufteritks of the Gofpel-rules5were oppofite ; and many other preju dices, deeply rooted 4n: the hearts of a perverle an J/roward Genera tion, prevailed "again ft the fight of miracles .- and none were more pervers and refolute unbelievers, then fome of thole, who had the Advantage of this great argument for believing.
If
of 3fnfiDeUt?, 205
If the fight of Miracles alone, were fufficient to produce belief, in all kinds of Spectators, certain* ly the Scribes and Pharifees, (who by their learning were able to Judge of a miracle^ the Coun trymen and Kinfmen of Chrift (with whom be was moft Conver- fant,) fhould have been moft Emi* n«nt in believing.
But behold the inchantment of prejudice and Carnal Intereft! InLuk.y. the 5* of Luke 21. The Phariiees and Doctors faw the miracles of Chrift, and yet they concluded him a Blafphemer. And when he had healed him that was born blind; they (^hypocritically) bad the man give 'Glory to God, and faid they knelt that Jefus Was A finwr.
They turn'd his miracles into joh,,. wantonnefs, faind tbwfelyes Juft
men
mew that they might tempt him, i. e. put a crick upon him : demanding a fign
LUC.IO.IC. for a fight ,only to latisfy their wan ton Curiofity.
As for his Countrcy men, this Prophet had no honour there, he did »J- ^ many mirades, among them be- caufe of their unbelief. His friends
Mir.j.n./^j ^ **' befide bimfelf, and Vent
J*n7. i- to lay hold on him.
As for the People, In the fixth
joh.*.io.of John we find, that Chrift fed five thouland men with five loaves and two fmall fiQies, fo that they faidy this is of a truth that Prophet. But the very next day (ver. 22. ) the Very men that had eaten of the loaves (26*) Said unto himy Tbhat fign [bftoeH thou ttiat "toe may be- fteVe? J^bat do/I thou work? (30) as if a miracle had not been a Sign!
MIC. 5,17. He wrought a miracle among
the
of
the Gadarem, and they be/ought him to be gone. Others were offended at him, and caH him out of their City. The iflfue of all his miracles, was J<*-*'* this- Some f aid be Tt>as a good man3 Others Hay ! but he deceiveth the peo- J°h-i^i»« fie'. And many /aid he had a Devil and Tbas mad.
Nay when he hung upon the cro(s they acknowledge his mi racles, and jeered him with them j He faVed others, himfelf he cannot Matth.i7i faVe^ let him do owe more miracle, let him come doltm from the (/ofs. and we vill believe him : So Vain is the pretence of thofe, who think to excufe their Infidelity, becaufc they cannot fee a miracle ! So falfe are the Grounds of that opinion.
5. Briefly, to bring this Argu- 5; ment to an iflue.
If it were granted to thele per-
fons,
fbns, to fee a miracle, what kind of miracle would they chufe, to convince their underftandings, and fettle them in religion ? We are here I corvfefs in toco conjeEluraltj and no man can tell what miracle another man would chufe,but I am perfwaded, that which moft men would agree upon, as moft con ducing to that purpofe whereof we are fpeaking, would be this 5 that to aflurcthenaof the Immor tality of the Soul and of the rewards and punifhments of the world to come, and to fatisfie their Cu- riofity in fome other doubts and iccuplesj They might once be al lowed to fee and converle with (bmc one, that might rife from the dead, who might reiblve their Queftionsf concerning the condition of thofc that are in t&hs.
3. 1 fay then, that our Saviour
who
209
17-
who knew, what was in man^and needed not that any one fliould tell him , forefeeing this Phantaftical conceit, hach (hewed the folly of it, and preoccupated this vainrefort.
In the 1 6 of Luke z7*Vives makes it his rcqueft to dbrabam ; that be Lnc.i*. Would fend Lazarus from the dead • t 0 teflify to bis bretbren, thofe things which thefe men dream of.
Jbrabam refers them to the Scrip* cures, which were in the fame man ner recommended to them as our Scriptures are to us. Tbey bave Mofa and the Propbets, &c« let tbem bear tbem*
Hefaitb unto bim,Nayfatber Abrd^ lam, but if one "bent to tbem frotn the dead, tbey Tbould believe.
Jnd be ( Abraham ) faid Iftbe) bear not JMofes and tbe <Propbetfj neither •&& tbey be perfaadedtbotgb we rofe frotn tbe dead.
P Hal
110
job. ii. jhis i take to be a clear and a full determination of the matter in Queftion • And if any one fhould magine , that this determination was but Conjectural, Our Saviour after ward tries the Experimented raifes anotherL^rw from the dead.
W hat was the cffcd: of this mans coming from the dead, did it Con vert the High Prieft or the Scribes, ft. the rulers or the people- nay3but fnm that Very day they took comfel together holt? they might put Jejus to death And the £hief $1 lifts covfulted, hoV> they might put Lazarus to death alfo.
Upon thefe Confederations we may infallibly Conclude, that Infi delity in Such times as ours, is no more excufable, then it was in the days of Chrift or his Apoftles ; the times of mir cles and prophefies.
So much of thefirft Suppofiti- on, in the Caveat of the Text, the
. Sinfulnels
of nftoeiif* 211
Sinfulnefs of infidelity in General, at all times, And the Inexcufable- nefs in our times, which makes it our Duty to take heed of it.
I pafs to the fecond fuppofitiotl, 11. concerning the Danger of falling into ic, which makes it our con cernment and Intereft to beware of it. For if this be clear, the Ex hortation will be powerful, tak? heed brethren, &c.
Kow the Danger of falling in to infidelity is in it felf fo confpi- cuous, and made fo fenfible by every day's experience, that 1 wifli the proof of it were difficult, fo as to Juftify a ftudious and laborious demonftration of it.
At once to (horten my difcourie, and to remove the fufpicion of any Satyricai reflexion upon thofe that hear me 5 I (hall ftiew, that the Greateft Advantages, halve not P ^
preferved the beft of men, from fometimes falling into Infidelity. Take heed therefore brethren.
Thegrcateft Helps and Advan tages againft unbelief, I conceive to be thefe enfuing.
i . Evidences of Gods prefence, 3t. Orthefe lighting on a good un- derftanding. 3. Ac leaft upon the Ableft of men. 4. Such as have held Communion with God. 5. Or have been eminent for the habit and exercife of faith. 6. Or thefe with warnings to prevent the Dan ger of falling. 7. And thofe reitera ted. Yet all thefe, have not preferv- ed good men from fometimes fal ling. A word of each.
i. Firft then, to begin with the perfons in the Context, What greater Evidences of the Prefence of God can be Imagined, then they enjoyed 2 In Egypt, in their paflage
over
of fnfiDe! 11
over the red Sea ; in the Wildernels, " my preface^ faith God, (hall go a- longftitbyou, They were conduft- ed by a Pillar of a Cloud, <&c. they were fupported, and Corre&ed by Vifible and palpable inftances of Gods power and pretence : Yec they tempted and grieved the Spi rit of God, by their Infidelity, for they believed not for all bis Ponderous Works.
^. But thefe Jews were a dull andftupid people. If God fhould once manifeft himfclf, to a wife and underftanding perfbn ( fuch as we take our felves to be) We may think it impoffible to fall into un belief.
I fuppofe it will be no difparage- ment to thefe Objectors) to fay, that Solomon might be as Wife and Knowing, as Wary and Philofo- as they. And as for the ma* P 2 nifefta*
4
nifeftatibn of Gods prefence, „ the Scripture tells us Exprefly, that
.?. Cfdd appeared to him at fybeon: Where he made a promiie to him which he performed.
Yet Solomon fell into the grofleft Infidelity; to think there were Gods and Goddefles, To vorfkip
.j. %$*$*$* ^e Gbddefs of the Sido- nians, and Mikom the Jbomination of the Ammonites.
:%, But it may be yet Objefled^ th^t Solomon did this in the Do tage of his years, and his Dotage upon his Idolatrous wives, which turned away his heart, but that it coOld not have proceeded from him before hisunderftanding was impaired/
Behold then a greater then So- lomtn I even Jdam in his full ftrengthj when he was newly made after the limilhude of God, a little
lower
of
lower then the Angels. God fe- veral times appeared to him in the Garden ; Yet he fell through un belief, and drew all his pofterity in to his mine.
4. But Adam, though he had per* feftion of Nature, yet he wanted Grace, whereby he might have held communion with God ; which ha ving been once enjoyed, would for ever have kept him from infidelity, or deliberate fin,which always pro ceeds from it.
Confider then the cafe of Da- lSim Ut Vid, of whom it is faid, that the ^ Spirit of the Lord §od cams upon him ; That Qod himfelf made a Co venant Kith him, and Sware unto him ly his holinefs, that he THwldnot fail him.
And as for David, who was like
unto him, for Devotion and Zeal,
for fpiritual Communion and in-
P 4 tcrcourlc
3Epe gDinfuinefs
tercourfe with God ? He was the /wet finger of Ifraet ; and how of ten do we find his Spirit inebriat ed and tranfported in the Cele bration of his divine and raviflhjng enjoyments ?
Yet we find him falling from all this heighc ; and great and terrible was his fall- he went nfourningjor it all his days, and botyed do~ton Ins lead continually.
j. But perhaps it may be thought, that though TDaVtd was an Excel lent man, yet feeing his Eminen* cy lay not in the gift of Faith,, but in Zeal, or in fome other Grace^ the danger may not yet be(b very
Behold then even Abraham, the Darling of the almighty, who awr Verfedtyith Gi&d as a man conVer/eth Tpitk b# Friend : to whom God fpmmupicated his prefence in
Dreams
of
Dreams, in Vifions, in Appa ritions, v^v^fi**) ^vrfaw.
He was imbued with the Ha bit of Faith ; he exerted ic in the no- bleft exercife; he raanifefted it in the heroical degree ; fo that he became the Patber of the Faithful^
Yet once we find him offend^ ing (trip'ping) at this ftooe of ftumbling; Equivocating through unbelief.
6. But all thefe inftances were during the Ancient Difpenfation, when the Communication of the piefence of God was more Ob- Icurei before the fulnefs of time was come, when tbeTbord was madeflefb and dwelt nmongH men, and they fan? bis glory as the glory of the only begot ten Son of Qod.
Befides , we do not find that they were particularly and di- ftinftly warned of their danger,
which
which may leflen the Wonder of the fall,
Confider then the Cafe of Peter, the firft of the Apoftles. He had bcenclofely converfant wich Chrift during all the time of his Miniftry ; Was a witnefs of his miracles, (aw his Transfiguration , heard the jSoyce*tolricb came to him from the Ex- M0- ceUent gkry^ faying this is my beloved Son
As for his faith ; he it was, that made that confeflion, upon which the Chriftian Church is founded. And Ghrift had frayed for him that Its faith [bottld not fail.
He was a Valiant man . and he undertook that though he died, he would neither forfake nor deny his Matter.
When Chrift forewarns him plainly and pun<aually,that his faith would fail him, that very night, be fore
of
fore a certain hour • So that it was impoffible he diould be furprifed.
You know his Undertakings, and of his Failings it is unneceflary to fpeak.
7. I know nothing now that can be alledged, againft the gene ral propenfity of all men to Unbe* lief, but this ; thatPefer was now fingle and alone, that he failed only this time ; when he was invironed with Bills and Staves, and in Dan ger of his Life. *
Wherefore let us call to mind the Cafe of all the Apoftles, in the great Foundation of our Faith, the Article of Chrifts Refurre&i- on; whcnthele temptations were
The refurre&ion of the dead was in thofe times fo commonly be* lieved, that it was conceived of Chrift, that he was one of the 014
fro-
210 5C|je Smftitoefe
VPropbett rifen from the T)ead, and Herod faidybe *&as John the fiaptift ri- fen from the dead.
Of the refurre&ion^he Apoftles had /een Experiments, in Lazarus, and in the bodies of the Saints which arofe.
Concerning Chrifts refurre&i- on, how plainly and often were they forewarned ? After he was ri fen, how often were they told of it ? Yet how groffeiy and ofcen did they fail ?
Mar.8.jj. In they 8 of Mark 3 i .Chrift tells
his Diiciples, that he [hci^ , kih
led, and the third day be ia?./ '•-./,; rife
$*: again** He [pake this faying Optnl) •
So Openly that t^e Jews took no-
M«. i7. of it (this deceiver {aid that the third
day be would rife again) moreover
he promifed them plainly that after
Minion, he was rifen, he would go before them
*** into Galilee ; and appointed them a
certain
of
certain Mountain where they (hould fee him.
Yet after he was rifen- Mary SMagdalen told them that he had appeared to her. But they be lieved not 'Mary Magdalen. Joanna, and Mary the Mother of James, told them the fame, But their Speech feemed to them as Idle tales.
I he two Difciples told the reft, that he had appeared to them going to Emmausjbut they believed them ntt.
He appeared in the midft of tea of them at once, fliewed them his hands and his fide, But they believed not for joy.
Chrift when he appeared to the Women, bade them tell the Difci ples and Peter, that according to his promife, they fhould fee him in Galilee.
And the eleven Difcipks V>ent into Galilee ^ to a mountain Ttbich Jefus
&tnf ulnef £
had appointed them, And 'token they f<f»"him9 they Worshipped • But fome doubted.
i« So that Chrift, almoft in his lafl words, Upbraided them "frith their Unbelief — becaufe they believed not them V>ho had feen him, after he was rifen.
So prone are even the beft of men, after their higheft attain ments, under the beft advantages, to fall fometime into Infidelity ! So great is the danger of Unbe lief!
It is true indeed, that all thefe,
MIC. 7.8. might fay with the Prophet, (Re-
joyce not againft me 0 mine enemy , for
though Ifall, 1 [hall arife again. Yet
all thefe things are written for our
learning^ that he that thinketh heftan-
i Cor. 10. deth, may ta\t heed left he fall Jf
n>IXl thefe things have been done to the
green tree, what may be done to the
dry?
Of
.* If the worthies and the migh ty have fallea (how have the migh ty fallen ? ) ought not the feeble to take care ? Yes certainly they ought. !
And to ufe all means to prevent HI. their falling, which is the third thing, fuppofed in the Caveat, and exprcfled in the words following Take heed brethren haft, &c. Ex hort one another daily —
Now the Means to prevent the falling into Infidelity are the Ar guments evincing the truth of the Gofpel, which are very numerous. Whereof I cannot now fpeak par ticularly.
The Apoftle in this Epiftle makes ufe of two forts v/^.
ia Scriptures of the Old Te-
. Common Reafon- where of I fli all fpeak a little,
The
The Argument from Reafon is delivered in the 2. Chap.vj 4.
The Gofpel fbas delivered by the Lord, and confirmed (to us,) by them that beard him.
God a//o bearing tbem Witnefs with Signs and bonders, and divers miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghoft*
God bare witnefsto Chrift the Author of the Gofpel : And to the Apoftles, the Promul- gers of the Gofpel. Wherefore it is to be believed.
The Antecedent of this Enthy- ttiem is the fum of what i (hall de liver.
i When the Pharifees faid un to Chrift, thy- (Record is not truey becaule tbou beareft record of thy Jelf. I am one (Taith Chrift) tbat bear record of my felfy and the Fa ther that font mty beareth Tbitnefs of me.
Mere-
3
of
Moreover he tells the Difciples that the Comforter (kould tettify of Um. A nd ye alfo (ball bear *toitnefs> btcaufe ye lave been V>itb me from the beginning*
So that befide the Witncfs of the Apoftles, the Gofpel had the Atteftation of all the pcrfons of the Trinity : vi$>
r i. Father, of the<i. Son,
^.HolyGhoft,
-.AVi^V
i . God the Father bore witnefs to his Son., and that he did, by i. Vifible Signs, and 2. Audible Voices, 3. by Miffion of Angels, 4. by Co-operating in his Miracles,
. i. At his Nativity a new Star appeared. At his Baptifin they faw the heaven opcned,and the Spi*
rit fent from the Father in the vi- fible Chape of a Dove, and lighting upon him. Before his Paffion, he was transfigured in their fight. And At it the Sun was eclipfed when the Moon was full, the Veil, the Rocks, rent, fo that the Cen turion faidr Surely ^tbis man T»as the Son of Go d$ Bodies of Saints were feen of many: All thefe were vifible figns.
z. As for the u- >vp na (tie Daugb-
Mar.3.i7. ter Of tbeFoice) In his Baptifm Lo!
17< 5> c i c • -TL-
a^voyce from heaven ? v><ywg> ibis
is my beloved Son . At his Tranf-
figuration a Voyce came out of a cloudy Tbbicb faid, This is my beloved Son — Itar him. A little before his death, as he was Praying, Fa* jo.u a g. tber, glorifie tby Name, Jbere came a Voyce from heaven, Saying, I baVe fotb glorified it, and Kill glorify it again.
9. For
of 3nftDclit?»
j. Formiffion of Angels by the Father, We find them ftill ready up on all occafions from before his Coming down, to the time of his Afcenfion into Heavent
Before his Conception, the Art- LUC. T.I*. gel Qabriel appeared to Zacbary and i&r.i.>» to Maryy before his Nativity to Jo- (epb, faying, fear not Jofepb. At the time of his Nativity a whole Cho- Luc. *. ?, rus appeared to the Shepherds. ^ar - hi his Infancy an Angel appeared 1-9, xo. twice to 7o/ep/;,admoni(hing him of his going to Egypt and his return from thence.
In his Adult age they miniftred 4it. to him in his hunger* Before his ^uc "% death, they ftrmgthned bini in his Mar.*8.x. Agony ^ After it, they rolled ay>ay JQ^O.HC" tbe ft one from his Sepulcher ; They .
"1 t L. i. j± ' OL* « T 1 £ *
declared his Refurred:ion - and in his Atcenfion, they ftood byt and foretold his^coming again: Co Judg ment.
&inf ulnefe
_
ment. Ye men of Galilee Wyf ft and ye &aZ!ng • This fame Jefus. —
4. The Father co-operated with him, according to that of our Savi our, The father Vorketh hitherto and I Work - &c.
Thefe arefome of the Atteftati- ons of the Father.
2. Chrift bore witnefs of him- felf. And this he did, by prov ing himfelf to be the Meffiah ; v/^ by fulfilling all the prophefies re lating to the Perlbn or Offices, the Life, and the Death of the Mefljah.
His Generation was fuch as can* not be declared, he was born at Bethlehem, of the Tribe otjudah, of the Family of David, about 490 years after the return from Captivi ty. When the Scepter was juft now departed from Jttda.
He performed not only the Sub-
ftancc
of
ftanceoftheProphcfies, buc all the Circumftanccs foretold, concern ing the Life and Death of the Me£ fiah.
i .He was to be a Prophet,and fb he was. The Spirit of the Lord anointed him to preach, and be [pake as never man Jpake. He foretold many things to come, they all bare him witnefs.
i. He was to be a King, and fb he was. His Name was Wonderful • his Power was fhewen throughout the univcrfal Syftem of the World ; the Angels good and evil, the Hea vens , Elements , Plants 3 Fiflbes, Brutes, Health and Sicknefs, Life and Death, were all obedient unto bit Word*
3 He was to be a Prieft, and fo
he was. He made an Atonement
by his Obedience, and by his fuf-
ferings to the leaft punctilio ( to the
Q$ taking
taking of a little Vinegar ) and when all things were fulfilled, He cryedwitk aloud Voice 7*T**w* if ij/z- nijhed, and be bowed bis betd and gave up the Gbvjl.
Moreover, for the Juftification of his Gqfpel (and that he might leave no place for Infidelity ; ) he rofe again from the dead, appeared to many, convinced them by all their Senfes; They faw him, They heard him, They fek his hands and his fide, They fat and Drank with him 5 Tliey'foitygr/ed tyith btm 40 dayes ; He tyasfeen by more then 500 at once -y and ( laftly ) in tie fight of Many of them , he Afcended Vifibly into Heaven.
Thefe were fome of the Tefti- monies r which our Lord Chrift bare to hirnfel£
^ijj The time would fail me, if I fliould fpeakpf alitheTeftimonies
given
given by the Holy Spirit.
In his Conception , to Mary\ fulfilling the Promife of Gabriel.
Before his Nativity, to 2?acbary and Elizabeth , in his Infancy to Simeon and Hanna, in his Baptifm to John. 1 knelt him not , faith John, fat It that fent me to baptise, Joh T fdid unto mey upon V>bom thou (halt fee the Spirit defending and reftmg on him, that is be : andlfaV> tbe Spirit defending : Throughout his whole Miniftry, till his Death, the Spirit gave witneis to him.
Moreover, in his Refarre&ion It Tbas declared tbe Son of God , tyitb Rom< p olber by tbe Holy Gbefl. After his Afcenfion j the Holy Ghoft ful filled all his undertakings, in that Grand Manifeftation at Pcmecoft, at the time and place which Chrift had undertaken for ; A manifefta- tion made to all the Senfes, and to Q 4 mtn
3EDC
men ofeWry nation under heaven, tbitns— befides a Multitude of other Jnftances*, ;}o
Such were the Atteftations given to Chrift ( the Author andfintfier of wr faith. }
2. And for the Apoftles(the Pro- mulgers of it) bcfides theChange of their Spirits from darknefs to light, Whereby they Were led out of Igno rance and Infidelity, into all Truth. And from torpid and pufillani- mous perfons^during thelife of their Matter, they became, when he was dead/he moft a6live and magnani- mqusin the world. ( I fay, befides this Change) They had beftowed upon thcrn, AH things neceflTary,ei- ther for their \. Own Affurance, ojr for the 2. Conviction of the World. ( Concerning the truth oftheGo£ pel which they delivered. )
befidesthe
of InfiDcittv. 135
Convcrfation with their M after befor* and after his Refurre&ion ; they had i. Apparitions of Angels. And to one of them Chrift himfelf appeared after he was afcended to his father*
2 They had the Bath f(cly (Voi* ces from Heaven. ) In the 9 of the Afts, we find a Voice from Heaven maintaining a Dialogue with *Paul i and at another time, a voice faying to <Feter, jtrife <Pttcr, %ill and Eat.
3. They had extatical Vifions. Aa ll- Peter was in a trance ( A (3: i o. i o, t COT. 19.} Paul rapt up to the third beaten* *
4, They had monitory Dreams. <Paul faw a man in a Dream, fay ing unto him, Come into Mace donia and help us.
j. They had Impulfes of the Spirit- So Paul was forbid by the A Spirit, to preach the Word in jtfia.
II. And for the Conviction of ^ the
the unbelieving World,
i C0r. ii. They had diverfities of gifts and different Adminiftrations. To one Was given tie Word of Wifdom, to another the Word of jfyo'to ledge , to another Faith, to another the gift of Uealing , to another Miracles, fcro- phefies , Difcerning of Spirits , The gift of Tongues.
As it is in the words which I quoted, God bare them Tbitnefs *toith gifts of the Holy Ghoft , and Kith Signs and Wonders- and that he did, fo far, that I (Hall be juftified by Chrifthimfelf, if I (hall affirm,
job. i4.n; that the Apoftles after his death, did greater miracles then he him- feifdidin his life. tf»
Of the fame kind with our Sa viours, fome they performed, by means having an appearance of greater ftrangenefs, (Chrift healed by his touch, his word, his fpitclc,
Peter
of
(peter by his fhadoV>, Waul by Hand kerchiefs taken from his body.) But one great thing there was , wherein they exceeded • The Great and Manifeft, and frequent Effu- fionsofthe Spirit, the Reception of it upon thcmfelves, the com- munication of it to others , by Prayer, Preaching, Laying on of Hands ; By thefe it was that the unbelieving world was convinced, $nd even Simon Magus himfclf; It is by the power and Vertue of thofeeffuffons that we are here met together at this time , that the World continues Chriftian at this day. And thefe are fomeofthofe Handing means and Arguments, whereby the pronenefs of our hearts to infidelity may be over come • and faith may be begotten, confirmed, recovered at this day: Thefe are therefore to be revolved,
Exhort
23 6
Exhort one another doyly. To come therefore to a Conclufion.
My text it ielf is an Application, by way of Exhortation ; Exhorta tions are enforced by Reafons of Duty and Concernment, and theic I have hitherto endeavoured to lay before you.
If indeed there were no Sinfulnefs in Infidelity, Or, if in fiich times as ours, itwereexcufable. If there were no danger of falling into it, or DO means left to remedy or pre vent it- it would then indeed be to little purpofe to Exhort men to beware.
But if the (late of all thele things is otherwife, if that be plain and evident ; agreeable to Scripture, to Reafon and to Experience,- if the Speaker hath not beaten the Air, nor the hearers been carelefs and inattentive, I know not what can
be
of 3Jn$ueUt^ 237
be required, to enforce and fharpen the exhortation.
If the time would fuffcr it, and I were fpeaking to a Common or Injudicious Auditory, I might think my (elf concerned, after all that hath been ipoken to the under- ftanding, to Apply my diicourfe to your affections, I (hould take unto me the various forms of Applica tion ufed in this Epiftle. I would (Reprove, (%e buke, Exhort • 1 would cry aloud, and would not (pare. I would lift up my Voice like a Watch- mans trumpet, warning you from the Lord , concerning the Spirit of irreligion and infidelity which is faid to have overfprcad the land.
I would take to my felf a La mentation y yea it (hould be for a Lamentation , for the Profeflbrs of Infidelity, and the Infidelity of
Profeflbrs,
S>inf ttlnefs &c.
Profeffors, every where. But I may not now be permitted to en large upon thcle things. I may only pray to God to give you un-