Interest deposed, and truth restored, or, A word in season, delivered in two sermons the first at St. Maryes in Oxford, on the 24th of July, 1659, being the time of the assizes : as also of the fears and groans of the nation in the threatned, and expected ruin of the lawes, ministry, and universityes : the other preached lately before the honourable Societie of Lincolns-Inn / by Robert South ...
         South, Robert, 1634-1716.
      
       
         
           1660
        
      
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             Interest deposed, and truth restored, or, A word in season, delivered in two sermons the first at St. Maryes in Oxford, on the 24th of July, 1659, being the time of the assizes : as also of the fears and groans of the nation in the threatned, and expected ruin of the lawes, ministry, and universityes : the other preached lately before the honourable Societie of Lincolns-Inn / by Robert South ...
             South, Robert, 1634-1716.
             South, Robert, 1634-1716. Ecclesiasticall policy the best policy.
          
           [12], 20, [2], 24 p.
           
             Printed by A.L. for Tho. Robinson,
             Oxford [Oxfordshire] :
             1660.
          
           
             Added t.p. and separate paging ([2], 24 p.): Ecclesiasticall policy the best policy, or, Religion, the best reason of state.
             Reproduction of original in Union Theological Seminary Library, New York.
          
        
      
    
     
       
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         eng
      
       
         
           Bible. -- N.T. -- Matthew X, 33 -- Sermons.
           Bible. -- O.T. -- Kings, 1st, XIII, 33-34 -- Sermons.
           Sermons, English -- 17th century.
           Ecclesiastical law -- England.
        
      
    
     
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           INTEREST
           DEPOSED
           ,
           AND
           TRUTH
           RESTORED
           .
           OR
           ,
           A
           Word
           in
           Season
           ,
           delivered
           in
           Two
           SERMONS
           :
           The
           First
           at
           St.
           MARYES
           in
           OXFORD
           ,
           on
           the
           24th
           of
           Iuly
           ,
           1659.
           being
           the
           time
           of
           the
           Assizes
           :
           as
           also
           of
           the
           Fears
           and
           Groans
           of
           the
           Nation
           in
           the
           threatned
           ,
           and
           expected
           Ruin
           of
           the
           
             Laws
             ,
             Ministery
          
           ,
           and
           Vniversityes
           .
           The
           other
           Preached
           lately
           before
           the
           Honourable
           Societie
           of
           LINCOLNS-INN
           .
        
         
           BY
           
             ROBERT
             SOVTH
          
           ,
           Mr.
           of
           Arts
           ,
           and
           Student
           of
           CHRIST-CHURCH
           .
        
         
           OXFORD
           ,
           Printed
           by
           A.L.
           for
           
             Tho.
             Robinson
          
           ,
           1660.
           
        
      
       
         
         
         
           TO
           THE
           RIGHT
           WORSHIPFULL
           EDWARD
           ATKINS
           ,
           Serjeant
           at
           Law
           ,
           and
           formerly
           one
           of
           the
           Justices
           of
           the
           COMMON-PLEAS
           .
        
         
           
             Honoured
             Sir
             ,
          
        
         
           THough
           at
           first
           it
           was
           free
           ,
           and
           in
           my
           choice
           ,
           whether
           or
           no
           I
           should
           publish
           these
           Discourses
           ,
           yet
           the
           Publication
           being
           once
           Resolved
           ,
           the
           Dedication
           was
           not
           so
           indifferent
           ;
           the
           Nature
           of
           the
           Subject
           ,
           no
           less
           than
           the
           Obligations
           of
           the
           Author
           ,
           styling
           them
           in
           a
           peculiar
           manner
           Yours
           :
           For
           since
           their
           drift
           is
           to
           carry
           the
           most
           Endangered
           ,
           and
           Endangering
           Truth
           ,
           above
           the
           Safest
           ,
           when
           sinfull
           ,
           Interest
           ;
           as
           a
           Practice
           upon
           grounds
           of
           Reason
           the
           most
           Generous
           ,
           and
           of
           Christianity
           the
           most
           Religious
           ;
           to
           whom
           rather
           should
           this
           Assertion
           repaire
           as
           to
           a
           Patron
           ,
           than
           to
           Him
           whom
           it
           has
           for
           an
           Instance
           ?
           Who
           in
           a
           case
           of
           eminent
           Competition
           choose
           Duty
           before
           Interest
           ,
           and
           when
           the
           Judge
           grew
           inconsistent
           with
           the
           Justice
           ,
           preferred
           rather
           to
           be
           Constant
           to
           sure
           Principles
           ,
           than
           to
           an
           Unconstant
           Government
           :
           And
           to
           retreat
           to
           an
           Innocent
           ,
           and
           Honourable
           Privacy
           ,
           than
           to
           sit
           and
           
             Act
             inquity
             by
             a
             Law
          
           ;
           and
           make
           
           your
           Age
           and
           Conscience
           ,
           (
           the
           one
           Venerable
           ,
           the
           other
           Sacred
           )
           Drudges
           to
           the
           Tyranny
           of
           Fanatick
           ,
           Perjured
           Usurpers
           .
           The
           next
           attempt
           of
           this
           Discourse
           ,
           is
           a
           Defence
           of
           the
           Minstery
           ,
           and
           that
           at
           such
           a
           time
           when
           none
           owned
           them
           upon
           the
           Bench
           (
           for
           then
           you
           had
           quitted
           it
           )
           but
           when
           on
           the
           contrary
           we
           lived
           to
           hear
           One
           in
           the
           very
           face
           of
           the
           University
           ,
           as
           it
           were
           in
           defiance
           of
           us
           and
           our
           Profession
           ,
           openly
           in
           his
           Charge
           defend
           the
           Quakers
           and
           Fanaticks
           ,
           persons
           not
           fit
           to
           be
           nam'd
           in
           such
           Courts
           ,
           but
           in
           an
           Indictment
           .
           But
           ,
           Sir
           ,
           in
           the
           Instructions
           I
           here
           presumed
           to
           give
           to
           others
           ,
           concerning
           what
           they
           should
           doe
           ,
           you
           may
           take
           a
           Narrative
           of
           what
           you
           have
           done
           :
           what
           respected
           their
           Actions
           as
           a
           Rule
           or
           Admonition
           ,
           applyed
           to
           yours
           is
           onely
           a
           Rehearsall
           .
           Whose
           Zeal
           in
           asserting
           the
           Ministeriall
           Cause
           is
           so
           generally
           known
           ,
           so
           gratefully
           acknowledged
           ,
           that
           I
           dare
           affirme
           ,
           that
           in
           what
           I
           deliver
           ,
           you
           read
           the
           Words
           indeed
           of
           One
           ,
           but
           the
           Thanks
           of
           All.
           VVhich
           affectionate
           Concernment
           of
           yours
           for
           them
           ,
           seems
           to
           argue
           a
           Spirituall
           sence
           ,
           and
           Experimentall
           Tast
           of
           their
           VVorks
           ,
           and
           that
           you
           have
           reaped
           as
           much
           from
           their
           Labours
           ,
           as
           others
           have
           done
           from
           their
           Lands
           :
           For
           to
           me
           it
           seemed
           alwaies
           strange
           ,
           and
           next
           to
           Impossible
           ,
           that
           a
           man
           converted
           by
           the
           Word
           Preached
           ,
           should
           ever
           hate
           and
           persecute
           a
           Preacher
           .
           And
           since
           you
           have
           severall
           times
           in
           discourse
           declared
           your self
           for
           that
           Government
           in
           the
           Church
           ,
           that
           is
           founded
           upon
           Scripture
           ,
           Reason
           ,
           Apostolicall
           Practice
           and
           Antiquity
           ,
           and
           (
           we
           are
           sure
           )
           the
           only
           one
           that
           can
           consist
           with
           the
           Present
           Government
           of
           State
           ,
           I
           thought
           the
           latter
           Discourse
           also
           might
           fitly
           addresse
           it selfe
           to
           you
           ,
           in
           the
           which
           you
           may
           read
           your
           Judgement
           ,
           as
           in
           the
           other
           your
           Practice
           .
           And
           now
           since
           it
           has
           pleased
           Providence
           ,
           at
           length
           to
           turn
           our
           Captivity
           ,
           
           and
           answer
           persecuted
           Patience
           with
           the
           unexpected
           returns
           of
           Settlement
           ;
           to
           remove
           our
           Rulers
           ,
           and
           restore
           our
           Ruler
           ;
           and
           not
           onely
           to
           make
           our
           
             Exactors
             righteousnesse
          
           ,
           but
           ,
           what
           is
           better
           ,
           to
           give
           us
           Righteousnesse
           instead
           of
           Exaction
           ,
           and
           hopes
           of
           Religion
           to
           a
           Church
           worried
           with
           Reformation
           ;
           I
           believe
           upon
           due
           and
           impartiall
           Reflexion
           on
           what
           is
           Past
           ,
           you
           now
           find
           no
           cause
           to
           Repent
           ,
           that
           you
           never
           dipt
           your
           hands
           in
           the
           Bloody
           
             High
             Courts
             of
             Iustice
          
           ,
           properly
           so
           called
           onely
           by
           Antiphrasis
           ;
           nor
           ever
           prostituted
           the
           Scarlet
           Robe
           to
           those
           Employments
           ,
           in
           which
           you
           must
           have
           worne
           the
           Colour
           of
           your
           Sinne
           in
           the
           Badge
           of
           your
           Office.
           But
           notwithstanding
           all
           the
           Enticements
           of
           a
           Prosperous
           Villany
           ,
           abhorred
           the
           Purchase
           ,
           when
           the
           Price
           was
           Blood.
           So
           that
           now
           being
           priviledged
           by
           an
           happy
           Unconcernment
           in
           those
           Legall
           Murders
           ,
           you
           may
           take
           a
           sweeter
           relish
           of
           your
           own
           Innocence
           ,
           by
           beholding
           the
           misery
           of
           others
           Guilt
           ,
           who
           being
           Guilty
           before
           God
           ,
           and
           infamous
           before
           men
           ,
           Obnoxious
           to
           Both
           ,
           begin
           to
           find
           the
           first
           fruit
           of
           their
           sinne
           in
           the
           Universal
           scorn
           of
           all
           ,
           their
           apparent
           Danger
           ,
           and
           unlikely
           Remedy
           :
           which
           beginnings
           being
           at
           length
           consummated
           by
           the
           hand
           of
           Justice
           ,
           the
           cry
           of
           Blood
           and
           Sacriledge
           will
           cease
           ,
           mens
           doubts
           will
           be
           Satisfied
           ,
           and
           Providence
           Absolved
           .
        
         
           And
           thus
           ,
           Sir
           ,
           having
           presumed
           to
           honour
           my
           first
           Essayes
           in
           Divinity
           ,
           by
           prefixing
           to
           them
           a
           Name
           ,
           to
           which
           Divines
           are
           so
           much
           obliged
           .
           I
           should
           here
           in
           the
           close
           of
           this
           Addresse
           ,
           contribute
           a
           Wish
           at
           least
           to
           your
           Happynesse
           :
           But
           since
           we
           desire
           it
           not
           yet
           in
           another
           VVorld
           ,
           and
           your
           Enjoyments
           in
           this
           (
           according
           to
           the
           Standard
           of
           a
           Christian
           desire
           )
           are
           so
           compleat
           ,
           that
           they
           require
           no
           Addition
           ,
           I
           shall
           turn
           my
           VVishes
           into
           Gratulations
           ,
           and
           congratulating
           their
           Fulnesse
           ,
           onely
           wish
           their
           Continuance
           :
           
           Praying
           ,
           that
           you
           may
           still
           possesse
           ,
           what
           you
           possesse
           ;
           and
           Doe
           what
           you
           Doe
           ;
           that
           is
           ,
           reflect
           upon
           a
           clear
           ,
           unblotted
           ,
           acquitting
           Conscience
           ,
           and
           feed
           upon
           the
           ineffable
           Comforts
           of
           the
           Memoriall
           of
           a
           Conquered
           Temptation
           ;
           without
           the
           danger
           of
           returning
           to
           the
           Tryall
           .
           And
           this
           (
           Sir
           )
           I
           account
           the
           greatest
           Felicity
           that
           you
           can
           enjoy
           ,
           and
           therefore
           the
           greatest
           that
           he
           can
           desire
           ,
           who
           is
        
         
           
             Yours
             in
             all
             Observance
             ,
             RO.
             SOVTH
             .
          
           
             
               Ch.
               Ch.
            
             
             
               the
               25th
               .
               of
               May
               ,
               1660.
               
            
          
        
      
       
         
         
           A
           Preface
           to
           the
           Reader
           .
        
         
           THat
           being
           conscious
           to
           my self
           of
           having
           in
           Discourse
           so
           often
           condemned
           the
           Scribling
           of
           the
           present
           Age
           ,
           I
           should
           yet
           now
           own
           it
           by
           my
           Practise
           ;
           especially
           in
           that
           sort
           of
           Writing
           in
           which
           severall
           have
           gone
           before
           me
           ,
           whom
           it
           is
           no
           glory
           to
           come
           behind
           ,
           I
           find
           a
           Necessity
           of
           bespeaking
           the
           Readers
           acceptance
           with
           Excuse
           ,
           which
           yet
           I
           trust
           I
           shall
           not
           manage
           so
           ,
           as
           to
           make
           it
           onely
           matter
           for
           another
           ,
           but
           present
           him
           with
           Reason
           ,
           as
           well
           as
           Apology
           .
           And
           first
           for
           the
           Publication
           of
           these
           two
           Discourses
           the
           one
           Preached
           in
           the
           time
           of
           our
           Feares
           ,
           the
           other
           of
           our
           Hopes
           ,
           and
           now
           both
           comming
           forth
           in
           the
           beginning
           of
           our
           Fruition
           ,
           I
           shall
           not
           plead
           their
           having
           passed
           the
           Test
           and
           Approbation
           of
           two
           of
           the
           most
           Iudicious
           and
           Learned
           Auditories
           in
           the
           Nation
           ,
           as
           supposing
           that
           was
           rather
           for
           the
           seasonablenesse
           of
           the
           Truth
           ,
           than
           any
           Elegance
           of
           the
           Composure
           ,
           and
           more
           for
           the
           Venture
           than
           the
           Performance
           :
           Yet
           from
           whatsoever
           cause
           it
           came
           ,
           I
           shall
           not
           vouch
           it
           as
           a
           reason
           of
           the
           Publication
           ,
           since
           the
           same
           persons
           may
           applaud
           the
           same
           thing
           from
           the
           Pulpit
           ,
           that
           they
           shall
           afterwards
           hisse
           coming
           from
           the
           Presse
           ;
           as
           could
           be
           easily
           instanced
           in
           the
           Forlorne
           Works
           of
           some
           Vnfortunate
           Divines
           :
           But
           much
           lesse
           was
           it
           the
           insolent
           ,
           imprudent
           itch
           of
           appearing
           in
           Publick
           ,
           that
           induced
           me
           to
           this
           ,
           as
           being
           confident
           that
           these
           Discourses
           ,
           had
           more
           Hearers
           than
           they
           are
           like
           to
           finde
           Readers
           ;
           so
           that
           my
           present
           attempt
           may
           be
           rather
           termed
           an
           Edition
           than
           a
           Publication
           .
           But
           least
           of
           all
           shall
           I
           plead
           the
           importunity
           of
           Freinds
           ,
           that
           stale
           pretence
           for
           publishing
           so
           many
           scribles
           ;
           such
           as
           being
           by
           much
           importunity
           brought
           to
           the
           Press
           ,
           need
           a
           greater
           to
           bring
           
           them
           to
           perusall
           .
           But
           because
           a
           sordid
           ,
           complying
           Spirit
           has
           been
           often
           charged
           upon
           the
           Vniversity
           ,
           and
           (
           we
           must
           confesse
           )
           a
           spice
           of
           it
           has
           appeared
           in
           many
           amongst
           us
           ,
           who
           have
           fouled
           ,
           as
           well
           as
           disturbed
           these
           Fountains
           ;
           I
           thought
           good
           to
           let
           our
           Detractors
           understand
           ,
           that
           in
           the
           very
           depth
           of
           Sectarian
           Barbarisme
           ,
           when
           the
           professed
           Enemies
           of
           the
           Church
           were
           the
           only
           Favourites
           of
           the
           State
           ,
           and
           the
           very
           Pillars
           of
           it
           ,
           the
           Vniversities
           and
           Ministers
           were
           falling
           ,
           there
           has
           been
           some
           ,
           who
           durst
           assert
           a
           Truth
           ,
           though
           to
           the
           visible
           danger
           of
           their
           present
           Enjoyments
           ,
           and
           the
           utter
           extinction
           of
           their
           future
           Hopes
           ;
           and
           for
           so
           desperate
           a
           service
           the
           most
           inconsiderable
           person
           was
           the
           fittest
           ,
           whose
           successe
           would
           have
           equally
           been
           an
           advantage
           ,
           and
           whose
           ruin
           no
           losse
           .
           Nor
           can
           I
           deny
           but
           that
           I
           was
           desirous
           to
           clear
           my self
           from
           the
           underserved
           surmises
           ,
           that
           some
           (
           whose
           good
           esteem
           I
           have
           cause
           to
           value
           )
           have
           had
           of
           me
           ;
           as
           if
           the
           injurious
           favours
           of
           some
           had
           not
           onely
           courted
           ,
           but
           wonne
           me
           to
           a
           servile
           compliance
           ,
           which
           I
           alwaies
           abhorred
           :
           But
           such
           was
           my
           fate
           ,
           that
           some
           while
           they
           were
           in
           Power
           injured
           me
           by
           Persecution
           ,
           when
           Declining
           ,
           by
           their
           Favour
           .
           The
           Vindication
           also
           of
           some
           things
           here
           delivered
           was
           no
           small
           inducement
           to
           a
           Publication
           :
           For
           notwithstanding
           the
           forementioned
           acceptance
           these
           Discourses
           found
           ,
           yet
           the
           former
           was
           attached
           by
           some
           severe
           Reprehenders
           ,
           who
           according
           to
           the
           Canting
           Dialect
           of
           Wallingford
           house
           (
           which
           forty
           years
           ago
           would
           not
           have
           been
           understood
           ,
           neither
           will
           it
           forty
           years
           hence
           )
           charged
           it
           as
           full
           of
           much
           Wrath
           and
           Darknesse
           ;
           but
           it
           seemes
           it
           was
           such
           darknesse
           as
           the
           tyrannizing
           Egyptians
           began
           to
           feele
           ;
           And
           I
           am
           sure
           no
           more
           Wrath
           then
           was
           deserved
           ,
           and
           therefore
           very
           well
           bestowed
           .
           However
           ,
           Providence
           has
           encouraged
           it
           to
           see
           the
           Light
           ,
           while
           some
           of
           its
           Reprehenders
           sit
           in
           Darknesse
           .
           Yet
           since
           by
           Warrant
           from
           the
           Spirit
           it self
           ,
           
             we
             may
             be
             Angry
             ,
             and
             sinne
             not
             ,
          
           the
           sharpnesse
           of
           a
           Reprehension
           is
           
           to
           be
           ascribed
           to
           the
           Nature
           of
           the
           thing
           that
           merits
           ,
           not
           to
           the
           Temper
           of
           him
           that
           delivers
           it
           .
           And
           since
           it
           has
           pleased
           God
           to
           unshackle
           men
           from
           Engagements
           ,
           Visitations
           ,
           and
           the
           Awe
           of
           Vsurpers
           ,
           it
           is
           not
           to
           be
           expected
           ,
           that
           Perjury
           ,
           Blood
           ,
           and
           Sacriledge
           ,
           can
           be
           any
           longer
           Gospellized
           into
           Acts
           of
           Piety
           ,
           or
           high
           strains
           of
           Evangelicall
           Perfection
           ,
           because
           indeed
           they
           goe
           much
           beyond
           the
           Command
           .
           Yet
           that
           Person
           ,
           the
           late
           Oppressor
           of
           this
           Nation
           ,
           and
           the
           known
           Father
           of
           Enthusiasts
           ,
           in
           whom
           those
           three
           Perfections
           eminently
           concurred
           ,
           and
           who
           ,
           we
           confesse
           is
           glanced
           upon
           in
           what
           follows
           ,
           even
           him
           I
           have
           heard
           commended
           ,
           as
           one
           ,
           who
           notwithstanding
           those
           forementioned
           Infirmities
           (
           so
           called
           I
           conceive
           ,
           because
           they
           were
           the
           matter
           of
           his
           dayly
           Temptations
           )
           yet
           as
           to
           the
           main
           was
           truly
           pious
           ,
           and
           to
           use
           his
           Encomiasts
           very
           expression
           ,
           
             had
             great
             Communion
             with
             God.
          
           I
           suppose
           in
           the
           same
           sence
           ,
           that
           the
           Faithful
           ,
           Innocent
           ,
           and
           Devout
           ,
           hold
           Communion
           with
           the
           Devill
           .
           Wherefore
           if
           by
           Wrath
           was
           meant
           a
           Free
           (
           though
           at
           that
           time
           Dangerous
           )
           Animadversion
           upon
           such
           Spots
           of
           Christianity
           ,
           We
           own
           the
           Charge
           ,
           and
           readily
           confesse
           ,
           that
           the
           ensuing
           Discourse
           was
           not
           Calculated
           for
           the
           soothing
           of
           Galled
           Consciences
           ,
           but
           really
           intended
           to
           Gall
           them
           more
           ;
           and
           professedly
           designed
           to
           reprove
           Avarice
           ,
           Oppression
           ,
           Pious
           Fraudes
           ,
           Blasphemies
           ,
           and
           Perjuries
           ,
           waies
           not
           heretofore
           known
           of
           
             holding
             Communion
             with
             God.
          
           And
           as
           for
           Personall
           Reflexions
           ,
           I
           know
           none
           such
           spoken
           ,
           but
           made
           such
           by
           being
           Applyed
           :
           And
           if
           some
           proceeded
           to
           Application
           before
           I
           did
           ,
           and
           from
           their
           Consciousnesse
           inferred
           their
           Concernment
           ,
           the
           Over-ruling
           sentence
           of
           a
           Guilty
           Conscience
           placing
           them
           under
           the
           Dint
           of
           any
           of
           these
           Reproofs
           ,
           I
           am
           not
           he
           that
           either
           can
           ,
           or
           would
           Absolve
           them
           :
           For
           ,
           as
           I
           have
           often
           said
           ,
           either
           they
           are
           not
           Guilty
           ,
           and
           so
           they
           are
           not
           concerned
           in
           them
           ,
           or
           Guilty
           ,
           and
           so
           they
           deserve
           them
           .
           But
           whereas
           it
           has
           been
           further
           objected
           ,
           that
           
           I
           proposed
           many
           doubts
           ,
           which
           I
           left
           unanswered
           ;
           I
           am
           sorry
           ,
           that
           it
           was
           a
           fault
           ,
           to
           think
           so
           honourably
           of
           my
           Auditory
           ,
           as
           to
           esteem
           it
           Needlesse
           :
           But
           it
           is
           not
           in
           my
           power
           to
           inform
           some
           mens
           Ignorance
           ,
           nor
           my
           desire
           to
           gratifie
           their
           Humour
           :
           And
           whether
           this
           Plea
           proceeds
           from
           a
           tender
           Conscience
           ,
           or
           a
           tender
           head
           ,
           I
           am
           not
           much
           concerned
           ,
           but
           acquiesce
           fully
           in
           this
           ,
           that
           for
           the
           Objections
           ,
           those
           that
           were
           Learned
           ,
           could
           hear
           and
           answer
           them
           ;
           those
           that
           were
           not
           ,
           could
           not
           apprehend
           them
           ,
           both
           therefore
           equally
           without
           danger
           .
           And
           whereas
           I
           do
           not
           now
           at
           least
           in
           the
           Printing
           them
           ,
           adde
           their
           Solutions
           ;
           I
           answer
           ,
           that
           in
           regard
           I
           professe
           to
           publish
           the
           Sermon
           I
           then
           Preached
           ,
           I
           should
           not
           verify
           my
           Word
           ,
           should
           I
           by
           such
           Additions
           make
           it
           Another
           .
           Having
           given
           an
           account
           of
           my
           design
           in
           the
           former
           Discourse
           ,
           and
           wiped
           off
           the
           Censures
           that
           for
           some
           time
           have
           stuck
           upon
           it
           ,
           I
           shall
           endeavour
           to
           prepare
           the
           Reader
           for
           a
           fair
           understanding
           of
           the
           Second
           ,
           which
           being
           Preached
           before
           many
           of
           the
           most
           considerable
           Members
           of
           the
           House
           of
           Commons
           ,
           had
           an
           Auditory
           suitable
           to
           its
           Design
           .
           For
           in
           as
           much
           as
           an
           Erastian
           Antiministeriall
           Spirit
           has
           for
           many
           years
           acted
           most
           of
           the
           Nation
           ,
           who
           would
           command
           the
           Service
           ,
           without
           submitting
           to
           the
           Discipline
           of
           the
           Ministers
           ;
           And
           since
           Arguments
           from
           Piety
           or
           Scripture
           work
           little
           upon
           most
           of
           them
           ,
           I
           thought
           it
           the
           best
           service
           that
           could
           be
           done
           to
           the
           Ecclesiasticall
           Cause
           ,
           to
           make
           it
           appear
           that
           even
           a
           Politick
           consideration
           would
           perswade
           that
           ,
           which
           was
           commanded
           upon
           a
           Spiritual
           :
           By
           shewing
           how
           Religion
           is
           that
           alone
           that
           holds
           together
           the
           whole
           frame
           of
           Government
           ;
           it
           being
           upheld
           it self
           by
           the
           Encouragement
           ,
           and
           Honour
           of
           the
           Clergy
           .
           So
           that
           whereas
           I
           enforce
           it
           chiefly
           by
           Arguments
           drawn
           from
           Civill
           Concernments
           ,
           I
           would
           have
           none
           offended
           ,
           since
           my
           intent
           is
           limited
           here
           ,
           only
           to
           this
           respect
           ,
           it
           being
           an
           Argument
           
             ad
             hominem
          
           ;
           not
           the
           onely
           One
           that
           the
           the
           Subject
           would
           afford
           ,
           but
           that
           which
           was
           the
           
           most
           likely
           to
           reach
           the
           Temper
           of
           the
           Times
           .
           And
           if
           I
           infer
           the
           necessity
           of
           Religion
           ,
           and
           an
           Honourable
           Clergy
           from
           the
           Exigence
           of
           the
           Civil
           Interest
           ,
           I
           suppose
           the
           necessity
           of
           it
           from
           Gods
           Command
           ,
           and
           from
           the
           salvation
           of
           mens
           soules
           ,
           is
           unquestionable
           :
           Wherefore
           I
           shall
           take
           the
           boldnesse
           to
           entreat
           those
           who
           shall
           think
           it
           worthy
           their
           Reading
           ,
           before
           they
           Censure
           ,
           to
           vouchsafe
           it
           at
           least
           an
           attentive
           perusal
           ,
           in
           as
           much
           as
           it
           presents
           to
           them
           some
           Truths
           ,
           I
           think
           not
           often
           observed
           ,
           I
           am
           sure
           ,
           not
           usually
           delivered
           .
           For
           my
           own
           part
           ,
           I
           cannot
           conceive
           how
           Religion
           can
           stand
           without
           a
           Ministery
           ,
           nor
           the
           Ministery
           without
           its
           two
           Essential
           Props
           ,
           Iurisdiction
           and
           Respect
           .
           It
           is
           the
           old
           ,
           sly
           ,
           and
           undermining
           Plea
           ,
           that
           Ministers
           ought
           only
           to
           procure
           respect
           by
           their
           Learning
           ,
           and
           laborious
           ,
           Vpright
           life
           ;
           other
           advantages
           belong
           not
           to
           them
           .
           But
           to
           answer
           this
           ;
           besides
           ,
           that
           late
           Experience
           proves
           ,
           that
           the
           most
           Pious
           ,
           and
           the
           most
           Learned
           ,
           have
           been
           the
           most
           persecuted
           and
           contemned
           ,
           it
           is
           irrationall
           to
           think
           ,
           that
           men
           ever
           yet
           made
           their
           Duty
           the
           measure
           of
           their
           Practice
           .
           And
           howsoever
           all
           ought
           ,
           yet
           there
           are
           but
           very
           few
           who
           reverence
           Ministers
           for
           those
           Qualifications
           ;
           but
           still
           those
           that
           do
           not
           ,
           must
           be
           governed
           ,
           or
           the
           Church
           ruined
           :
           therefore
           the
           Assistance
           of
           Secular
           supports
           must
           be
           taken
           in
           .
           Most
           therefore
           will
           confess
           Church
           Government
           Necessary
           ,
           though
           they
           deny
           that
           Necessity
           to
           any
           determinate
           kind
           .
           But
           since
           Church
           Government
           in
           Generall
           sequestred
           from
           its
           severall
           kinds
           ,
           is
           a
           meer
           Idea
           ,
           I
           am
           apt
           to
           think
           that
           the
           Determination
           of
           it
           was
           commanded
           together
           with
           the
           thing
           it self
           .
           And
           since
           only
           Particular
           ,
           not
           Vniversal
           Natures
           fall
           under
           Practice
           ,
           in
           as
           much
           as
           the
           Apostles
           did
           actually
           Govern
           the
           Church
           ,
           it
           must
           needs
           be
           ,
           that
           it
           was
           by
           a
           certain
           determinate
           kind
           of
           Government
           :
           And
           then
           considering
           the
           Infallible
           Apostolick
           Spirit
           by
           which
           they
           were
           acted
           ,
           I
           conceive
           their
           Practice
           and
           Example
           was
           a
           Virtual
           Command
           :
           especially
           when
           the
           reason
           and
           
           grounds
           of
           it
           continue
           still
           the
           same
           .
           What
           that
           Practice
           was
           ,
           though
           there
           are
           many
           not
           obscure
           Traces
           of
           it
           in
           Scripture
           ,
           yet
           I
           desire
           to
           gather
           it
           from
           the
           general
           Practise
           of
           the
           Church
           successively
           continued
           from
           their
           times
           :
           the
           most
           rationall
           Guide
           where
           the
           Scripture
           is
           silent
           ,
           and
           the
           best
           Comment
           where
           it
           is
           Obscure
           .
           And
           upon
           this
           Rule
           and
           Ground
           ,
           I
           hold
           it
           more
           reasonable
           to
           Erre
           ,
           than
           upon
           Fanatick
           Principles
           to
           Stumble
           upon
           the
           Truth
           .
           Having
           thus
           shown
           my
           intent
           in
           these
           Sermons
           ,
           and
           also
           the
           Rule
           ,
           to
           the
           guidance
           of
           which
           I
           intend
           to
           resign
           my self
           ,
           in
           whatsoever
           God
           shall
           hereafter
           call
           me
           either
           to
           Speak
           or
           Act
           as
           a
           Minister
           ,
           I
           shall
           venture
           these
           Meditations
           into
           the
           World.
           What
           reception
           they
           may
           find
           I
           am
           ignorant
           ,
           but
           not
           sollicitous
           .
           But
           sure
           ,
           of
           all
           persons
           ,
           Ministers
           ,
           Scholars
           ,
           and
           especially
           those
           of
           the
           Vniversities
           ,
           have
           little
           cause
           to
           censure
           ,
           or
           reprehend
           me
           ,
           who
           have
           freely
           ventured
           the
           Whole
           of
           my
           Small
           Advantages
           from
           them
           ,
           in
           asserting
           them
           in
           a
           day
           of
           the
           blackest
           danger
           and
           rebuke
           ,
           that
           I
           trust
           will
           ever
           befall
           the
           Church
           .
           However
           ,
           I
           value
           not
           the
           taunts
           ,
           the
           murmurs
           of
           any
           :
           I
           have
           learned
           by
           bearing
           ,
           to
           contemn
           them
           .
           Frequent
           Endurance
           has
           bred
           an
           Apathy
           .
           But
           whatsoever
           men
           shall
           Mutter
           ,
           Rail
           ,
           or
           Declaim
           against
           these
           Writings
           ,
           either
           out
           of
           a
           dislike
           of
           the
           Subject
           here
           Treated
           of
           ,
           or
           a
           personal
           hatred
           of
           my self
           ;
           yet
           in
           this
           I
           rest
           satisfied
           ,
           and
           assured
           ,
           that
           the
           Truth
           here
           spoken
           of
           ,
           will
           stand
           ,
           whatsoever
           becomes
           of
           Him
           ,
           that
           spoke
           it
           .
        
      
    
     
       
         
           
             
             
               
                 
                   
                     Math.
                     10.33
                  
                   .
                
                 
                   But
                   whosoever
                   shall
                   deny
                   me
                   before
                   men
                   ,
                   him
                   will
                   I
                   deny
                   before
                   my
                   Father
                   which
                   is
                   in
                   Heaven
                   .
                
              
            
             
               AS
               the
               great
               comprehensive
               Gospel
               duty
               is
               the
               denyal
               of
               Self
               ,
               so
               the
               grand
               Gospel
               sin
               that
               confronts
               it
               ,
               is
               the
               denyal
               of
               Christ.
               These
               two
               are
               both
               the
               Commanding
               and
               the
               Dividing
               Principles
               of
               all
               our
               Actions
               :
               For
               whosoever
               acts
               in
               opposition
               to
               one
               ,
               it
               is
               alwaies
               in
               behalf
               of
               the
               other
               .
               None
               ever
               opposed
               Christ
               ,
               but
               it
               was
               to
               gratifie
               Self
               :
               None
               ever
               renounced
               the
               Interest
               of
               Self
               ,
               but
               from
               a
               prevailing
               love
               to
               the
               Interest
               of
               Christ.
               The
               subject
               I
               have
               here
               pitched
               upon
               ,
               may
               seem
               improper
               in
               these
               times
               ,
               and
               in
               this
               place
               ,
               where
               the
               number
               of
               Professors
               ,
               and
               of
               men
               is
               the
               same
               ;
               where
               the
               Cause
               and
               Interest
               of
               Christ
               has
               been
               so
               cryed
               up
               ;
               and
               Christs
               Personall
               Reign
               and
               Kingdome
               so
               called
               for
               ,
               and
               expected
               .
               But
               since
               it
               has
               been
               still
               Preached
               up
               ,
               but
               Acted
               down
               ;
               and
               dealt
               with
               ,
               as
               the
               Eagle
               in
               the
               Fable
               did
               with
               the
               Oyster
               ,
               carrying
               it
               up
               on
               high
               ,
               that
               by
               letting
               it
               fall
               he
               might
               dash
               it
               in
               peices
               :
               I
               say
               ,
               since
               Christ
               must
               Reign
               ,
               but
               his
               Truths
               be
               made
               to
               serve
               .
               I
               suppose
               it
               is
               but
               Reason
               ,
               to
               distinguish
               between
               Profession
               and
               Pretence
               ;
               and
               to
               conclude
               ,
               that
               mens
               present
               crying
               ,
               
                 Haile
                 King
              
               ,
               and
               
                 bending
                 the
                 knee
              
               to
               Christ
               ,
               are
               onely
               in
               order
               to
               his
               future
               Crucifixion
               .
            
             
               For
               the
               discovery
               of
               the
               sence
               of
               the
               Words
               ,
               I
               shall
               enquire
               into
               their
               occasion
               .
               From
               the
               very
               beginning
               of
               the
               Chapter
               wee
               have
               Christ
               consulting
               the
               Propagation
               of
               the
               Gospel
               ;
               and
               in
               order
               to
               it
               
               (
               being
               the
               onely
               way
               that
               he
               knew
               to
               effect
               it
               )
               sending
               forth
               a
               Ministery
               ;
               and
               giving
               them
               a
               Commission
               ,
               together
               with
               Instructions
               for
               the
               Execution
               of
               it
               .
               He
               would
               have
               them
               fully
               acquainted
               with
               the
               Nature
               and
               Extent
               of
               their
               Office
               ;
               and
               so
               he
               joynes
               Commission
               with
               Instruction
               ;
               by
               one
               he
               conveighs
               Power
               ,
               by
               the
               other
               Knowledge
               .
               Supposing
               (
               I
               conceive
               )
               that
               upon
               such
               an
               Undertaking
               ,
               the
               more
               Learned
               his
               Ministers
               were
               ,
               they
               would
               prove
               never
               the
               less
               faithfull
               .
               And
               thus
               having
               fitted
               them
               ,
               and
               stript
               them
               of
               all
               manner
               of
               defence
               ,
               v.
               9.
               
               He
               sends
               them
               forth
               amongst
               Wolves
               :
               A
               hard
               Expedition
               ,
               you
               will
               say
               ,
               to
               go
               amongst
               Wolves
               ;
               but
               yet
               much
               harder
               to
               convert
               them
               into
               Sheep
               ;
               and
               no
               less
               hard
               even
               to
               discerne
               some
               of
               them
               ,
               possibly
               being
               under
               Sheeps
               cloathing
               ;
               and
               so
               by
               the
               advantage
               of
               that
               dress
               ,
               sooner
               felt
               than
               discovered
               :
               and
               probably
               also
               such
               as
               had
               both
               the
               properties
               of
               Wolves
               ,
               that
               is
               ,
               they
               could
               whine
               and
               howle
               ,
               as
               well
               as
               bite
               and
               devoure
               .
               But
               that
               they
               might
               not
               goe
               altogether
               naked
               amongst
               their
               Enemies
               ,
               the
               onely
               Armour
               that
               Christ
               allows
               them
               ,
               it
               is
               Prudence
               and
               Innocence
               ;
               
                 Be
                 ye
                 wise
                 as
                 Serpents
                 ,
                 but
                 harmlesse
                 as
                 Doves
                 ,
              
               v.
               16.
               
               Weapons
               not
               at
               all
               offensive
               ,
               yet
               most
               suitable
               to
               their
               Warfare
               ,
               whose
               greatest
               Encounters
               were
               to
               be
               Exhortations
               ,
               and
               whose
               only
               Conquest
               ,
               Escape
               .
               Innocence
               it
               is
               the
               best
               caution
               ,
               and
               we
               may
               unite
               the
               expression
               ,
               to
               be
               
                 wise
                 as
                 a
                 Serpent
              
               ,
               is
               to
               be
               
                 harmless
                 as
                 a
                 Dove
              
               .
               Innocence
               ,
               it
               is
               like
               polish'd
               Armour
               ,
               it
               adorns
               ,
               and
               it
               defends
               .
               In
               summe
               ,
               he
               tells
               them
               ,
               that
               the
               opposition
               they
               should
               meet
               with
               ,
               was
               the
               greatest
               imaginable
               ,
               from
               the
               16.
               to
               the
               26.
               v.
               but
               in
               the
               ensuing
               verses
               he
               promises
               them
               an
               equall
               proportion
               of
               assistance
               ;
               which
               if
               it
               was
               not
               Argument
               of
               force
               enough
               to
               out-weigh
               the
               fore-mentioned
               discouragements
               ,
               he
               casts
               into
               the
               Balance
               ,
               the
               promise
               of
               a
               Reward
               to
               such
               as
               should
               Execute
               ,
               and
               of
               Punishment
               to
               such
               as
               should
               Neglect
               their
               Commission
               :
               The
               Reward
               in
               the
               former
               verse
               ,
               
                 Whosoever
                 shall
                 confesse
                 me
                 before
                 men
                 ,
              
               &c.
               the
               punishment
               in
               this
               ,
               
                 But
                 whosoever
                 shall
                 deny
              
               .
               &c.
               As
               if
               by
               way
               of
               preoccupation
               he
               should
               have
               said
               ,
               Well
               :
               here
               you
               see
               your
               Commission
               ,
               this
               is
               your
               Duty
               ,
               these
               are
               your
               Discouragements
               :
               never
               seek
               for
               shifts
               and
               evasions
               from
               worldly
               afflictions
               ;
               this
               is
               your
               Reward
               if
               you
               perform
               it
               ,
               this
               is
               your
               Doome
               if
               you
               decline
               it
               .
            
             
               As
               for
               the
               Explication
               of
               the
               words
               they
               are
               clear
               and
               easie
               ;
               and
               their
               Originals
               in
               the
               Greek
               are
               of
               single
               signification
               ,
               without
               any
               
               ambiguity
               ;
               and
               therefore
               I
               shall
               not
               trouble
               you
               ,
               by
               proposing
               how
               they
               run
               in
               this
               ,
               or
               in
               that
               Edition
               :
               or
               straining
               for
               an
               interpretation
               where
               there
               is
               no
               difficultie
               ,
               or
               a
               distinction
               where
               there
               is
               no
               difference
               .
               The
               onely
               Exposition
               that
               J
               shall
               give
               of
               them
               ,
               will
               be
               to
               compare
               them
               to
               other
               Parallel
               Scriptures
               ,
               and
               peculiarly
               that
               in
               the
               8
               Mark
               38.
               
               
                 Whosoever
                 therefore
                 shall
                 be
                 ashamed
                 of
                 me
                 and
                 my
                 words
                 ,
                 in
                 this
                 adulterous
                 and
                 sinfull
                 generation
                 ,
                 of
                 him
                 also
                 shall
                 the
                 Son
                 of
                 man
                 be
                 ashamed
                 ,
                 when
                 he
                 cometh
                 in
                 the
                 glory
                 of
                 his
                 Father
                 ,
                 with
                 the
                 holy
                 Angels
                 .
              
               These
               words
               are
               a
               Comment
               upon
               my
               Text.
               
            
             
               1.
               
               What
               is
               here
               in
               the
               Text
               called
               a
               
                 denying
                 of
                 Christ
              
               ,
               is
               there
               termed
               a
               
                 being
                 ashamed
                 of
                 him
              
               ,
               that
               is
               ,
               in
               those
               words
               the
               Cause
               is
               expressed
               ,
               and
               here
               the
               Effect
               :
               for
               therefore
               we
               deny
               a
               thing
               ,
               because
               we
               are
               shamed
               of
               it
               ,
               First
               Peter
               is
               ashamed
               of
               Christ
               ,
               then
               he
               denyes
               him
               .
            
             
               2.
               
               What
               is
               here
               termed
               a
               denying
               
                 of
                 Christ
              
               ,
               is
               there
               called
               a
               being
               ashamed
               of
               
                 Christ
                 and
                 his
                 Words
              
               :
               Christs
               truths
               are
               his
               second
               Self
               .
               And
               he
               that
               offers
               contempt
               to
               a
               Kings
               letters
               or
               edicts
               ,
               virtually
               affronts
               the
               King
               ;
               it
               strikes
               his
               words
               ,
               but
               it
               rebounds
               upon
               his
               Person
               .
            
             
               3.
               
               What
               is
               here
               said
               
                 before
                 men
              
               ,
               is
               there
               phrased
               ,
               in
               
                 this
                 adulterous
                 and
                 sinfull
                 generation
              
               .
               These
               words
               import
               the
               hindrances
               of
               the
               duty
               enioyned
               ,
               which
               therefore
               is
               here
               purposely
               enforced
               with
               a
               
                 non
                 obstante
              
               to
               all
               opposition
               .
               The
               Terme
               Adulterous
               I
               conceive
               may
               cheifly
               relate
               to
               the
               Jewes
               who
               being
               nationally
               espoused
               to
               God
               by
               Covenant
               ,
               every
               sinne
               of
               theirs
               was
               in
               a
               peculiar
               manner
               
                 spirituall
                 Adultery
              
               .
            
             
               4.
               
               What
               is
               here
               said
               
                 I
                 will
                 deny
                 him
                 before
                 my
                 Father
                 ,
              
               is
               there
               expressed
               :
               
                 I
                 will
                 be
                 ashamed
                 of
                 him
                 before
                 my
                 Father
                 and
                 his
                 holy
                 Angels
                 ,
              
               that
               is
               when
               he
               shall
               come
               to
               Judgment
               ,
               when
               Revenging
               Justice
               shall
               come
               in
               pomp
               ,
               attended
               with
               the
               glorious
               Retinue
               of
               all
               the
               Host
               of
               Heaven
               .
               In
               short
               the
               sentence
               pronounced
               declares
               the
               Judgment
               ,
               the
               solemnity
               of
               it
               ,
               the
               Terror
               .
            
             
               From
               the
               words
               ,
               we
               may
               deduce
               these
               Observations
               .
            
             
               
                 1.
                 
                 
                   We
                   shall
                   find
                   strong
                   motives
                   and
                   temptations
                   from
                   men
                   ,
                   to
                   draw
                   us
                   to
                   a
                   deniall
                   of
                   Christ.
                   
                
              
               
                 2.
                 
                 
                   No
                   Terrors
                   ,
                   or
                   Solicitations
                   from
                   men
                   ,
                   though
                   never
                   so
                   great
                   can
                   Warrant
                   or
                   Excuse
                   such
                   a
                   deniall
                   .
                
              
               
                 3.
                 
                 
                   To
                   deny
                   Christs
                   Words
                   ,
                   is
                   to
                   deny
                   Christ.
                   
                
              
            
             
               But
               since
               these
               Observ●tions
               are
               rather
               implyed
               then
               expressed
               in
               the
               words
               ,
               I
               shall
               wave
               them
               ,
               and
               instead
               of
               deducing
               a
               Doctrine
               ,
               distinct
               
               from
               the
               words
               ,
               prosecute
               the
               words
               them selves
               under
               this
               Doctrinall
               Paraphrase
               .
            
             
               Whosoever
               shall
               deny
               ,
               dis-owne
               or
               be
               ashamed
               of
               either
               the
               Person
               or
               truths
               of
               Iesus
               Christ
               for
               any
               fear
               or
               favour
               of
               man
               ;
               shall
               with
               shame
               be
               disowned
               ,
               and
               Eternally
               rejected
               by
               him
               at
               the
               dreadfull
               judgment
               of
               the
               great
               day
               ,
            
             
               The
               discussion
               of
               this
               shall
               lye
               in
               these
               things
               .
            
             
               
                 1.
                 
                 To
                 shew
                 how
                 many
                 wayes
                 Christ
                 and
                 his
                 truths
                 may
                 be
                 denyed
                 ,
                 and
                 what
                 is
                 the
                 deniall
                 here
                 cheifly
                 intended
                 .
              
               
                 2.
                 
                 To
                 shew
                 what
                 are
                 the
                 causes
                 that
                 induce
                 men
                 to
                 a
                 deniall
                 of
                 Christ
                 and
                 his
                 truths
                 .
              
               
                 3.
                 
                 To
                 shew
                 how
                 farre
                 a
                 man
                 may
                 consult
                 his
                 safety
                 in
                 time
                 of
                 persecution
                 ,
                 without
                 denying
                 Christ.
                 
              
               
                 4.
                 
                 To
                 shew
                 what
                 is
                 imported
                 in
                 Christs
                 denying
                 us
                 before
                 his
                 Father
                 in
                 Heaven
                 .
              
               
                 5.
                 
                 To
                 apply
                 all
                 to
                 the
                 present
                 Occasion
                 .
              
            
             
               But
               before
               I
               enter
               upon
               these
               I
               must
               breifly
               premise
               this
               ,
               that
               though
               the
               Text
               and
               the
               Doctrine
               run
               peremptory
               and
               absolute
               ,
               
                 Whosoever
                 denyes
                 Christ
                 ,
                 shall
                 assuredly
                 be
                 denyed
                 by
                 him
              
               :
               yet
               still
               there
               is
               a
               tacit
               condition
               in
               the
               words
               supposed
               ,
               unless
               repentance
               intervene
               .
               For
               this
               and
               many
               other
               Scriptures
               ,
               though
               as
               to
               their
               formall
               termes
               they
               are
               Absolute
               ,
               yet
               as
               to
               their
               sence
               they
               are
               Conditionall
               .
               God
               in
               mercy
               has
               so
               framed
               ,
               and
               temper'd
               his
               word
               ,
               that
               we
               have
               for
               the
               most
               part
               ,
               a
               Reserve
               of
               mercy
               wrap'd
               up
               in
               a
               Curse
               .
               And
               the
               very
               first
               judgment
               that
               was
               pronounced
               upon
               fallen
               man
               ,
               it
               was
               with
               the
               allay
               of
               a
               promise
               .
               Wheresoever
               we
               find
               a
               Curse
               to
               the
               Guilty
               Expressed
               ,
               in
               the
               same
               words
               mercy
               to
               the
               Penitent
               is
               still
               Understood
               .
            
             
               This
               premised
               ,
               I
               come
               now
               to
               discusse
               the
               first
               thing
               ,
               viz.
               How
               many
               wayes
               Christ
               and
               his
               truths
               may
               be
               denyed
               ,
               &c.
               
               Here
               first
               in
               generall
               I
               assert
               ,
               that
               we
               may
               deny
               him
               in
               all
               those
               acts
               that
               are
               capable
               of
               being
               morally
               good
               or
               evill
               :
               those
               are
               the
               proper
               Scene
               in
               which
               we
               act
               our
               Confessions
               or
               denialls
               of
               him
               .
               Accordingly
               therefore
               all
               wayes
               of
               denying
               Christ
               ,
               I
               shall
               comprise
               under
               these
               three
               .
            
             
               1.
               
               We
               may
               deny
               him
               and
               his
               truths
               by
               an
               Erroneous
               ,
               Hereticall
               judgment
               .
               I
               know
               it
               is
               doubted
               whether
               a
               bare
               Error
               in
               judgment
               can
               condemne
               :
               but
               since
               truths
               absolutely
               necessary
               to
               Salvation
               ,
               are
               so
               clearly
               revealed
               ,
               that
               we
               cannot
               erre
               in
               them
               ,
               unless
               we
               be
               notoriously
               wanting
               to
               our selves
               ;
               herein
               the
               fault
               of
               the
               judgment
               is
               resolved
               
               into
               a
               precedent
               default
               in
               the
               will
               :
               and
               so
               the
               case
               is
               put
               out
               of
               doubt
               .
               But
               here
               it
               may
               be
               replyed
               ,
               are
               not
               truths
               of
               absolute
               and
               fundamentall
               necessity
               ,
               very
               disputable
               :
               as
               the
               Deity
               of
               Christ
               ,
               the
               Trinity
               of
               Persons
               ?
               if
               they
               are
               not
               in
               themselves
               disputable
               ,
               why
               are
               they
               so
               much
               disputed
               ?
               Indeed
               I
               believe
               if
               we
               trace
               these
               disputes
               to
               their
               originall
               cause
               we
               shall
               find
               ,
               that
               they
               never
               sprung
               from
               a
               reluctancy
               in
               Reason
               to
               embrace
               them
               .
               For
               this
               reason
               it self
               dictates
               as
               most
               rationall
               ,
               to
               assent
               to
               any
               thing
               though
               seemingly
               contrary
               to
               Reason
               ,
               if
               it
               is
               revealed
               by
               God
               ,
               and
               we
               are
               certaine
               of
               the
               Revelation
               .
               These
               two
               supposed
               ,
               these
               disputes
               must
               needs
               arise
               only
               from
               curiosity
               and
               singularity
               ;
               and
               these
               are
               the
               faults
               of
               a
               diseased
               will.
               But
               some
               will
               further
               demand
               in
               behalf
               of
               these
               men
               ,
               whether
               such
               as
               assent
               to
               every
               word
               in
               Scripture
               ,
               for
               so
               will
               those
               that
               deny
               the
               naturall
               deity
               of
               Christ
               and
               the
               Spirit
               ,
               can
               be
               yet
               said
               in
               Doctrinalls
               to
               deny
               Christ
               ?
               To
               this
               I
               answere
               ,
               since
               words
               abstracted
               from
               their
               proper
               sense
               &
               signification
               ,
               loose
               the
               nature
               of
               words
               ,
               &
               are
               only
               equivocally
               so
               called
               :
               inasmuch
               as
               the
               persons
               we
               speak
               of
               ,
               take
               them
               thus
               ;
               &
               derive
               the
               Letter
               from
               Christ
               ,
               but
               the
               signification
               from
               themselves
               ,
               they
               cannot
               be
               said
               properly
               to
               assent
               so
               much
               as
               to
               the
               words
               of
               the
               Scripture
               .
               And
               so
               their
               case
               also
               is
               clear
               .
               But
               yet
               more
               fully
               to
               state
               the
               matter
               ,
               how
               farre
               a
               deniall
               of
               Christ
               in
               beleife
               and
               judgment
               is
               damnable
               :
               We
               will
               propose
               the
               question
               .
               Whether
               those
               that
               hold
               the
               fundamentalls
               of
               faith
               ,
               may
               deny
               Christ
               damnably
               ,
               in
               respect
               of
               those
               superstructures
               and
               consequences
               that
               arise
               from
               them
               ?
               I
               answer
               in
               breif
               ,
               by
               fundamentall
               truths
               are
               understood
               ,
               1.
               
               Either
               such
               without
               the
               beleif
               of
               which
               we
               cannot
               be
               saved
               ,
               or
               ,
               2.
               such
               ,
               the
               beleif
               of
               which
               is
               sufficient
               to
               save
               :
               If
               the
               question
               be
               proposed
               of
               fundamentalls
               in
               this
               latter
               sence
               ,
               it
               containes
               its
               own
               answer
               ;
               for
               he
               that
               beleives
               those
               truths
               ,
               the
               beleif
               of
               which
               is
               sufficient
               to
               save
               ,
               the
               disbeleif
               or
               deniall
               of
               their
               consequences
               cannot
               damne
               .
               But
               what
               and
               how
               many
               these
               fundamentalls
               are
               ,
               it
               will
               then
               be
               agreed
               upon
               ,
               when
               all
               Sects
               ,
               Opinions
               and
               Perswasions
               doe
               unite
               and
               consent
               .
               2ly
               .
               If
               we
               speake
               of
               fundamentalls
               in
               the
               former
               sence
               ,
               as
               they
               are
               only
               truths
               without
               which
               we
               cannot
               be
               saved
               :
               it
               is
               manifest
               that
               we
               may
               believe
               them
               ,
               and
               yet
               be
               damned
               for
               denying
               their
               consequences
               :
               for
               that
               which
               is
               only
               a
               Condition
               without
               which
               we
               cannot
               be
               saved
               ,
               is
               not
               therefore
               a
               Cause
               sufficient
               to
               save
               :
               much
               more
               is
               required
               to
               the
               latter
               ,
               then
               to
               the
               former
               .
               I
               conclude
               therefore
               ,
               that
               to
               deny
               Christ
               in
               our
               judgment
               ,
               
               will
               condemne
               ,
               and
               this
               concernes
               the
               learned
               :
               Christ
               demands
               the
               homage
               of
               your
               understandings
               :
               he
               wil
               have
               your
               Reason
               bend
               to
               him
               ,
               you
               must
               put
               your
               Heads
               under
               his
               feet
               .
               And
               we
               know
               that
               heretofore
               he
               who
               had
               the
               Leprosy
               in
               this
               part
               ,
               was
               to
               be
               pronounced
               utterly
               unclean
               .
               A
               poysoned
               reason
               ,
               an
               infected
               judgment
               is
               Christs
               greatest
               enemy
               .
               And
               an
               Error
               in
               the
               judgment
               ,
               it
               is
               like
               an
               impo●tume
               in
               the
               Head
               ,
               which
               is
               alwayes
               noysome
               ,
               and
               frequently
               mortall
               .
            
             
               2.
               
               We
               may
               deny
               Christ
               verbally
               ,
               and
               by
               orall
               expressions
               .
               Now
               our
               words
               they
               are
               the
               interpreters
               of
               our
               hearts
               .
               The
               transcripts
               of
               the
               judgment
               with
               some
               further
               addition
               of
               good
               or
               evill
               .
               He
               that
               interprets
               usually
               inlarges
               .
               What
               our
               judgment
               whispers
               in
               secret
               ,
               these
               proclaime
               upon
               the
               house
               top
               .
               To
               deny
               Christ
               in
               the
               former
               imports
               enmity
               ,
               but
               in
               these
               open
               Defiance
               .
               Christs
               passion
               is
               renewed
               in
               both
               :
               be
               that
               mis-judges
               of
               him
               ,
               condemnes
               him
               ,
               but
               he
               that
               blasphemes
               him
               spits
               in
               his
               face
               .
               Thus
               the
               Jewes
               &
               the
               Pharisees
               denyed
               Christ.
               
                 We
                 know
                 that
                 this
                 man
                 is
                 a
                 sinner
                 ,
              
               Joh.
               9.24
               .
               
                 and
                 a
                 deceiver
              
               ,
               Mat.
               27.63
               .
               
                 and
                 he
                 casts
                 out
                 devills
                 ,
                 by
                 the
                 prince
                 of
                 the
                 divells
                 .
              
               12.
               
               Mat.
               24.
               
               And
               thus
               Christ
               is
               dayly
               denyed
               ,
               in
               many
               blasphemies
               printed
               &
               divulged
               ,
               and
               many
               horrid
               Opinions
               vented
               against
               the
               truth
               .
               The
               Schooles
               dispute
               whether
               in
               moralls
               the
               external
               Action
               superadds
               any
               thing
               of
               good
               or
               evill
               to
               the
               internall
               elicit
               acts
               of
               the
               Will
               :
               but
               certainly
               the
               enmity
               of
               our
               judgments
               is
               wrought
               up
               to
               an
               high
               pitch
               before
               it
               rages
               in
               an
               open
               deniall
               .
               And
               it
               is
               a
               signe
               that
               it
               is
               grown
               too
               bigge
               for
               the
               Heart
               ,
               when
               it
               seeks
               for
               vent
               in
               our
               words
               .
               Blasphemy
               uttered
               it
               is
               Error
               heightned
               with
               Impudence
               .
               It
               is
               sinne
               scorning
               a
               concealment
               ,
               not
               only
               committed
               ,
               but
               defended
               .
               He
               that
               denyes
               Christ
               in
               his
               judgment
               sins
               ,
               but
               he
               that
               speakes
               his
               deniall
               ,
               vouches
               and
               ownes
               his
               sinne
               :
               and
               so
               by
               publishing
               it
               ,
               does
               what
               in
               him
               lies
               to
               make
               it
               Vniversall
               :
               and
               by
               writing
               it
               to
               establish
               it
               Eternall
               .
               There
               is
               another
               way
               of
               denying
               Christ
               with
               our
               Mouthes
               ,
               which
               is
               Negative
               :
               that
               is
               when
               we
               doe
               not
               acknowledge
               and
               confesse
               him
               :
               but
               of
               this
               I
               shall
               have
               occasion
               to
               treat
               under
               the
               discussion
               of
               the
               Third
               general
               Head.
               
            
             
               3.
               
               We
               may
               deny
               Christ
               in
               our
               Actions
               and
               Practice
               ,
               and
               these
               speak
               much
               louder
               then
               our
               tongues
               .
               To
               have
               an
               Orthodox
               belief
               ,
               and
               a
               true
               Profession
               ,
               concurring
               with
               a
               bad
               life
               ,
               it
               is
               only
               to
               deny
               Christ
               with
               a
               greater
               solemnity
               .
               Beleif
               and
               Profession
               will
               speak
               thee
               a
               Christian
               but
               very
               faintly
               ,
               when
               thy
               conversation
               proclaimes
               thee
               an
               Infidell
               .
               Many
               while
               they
               have
               Preached
               Christ
               in
               their
               Sermons
               ,
               
               have
               read
               a
               lecture
               of
               Atheisme
               in
               their
               Practice
               .
               We
               have
               many
               here
               that
               speak
               of
               Godlinesse
               ,
               Mortification
               and
               Self-deniall
               :
               but
               if
               these
               are
               so
               ,
               what
               meanes
               the
               Bleating
               of
               the
               Sheep
               ,
               and
               the
               lowing
               of
               the
               Oxen
               ,
               the
               noise
               of
               their
               ordinary
               sinnes
               ,
               and
               the
               cry
               of
               their
               great
               ones
               ?
               If
               Godly
               ,
               why
               doe
               they
               wallow
               and
               sleep
               in
               all
               the
               Carnalities
               of
               the
               world
               ,
               under
               pretence
               of
               Christian
               liberty
               ?
               Why
               doe
               they
               make
               religion
               ridiculous
               by
               pretending
               to
               Prophecy
               ,
               and
               when
               their
               prophecies
               prove
               delusions
               ,
               why
               doe
               they
               Blaspheme
               ?
               If
               such
               self-denyers
               ,
               what
               means
               the
               griping
               ,
               the
               prejudice
               ,
               the
               covetousnesse
               ,
               and
               the
               pluralities
               preached
               against
               ,
               and
               retained
               ,
               and
               the
               Arbitrary
               Government
               of
               many
               ?
               When
               such
               men
               Preach
               of
               self-denyal
               and
               humility
               .
               I
               cannot
               but
               think
               of
               Seneca
               ,
               who
               praised
               Poverty
               ,
               and
               that
               very
               safely
               ,
               in
               the
               midst
               of
               his
               great
               Riches
               and
               Gardens
               ;
               and
               even
               exhorted
               the
               world
               to
               throw
               away
               their
               Gold
               ,
               perhaps
               (
               as
               one
               well
               conjectures
               )
               that
               he
               might
               gather
               it
               up
               ;
               So
               these
               desire
               men
               to
               be
               humble
               ,
               that
               they
               may
               domineer
               without
               opposition
               .
               But
               it
               is
               an
               easie
               matter
               to
               commend
               patience
               ,
               when
               there
               is
               no
               d●nger
               of
               any
               tryall
               ,
               to
               extoll
               humility
               in
               the
               midst
               of
               honours
               ,
               to
               
                 begin
                 a
                 Fast
                 after
                 Dinner
              
               .
               But
               O
               how
               Christ
               will
               deal
               with
               such
               persons
               when
               he
               shall
               draw
               forth
               all
               their
               Actions
               bare
               and
               stript
               from
               this
               deceiving
               vaile
               of
               their
               heavenly
               speeches
               !
               He
               will
               then
               say
               ,
               it
               was
               not
               your
               sad
               Countenance
               ,
               nor
               your
               Hypocriticall
               groaning
               ,
               by
               which
               you
               did
               either
               confesse
               or
               honour
               me
               :
               but
               your
               Worldliness
               ,
               your
               luxury
               ,
               your
               sinister
               partial
               dealing
               ;
               these
               have
               denyed
               me
               ,
               these
               have
               wounded
               me
               ,
               these
               have
               gone
               to
               my
               heart
               :
               these
               have
               caused
               the
               weak
               to
               stumble
               ,
               and
               the
               prophane
               to
               blaspheme
               :
               these
               have
               offended
               the
               one
               ,
               and
               hardned
               the
               other
               .
               You
               have
               indeed
               spoke
               me
               fair
               ,
               you
               have
               saluted
               me
               with
               your
               lips
               ,
               but
               even
               then
               you
               betray'd
               me
               .
               Depart
               from
               me
               therefore
               you
               professors
               of
               holiness
               ,
               but
               you
               workers
               of
               iniquity
               .
            
             
               And
               thus
               having
               shewn
               the
               three
               wayes
               by
               which
               Christ
               may
               be
               denyed
               ,
               it
               may
               now
               be
               demanded
               ,
               which
               is
               the
               Deniall
               here
               intended
               in
               the
               words
               .
            
             
               Answere
               1.
               
               I
               conceive
               if
               the
               words
               are
               taken
               as
               they
               were
               particularly
               and
               personally
               directed
               to
               the
               Apostles
               upon
               the
               occasion
               of
               their
               mission
               to
               preach
               the
               Gospel
               ,
               so
               the
               denyall
               of
               him
               ,
               was
               the
               not
               acknowledgement
               of
               the
               Deity
               or
               Godhead
               of
               Christ
               ;
               and
               the
               reason
               to
               prove
               ,
               that
               this
               was
               then
               principally
               intended
               ,
               is
               this
               .
               Because
               this
               was
               the
               truth
               in
               those
               dayes
               cheifly
               opposed
               ,
               and
               most
               disbeleived
               ,
               
               as
               appeares
               ,
               because
               Christ
               and
               the
               Apostles
               did
               most
               earnestly
               inculcate
               the
               beleif
               of
               this
               ,
               and
               accepted
               men
               upon
               the
               bare
               acknowledgement
               of
               this
               ,
               and
               Baptisme
               was
               administred
               to
               such
               as
               did
               but
               profess
               this
               ,
               8
               Acts
               37
               ,
               38.
               
               And
               indeed
               as
               this
               one
               Aphorisme
               
                 Iesus
                 Christ
                 is
                 the
                 Son
                 of
                 God
                 ,
              
               is
               Vertually
               and
               eminently
               the
               whole
               Gospel
               ,
               so
               to
               confess
               or
               deny
               it
               is
               vertually
               to
               embrace
               or
               reject
               the
               whole
               round
               and
               series
               of
               Gospell
               truths
               .
               For
               he
               that
               acknowledges
               Christ
               to
               be
               the
               sonne
               of
               God
               ,
               by
               the
               same
               does
               consequentially
               acknowledge
               that
               he
               is
               to
               be
               beleived
               and
               obeyed
               in
               whatsoever
               he
               does
               enjoyne
               and
               deliver
               to
               the
               sonnes
               of
               men
               :
               and
               therefore
               that
               we
               are
               to
               repent
               and
               beleive
               and
               rest
               upon
               him
               for
               salvation
               ,
               and
               to
               deny
               our selves
               :
               and
               within
               the
               compass
               of
               this
               is
               included
               whatsoever
               is
               called
               Gospell
               .
            
             
               As
               for
               the
               manner
               of
               our
               denying
               the
               Deity
               of
               Christ
               here
               prohibited
               ,
               I
               conceive
               it
               was
               by
               words
               and
               orall
               expressions
               verbally
               to
               deny
               ,
               and
               dis-acknowledge
               it
               :
               This
               I
               ground
               upon
               these
               reasons
               .
            
             
               
                 1.
                 
                 Because
                 it
                 was
                 such
                 a
                 deniall
                 as
                 
                   was
                   before
                   men
                
                 ,
                 and
                 therefore
                 consisted
                 in
                 open
                 Profession
                 ,
                 for
                 a
                 deniall
                 in
                 judgment
                 and
                 practice
                 ,
                 as
                 such
                 ,
                 is
                 not
                 alwayes
                 before
                 men
                 .
              
               
                 2.
                 
                 Because
                 it
                 was
                 such
                 a
                 deniall
                 or
                 confession
                 of
                 him
                 as
                 would
                 appear
                 in
                 Preaching
                 :
                 but
                 this
                 is
                 mannaged
                 in
                 words
                 and
                 verball
                 profession
                 .
              
            
             
               But
               now
               2ly
               .
               If
               we
               take
               the
               words
               as
               they
               are
               a
               generall
               precept
               equally
               relating
               to
               all
               times
               ,
               and
               to
               all
               persons
               ,
               though
               delivered
               only
               upon
               a
               particular
               occasion
               to
               the
               Apostles
               (
               as
               I
               suppose
               they
               are
               to
               be
               understood
               )
               so
               I
               think
               they
               comprehend
               all
               the
               Three
               wayes
               mentioned
               of
               confessing
               or
               denying
               Christ
               :
               but
               principally
               in
               respect
               of
               practice
               ,
               and
               that
               1.
               
               Because
               by
               this
               he
               is
               most
               honoured
               or
               dishonoured
               .
               2.
               
               Because
               without
               this
               the
               other
               two
               cannot
               save
               .
               3.
               
               Because
               those
               who
               are
               ready
               enough
               to
               confess
               him
               both
               in
               judgment
               and
               profession
               ,
               are
               for
               the
               most
               part
               very
               prone
               to
               deny
               him
               shamefully
               in
               their
               doings
               .
            
             
               Pass
               we
               now
               to
               a
               Second
               thing
               ,
               to
               shew
            
             
               What
               are
               the
               Causes
               inducing
               men
               to
               deny
               Christ
               in
               his
               truths
               .
               I
               shall
               propose
               Three
               .
            
             
               1.
               
               The
               seeming
               supposed
               absurdity
               of
               many
               truths
               :
               Vpon
               this
               foundation
               Heresie
               allwayes
               builds
               .
               The
               Heathens
               derided
               the
               Christians
               ,
               that
               still
               they
               required
               and
               pressed
               beleif
               ,
               and
               well
               they
               
               might
               (
               say
               they
               )
               since
               the
               Articles
               of
               their
               Religion
               are
               so
               absurd
               ,
               that
               upon
               Principles
               of
               Science
               they
               can
               never
               winne
               assent
               .
               It
               is
               easy
               to
               draw
               it
               forth
               and
               demonstrate
               ,
               how
               upon
               this
               score
               the
               cheif
               Heresies
               that
               now
               are
               said
               to
               trouble
               the
               Church
               ,
               doe
               oppose
               and
               deny
               the
               most
               important
               truths
               in
               Divinity
               .
               As
               first
               ,
               hear
               the
               denyer
               of
               the
               Deity
               and
               satisfaction
               of
               Christ.
               What
               (
               saies
               he
               )
               can
               the
               same
               Person
               be
               God
               and
               man
               ?
               the
               Creature
               and
               the
               Creator
               ?
               can
               we
               ascribe
               such
               attributes
               to
               the
               same
               thing
               ,
               whereof
               one
               implyes
               a
               Negation
               and
               a
               Contradiction
               of
               the
               other
               ?
               Can
               he
               be
               also
               Finite
               and
               Infinite
               ,
               when
               to
               be
               finite
               is
               not
               to
               be
               infinite
               ,
               and
               to
               be
               infinite
               not
               to
               be
               finite
               ?
               And
               when
               we
               distinguish
               between
               the
               Person
               ,
               and
               the
               Nature
               ,
               was
               not
               that
               distinction
               an
               invention
               of
               the
               Schooles
               ,
               favoring
               rather
               of
               Metaphysicks
               ,
               then
               Divinity
               ?
               If
               we
               say
               that
               he
               must
               have
               bin
               God
               ,
               because
               he
               was
               to
               mediate
               between
               us
               and
               God
               ,
               by
               the
               same
               reason
               they
               will
               reply
               ,
               we
               should
               need
               a
               Mediator
               between
               us
               and
               Christ
               ,
               who
               is
               equally
               God
               ,
               equally
               offended
               .
               Then
               for
               his
               satisfaction
               ,
               they
               will
               demand
               to
               whom
               this
               satisfaction
               is
               paid
               ?
               If
               to
               God
               ,
               then
               God
               payes
               a
               Price
               to
               himself
               :
               and
               what
               is
               it
               else
               to
               require
               and
               need
               no
               satisfaction
               ,
               then
               for
               one
               to
               satisfie
               himself
               ?
               Next
               comes
               in
               the
               Denyer
               of
               the
               Decrees
               and
               free
               grace
               of
               God.
               What
               (
               saies
               he
               )
               shall
               we
               exhort
               ,
               admonish
               ,
               and
               entreat
               the
               Saints
               to
               beware
               of
               falling
               away
               finally
               ,
               and
               at
               the
               same
               time
               assert
               that
               it
               is
               impossible
               for
               them
               so
               to
               fall
               ?
               what
               shall
               we
               erect
               two
               contradictory
               Wills
               in
               God
               ,
               or
               place
               two
               contradictoryes
               in
               the
               same
               Will
               ,
               and
               make
               the
               Will
               of
               his
               Purpose
               and
               Intention
               run
               counter
               to
               the
               Will
               of
               his
               Approbation
               ?
               Hear
               another
               concerning
               the
               Scripture
               and
               Justification
               .
               What
               (
               saies
               the
               Romanist
               ,
               relye
               in
               matters
               of
               faith
               upon
               a
               private
               Spirit
               ?
               How
               doe
               you
               know
               this
               is
               the
               sence
               of
               such
               a
               Scripture
               ?
               Why
               by
               the
               Spirit
               .
               But
               how
               will
               you
               try
               that
               Spirit
               to
               be
               of
               God
               ?
               Why
               by
               the
               scripture
               :
               this
               he
               explodes
               as
               a
               circle
               ,
               and
               so
               derides
               it
               .
               Then
               for
               Justification
               .
               How
               are
               you
               Justified
               by
               an
               imputed
               Righteousness
               ?
               Is
               it
               yours
               before
               it
               is
               imputed
               ,
               or
               not
               :
               if
               not
               (
               as
               we
               must
               say
               )
               is
               this
               to
               be
               Justified
               ,
               to
               have
               that
               accounted
               yours
               ,
               that
               is
               not
               yours
               ?
               Put
               again
               ,
               did
               you
               ever
               hear
               of
               any
               man
               made
               rich
               or
               wise
               by
               imputation
               ?
               why
               then
               Righteous
               or
               Just
               ?
               Now
               these
               seeming
               Paradoxes
               ,
               attending
               Gospell
               truths
               ,
               cause
               men
               of
               weak
               and
               prejudiced
               intellectualls
               to
               deny
               them
               ,
               and
               in
               them
               Christ
               ,
               being
               ashamed
               to
               owne
               faith
               so
               much
               (
               as
               they
               think
               )
               to
               the
               disparagement
               of
               their
               Reason
               .
            
             
             
               2.
               
               The
               Second
               thing
               causing
               men
               to
               deny
               the
               truths
               of
               Christ
               ,
               is
               their
               ,
               Vnprofitableness
               .
               And
               no
               wonder
               if
               here
               men
               forsake
               the
               truth
               and
               assert
               interest
               .
               To
               be
               Pious
               is
               the
               way
               to
               be
               Poore
               .
               Truth
               still
               gives
               its
               followers
               its
               own
               Badge
               and
               Livery
               ,
               a
               despised
               nakedness
               .
               It
               is
               hard
               to
               maintaine
               the
               truth
               ,
               but
               much
               harder
               to
               be
               maintained
               by
               it
               :
               could
               it
               ever
               yet
               feed
               ,
               clothe
               ,
               or
               defend
               its
               assernors
               ?
               Did
               ever
               any
               man
               quench
               his
               thirst
               ,
               or
               satisfie
               his
               hunger
               with
               a
               Notion
               ?
               Did
               ever
               any
               one
               live
               upon
               Propositions
               ?
               The
               Testimony
               of
               Brutus
               concerning
               vertue
               ,
               is
               the
               apprhension
               of
               most
               concerning
               truth
               :
               that
               it
               is
               a
               Name
               ,
               but
               lives
               and
               estates
               are
               things
               ,
               and
               therefore
               not
               to
               be
               thrown
               away
               upon
               Words
               .
               That
               we
               are
               neither
               to
               worship
               or
               cringe
               to
               any
               thing
               under
               the
               Deity
               is
               a
               truth
               to
               strict
               for
               a
               Naaman
               :
               he
               can
               be
               content
               to
               worship
               the
               true
               God
               ,
               but
               then
               it
               must
               be
               in
               the
               house
               of
               Rimmon
               :
               the
               reason
               was
               implyed
               in
               his
               condition
               ,
               he
               was
               Captaine
               of
               the
               Host
               ,
               and
               therefore
               he
               thought
               it
               reason
               good
               to
               bow
               to
               Rimmon
               ,
               rather
               then
               endanger
               his
               place
               :
               better
               Bow
               ,
               then
               Break.
               Indeed
               some
               times
               Providence
               casts
               things
               so
               ,
               that
               truth
               and
               interest
               ly
               the
               same
               way
               :
               and
               when
               it
               is
               wrapt
               up
               in
               this
               covering
               men
               can
               be
               content
               to
               follow
               it
               ,
               to
               presse
               hard
               after
               it
               :
               but
               it
               is
               as
               we
               pursue
               some
               beasts
               only
               for
               their
               skins
               :
               take
               of
               the
               covering
               ,
               and
               though
               men
               obtaine
               the
               truth
               ,
               they
               would
               lament
               the
               losse
               of
               that
               .
               As
               Iacob
               wept
               and
               mourned
               over
               the
               torn
               Coat
               ,
               when
               Ioseph
               was
               alive
               .
               It
               is
               incredible
               to
               consider
               how
               interest
               outweighes
               truth
               .
               If
               a
               thing
               in
               it self
               be
               doubtfull
               ,
               let
               it
               make
               for
               interest
               and
               it
               shall
               be
               raised
               at
               least
               into
               a
               Probable
               ;
               and
               if
               a
               truth
               be
               certaine
               ,
               and
               thwart
               interest
               ,
               it
               will
               quickly
               fetch
               it
               down
               to
               but
               a
               Probability
               ;
               nay
               if
               it
               does
               not
               carry
               with
               it
               an
               impregnable
               Evidence
               ,
               it
               will
               goe
               near
               to
               debase
               it
               to
               a
               down
               right
               falsity
               .
               How
               much
               interest
               casts
               the
               Ballance
               in
               cases
               dubious
               ,
               I
               could
               give
               sundry
               instances
               ,
               let
               one
               suffice
               .
               And
               that
               concerning
               the
               unlawfullness
               of
               Usury
               .
               Most
               of
               the
               Learned
               men
               in
               the
               world
               successively
               both
               Heathen
               and
               Christian
               doe
               assert
               the
               taking
               of
               Use
               to
               be
               utterly
               unlawfull
               ;
               yet
               the
               Divines
               of
               the
               Reformed
               Church
               beyond
               the
               Seas
               though
               most
               severe
               and
               rigid
               in
               other
               things
               ,
               doe
               generally
               affirme
               it
               to
               be
               lawfull
               .
               That
               the
               case
               is
               doubtfull
               and
               may
               be
               disputed
               with
               plausible
               arguments
               on
               either
               side
               ,
               we
               may
               well
               grant
               :
               But
               what
               then
               is
               the
               reason
               that
               makes
               these
               Divines
               so
               unanimously
               concurre
               in
               this
               opinion
               ?
               Indeed
               I
               shall
               not
               affirme
               this
               to
               be
               the
               reason
               ,
               but
               it
               may
               seem
               so
               to
               many
               :
               that
               they
               
               receive
               their
               Salaryes
               by
               way
               of
               pension
               ,
               in
               present
               ready
               money
               ,
               and
               so
               have
               no
               other
               way
               to
               improve
               them
               ;
               so
               that
               it
               may
               be
               suspected
               ,
               that
               the
               change
               of
               their
               salary
               ,
               would
               be
               the
               strongest
               argument
               to
               change
               their
               opinion
               .
               The
               truth
               is
               ,
               Interest
               is
               the
               grand
               wheele
               ,
               and
               spring
               that
               moves
               the
               whole
               Vniverse
               .
               Let
               Christ
               and
               truth
               say
               what
               they
               will
               ,
               if
               interest
               will
               have
               it
               ,
               gain
               must
               be
               Godliness
               :
               If
               Enthusiasme
               is
               in
               request
               ,
               learning
               must
               be
               inconsistent
               with
               Grace
               .
               If
               pay
               growes
               short
               ,
               the
               Vniversity
               Maintenance
               must
               be
               too
               great
               .
               Rather
               then
               Pilate
               will
               be
               counted
               Cesars
               enemy
               ,
               he
               will
               pronouce
               Christ
               innocent
               one
               hour
               ,
               and
               condemne
               him
               the
               next
               .
               How
               Christ
               is
               made
               to
               truckle
               under
               the
               world
               ,
               and
               how
               his
               truths
               are
               denyed
               and
               shuffled
               with
               for
               profit
               and
               pelfe
               ,
               the
               clearest
               proof
               would
               be
               by
               Induction
               and
               Example
               .
               Bus
               as
               it
               is
               the
               most
               clear
               ,
               so
               here
               it
               would
               be
               the
               most
               unpleasing
               :
               Wherefore
               I
               shall
               passe
               this
               over
               ,
               since
               the
               world
               is
               now
               so
               peccant
               uopn
               this
               account
               ,
               that
               I
               am
               afraid
               Instances
               would
               be
               mistaken
               for
               Invectives
               .
            
             
               3.
               
               The
               Third
               Cause
               inducing
               men
               to
               deny
               Christ
               in
               his
               truths
               ,
               is
               their
               apparent
               danger
               .
               To
               confesse
               Christ
               ,
               is
               the
               ready
               way
               to
               be
               cast
               out
               of
               the
               Synagogue
               .
               The
               Chuch
               ,
               it
               is
               a
               place
               of
               Graves
               as
               well
               as
               of
               Worship
               and
               profession
               .
               To
               be
               resolute
               in
               a
               Good
               cause
               is
               to
               bring
               upon
               our selves
               the
               punishments
               due
               to
               a
               Bad.
               Truth
               indeed
               it
               is
               a
               possession
               of
               the
               highest
               value
               ,
               and
               therefore
               it
               must
               needs
               expose
               the
               owner
               to
               much
               danger
               .
               Christ
               is
               sometimes
               pleased
               to
               make
               the
               profession
               of
               himself
               costly
               ,
               and
               a
               man
               cannot
               buy
               the
               truth
               but
               he
               must
               pay
               down
               his
               life
               and
               his
               dearest
               blood
               for
               it
               .
               Christianity
               marks
               a
               man
               out
               for
               destruction
               :
               and
               Christ
               sometime
               chalks
               out
               such
               a
               way
               to
               salvation
               ,
               that
               shall
               verifie
               his
               own
               saying
               ,
               
                 He
                 that
                 will
                 save
                 his
                 life
                 shall
                 loose
                 it
                 .
              
               The
               first
               ages
               of
               the
               Church
               had
               a
               more
               abundant
               experience
               of
               this
               :
               Paul
               and
               the
               rest
               ,
               what
               they
               planted
               by
               their
               Preaching
               ,
               they
               watered
               with
               their
               blood
               .
               We
               know
               their
               usage
               was
               such
               as
               Christ
               foretold
               ,
               he
               sent
               them
               to
               Wolves
               ,
               and
               the
               common
               course
               then
               was
               
                 Christianos
                 ad
                 Leones
              
               .
               For
               a
               man
               to
               give
               his
               name
               to
               Christianity
               in
               those
               dayes
               ,
               was
               to
               list
               himself
               a
               Martyr
               ,
               &
               to
               bid
               farewell
               not
               only
               to
               the
               pleasures
               but
               also
               to
               the
               hopes
               of
               this
               life
               .
               Neither
               was
               it
               a
               single
               death
               only
               that
               then
               attended
               this
               profession
               ,
               but
               the
               Terror
               and
               sharpnesse
               of
               it
               redoubled
               was
               in
               the
               manner
               and
               circumstance
               .
               They
               had
               Persecutors
               ,
               whose
               Invention
               was
               as
               great
               as
               their
               cruelty
               .
               Wit
               and
               malice
               conspired
               to
               find
               out
               such
               tortures
               ,
               such
               deaths
               ,
               and
               those
               
               of
               such
               incredible
               anguish
               ,
               that
               only
               the
               manner
               of
               dying
               was
               the
               Punishment
               ,
               Death
               it self
               the
               deliverance
               .
               To
               be
               a
               Martyr
               signifies
               only
               to
               witness
               the
               truth
               of
               Christ
               ,
               but
               the
               witnessing
               of
               the
               truth
               was
               then
               so
               generally
               attended
               with
               this
               Event
               ,
               that
               Martyrdome
               now
               signifies
               not
               only
               to
               witness
               ,
               but
               to
               witness
               by
               death
               .
               The
               word
               besides
               its
               own
               signification
               importing
               their
               practice
               :
               And
               since
               Christians
               have
               been
               freed
               from
               Heathens
               ,
               Christians
               themselves
               have
               turned
               Persecutors
               .
               Since
               Rome
               from
               Heathen
               was
               turned
               Christian
               ,
               it
               has
               improved
               its
               persecution
               into
               an
               Inquisition
               .
               Now
               when
               Christ
               and
               truth
               are
               upon
               these
               termes
               ,
               that
               men
               cannot
               confesse
               him
               ,
               but
               upon
               paine
               of
               death
               ,
               the
               reason
               of
               their
               Apostacy
               and
               Deniall
               is
               clear
               ,
               men
               will
               be
               Wise
               and
               leave
               Truth
               and
               misery
               to
               such
               as
               love
               it
               ,
               they
               are
               resolved
               to
               be
               Cunning
               ,
               let
               others
               run
               the
               hazard
               of
               being
               Sincere
               .
               If
               they
               must
               be
               good
               at
               so
               high
               a
               rate
               ,
               they
               know
               they
               may
               be
               Safe
               at
               a
               cheaper
               .
               
                 Si
                 negare
                 sufficiat
                 ,
                 quis
                 erit
                 Nocens
                 ?
              
               If
               to
               deny
               Christ
               will
               save
               them
               ,
               the
               truth
               shall
               never
               make
               them
               guilty
               .
               Let
               Christ
               and
               his
               flock
               lye
               open
               &
               exposed
               to
               all
               weather
               of
               Persecution
               ,
               Foxes
               will
               be
               sure
               to
               have
               holes
               .
               And
               if
               it
               comes
               to
               this
               that
               they
               must
               either
               renounce
               Religion
               ,
               deny
               and
               blaspheme
               Christ
               ,
               or
               forfeit
               their
               lives
               to
               the
               fire
               or
               the
               sword
               ,
               it
               is
               but
               inverting
               Iobs
               wives
               advice
               ,
               
                 Curse
                 God
                 and
                 live
              
               .
            
             
               3.
               
               We
               proceed
               now
               to
               the
               Third
               thing
               ,
               which
               is
               to
               shew
               ,
               how
               farre
               a
               man
               may
               consult
               his
               safety
               ,
               
                 &c
                 ▪
              
            
             
               This
               he
               may
               doe
               Two
               Wayes
               .
            
             
               1.
               
               By
               withdrawing
               his
               Person
               .
               Martyrdome
               is
               an
               Heroick
               act
               of
               faith
               .
               An
               Atcheivement
               beyond
               an
               Ordinary
               pitch
               of
               it
               :
               to
               you
               saies
               the
               
                 Spirit
                 it
                 is
                 given
                 to
                 suffer
                 ,
              
               1
               Phil.
               29.
               
               It
               is
               a
               peculiar
               additionall
               gift
               :
               it
               is
               a
               distinguishing
               excellency
               of
               degree
               ,
               not
               an
               essentiall
               consequent
               of
               its
               Nature
               .
               
                 Be
                 ye
                 harmlesse
                 as
                 Doves
              
               saies
               Christ
               ;
               and
               it
               is
               as
               Naturall
               to
               them
               to
               take
               flight
               upon
               danger
               ,
               as
               to
               be
               Innocent
               :
               Let
               every
               man
               throughly
               consult
               the
               temper
               of
               his
               faith
               ,
               and
               weigh
               his
               courage
               with
               his
               feares
               ,
               his
               Weakness
               and
               his
               Resolutions
               together
               ,
               and
               take
               the
               measure
               of
               both
               ,
               and
               see
               which
               preponderates
               ,
               and
               if
               his
               spirit
               faints
               ,
               if
               his
               heart
               misgives
               and
               melts
               at
               the
               very
               thoughts
               of
               the
               fire
               ,
               let
               him
               flye
               and
               secure
               his
               own
               soul
               ,
               and
               Christs
               honour
               .
               
                 Non
                 negat
                 Christum
                 fugiendo
                 qui
                 ideò
                 fugit
                 ne
                 neget
                 :
              
               He
               does
               not
               deny
               Christ
               by
               flying
               ,
               who
               therefore
               flyes
               that
               he
               may
               not
               deny
               him
               .
               Nay
               ,
               he
               does
               not
               so
               much
               decline
               ,
               as
               rather
               change
               his
               Martyrdome
               :
               He
               flies
               from
               the
               Flame
               ,
               but
               repaires
               to
               a
               Desart
               ;
               to
               poverty
               and
               hunger
               
               in
               a
               wilderness
               .
               Whereas
               if
               he
               would
               dispense
               with
               his
               Conscience
               ,
               &
               deny
               his
               Lord
               ,
               or
               swallow
               down
               two
               or
               three
               Contradictory
               oaths
               ,
               he
               should
               neither
               fear
               the
               one
               ,
               nor
               be
               forced
               to
               the
               other
               .
            
             
               2.
               
               By
               concealing
               his
               judgement
               .
               A
               man
               sometimes
               is
               no
               more
               bound
               to
               speak
               than
               to
               destroy
               himself
               ;
               and
               as
               Nature
               abhors
               this
               ,
               so
               Religion
               does
               not
               command
               that
               .
               In
               the
               times
               of
               the
               Primitive
               Church
               ,
               when
               the
               Christians
               dwelt
               amongst
               Heathens
               ,
               it
               is
               reported
               of
               a
               certain
               Mayd
               ,
               how
               she
               came
               from
               her
               Fathers
               house
               ,
               to
               one
               of
               the
               Tribunals
               of
               the
               Gentiles
               ,
               and
               declared
               her self
               a
               Christian
               ,
               spit
               in
               the
               Judges
               face
               ,
               and
               so
               provoked
               him
               to
               cause
               her
               to
               be
               executed
               .
               But
               will
               any
               say
               that
               this
               was
               to
               confesse
               Christ
               ,
               or
               dye
               a
               Martyr
               ?
               He
               that
               uncalled
               for
               ,
               uncompelled
               ,
               comes
               and
               proclaims
               a
               Persecuted
               Truth
               ,
               for
               which
               he
               is
               sure
               to
               dye
               ,
               he
               onely
               dyes
               a
               Confessour
               of
               his
               own
               folly
               ,
               and
               a
               Sacrifice
               to
               his
               own
               rashness
               .
               Martyrdome
               is
               stampt
               such
               onely
               by
               Gods
               command
               ;
               and
               hee
               that
               ventures
               upon
               it
               without
               a
               Call
               ,
               must
               endure
               it
               without
               a
               Reward
               :
               Christ
               will
               say
               ,
               
                 who
                 required
                 this
                 at
                 your
                 hands
                 ?
              
               His
               Gospel
               does
               not
               dictate
               imprudence
               :
               No
               Evangelical
               Precept
               justles
               out
               that
               of
               a
               lawfull
               self-preservation
               .
               He
               therefore
               that
               thus
               throws
               himself
               upon
               the
               Sword
               ,
               he
               runs
               to
               Heaven
               before
               he
               is
               sent
               for
               :
               where
               though
               perhaps
               Christ
               may
               in
               mercy
               receive
               the
               Man
               ,
               yet
               he
               will
               be
               sure
               to
               disown
               the
               Martyr
               .
            
             
               And
               thus
               much
               concerning
               those
               lawfull
               wayes
               of
               securing
               our selves
               in
               time
               of
               Persecution
               ;
               not
               as
               if
               these
               were
               alwaies
               lawfull
               :
               For
               sometimes
               a
               man
               is
               bound
               to
               confesse
               Christ
               openly
               ,
               though
               hee
               dyes
               for
               it
               ;
               and
               to
               conceal
               a
               Truth
               is
               to
               deny
               it
               .
               But
               now
               to
               shew
               when
               it
               is
               our
               duty
               ,
               and
               when
               unlawfull
               to
               take
               these
               courses
               ,
               by
               some
               generall
               rule
               of
               a
               perpetual
               ,
               never-failing
               truth
               ,
               none
               ever
               would
               yet
               presume
               :
               For
               ,
               as
               Aristotle
               saies
               ,
               
                 We
                 are
                 not
                 to
                 expect
                 Demonstrations
                 in
                 Ethicks
                 ,
                 or
                 Politicks
                 ;
                 nor
                 to
                 build
                 certain
                 rules
                 upon
                 the
                 contingency
                 of
                 humane
                 Actions
              
               :
               So
               ,
               in
               as
               much
               as
               our
               flying
               from
               Persecution
               ,
               our
               confessing
               ,
               or
               concealing
               persecuted
               Truths
               ,
               vary
               and
               change
               their
               very
               nature
               ,
               according
               to
               different
               circumstances
               of
               time
               ,
               place
               ,
               and
               persons
               ,
               we
               cannot
               limit
               their
               Directions
               within
               any
               one
               universall
               Precept
               .
               You
               will
               say
               then
               ,
               How
               shall
               we
               know
               when
               to
               confess
               ,
               when
               to
               conceale
               a
               Truth
               ?
               when
               to
               wait
               for
               ,
               when
               to
               decline
               Persecution
               ?
               Indeed
               the
               onely
               way
               that
               I
               think
               can
               be
               prescribed
               in
               this
               case
               ,
               is
               to
               be
               earnest
               ,
               and
               importunate
               with
               God
               in
               Prayer
               for
               special
               
               direction
               :
               And
               it
               is
               not
               to
               be
               imagined
               ,
               that
               he
               who
               is
               both
               faithfull
               and
               mercifull
               ,
               will
               leave
               a
               sincere
               soul
               in
               the
               dark
               upon
               such
               an
               occasion
               .
               But
               this
               J
               shall
               adde
               ,
               that
               the
               Ministers
               of
               God
               are
               not
               to
               evade
               ,
               or
               take
               refuge
               in
               any
               of
               these
               two
               forementioned
               wayes
               .
               They
               are
               publique
               persons
               :
               and
               good
               Shepheards
               must
               then
               chiefly
               stand
               close
               to
               the
               Flock
               when
               the
               Wolf
               comes
               .
               For
               them
               to
               be
               silent
               in
               the
               Cause
               of
               Christ
               is
               to
               renounce
               it
               ;
               and
               to
               fly
               ,
               is
               to
               desert
               it
               .
               As
               for
               that
               place
               urged
               in
               favour
               of
               the
               contrary
               ,
               in
               23.
               
                 v.
                 When
                 they
                 persecute
                 you
                 in
                 this
                 City
                 flee
                 into
                 another
                 ,
              
               it
               proves
               nothing
               ;
               for
               the
               Precept
               was
               particular
               ,
               and
               concerned
               onely
               the
               Apostles
               ;
               and
               that
               but
               for
               that
               time
               in
               which
               they
               were
               then
               sent
               to
               the
               Jews
               ,
               at
               which
               time
               Christ
               kept
               them
               as
               a
               reserve
               for
               the
               future
               :
               For
               when
               after
               his
               death
               they
               were
               indifferently
               sent
               both
               to
               Jews
               and
               Gentiles
               ,
               wee
               find
               not
               this
               clause
               in
               their
               Commission
               ,
               but
               they
               were
               to
               signe
               the
               Truths
               they
               preached
               with
               their
               blood
               ;
               as
               we
               know
               they
               actually
               did
               .
               And
               moreover
               ,
               when
               Christ
               bids
               them
               ,
               being
               persecuted
               in
               one
               City
               fly
               into
               another
               ,
               it
               was
               not
               (
               as
               Grotius
               acutely
               observes
               )
               that
               they
               might
               lye
               hid
               ,
               or
               bee
               secure
               in
               that
               City
               ,
               but
               that
               there
               they
               might
               Preach
               the
               Gospel
               :
               So
               that
               their
               flight
               here
               was
               not
               to
               secure
               their
               Persons
               ,
               but
               to
               continue
               their
               Business
               .
               I
               conclude
               therefore
               ,
               that
               faithfull
               Ministers
               are
               to
               stand
               and
               endure
               the
               brunt
               .
               A
               common
               Souldier
               may
               dye
               ,
               when
               it
               is
               the
               duty
               of
               him
               that
               holds
               the
               Standard
               to
               dye
               upon
               the
               place
               .
               And
               we
               have
               abundant
               of
               encouragements
               so
               to
               doe
               .
               Christ
               has
               seconded
               and
               sweetned
               his
               command
               with
               his
               promise
               :
               Yea
               the
               thing
               it self
               is
               not
               onely
               our
               duty
               ,
               but
               our
               glory
               .
               And
               he
               that
               has
               done
               this
               work
               ,
               has
               in
               the
               very
               work
               partly
               received
               his
               wages
               .
               And
               were
               it
               put
               to
               my
               choice
               ,
               J
               think
               I
               should
               chuse
               rather
               with
               spitting
               and
               scorn
               to
               be
               tumbled
               into
               the
               dust
               in
               blood
               ,
               bearing
               witness
               to
               any
               known
               Truth
               of
               our
               dear
               Lord
               ,
               now
               opposed
               by
               the
               Enthusiasts
               of
               the
               present
               Age
               ,
               than
               by
               a
               denyal
               of
               those
               Truths
               through
               Blood
               and
               Perjury
               wade
               to
               a
               Scepter
               ,
               and
               Lord
               it
               in
               a
               Throne
               .
               And
               we
               need
               not
               doubt
               ,
               but
               Truth
               ,
               however
               oppressed
               ,
               will
               have
               some
               followers
               ,
               and
               at
               length
               prevaile
               .
               A
               Christ
               ,
               though
               Crucified
               ,
               will
               arise
               :
               And
               as
               it
               is
               in
               the
               11
               Revel
               .
               3.
               
               
                 The
                 Witnesses
                 will
                 Prophesie
                 ,
                 though
                 it
                 be
                 in
                 Sackcloth
                 .
              
            
             
               Having
               thus
               dispatched
               the
               third
               thing
               ,
               I
               proceed
               to
               the
               fourth
               ,
               which
               is
               to
               shew
               ,
               what
               it
               is
               for
               Christ
               to
               deny
               us
               before
               his
               Father
               in
               Heaven
               .
               Hitherto
               we
               have
               treated
               of
               mens
               carriage
               to
               Christ
               in
               
               this
               world
               ▪
               now
               we
               will
               describe
               his
               carriage
               to
               them
               in
               the
               other
               .
               These
               words
               clearly
               relate
               to
               the
               last
               Judgement
               ,
               and
               they
               are
               a
               Summary
               description
               of
               his
               proceeding
               with
               men
               at
               that
               day
               .
            
             
               And
               here
               we
               will
               consider
               :
               
                 
                   1.
                   
                   The
                   Action
                   it self
                   ,
                   
                     He
                     will
                     deny
                     them
                  
                   .
                
                 
                   2.
                   
                   The
                   Circumstance
                   of
                   the
                   Action
                   ,
                   
                     Hee
                     will
                     deny
                     them
                     before
                     his
                     Father
                     ,
                     aad
                     the
                     holy
                     Angels
                     .
                  
                
              
            
             
               1.
               
               Concerning
               the
               first
               ;
               Christs
               denying
               us
               ,
               is
               otherwise
               expressed
               in
               the
               13
               Luke
               27.
               
               
                 I
                 know
                 you
                 not
              
               .
               To
               Know
               in
               Scripture
               language
               is
               to
               Approve
               ;
               and
               so
               not
               to
               Know
               ,
               is
               to
               Reject
               and
               Condemne
               .
               Now
               who
               knows
               how
               many
               Woes
               are
               crowded
               into
               this
               one
               sentence
               ,
               
                 I
                 will
                 deny
                 him
              
               ?
               It
               is
               (
               to
               say
               no
               more
               )
               a
               compendious
               expression
               of
               Hell
               ,
               an
               Eternity
               of
               Torments
               comprised
               in
               a
               word
               :
               it
               is
               Condemnation
               it self
               ,
               and
               what
               is
               most
               of
               all
               ,
               it
               is
               Condemnation
               from
               the
               mouth
               of
               a
               Saviour
               .
               O
               the
               inexpressible
               horrour
               that
               will
               seize
               upon
               a
               poor
               soul
               when
               he
               stands
               arraigned
               at
               the
               Barre
               of
               Divine
               Justice
               ▪
               When
               he
               shall
               look
               about
               ,
               and
               see
               his
               Accuser
               his
               Judge
               ,
               the
               Witnesses
               all
               of
               them
               his
               remorsless
               Adversaries
               :
               The
               Law
               impleading
               ,
               Mercy
               and
               the
               Gospel
               upbraiding
               him
               ,
               the
               Devill
               ,
               his
               grand
               Accuser
               ,
               drawing
               his
               Indictment
               ;
               numbring
               his
               sinnes
               with
               the
               greater
               exactness
               ,
               and
               aggravating
               them
               with
               the
               cruellest
               bitterness
               ,
               and
               Conscience
               ,
               like
               a
               thousand
               Witnesses
               ,
               attesting
               every
               Article
               ,
               flying
               in
               his
               face
               ,
               and
               rending
               his
               very
               heart
               .
               And
               then
               after
               all
               ,
               Christ
               ,
               from
               whom
               only
               Mercy
               could
               be
               expected
               ,
               owning
               the
               Accusation
               .
               It
               will
               be
               Hell
               enough
               to
               hear
               the
               Sentence
               ;
               the
               very
               Promulgation
               of
               the
               Punishment
               will
               be
               part
               of
               the
               Punishment
               ,
               and
               anticipate
               the
               Execution
               .
               If
               Peter
               was
               so
               abashed
               when
               Christ
               gave
               him
               a
               look
               after
               his
               denyall
               ;
               if
               there
               was
               so
               much
               dread
               in
               his
               looks
               when
               he
               stood
               as
               Prisoner
               ,
               how
               much
               greater
               will
               it
               bee
               when
               he
               sits
               as
               a
               Judge
               ?
               If
               it
               was
               so
               fearfull
               when
               he
               looked
               his
               Denyer
               into
               Repentance
               ,
               what
               will
               it
               be
               when
               he
               shall
               look
               him
               into
               Destruction
               ?
               Believe
               it
               ,
               when
               we
               shall
               hear
               an
               Accusation
               from
               an
               Advocate
               ,
               our
               Eternall
               doome
               from
               our
               Intercessour
               ,
               it
               will
               convince
               us
               that
               a
               Denyall
               of
               Christ
               is
               something
               more
               than
               a
               few
               transitory
               words
               :
               What
               trembling
               ,
               what
               out-cries
               ,
               what
               astonishment
               will
               there
               be
               upon
               the
               pronouncing
               this
               Sentence
               !
               Every
               word
               will
               come
               upon
               the
               sinner
               like
               an
               Arrow
               striking
               through
               his
               reines
               ;
               like
               Thunder
               that
               is
               heard
               ,
               and
               consumes
               at
               the
               same
               instant
               .
               Yea
               it
               will
               
               be
               a
               Denyal
               with
               scorn
               ,
               with
               taunting
               exprobrations
               ;
               and
               to
               be
               miserable
               without
               commiseration
               ,
               is
               the
               height
               of
               misery
               .
               He
               that
               falls
               below
               Pitty
               ,
               can
               fall
               no
               lower
               .
               Could
               I
               give
               you
               a
               lively
               representation
               of
               guilt
               and
               horrour
               on
               this
               hand
               ,
               and
               paint
               out
               eternall
               wrath
               ,
               decypher
               eternall
               vengeance
               on
               the
               other
               ,
               then
               might
               J
               shew
               you
               the
               condition
               of
               a
               sinner
               hearing
               himself
               denyed
               by
               Christ
               :
               And
               for
               those
               whom
               Christ
               has
               denyed
               ,
               it
               will
               be
               in
               vaine
               to
               appeale
               to
               the
               Father
               ,
               unless
               wee
               can
               imagine
               ,
               that
               those
               whom
               Mercy
               has
               condemned
               ,
               Justice
               will
               absolve
               .
            
             
               2.
               
               For
               the
               Circumstance
               ,
               
                 He
                 will
                 deny
                 us
                 before
                 his
                 Father
                 ,
                 and
                 the
                 holy
                 Angels
                 .
              
               As
               much
               as
               God
               is
               more
               glorious
               than
               man
               ,
               so
               much
               is
               it
               more
               glorious
               to
               be
               confessed
               before
               him
               ,
               than
               before
               men
               :
               And
               so
               much
               glory
               as
               there
               is
               in
               being
               confessed
               ,
               so
               much
               dishonour
               there
               is
               in
               being
               denyed
               .
               If
               there
               could
               be
               any
               room
               for
               comfort
               after
               the
               sentence
               of
               Damnation
               ,
               it
               would
               be
               this
               ,
               to
               be
               executed
               in
               secret
               ,
               to
               perish
               Unobserved
               .
               As
               it
               is
               some
               allay
               to
               the
               infamy
               of
               him
               that
               dyed
               ignominiously
               ,
               to
               be
               buried
               privately
               .
               But
               when
               a
               mans
               folly
               must
               be
               spread
               open
               before
               Angels
               ,
               and
               all
               his
               baseness
               ript
               up
               before
               those
               pure
               Spirits
               ,
               this
               will
               be
               a
               double
               Hell
               :
               to
               be
               thrust
               into
               utter
               Darkness
               ,
               onely
               to
               be
               punished
               by
               it
               ,
               without
               the
               benefit
               of
               being
               concealed
               .
               When
               Christ
               shall
               compare
               himself
               ,
               who
               was
               denyed
               ,
               and
               the
               thing
               for
               which
               he
               was
               denyed
               together
               ,
               and
               parallel
               his
               merits
               with
               a
               lust
               ,
               and
               lay
               Eternity
               in
               the
               Ballance
               with
               a
               trisle
               ,
               then
               the
               folly
               of
               the
               sinners
               choice
               shall
               be
               the
               greatest
               sting
               of
               his
               destruction
               .
               For
               a
               man
               shall
               not
               have
               the
               advantage
               of
               his
               Former
               Ignorance
               and
               Errour
               ,
               to
               approve
               his
               sinne
               :
               Things
               that
               appeared
               amiable
               by
               the
               light
               of
               this
               world
               ,
               will
               appear
               of
               a
               different
               odious
               hue
               in
               the
               clear
               discoveries
               of
               the
               Next
               :
               As
               that
               which
               appears
               to
               be
               of
               this
               colour
               by
               a
               dimn
               candle
               ,
               will
               be
               found
               to
               be
               of
               another
               look'd
               upon
               in
               the
               day
               .
               So
               when
               Christ
               shall
               have
               cleared
               up
               mens
               apprehensions
               about
               the
               value
               of
               things
               ;
               he
               will
               propose
               that
               worthy
               Prize
               for
               which
               he
               was
               denyed
               :
               He
               will
               hold
               it
               up
               to
               open
               view
               ,
               and
               call
               upon
               Men
               and
               Angels
               :
               Behold
               ,
               look
               ,
               here
               is
               the
               thing
               ,
               here
               's
               that
               peice
               of
               dirt
               ,
               that
               windy
               applause
               ,
               that
               poor
               transitory
               pleasure
               ,
               that
               contemptible
               danger
               ,
               for
               which
               I
               was
               dishonoured
               ,
               my
               Truths
               disowned
               ,
               and
               for
               which
               life
               ,
               eternity
               ,
               and
               God
               himself
               was
               scorned
               and
               trampled
               upon
               by
               this
               sinner
               :
               Judge
               all
               the
               world
               ,
               whether
               what
               he
               so
               despised
               in
               the
               other
               life
               ,
               he
               deserves
               
               to
               enjoy
               in
               this
               ?
               How
               will
               the
               condemned
               sinner
               then
               crawle
               forth
               ,
               and
               appear
               in
               his
               filth
               and
               shame
               before
               that
               undefiled
               ,
               Tribunall
               ,
               like
               a
               Toade
               or
               a
               Snake
               in
               a
               Kings
               presence
               Chamber
               .
               Nothing
               so
               irksome
               as
               to
               have
               ones
               folly
               displaied
               before
               the
               Prudent
               ,
               ones
               impurity
               before
               the
               Pure
               :
               And
               all
               this
               before
               that
               company
               surrounding
               him
               ,
               from
               which
               he
               is
               neither
               able
               to
               look
               off
               ,
               nor
               yet
               to
               look
               upon
               .
               A
               disgrace
               put
               upon
               a
               man
               in
               company
               is
               unsupportable
               :
               it
               is
               heightned
               according
               to
               the
               greatnesse
               ,
               and
               multiplyed
               according
               to
               the
               number
               of
               the
               persons
               that
               hear
               it
               .
               And
               now
               as
               this
               circumstance
               [
               
                 before
                 his
                 Father
              
               ]
               fully
               speaks
               the
               shame
               ,
               so
               also
               it
               speaks
               the
               danger
               of
               Christs
               then
               denying
               us
               .
               For
               when
               the
               accusation
               is
               heard
               ,
               and
               the
               person
               stands
               convict
               ,
               God
               is
               immediately
               lifting
               up
               his
               hand
               to
               inflict
               the
               eternal
               blow
               ;
               and
               when
               Christ
               denyes
               to
               exhibit
               a
               ransome
               ,
               to
               step
               between
               the
               stroak
               then
               coming
               ,
               and
               the
               sinner
               ,
               it
               must
               inevitably
               fall
               upon
               him
               ,
               and
               sinke
               his
               guilty
               soul
               into
               that
               deep
               and
               bottomless
               gulph
               of
               endless
               perdition
               .
               This
               therefore
               is
               the
               summe
               of
               Christs
               denying
               us
               before
               his
               Father
               ,
               viz.
               Unsupportable
               shame
               ,
               unavoydable
               destruction
               .
            
             
               I
               proceed
               now
               to
               the
               Vses
               that
               may
               be
               drawn
               from
               the
               Truths
               delivered
               .
               And
               here
               (
               Right
               Honourable
               )
               not
               only
               the
               present
               occasion
               ,
               but
               even
               the
               words
               themselves
               seem
               eminently
               to
               addresse
               an
               Exhortation
               to
               your
               Honours
               .
               As
               for
               others
               not
               to
               deny
               Christ
               ,
               is
               openly
               to
               profess
               him
               ;
               so
               for
               you
               who
               are
               invested
               with
               Authority
               ,
               not
               to
               deny
               him
               ,
               is
               to
               defend
               him
               .
               Know
               therefore
               ,
               that
               Christ
               does
               not
               onely
               desire
               ,
               but
               demand
               your
               defence
               ,
               and
               that
               in
               a
               double
               respect
               .
            
             
               1.
               
               In
               respect
               of
               his
               Truth
               .
               2.
               
               Of
               his
               Members
               .
            
             
               1.
               
               He
               requires
               that
               you
               should
               defend
               and
               confess
               him
               in
               his
               Truth
               .
               Heresie
               it
               is
               a
               Tare
               sometimes
               not
               to
               be
               pulled
               up
               but
               by
               the
               Civill
               Magistrate
               .
               The
               word
               
                 Liberty
                 of
                 Conscience
              
               ,
               is
               much
               abused
               for
               the
               defence
               of
               it
               ,
               because
               not
               well
               understood
               .
               Every
               man
               may
               have
               Liberty
               of
               Conscience
               to
               think
               and
               judge
               as
               he
               pleases
               ,
               but
               not
               to
               vent
               what
               he
               please
               .
               The
               reason
               is
               ,
               because
               Conscience
               bounding
               it selfe
               within
               the
               thoughts
               ,
               is
               of
               private
               concernment
               ,
               and
               the
               cognizance
               of
               these
               belong
               only
               to
               God
               :
               but
               when
               an
               opinion
               is
               published
               ,
               it
               concerns
               all
               that
               hear
               it
               ,
               and
               the
               publique
               is
               endamaged
               ,
               and
               therefore
               becomes
               punishable
               by
               the
               Magistrate
               ,
               to
               whom
               the
               care
               of
               the
               publique
               is
               entrusted
               .
               But
               there
               is
               one
               truth
               that
               concerns
               both
               Ministery
               and
               Magistracy
               ,
               and
               All
               :
               which
               is
               opposed
               by
               those
               who
               affirm
               ,
               
               that
               
                 none
                 ought
                 to
                 Govern
                 upon
                 the
                 Earth
                 but
                 Christ
                 in
                 person
              
               :
               Absurdly
               ,
               as
               if
               the
               Powers
               that
               are
               ,
               destroyed
               his
               ;
               as
               if
               a
               Deputy
               were
               not
               consistent
               with
               a
               King
               ;
               as
               if
               there
               were
               any
               Opposition
               in
               Subordination
               .
               They
               affirm
               also
               ,
               that
               the
               Wicked
               have
               no
               right
               to
               their
               Estates
               ,
               but
               onely
               the
               Faithfull
               ,
               that
               is
               ,
               themselves
               ,
               ought
               to
               possess
               the
               Earth
               .
               And
               it
               is
               not
               to
               be
               questioned
               ,
               but
               when
               they
               come
               to
               explaine
               this
               principle
               ,
               by
               putting
               it
               into
               execution
               ,
               there
               will
               be
               but
               few
               that
               have
               estates
               at
               present
               ,
               but
               would
               be
               either
               found
               ,
               or
               made
               Wicked
               .
               I
               shall
               not
               be
               so
               urgent
               to
               press
               you
               to
               confess
               Christ
               ,
               by
               asserting
               and
               owning
               the
               Truth
               contrary
               to
               this
               ,
               since
               it
               does
               not
               only
               oppose
               Truth
               ,
               but
               Propriety
               ,
               and
               here
               to
               deny
               Christ
               ,
               would
               be
               to
               deny
               your Selves
               .
            
             
               2.
               
               Christ
               requires
               you
               to
               own
               and
               defend
               him
               in
               his
               Members
               ;
               and
               amongst
               these
               ,
               the
               chief
               of
               them
               ,
               and
               such
               who
               most
               fall
               in
               your
               way
               ,
               the
               Ministers
               ;
               I
               say
               ,
               that
               despised
               ,
               abject
               ,
               oppressed
               sort
               of
               men
               ,
               the
               Ministers
               ;
               whom
               the
               world
               would
               make
               Antichristian
               ,
               and
               so
               deprive
               them
               of
               Heaven
               ,
               and
               also
               strip
               them
               of
               that
               poor
               remainder
               of
               their
               Maintenance
               ,
               and
               so
               allow
               them
               no
               portion
               upon
               the
               Earth
               .
               You
               may
               now
               spare
               that
               distinction
               of
               Scandalous
               Ministers
               ,
               when
               it
               is
               even
               made
               Scandalous
               to
               be
               a
               Minister
               .
               And
               as
               for
               their
               discouragements
               in
               the
               Courts
               of
               the
               Law
               ,
               I
               shall
               onely
               note
               this
               ,
               that
               for
               these
               many
               years
               last
               past
               ,
               it
               has
               been
               the
               constant
               observation
               of
               all
               ,
               that
               if
               a
               Minister
               had
               a
               Cause
               depending
               in
               the
               Court
               ,
               it
               was
               ten
               to
               one
               but
               it
               went
               against
               him
               .
               I
               cannot
               believe
               your
               Law
               justles
               out
               the
               Gospel
               ;
               but
               if
               it
               be
               thus
               used
               to
               undermine
               Christ
               in
               his
               Servants
               ,
               beware
               that
               such
               Judgements
               passed
               upon
               them
               ,
               doe
               not
               fetch
               down
               Gods
               Judgements
               upon
               the
               Land
               ;
               and
               that
               for
               such
               abuse
               of
               the
               Law
               ,
               Christ
               does
               not
               in
               anger
               deprive
               both
               you
               and
               us
               of
               its
               Vse
               .
               (
               My
               Lords
               )
               I
               make
               no
               doubt
               ,
               but
               you
               will
               meet
               with
               many
               Suites
               in
               your
               Course
               ,
               in
               which
               the
               persons
               we
               speak
               of
               are
               concerned
               ,
               as
               it
               is
               easie
               to
               Prognosticate
               from
               those
               many
               worthy
               Petitions
               preferred
               against
               them
               ,
               for
               which
               the
               well-affected
               Petitioners
               will
               one
               day
               receive
               but
               small
               Thanks
               from
               the
               Court
               of
               Heaven
               .
               But
               however
               their
               Causes
               speed
               in
               your
               Tribunals
               ,
               know
               that
               Christ
               himself
               will
               recognize
               them
               in
               a
               greater
               .
               And
               then
               what
               a
               different
               face
               will
               be
               put
               upon
               things
               !
               When
               the
               usurping
               ,
               devouring
               Nimrods
               of
               the
               World
               shall
               be
               cast
               with
               scorn
               on
               the
               left
               hand
               :
               And
               Christ
               himself
               in
               that
               great
               Consistory
               shall
               daign
               to
               step
               down
               from
               his
               Throne
               ,
               
               and
               single
               out
               a
               poor
               despised
               Minister
               ,
               and
               as
               it
               were
               taking
               him
               by
               the
               hand
               ,
               present
               him
               to
               ,
               and
               openly
               thus
               confess
               him
               before
               his
               Father
               .
               Father
               ,
               here
               is
               a
               poore
               servant
               of
               mine
               ,
               that
               for
               doing
               his
               duty
               impartially
               ,
               for
               keeping
               a
               good
               conscience
               ,
               and
               testifying
               my
               truths
               in
               an
               Hypocriticall
               pretending
               age
               ,
               was
               wrong'd
               ,
               trood
               upon
               ,
               stript
               of
               all
               :
               Father
               ,
               I
               will
               that
               there
               be
               now
               a
               distinction
               made
               ,
               between
               such
               as
               have
               owned
               &
               confessed
               me
               with
               the
               loss
               of
               the
               world
               ,
               and
               those
               that
               have
               denyed
               ,
               persecuted
               and
               insulted
               over
               me
               :
               It
               will
               be
               in
               vain
               then
               to
               come
               and
               creep
               for
               mercy
               :
               and
               say
               ,
               Lord
               ,
               when
               did
               we
               insult
               over
               thee
               ?
               when
               did
               we
               see
               thee
               in
               our
               Courts
               ,
               and
               despised
               or
               oppressed
               thee
               ?
               Christs
               reply
               will
               be
               then
               quick
               and
               sharp
               :
               Verily
               in
               as
               much
               as
               you
               did
               it
               to
               one
               of
               these
               little
               ,
               poor
               ,
               despised
               ones
               ,
               ye
               did
               it
               unto
               Me.
               
            
             
               2.
               
               Use
               is
               of
               information
               ,
               to
               shew
               us
               the
               danger
               as
               well
               as
               the
               baseness
               of
               a
               dastardly
               Spirit
               ;
               in
               asserting
               the
               interest
               and
               truth
               of
               Christ.
               Since
               Christ
               has
               made
               a
               Christian
               course
               a
               Warfare
               ,
               of
               all
               men
               living
               ,
               a
               Coward
               is
               the
               most
               unfit
               to
               make
               a
               Christian
               :
               whose
               infamy
               is
               not
               so
               great
               ,
               but
               it
               is
               sometimes
               less
               then
               his
               perill
               .
               A
               Coward
               does
               not
               allwayes
               scape
               with
               disgrace
               ,
               but
               sometimes
               also
               he
               loses
               his
               life
               :
               wherefore
               let
               all
               such
               know
               ,
               as
               can
               enlarge
               their
               consciences
               like
               Hell
               ,
               and
               call
               any
               sinfull
               compliance
               submission
               ,
               and
               style
               a
               Cowardly
               silence
               in
               Christs
               cause
               ,
               discretion
               and
               prudence
               .
               I
               say
               let
               them
               know
               ,
               that
               Christ
               will
               one
               day
               scorn
               them
               ,
               and
               spit
               them
               with
               their
               policy
               and
               prudence
               into
               Hell
               ;
               and
               then
               let
               them
               consult
               how
               politick
               they
               were
               for
               a
               temporall
               Emolument
               ,
               to
               throw
               away
               Eternity
               .
               All
               that
               causes
               men
               to
               deny
               Christ
               ,
               it
               is
               either
               the
               Enjoyments
               ,
               or
               the
               miseries
               of
               this
               life
               :
               but
               alass
               at
               the
               day
               of
               Judgment
               all
               these
               will
               be
               expired
               ,
               and
               as
               One
               well
               Observes
               ,
               what
               are
               we
               the
               better
               for
               pleasure
               ,
               or
               the
               worse
               for
               sorrow
               when
               it
               is
               past
               ?
               but
               then
               sinne
               and
               guilt
               will
               be
               still
               fresh
               ,
               and
               Heaven
               and
               Hell
               will
               be
               then
               yet
               to
               Begin
               .
               If
               ever
               it
               was
               seasonable
               to
               preach
               Courage
               in
               the
               despised
               ,
               abused
               cause
               of
               Christ
               ,
               it
               is
               now
               ,
               when
               his
               truths
               are
               Reformed
               into
               nothing
               ,
               when
               the
               hands
               and
               hearts
               of
               his
               faithfull
               Ministers
               are
               weakned
               ,
               &
               even
               broke
               ,
               and
               his
               Worship
               extirpated
               in
               a
               mockery
               ,
               that
               his
               honour
               may
               be
               advanced
               .
               Well
               ,
               to
               establish
               our
               hearts
               in
               duty
               ,
               let
               us
               before
               hand
               propose
               to
               our selves
               the
               worst
               that
               can
               happen
               .
               Should
               God
               in
               his
               judgment
               suffer
               England
               to
               be
               transformed
               into
               a
               Munster
               .
               Should
               the
               faithfull
               be
               every
               where
               Massacred
               .
               Should
               the
               places
               of
               Learning
               be
               
               demolished
               ,
               and
               our
               Colledges
               reduced
               (
               not
               only
               as
               One
               in
               his
               Zeal
               would
               have
               it
               )
               to
               Three
               ,
               but
               to
               none
               .
               Yet
               assuredly
               Hell
               is
               worse
               then
               all
               this
               ,
               and
               this
               is
               the
               Portion
               of
               such
               as
               deny
               Christ
               :
               wherefore
               let
               our
               discouragements
               be
               what
               they
               will
               :
               losse
               of
               Places
               ,
               losse
               of
               Estates
               ,
               loss
               of
               Life
               and
               Relations
               ,
               yet
               still
               this
               sentence
               stands
               ratified
               in
               Decretals
               of
               Heaven
               .
               
                 Cursed
                 be
                 that
                 man
                 ,
                 that
                 for
                 any
                 of
                 these
                 ,
                 shall
                 desert
                 the
                 truth
                 ,
                 and
                 deny
                 his
                 Lord.
                 
              
            
             
          
        
      
       
         
           
             
             
             
               ECCLESIASTICALL
               POLICY
               THE
               BEST
               POLICY
               :
               OR
               ,
               RELIGION
               The
               best
               Reason
               of
               STATE
               :
               In
               a
               SERMON
               delivered
               before
               the
               Honourable
               Society
               of
               LINCOLNES
               INN
               .
            
             
               BY
               RO.
               SOVTH
               .
            
             
               OXFORD
               ,
               Printed
               by
               
                 A.
                 L.
              
               for
               
                 Tho.
                 Robinson
              
               ,
               1660.
               
            
          
        
         
           
             
             
             
               
                 
                   
                     1
                     King.
                     13.
                     ch
                     .
                     33
                     ,
                     34.
                     v.
                     
                  
                
                 
                   After
                   this
                   thing
                   Jeroboam
                   returned
                   not
                   from
                   his
                   evill
                   way
                   ,
                   but
                   made
                   again
                   of
                   the
                   lowest
                   of
                   the
                   people
                   Priests
                   of
                   the
                   High
                   places
                   :
                   whosoever
                   would
                   he
                   consecrated
                   him
                   ,
                   and
                   he
                   became
                   one
                   of
                   the
                   Priests
                   of
                   the
                   High
                   places
                   .
                
                 
                   And
                   this
                   thing
                   became
                   sin
                   unto
                   the
                   house
                   of
                   Jeroboam
                   ,
                   even
                   to
                   cut
                   it
                   off
                   ,
                   and
                   to
                   destroy
                   it
                   from
                   off
                   the
                   face
                   of
                   the
                   Earth
                   .
                
              
            
             
               IEroboam
               (
               from
               the
               name
               of
               a
               person
               become
               the
               character
               of
               impiety
               )
               is
               reported
               to
               Posterity
               as
               eminent
               ,
               or
               rather
               notorious
               ,
               for
               two
               things
               ;
               Usurpation
               of
               Government
               ,
               and
               Innovation
               of
               Religion
               .
               'T
               is
               confessed
               ,
               the
               former
               is
               expresly
               said
               to
               have
               been
               from
               God
               ;
               but
               since
               God
               may
               Order
               ,
               and
               Dispose
               ,
               what
               he
               does
               not
               Approve
               ;
               and
               Use
               the
               wickedness
               of
               men
               while
               he
               forbids
               it
               ;
               the
               design
               of
               the
               First
               cause
               does
               not
               excuse
               the
               malignity
               of
               the
               second
               :
               And
               therefore
               the
               Advancement
               and
               Scepter
               of
               Ieroboam
               was
               in
               that
               Sense
               onely
               the
               work
               of
               God
               ,
               in
               which
               it
               is
               said
               ,
               3
               Amos
               6.
               
                 that
                 there
                 is
                 no
                 evill
                 in
                 the
                 City
                 which
                 the
                 Lord
                 has
                 not
                 done
                 .
              
               But
               from
               his
               attempts
               upon
               the
               Civill
               Power
               ,
               he
               proceeds
               to
               Innovate
               Gods
               Worship
               ;
               and
               from
               the
               subjection
               of
               mens
               Bodies
               and
               Estates
               to
               enslave
               their
               Consciences
               ,
               as
               knowing
               that
               true
               Religion
               is
               no
               freind
               to
               an
               unjust
               Title
               .
               Such
               was
               afterwards
               the
               way
               of
               Mahomet
               ,
               to
               the
               Tyrant
               to
               joyne
               the
               Impostor
               ,
               and
               what
               he
               had
               got
               by
               the
               Sword
               to
               confirm
               by
               the
               Alcoran
               ;
               raising
               his
               Empire
               upon
               two
               Pillars
               ,
               Conquest
               ,
               and
               Inspiration
               .
               Ieroboam
               being
               thus
               advanced
               ,
               and
               thinking
               Policy
               the
               best
               
               Piety
               ,
               though
               indeed
               in
               nothing
               ever
               more
               befooled
               ;
               the
               nature
               of
               sin
               being
               not
               onely
               to
               defile
               ,
               but
               to
               infatuate
               .
               In
               the
               II.
               chap.
               and
               the
               27.
               v.
               he
               thus
               argues
               ;
               
                 If
                 this
                 people
                 goe
                 up
                 to
                 doe
                 Sacrifice
                 in
                 the
                 house
                 of
                 the
                 Lord
                 at
                 Ierusalem
                 ,
                 then
                 shall
                 the
                 heart
                 of
                 this
                 people
                 turne
                 again
                 unto
                 their
                 Lord
                 ,
                 even
                 unto
                 Rehoboam
                 King
                 of
                 Iudah
                 ,
                 and
                 they
                 shall
                 kill
                 me
                 ,
                 and
                 goe
                 again
                 unto
                 Rehoboam
                 King
                 of
                 Iudah
                 .
              
               As
               if
               hee
               should
               have
               said
               .
               The
               true
               Worship
               of
               God
               ,
               and
               the
               converse
               of
               those
               that
               use
               it
               ,
               dispose
               men
               to
               a
               considerate
               ,
               lawfull
               subjection
               .
               And
               therefore
               I
               must
               take
               another
               course
               :
               my
               Practise
               must
               not
               be
               better
               than
               my
               Title
               ;
               what
               was
               won
               by
               Force
               must
               be
               continued
               by
               Delusion
               .
               Thus
               sin
               is
               usually
               seconded
               with
               sin
               :
               and
               a
               man
               seldome
               commits
               one
               sinne
               to
               please
               ,
               but
               he
               commits
               another
               to
               defend
               himself
               .
               As
               't
               is
               frequent
               for
               the
               Adulterer
               to
               commit
               Murder
               ,
               to
               conceal
               the
               shame
               of
               his
               Adultery
               .
               But
               let
               us
               see
               Ieroboams
               politick
               procedure
               in
               the
               next
               ver
               .
               
                 Whereupon
                 the
                 King
                 took
                 counsel
                 ,
                 and
                 made
                 two
                 Calves
                 of
                 Gold
                 ,
                 and
                 said
                 unto
                 them
                 ,
                 it
                 is
                 too
                 much
                 for
                 you
                 to
                 goe
                 up
                 to
                 Ierusalem
                 ,
                 behold
                 thy
                 Gods
                 O
                 Israel
                 .
              
               As
               if
               he
               had
               made
               such
               an
               Edict
               :
               
                 I
                 Ieroboam
                 ,
                 by
                 the
                 advice
                 of
                 my
                 Council
                 ,
                 considering
                 the
                 great
                 distance
                 of
                 the
                 Temple
                 ,
                 and
                 the
                 great
                 charges
                 that
                 poor
                 people
                 are
                 put
                 to
                 in
                 going
                 thither
                 ;
                 as
                 also
                 the
                 intollerable
                 burden
                 of
                 paying
                 the
                 first
                 fruit
                 ,
                 and
                 tythes
                 to
                 the
                 Priest
                 ,
                 have
                 considered
                 of
                 a
                 way
                 that
                 may
                 be
                 more
                 easie
                 ,
                 and
                 lesse
                 burthensome
                 to
                 the
                 people
                 ,
                 as
                 also
                 more
                 comfortable
                 to
                 the
                 Priests
                 themselves
                 ;
                 and
                 therefore
                 strictly
                 enjoyne
                 ,
                 that
                 none
                 henceforth
                 presume
                 to
                 repaire
                 to
                 the
                 Temple
                 at
                 Ierusalem
                 ,
                 especially
                 since
                 God
                 is
                 not
                 tyed
                 to
                 any
                 place
                 or
                 form
                 of
                 Worship
                 ;
                 as
                 also
                 because
                 the
                 Devotion
                 of
                 men
                 is
                 apt
                 to
                 be
                 clogged
                 by
                 such
                 Ceremonies
                 ;
                 therefore
                 both
                 for
                 the
                 ease
                 of
                 the
                 people
                 ,
                 as
                 also
                 for
                 the
                 advancement
                 of
                 Religion
                 ,
                 we
                 require
                 and
                 command
                 ,
                 that
                 all
                 henceforth
                 forth
                 forbear
                 going
                 up
                 to
                 Ierusalem
                 .
              
               Questionless
               these
               ,
               and
               such
               other
               Reasons
               the
               Impostor
               used
               to
               insinuate
               his
               devout
               Idolatry
               .
               And
               thus
               the
               Calves
               were
               set
               up
               ,
               to
               which
               Oxen
               must
               be
               sacrificed
               ;
               the
               God
               and
               the
               Sacrifice
               out
               of
               the
               same
               Herd
               .
               And
               because
               Israel
               was
               not
               to
               returne
               to
               
                 Egypt
                 ,
                 Egypt
              
               was
               brought
               back
               to
               them
               ;
               that
               is
               ,
               the
               Egyptian
               way
               of
               Worship
               ,
               the
               Apis
               ,
               or
               Serapis
               ,
               which
               was
               nothing
               but
               the
               Image
               of
               a
               Calfe
               ,
               or
               Oxe
               ,
               as
               is
               clear
               from
               most
               Historians
               .
               Thus
               Ieroboam
               having
               procured
               his
               people
               gods
               ,
               the
               next
               thing
               was
               to
               provide
               Priests
               .
               Hereupon
               to
               the
               Calves
               he
               addes
               a
               Commission
               ,
               for
               the
               
                 approving
                 ,
                 trying
              
               ,
               and
               admitting
               the
               Rascality
               and
               lowest
               of
               the
               people
               to
               minister
               in
               that
               
               service
               :
               such
               as
               kept
               Cattel
               ,
               with
               a
               little
               change
               of
               their
               Office
               ,
               were
               admitted
               to
               make
               Oblations
               to
               them
               .
               And
               doubtless
               besides
               the
               approbation
               of
               these
               ,
               there
               was
               a
               Commission
               also
               ,
               to
               eject
               such
               of
               the
               Priests
               and
               Levites
               of
               God
               ,
               as
               being
               too
               Ceremoniously
               addicted
               to
               the
               Temple
               ,
               would
               not
               serve
               Ieroboam
               before
               God
               ,
               nor
               worship
               his
               Calves
               for
               their
               Gold
               ,
               nor
               approve
               those
               two
               glittering
               sins
               for
               any
               reason
               of
               State
               whatsoever
               .
               Having
               now
               perfected
               Divine
               Worship
               ,
               and
               prepared
               both
               Gods
               and
               Priests
               :
               In
               the
               next
               place
               ,
               that
               he
               might
               the
               better
               teach
               his
               false
               Priests
               the
               way
               of
               their
               new
               Worship
               ,
               he
               beginnes
               the
               Service
               himself
               ,
               and
               so
               countenances
               by
               his
               example
               ,
               what
               he
               had
               enjoyned
               by
               his
               command
               ,
               in
               the
               1.
               v.
               of
               this
               chapter
               ,
               
                 And
                 Ieroboam
                 stood
                 by
                 the
                 Altar
                 to
                 burne
                 Incense
                 .
              
               Burning
               of
               Incense
               was
               then
               the
               Ministerial
               Office
               amongst
               them
               ,
               as
               Preaching
               is
               now
               amongst
               us
               .
               So
               that
               to
               represent
               you
               the
               nature
               of
               Ieroboams
               Action
               :
               It
               was
               ,
               as
               if
               in
               a
               Christian
               Nation
               the
               chief
               Governour
               should
               authorize
               and
               encourage
               all
               the
               scumme
               and
               refuse
               of
               the
               people
               to
               Preach
               ,
               and
               call
               them
               to
               the
               Ministry
               ,
               by
               using
               to
               Preach
               ,
               and
               invading
               the
               Ministerial
               Function
               himself
               .
               But
               Ieroboam
               rested
               not
               here
               ,
               but
               while
               he
               was
               busie
               in
               his
               work
               ,
               and
               a
               Prophet
               immediately
               sent
               by
               God
               declares
               against
               his
               Idolatry
               ,
               he
               endeavours
               to
               seize
               upon
               ,
               and
               commit
               him
               ,
               in
               the
               4.
               
                 v.
                 He
                 held
                 forth
                 his
                 hand
                 from
                 the
                 Altar
                 ,
                 and
                 said
                 ,
                 lay
                 hold
                 of
                 him
                 .
              
               Thus
               we
               have
               him
               compleating
               his
               sinne
               ,
               and
               by
               a
               strange
               Imposition
               of
               hands
               persecuting
               the
               true
               Prophets
               as
               wel
               as
               ordaining
               false
               .
               But
               it
               was
               a
               natural
               transition
               ,
               and
               no
               wayes
               wonderful
               to
               see
               him
               that
               stood
               affronting
               God
               with
               false
               Incense
               in
               the
               right
               hand
               ,
               persecute
               with
               the
               left
               ,
               and
               abet
               the
               Idolatry
               of
               one
               Arme
               with
               the
               Violence
               of
               the
               other
               .
               Now
               if
               we
               lay
               all
               these
               things
               together
               ,
               and
               consider
               the
               parts
               ,
               rise
               ,
               and
               degrees
               of
               his
               sinne
               ,
               we
               shall
               find
               ,
               that
               it
               was
               not
               for
               nothing
               ,
               that
               the
               Spirit
               of
               God
               ,
               so
               frequently
               ,
               and
               bitterly
               in
               Scripture
               stigmatizes
               this
               person
               :
               For
               it
               represents
               him
               ,
               first
               incroaching
               upon
               the
               Civil
               Government
               ,
               thence
               changing
               that
               of
               the
               Church
               ,
               debasing
               the
               Office
               that
               God
               had
               made
               sacred
               ;
               introducing
               a
               false
               way
               of
               Worship
               ,
               destroying
               the
               right
               .
               And
               in
               this
               we
               have
               a
               full
               and
               fair
               description
               of
               a
               foul
               thing
               ;
               that
               is
               ,
               of
               an
               Usurper
               ,
               and
               an
               Impostor
               :
               or
               ,
               to
               use
               one
               word
               more
               comprehensive
               than
               both
               ,
               of
               
                 Ieroboam
                 the
                 sonne
                 of
                 Nebat
                 who
                 made
                 Israel
                 to
                 sinne
                 .
              
            
             
             
               From
               the
               Story
               and
               Practise
               of
               Ieroboam
               we
               might
               gather
               these
               Observations
               .
            
             
               1.
               
               
                 That
                 God
                 sometimes
                 punishes
                 a
                 Notorious
                 sinne
                 ,
                 by
                 suffering
                 the
                 sinner
                 to
                 fall
                 into
                 a
                 worse
                 .
              
            
             
               Thus
               God
               punished
               the
               Rebellion
               of
               the
               Israelites
               by
               permitting
               them
               to
               fall
               into
               Idolatry
               .
            
             
               2.
               
               
                 There
                 is
                 nothing
                 so
                 absurd
                 but
                 may
                 be
                 obtruded
                 upon
                 the
                 Vulgar
                 under
                 pretence
                 of
                 Religion
                 .
              
            
             
               Certainly
               otherwise
               a
               Golden
               Calfe
               could
               never
               have
               been
               made
               either
               the
               Object
               ,
               or
               the
               means
               of
               Divine
               Worship
               .
            
             
               3.
               
               
                 Sin
                 ,
                 especially
                 that
                 ,
                 of
                 perverting
                 Gods
                 Worship
                 ,
                 as
                 it
                 leaves
                 a
                 guilt
                 upon
                 the
                 Soul
                 ,
                 so
                 it
                 perpetuates
                 a
                 blot
                 upon
                 the
                 Name
                 .
              
            
             
               Hence
               nothing
               so
               frequent
               ,
               as
               for
               the
               Spirit
               of
               God
               to
               expresse
               wicked
               ,
               irreligious
               Kings
               ,
               by
               comparing
               them
               to
               Ahab
               or
               Ieroboam
               .
               It
               being
               usuall
               to
               make
               the
               first
               and
               most
               eminent
               in
               any
               kind
               ,
               not
               onely
               the
               Standard
               for
               Comparison
               ,
               but
               also
               the
               Rule
               of
               Expression
               .
            
             
               But
               I
               shall
               insist
               onely
               upon
               the
               words
               of
               the
               Text
               ,
               and
               what
               shall
               be
               drawn
               from
               thence
               .
               There
               are
               two
               things
               in
               the
               words
               that
               may
               seem
               to
               require
               Explication
               .
            
             
               
                 1.
                 
                 
                   What
                   is
                   meant
                   by
                   the
                   High
                   places
                   .
                
              
               
                 2.
                 
                 
                   By
                   the
                   Consecration
                   of
                   the
                   Priests
                   .
                
              
            
             
               1.
               
               Concerning
               the
               High
               places
               .
               The
               use
               of
               these
               in
               the
               Divine
               Worship
               was
               generall
               and
               ancient
               .
               And
               as
               
                 Dionysius
                 Vossius
              
               observes
               in
               his
               Notes
               upon
               
                 Moses
                 Maimonides
              
               ,
               the
               first
               way
               that
               was
               used
               ,
               long
               before
               Temples
               were
               either
               built
               ,
               or
               thought
               lawfull
               .
               The
               reason
               of
               this
               seemes
               to
               be
               ,
               because
               those
               places
               did
               not
               shut
               up
               ,
               or
               confine
               the
               Immensity
               of
               God
               ,
               as
               they
               thought
               an
               house
               did
               ,
               and
               withall
               gave
               his
               Worshippers
               a
               nearer
               approach
               to
               heaven
               by
               their
               Height
               .
               Hence
               we
               read
               that
               the
               Samaritanes
               worshipped
               upon
               Mount
               Gerezim
               ,
               4
               Ioh.
               20.
               v.
               And
               Samuel
               went
               up
               to
               the
               High
               place
               to
               sacrifice
               ,
               1
               Sam.
               9.14
               .
               And
               Solomon
               sacrificed
               at
               the
               High
               place
               in
               Gibeon
               ,
               1
               King.
               3.4
               .
               Yea
               the
               Temple
               it selfe
               was
               at
               length
               built
               upon
               a
               Mount
               or
               High
               place
               ,
               2
               Chr.
               3.1
               .
               You
               will
               say
               then
               ,
               Why
               are
               these
               places
               condemned
               ?
               I
               answer
               ,
               that
               the
               use
               of
               them
               was
               not
               condemned
               ,
               as
               absolutely
               and
               alwaies
               unlawfull
               in
               it selfe
               ,
               but
               onely
               after
               the
               Temple
               was
               built
               ,
               and
               that
               God
               had
               professed
               to
               put
               his
               Name
               in
               that
               place
               ,
               and
               no
               other
               :
               Therefore
               what
               was
               lawfull
               in
               
               the
               practice
               of
               Samuel
               and
               Solomon
               before
               the
               Temple
               was
               in
               being
               ,
               was
               now
               detestable
               in
               Ieroboam
               ,
               since
               it
               was
               constituted
               by
               God
               the
               onely
               place
               for
               his
               Worship
               .
               To
               bring
               this
               Consideration
               to
               the
               times
               of
               Christianity
               .
               Because
               the
               Apostles
               and
               Primitive
               Christians
               preached
               in
               houses
               ,
               and
               had
               onely
               private
               meetings
               ,
               in
               regard
               they
               were
               under
               Persecution
               ,
               and
               had
               no
               Churches
               ;
               this
               cannot
               warrant
               the
               practice
               of
               those
               now
               adaies
               ,
               that
               preferre
               Houses
               before
               Churches
               ,
               and
               a
               Conventicle
               before
               the
               Congregation
               .
            
             
               2.
               
               For
               the
               second
               thing
               ,
               which
               is
               the
               Consecration
               of
               the
               Priests
               ,
               it
               seems
               to
               have
               been
               correspondent
               to
               Ordination
               in
               the
               Christian
               Church
               .
               Idolaters
               themselves
               were
               not
               so
               farre
               gone
               ,
               as
               to
               venture
               upon
               the
               Priesthood
               without
               Consecration
               and
               a
               Call.
               To
               shew
               all
               the
               Solemnities
               of
               this
               would
               be
               tedious
               ,
               and
               here
               unnecessary
               :
               The
               Hebrew
               word
               which
               we
               render
               to
               Consecrate
               ,
               signifies
               
                 to
                 fill
                 the
                 hand
              
               ,
               which
               indeed
               imports
               the
               manner
               of
               Consecration
               ,
               which
               was
               done
               by
               filling
               the
               hand
               :
               for
               the
               Priest
               cut
               a
               peice
               of
               the
               Sacrifice
               ,
               and
               put
               it
               into
               the
               hands
               of
               him
               that
               was
               to
               be
               consecrated
               ;
               by
               which
               Ceremony
               he
               received
               right
               to
               Sacrifice
               ,
               and
               so
               became
               a
               Priest.
               As
               our
               Ordination
               in
               the
               Christian
               Church
               ,
               is
               said
               to
               have
               been
               heretofore
               transacted
               by
               the
               Bishops
               delivering
               of
               the
               Bible
               into
               the
               hands
               of
               him
               that
               was
               to
               be
               ordained
               ,
               whereby
               he
               received
               power
               Ministerially
               to
               dispense
               the
               Mysteries
               contained
               in
               it
               ,
               and
               so
               was
               made
               a
               Presbyter
               .
               Thus
               much
               breifly
               concerning
               Consecration
               .
            
             
               There
               remains
               nothing
               else
               to
               be
               explained
               in
               the
               words
               ,
               I
               shall
               therefore
               now
               draw
               forth
               the
               sense
               of
               them
               in
               these
               two
               Propositions
               ,
               
                 
                   1.
                   
                   
                     The
                     surest
                     means
                     to
                     strengthen
                     ,
                     or
                     the
                     readiest
                     to
                     ruin
                     the
                     Civill
                     Power
                     ,
                     is
                     either
                     to
                     establish
                     ,
                     or
                     destroy
                     the
                     Worship
                     of
                     God
                     in
                     the
                     right
                     exercise
                     of
                     Religion
                     .
                  
                
                 
                   2.
                   
                   
                     The
                     next
                     ,
                     and
                     most
                     effectuall
                     way
                     to
                     destroy
                     Religion
                     ,
                     is
                     to
                     Embase
                     the
                     Teachers
                     and
                     Dispensers
                     of
                     it
                     .
                  
                
              
            
             
               Of
               both
               these
               in
               their
               order
               .
            
             
               For
               the
               prosecution
               of
               the
               former
               we
               are
               to
               shew
               ,
               
                 
                   1.
                   
                   The
                   truth
                   of
                   the
                   assertion
                   ,
                   that
                   it
                   is
                   so
                   .
                
                 
                   2.
                   
                   The
                   reason
                   of
                   the
                   assertion
                   ,
                   why
                   and
                   whence
                   it
                   is
                   so
                   .
                
              
            
             
               1.
               
               For
               the
               truth
               of
               it
               ,
               it
               is
               abundantly
               evinced
               from
               all
               Records
               both
               of
               Divine
               and
               Prophane
               History
               ,
               in
               which
               he
               that
               runs
               may
               read
               
               he
               ruine
               of
               the
               State
               in
               the
               Destruction
               of
               the
               Church
               ,
               and
               that
               not
               only
               portended
               by
               it
               as
               its
               Signe
               ,
               but
               also
               inferred
               from
               it
               ,
               as
               its
               Cause
               .
            
             
               2.
               
               For
               the
               Reason
               of
               the
               point
               it
               may
               be
               drawne
            
             
               1.
               
               From
               the
               Judiciall
               proceeding
               of
               God
               ,
               the
               Great
               King
               of
               Kings
               ,
               and
               supreme
               Ruler
               of
               the
               Vniverse
               ;
               who
               for
               his
               commands
               is
               indeed
               carefull
               ,
               but
               for
               his
               Worship
               Jealous
               .
               And
               therefore
               in
               States
               notoriously
               irreligious
               ,
               by
               a
               secret
               and
               irresistable
               power
               ,
               countermands
               their
               deepest
               Projects
               ,
               splits
               their
               Counsells
               ,
               and
               smites
               their
               most
               refined
               Policies
               with
               frustration
               and
               a
               curse
               :
               being
               resolved
               that
               the
               Kingdomes
               of
               the
               world
               shall
               fall
               down
               before
               him
               ,
               either
               in
               his
               Adoration
               ,
               or
               their
               own
               confusion
               .
            
             
               2.
               
               The
               reason
               of
               the
               doctrine
               may
               be
               drawn
               from
               the
               necessary
               dependence
               of
               the
               very
               Principles
               of
               government
               upon
               Religion
               .
               And
               this
               I
               shall
               pursue
               more
               fully
               .
               The
               great
               Business
               of
               government
               is
               to
               procure
               obedience
               ,
               &
               keep
               off
               disobedience
               :
               &
               the
               great
               springs
               upon
               which
               those
               two
               move
               are
               Rewards
               and
               Punishments
               answering
               the
               two
               ruling
               affections
               of
               mans
               mind
               ,
               Hope
               and
               Fear
               .
               For
               since
               there
               is
               a
               naturall
               reluctancy
               between
               the
               Judgment
               and
               the
               Appetite
               ,
               the
               former
               respecting
               what
               is
               honest
               ,
               the
               latter
               what
               is
               pleasing
               ,
               which
               two
               qualifications
               seldome
               concurre
               in
               the
               same
               thing
               ,
               and
               withall
               mans
               designe
               in
               every
               Action
               is
               delight
               :
               therefore
               to
               render
               things
               honest
               also
               practicable
               ,
               they
               must
               be
               first
               represented
               desireable
               ;
               which
               cannot
               be
               but
               by
               proposing
               honesty
               cloathed
               with
               pleasure
               ;
               and
               since
               it
               presents
               no
               pleasure
               to
               the
               sense
               ,
               it
               must
               be
               fetcht
               from
               the
               apprehension
               of
               a
               future
               Reward
               .
               For
               questionless
               duty
               moves
               not
               so
               much
               upon
               command
               as
               promise
               .
               Now
               therefore
               that
               which
               proposes
               the
               greatest
               ,
               and
               most
               sutable
               rewards
               to
               obedience
               ,
               &
               the
               greatest
               terrors
               &
               punishments
               to
               Disobedience
               ,
               doubtless
               is
               the
               most
               likely
               to
               enforce
               one
               ,
               and
               prevent
               the
               other
               .
               But
               it
               is
               Religion
               that
               does
               this
               ,
               which
               to
               happinesse
               and
               misery
               joynes
               Eternity
               .
               And
               these
               ,
               supposing
               the
               Immortality
               of
               the
               soul
               ,
               which
               Philosophy
               indeed
               conjectures
               ,
               but
               only
               Religion
               proves
               ,
               or
               (
               which
               is
               as
               good
               )
               perswades
               ;
               I
               say
               these
               two
               things
               ,
               eternall
               happiness
               &
               eternall
               misery
               ,
               meeting
               with
               a
               perswasion
               that
               the
               soul
               is
               immortall
               ,
               are
               without
               controversy
               of
               all
               others
               ,
               the
               first
               the
               most
               desireable
               ,
               &
               the
               latter
               the
               most
               horrible
               to
               humane
               apprehension
               .
               Were
               it
               not
               for
               these
               ,
               Civill
               government
               were
               not
               able
               to
               stand
               before
               the
               prevailing
               swing
               of
               corrupt
               nature
               ,
               which
               would
               know
               no
               Honesty
               ,
               but
               Advantage
               ,
               no
               Duty
               but
               in
               Pleasure
               ,
               nor
               any
               Law
               ,
               but
               
               it
               s
               own
               Will.
               Were
               not
               these
               frequently
               thundred
               into
               the
               understandings
               of
               men
               ,
               the
               Magistrate
               might
               enact
               ,
               order
               and
               proclaime
               ,
               Proclamations
               might
               be
               hung
               upon
               Walls
               and
               Posts
               ,
               and
               there
               they
               might
               hang
               ,
               seen
               and
               despised
               ,
               more
               like
               Malefactors
               ,
               then
               Lawes
               :
               But
               when
               Religion
               binds
               thē
               upon
               the
               Conscience
               ,
               Conscience
               will
               either
               perswade
               or
               terrify
               men
               into
               their
               practice
               .
               For
               put
               the
               case
               a
               man
               knew
               ,
               and
               that
               upon
               sure
               grounds
               ,
               that
               he
               might
               doe
               an
               advantagious
               murder
               or
               Robbery
               ,
               and
               not
               be
               discovered
               ,
               what
               humane
               lawes
               could
               hinder
               him
               ,
               which
               he
               knowes
               cannot
               inflict
               any
               penalty
               ,
               where
               they
               can
               make
               no
               discovery
               ?
               But
               Religion
               assures
               him
               ,
               that
               no
               sin
               ,
               though
               concealed
               from
               humane
               eyes
               ,
               can
               either
               escape
               Gods
               sight
               in
               this
               world
               ,
               or
               his
               vengeance
               in
               the
               other
               .
               Put
               the
               case
               also
               ,
               th●t
               men
               looked
               upon
               Death
               without
               fear
               ,
               in
               which
               sense
               it
               is
               nothing
               ,
               or
               at
               most
               very
               little
               ;
               ceasing
               while
               it
               is
               endured
               ,
               and
               probably
               without
               Pain
               ,
               for
               it
               seazes
               upon
               the
               Vitalls
               and
               benumms
               the
               senses
               ,
               and
               where
               there
               is
               no
               sense
               ,
               there
               can
               be
               no
               pain
               .
               I
               say
               ,
               if
               while
               a
               man
               is
               acting
               his
               will
               towards
               sin
               ,
               he
               should
               also
               thus
               act
               his
               reason
               ,
               to
               despise
               death
               ,
               where
               would
               be
               the
               terror
               of
               the
               Magistrate
               ,
               who
               can
               neither
               threaten
               or
               inflict
               any
               more
               ?
               Hence
               an
               old
               Malefactor
               in
               his
               Execution
               ,
               at
               the
               Gallowes
               made
               no
               other
               confession
               but
               this
               ;
               that
               he
               had
               very
               jocundly
               passed
               over
               his
               life
               in
               such
               courses
               ,
               and
               he
               that
               would
               not
               ,
               for
               fifty
               yeares
               pleasure
               ,
               endure
               half
               an
               hours
               paine
               ,
               deserved
               to
               dye
               a
               worse
               death
               then
               himself
               :
               questionlesse
               this
               man
               was
               not
               ignorant
               before
               ,
               that
               there
               were
               such
               things
               as
               lawes
               ,
               assizes
               ,
               and
               Gallowes
               ,
               but
               had
               he
               considered
               ,
               and
               beleived
               the
               Terrors
               of
               another
               world
               ,
               he
               might
               probably
               have
               found
               a
               fairer
               passage
               out
               of
               this
               .
               If
               there
               was
               not
               a
               Minister
               in
               every
               Parish
               ,
               you
               would
               quickly
               find
               cause
               to
               encrease
               the
               number
               of
               Constables
               :
               And
               if
               the
               Churches
               were
               not
               imployed
               to
               be
               places
               to
               hear
               Gods
               Law
               ,
               there
               would
               be
               need
               of
               them
               ,
               to
               be
               Prisons
               for
               the
               breakers
               of
               the
               Lawes
               of
               men
               .
               Hence
               't
               is
               observable
               that
               the
               tribe
               of
               Levi
               ,
               had
               not
               one
               Place
               or
               Portion
               together
               like
               the
               rest
               of
               the
               Tribes
               :
               but
               because
               it
               was
               their
               office
               to
               dispence
               Religion
               ,
               they
               were
               diffused
               over
               all
               the
               Tribes
               ,
               that
               they
               might
               be
               continually
               preaching
               to
               the
               rest
               ,
               their
               duty
               to
               God
               ,
               which
               is
               the
               most
               effectuall
               way
               ,
               to
               dispose
               them
               to
               Obedience
               to
               man
               :
               for
               he
               that
               truely
               feares
               God
               cannot
               despise
               the
               Magistrate
               .
               Yea
               so
               near
               is
               the
               connexion
               between
               the
               Civill
               state
               ,
               and
               the
               Religious
               ,
               that
               heretofore
               ,
               if
               you
               look
               upon
               well
               regulated
               ,
               civilized
               ,
               heathen
               Nations
               ,
               
               you
               will
               find
               the
               Goverment
               and
               the
               Preisthood
               united
               in
               the
               same
               Person
               :
               
                 Anius
                 Rexidem
                 hominum
                 ,
                 Phaebique
                 Sacerdos
                 .
                 Virg.
              
               3.
               
               Aen.
               If
               under
               the
               true
               worship
               of
               God.
               
                 Melchisedech
                 king
                 of
                 Salem
                 and
                 Priest
                 of
                 the
                 most
                 high
                 God
                 ,
              
               Heb.
               7.1
               .
               And
               afterwards
               Moses
               (
               whom
               as
               we
               acknowledge
               a
               Pious
               ,
               so
               Atheists
               themselves
               will
               confess
               to
               have
               been
               a
               Wise
               Prince
               )
               he
               ,
               when
               he
               took
               the
               Kingly
               Goverment
               upon
               himself
               ,
               by
               his
               own
               choice
               ,
               seconded
               by
               Divine
               institution
               ,
               vested
               the
               Preisthood
               in
               his
               brother
               Aaron
               ,
               both
               whose
               concernments
               were
               so
               coupled
               ,
               that
               if
               Nature
               had
               not
               ,
               yet
               their
               Religious
               ,
               nay
               their
               civill
               Interests
               ,
               would
               have
               made
               them
               Brothers
               .
               And
               it
               was
               once
               the
               designe
               of
               the
               Emperour
               of
               Germany
               ,
               Maximilian
               the
               first
               ,
               to
               have
               joyned
               the
               Popedome
               and
               the
               Empire
               together
               ,
               and
               to
               have
               got
               himself
               choose
               Pope
               ,
               and
               by
               that
               meanes
               derived
               the
               Papacy
               to
               his
               succeeding
               Emperors
               .
               Had
               he
               effected
               it
               ,
               doubtless
               there
               would
               not
               have
               been
               such
               scuffles
               between
               him
               and
               the
               Bishop
               of
               Rome
               ;
               the
               civill
               Interest
               of
               the
               State
               would
               not
               have
               been
               undermined
               ,
               by
               an
               Adverse
               Interest
               ,
               mannaged
               by
               the
               specious
               and
               potent
               pretences
               of
               of
               Religion
               .
               And
               to
               see
               even
               amongst
               us
               ,
               how
               these
               two
               are
               united
               ,
               how
               the
               former
               is
               upheld
               by
               the
               latter
               :
               the
               Magistrate
               sometimes
               cannot
               doe
               his
               own
               office
               dexterously
               ,
               but
               by
               acting
               the
               Minister
               ;
               hence
               it
               is
               ,
               that
               Judges
               of
               Assize
               find
               it
               necessary
               in
               their
               Charges
               ,
               to
               use
               patheticall
               discourses
               of
               Conscience
               ,
               and
               if
               it
               were
               not
               for
               the
               sway
               of
               this
               ,
               they
               would
               often
               lose
               the
               best
               Evidence
               in
               the
               world
               against
               Malefactors
               ,
               which
               is
               Confession
               :
               for
               no
               man
               would
               confess
               and
               be
               Hanged
               here
               ,
               but
               to
               avoid
               being
               Damned
               hereafter
               .
               Thus
               I
               have
               in
               generall
               shewn
               the
               utter
               inability
               of
               the
               Magistrate
               to
               attain
               the
               End
               of
               Goverment
               ,
               without
               the
               Aid
               of
               Religion
               .
               But
               it
               may
               be
               here
               replyed
               ,
               that
               many
               are
               not
               at
               all
               moved
               with
               arguments
               drawn
               from
               hence
               ,
               or
               with
               the
               happy
               or
               miserable
               state
               of
               the
               Soul
               after
               death
               ,
               &
               therefore
               this
               availes
               little
               to
               procute
               obedience
               ,
               and
               consequently
               to
               advance
               Goverment
               .
               I
               answer
               by
               concession
               :
               that
               this
               is
               true
               of
               Epicures
               ,
               Atheists
               ,
               &
               some
               pretended
               Philosophers
               ,
               who
               have
               stifled
               the
               Notions
               of
               a
               Deity
               ,
               and
               the
               Souls
               immortality
               ;
               but
               the
               Unprepossessed
               on
               the
               one
               hand
               ,
               and
               the
               Well
               disposed
               on
               the
               other
               ,
               who
               both
               together
               make
               much
               the
               major
               part
               of
               the
               world
               ,
               are
               very
               apt
               to
               be
               affected
               with
               a
               due
               fear
               of
               these
               things
               :
               &
               Religion
               accomodating
               it self
               to
               the
               Generality
               ,
               though
               not
               to
               every
               particular
               temper
               ,
               sufficiently
               secures
               Government
               ,
               in
               as
               much
               as
               that
               stands
               or
               falls
               according
               to
               the
               Behaviour
               of
               the
               Multitude
               .
               And
               whatsoever
               Conscience
               makes
               the
               Generality
               
               obey
               ▪
               to
               that
               Prudence
               will
               make
               the
               rest
               conforme
               .
               Wherefore
               ,
               having
               proved
               the
               dependance
               of
               Government
               upon
               Religion
               ,
               J
               shall
               now
               demonstrate
               ,
               That
               the
               safety
               of
               Governement
               depends
               upon
               the
               Truth
               of
               Religion
               .
               False
               Religion
               is
               in
               its
               nature
               the
               greatest
               bane
               and
               destruction
               to
               Religion
               in
               the
               world
               .
               The
               reason
               is
               ,
               because
               whatsoever
               is
               False
               ,
               is
               also
               Weak
               .
               Ens
               and
               Verum
               in
               Philosophy
               are
               the
               same
               :
               and
               so
               much
               as
               any
               Religion
               has
               of
               Falsity
               ,
               it
               loses
               of
               strength
               and
               existence
               .
               Falsity
               it
               gains
               Authority
               onely
               from
               Ignorance
               ,
               and
               therefore
               is
               in
               danger
               to
               be
               known
               ;
               for
               from
               Being
               false
               ,
               the
               next
               immediate
               step
               is
               to
               be
               Known
               to
               be
               such
               .
               And
               what
               prejudice
               this
               would
               be
               to
               the
               Civill
               Government
               ,
               is
               apparent
               ,
               if
               men
               should
               be
               awed
               into
               Obedience
               ,
               and
               affrighted
               from
               sin
               by
               Rewards
               and
               Punishments
               ,
               proposed
               to
               them
               in
               such
               a
               Religion
               ,
               which
               afterwards
               should
               be
               detected
               ,
               and
               found
               a
               meere
               Falsitie
               ,
               and
               Cheat
               ?
               For
               if
               one
               part
               be
               but
               found
               to
               be
               false
               ,
               it
               will
               make
               the
               whole
               suspicious
               .
               And
               men
               will
               then
               not
               onely
               cast
               off
               Obedience
               to
               the
               Civill
               Magistrate
               ,
               but
               they
               will
               doe
               it
               with
               disdaine
               and
               rage
               ,
               that
               they
               have
               been
               deceived
               so
               long
               ,
               and
               brought
               to
               doe
               that
               out
               of
               Conscience
               which
               was
               imposed
               upon
               them
               out
               of
               Designe
               :
               For
               though
               men
               are
               often
               willingly
               deceived
               ,
               yet
               still
               it
               must
               be
               under
               an
               Opinion
               of
               being
               instructed
               ,
               though
               they
               love
               the
               Deception
               ,
               yet
               they
               mortally
               hate
               it
               under
               that
               appearance
               :
               Therefore
               it
               is
               no
               wayes
               safe
               for
               a
               Magistrate
               ,
               who
               is
               to
               build
               his
               Dominion
               upon
               the
               Fears
               of
               men
               ,
               to
               build
               those
               fears
               upon
               a
               false
               Religion
               .
               'T
               is
               not
               to
               be
               doubted
               ,
               but
               the
               absurdity
               of
               Ieroboams
               Calves
               ,
               made
               many
               Israelites
               turne
               subjects
               to
               Rehoboams
               Government
               ,
               that
               they
               might
               be
               Proselytes
               to
               his
               Religion
               .
               Herein
               the
               Weaknesse
               of
               the
               Turkish
               Religion
               appears
               ,
               that
               it
               urges
               Obedience
               upon
               the
               promise
               of
               such
               absurd
               Rewards
               ,
               as
               that
               after
               death
               they
               should
               have
               Palaces
               ,
               Gardens
               ,
               Beautifull
               Women
               ,
               with
               all
               the
               Luxury
               that
               could
               be
               :
               as
               if
               those
               things
               that
               were
               the
               occasions
               ,
               and
               incentives
               of
               sin
               in
               this
               world
               ,
               could
               be
               the
               rewards
               of
               Holinesse
               in
               the
               Other
               .
               Pesides
               many
               other
               inventions
               ,
               false
               ,
               and
               absurd
               ,
               that
               are
               like
               so
               many
               chincks
               and
               holes
               to
               discover
               the
               rottenesse
               of
               the
               whole
               Fabrick
               ,
               when
               God
               shall
               be
               pleased
               to
               give
               light
               to
               discover
               ,
               and
               open
               their
               reasons
               to
               discern
               them
               .
               But
               you
               will
               say
               ,
               What
               Government
               more
               sure
               and
               absolute
               than
               the
               Turkish
               ,
               and
               yet
               what
               Religion
               more
               false
               ?
               Therefore
               certainly
               Government
               may
               stand
               sure
               and
               strong
               ,
               be
               the
               Religion
               professed
               never
               
               so
               absurd
               .
               I
               answer
               ,
               that
               it
               may
               doe
               so
               indeed
               by
               Accident
               ,
               through
               the
               strange
               peculiar
               temper
               ,
               and
               grosse
               ignorance
               of
               a
               people
               ;
               as
               we
               see
               it
               happens
               in
               the
               Turks
               ,
               the
               best
               part
               of
               whose
               Policy
               ,
               supposing
               the
               Absurdity
               of
               their
               Religion
               ,
               is
               this
               ,
               that
               they
               prohibit
               schooles
               of
               Learning
               ;
               for
               this
               hinders
               Knowledge
               ,
               and
               Disputes
               ,
               which
               such
               a
               Religion
               would
               not
               bear
               .
               But
               suppose
               wee
               ,
               that
               the
               Learning
               of
               these
               Western
               Nations
               were
               as
               great
               there
               as
               here
               ,
               and
               the
               Alcoran
               as
               common
               to
               them
               as
               the
               Bible
               to
               us
               ,
               that
               they
               might
               have
               free
               recourse
               to
               search
               and
               examine
               the
               flawes
               and
               follies
               of
               it
               ,
               and
               withall
               that
               they
               were
               of
               as
               inquisitive
               a
               temper
               as
               we
               :
               And
               who
               knows
               ,
               but
               as
               there
               are
               vicissitudes
               in
               the
               Government
               ,
               so
               there
               may
               happen
               the
               same
               also
               in
               the
               temper
               of
               a
               Nation
               .
               If
               this
               should
               come
               to
               pass
               ,
               where
               would
               be
               their
               Religion
               ?
               And
               then
               let
               every
               one
               judge
               ,
               whether
               the
               
                 Arcana
                 imperii
              
               ,
               and
               Religionis
               would
               not
               fall
               together
               .
               They
               have
               begun
               to
               totter
               already
               ;
               for
               ,
               Mahomet
               ,
               having
               promised
               to
               come
               ,
               and
               visit
               his
               Followers
               ,
               and
               translate
               them
               to
               Paradise
               after
               a
               thousand
               years
               ,
               this
               being
               expired
               ,
               many
               of
               the
               Persians
               beganne
               to
               doubt
               and
               smell
               the
               cheat
               ,
               till
               the
               Mufti
               or
               cheif
               Priest
               told
               them
               ,
               that
               it
               was
               a
               mistake
               in
               the
               figure
               ,
               and
               assured
               them
               ,
               that
               upon
               more
               diligent
               survey
               of
               the
               Records
               ,
               hee
               found
               it
               two
               thousand
               instead
               of
               one
               .
               When
               this
               is
               expired
               ,
               perhaps
               they
               will
               not
               be
               able
               to
               renew
               the
               Fallacy
               .
               I
               say
               therefore
               ,
               that
               though
               this
               Government
               continues
               firme
               in
               the
               Exercise
               of
               a
               false
               Religion
               ,
               yet
               this
               is
               by
               accident
               ,
               through
               the
               present
               genius
               of
               the
               people
               ,
               which
               may
               change
               ;
               but
               this
               does
               not
               prove
               ,
               but
               that
               the
               Nature
               of
               such
               a
               Religion
               (
               of
               which
               we
               onely
               now
               speak
               )
               tends
               to
               subvert
               and
               betray
               the
               Civill
               Power
               .
               Hence
               Machiavel
               himself
               ,
               in
               his
               Animadversions
               upon
               Livy
               ,
               makes
               it
               appear
               ,
               that
               the
               Weaknesse
               of
               Italy
               ,
               which
               was
               once
               so
               strong
               ,
               was
               caused
               by
               the
               corrupt
               practises
               of
               the
               Papacy
               ,
               in
               depraving
               ,
               and
               misusing
               Religion
               to
               that
               purpose
               ,
               which
               he
               ,
               though
               himself
               a
               Papist
               ,
               sayes
               could
               not
               have
               hapned
               ,
               had
               the
               Christian
               Religion
               been
               kept
               in
               its
               first
               ,
               and
               native
               simplicity
               .
               Thus
               much
               may
               suffice
               for
               the
               clearing
               of
               the
               first
               Proposition
               .
            
             
               The
               Inferences
               from
               hence
               are
               two
               .
            
             
               1.
               
               If
               Government
               depends
               upon
               Religion
               ,
               then
               this
               shews
               the
               pestilential
               design
               of
               those
               that
               attempt
               to
               disjoyn
               the
               Civil
               and
               Ecclesiastical
               Interests
               ,
               setting
               the
               latter
               wholly
               out
               of
               the
               Tuition
               of
               the
               former
               .
               But
               't
               is
               clear
               that
               the
               Fanaticks
               know
               no
               other
               step
               to
               
               the
               Magistracy
               but
               through
               the
               ruin
               of
               the
               Ministry
               .
               There
               is
               a
               great
               Analogy
               between
               the
               Body
               Natural
               and
               Politick
               ;
               in
               whith
               the
               Ecclesiastical
               or
               Spiritual
               part
               ,
               justly
               supplyes
               the
               part
               of
               the
               soul
               ;
               and
               the
               violent
               separation
               of
               this
               from
               the
               other
               ,
               does
               as
               certainly
               infer
               death
               &
               dissolution
               ,
               as
               the
               disjunction
               of
               the
               body
               and
               the
               soul
               in
               the
               Natural
               ;
               for
               when
               this
               once
               departs
               ,
               it
               leaves
               the
               Body
               of
               the
               Cōmon-wealth
               a
               carcass
               ,
               noysom
               ,
               and
               exposed
               to
               be
               devoured
               by
               Birds
               of
               Prey
               .
               The
               Ministery
               will
               be
               one
               day
               found
               according
               to
               Christs
               word
               ,
               
                 the
                 salt
                 of
                 the
                 earth
              
               ,
               the
               only
               thing
               that
               keeps
               Societies
               of
               men
               from
               stench
               and
               corruption
               .
               These
               two
               Interests
               are
               of
               that
               nature
               ,
               that
               't
               is
               to
               be
               feared
               they
               cannot
               be
               divided
               ,
               but
               they
               will
               also
               prove
               opposite
               ;
               and
               not
               resting
               in
               a
               bare
               diversity
               ,
               quickly
               rise
               into
               a
               Contrariety
               :
               These
               two
               are
               to
               the
               State
               ,
               what
               the
               Elements
               of
               Fire
               and
               Water
               to
               the
               Body
               ,
               which
               united
               compose
               ,
               separated
               destroy
               it
               .
               I
               am
               not
               of
               the
               Papists
               Opinion
               ,
               who
               would
               make
               the
               Spiritual
               above
               the
               Civill
               State
               in
               power
               as
               well
               as
               dignity
               ,
               but
               rather
               subject
               it
               to
               the
               Civill
               ;
               yet
               thus
               much
               I
               dare
               affirm
               ,
               that
               the
               Civill
               ,
               which
               is
               superiour
               ,
               is
               upheld
               and
               kept
               in
               being
               by
               the
               Ecclesiasticall
               and
               inferiour
               ;
               as
               it
               is
               in
               a
               Building
               ,
               where
               the
               upper
               part
               is
               supported
               by
               the
               lower
               ;
               the
               Church
               resembling
               the
               Foundation
               ,
               which
               indeed
               is
               the
               lowest
               part
               ,
               but
               the
               most
               considerable
               .
               The
               Magistracy
               cannot
               so
               much
               protect
               the
               Ministery
               ,
               but
               the
               Ministers
               may
               doe
               more
               in
               serving
               the
               Magistrate
               .
               A
               tast
               of
               which
               truth
               you
               may
               take
               from
               the
               Holy
               War
               ,
               to
               which
               how
               fast
               and
               eagerly
               did
               men
               goe
               ,
               when
               the
               Priests
               perswaded
               them
               ,
               that
               whoever
               dyed
               in
               that
               Expedition
               was
               a
               Martyr
               ?
               Those
               that
               will
               not
               be
               convinced
               what
               a
               help
               this
               is
               to
               the
               Magistracy
               ,
               would
               find
               how
               considerable
               it
               is
               ,
               if
               they
               should
               chance
               to
               clash
               ,
               this
               would
               certainly
               eat
               out
               the
               other
               .
               For
               the
               Magistrate
               cannot
               urge
               obedience
               upon
               such
               potent
               grounds
               ,
               as
               the
               Minister
               ,
               if
               so
               disposed
               ,
               can
               urge
               disobedience
               .
               As
               for
               instance
               ,
               if
               my
               Governour
               should
               command
               me
               to
               doe
               a
               thing
               ,
               or
               I
               must
               dye
               ,
               or
               forfeit
               my
               Estate
               ;
               and
               the
               Minister
               steps
               in
               ,
               and
               tells
               me
               ,
               that
               I
               offend
               God
               ,
               and
               ruine
               my
               soul
               ,
               if
               I
               obey
               that
               command
               ;
               it
               's
               easie
               to
               see
               a
               greater
               force
               in
               this
               perswasion
               from
               the
               advantage
               of
               its
               ground
               .
               And
               if
               Divines
               once
               begin
               
                 to
                 curse
                 Meros
              
               ,
               we
               shall
               see
               that
               Levi
               can
               use
               the
               Sword
               as
               well
               as
               Simeon
               ;
               and
               although
               Ministers
               doe
               not
               handle
               ,
               yet
               they
               can
               employ
               it
               .
               This
               shews
               the
               imprudence
               ,
               as
               well
               as
               the
               danger
               of
               the
               Civil
               Magistrates
               exasperating
               those
               that
               can
               fire
               mens
               
               consciences
               against
               him
               ,
               and
               arme
               his
               Enemies
               with
               Religion
               :
               For
               I
               have
               read
               heretofore
               of
               some
               ,
               that
               having
               conceived
               an
               irreconcileable
               hatred
               of
               the
               Civil
               M●gistrate
               ,
               prevailed
               with
               men
               so
               farre
               ,
               that
               they
               went
               to
               resist
               him
               even
               out
               of
               conscience
               ,
               and
               a
               full
               perswasion
               and
               dread
               upon
               their
               spirits
               ,
               that
               not
               to
               doe
               it
               were
               to
               desert
               God
               ,
               and
               consequently
               to
               incurre
               damnation
               .
               Now
               when
               mens
               rage
               is
               both
               heightned
               and
               sanctified
               by
               Conscience
               ,
               the
               War
               will
               be
               fierce
               ;
               for
               what
               is
               done
               out
               of
               Conscience
               ,
               is
               done
               with
               the
               utmost
               Activity
               .
               And
               then
               Campanella's
               Speech
               to
               the
               King
               of
               Spain
               will
               bee
               found
               true
               ,
               
                 Religio
                 semper
                 vicit
                 ,
                 praesertim
                 Armata
              
               :
               Which
               sentence
               deserves
               seriously
               to
               be
               considered
               by
               all
               Governours
               ,
               and
               timely
               to
               be
               understood
               ,
               lest
               it
               comes
               to
               be
               Felt.
               
            
             
               2.
               
               If
               the
               safety
               of
               Government
               is
               founded
               upon
               the
               truth
               of
               Religion
               ,
               then
               this
               shews
               the
               danger
               of
               any
               thing
               that
               may
               make
               even
               the
               true
               Religion
               suspected
               to
               be
               false
               .
               To
               be
               false
               ,
               and
               to
               be
               thought
               false
               ,
               is
               all
               one
               in
               respect
               of
               men
               ,
               who
               act
               not
               according
               to
               Truth
               ,
               but
               Apprehension
               .
               As
               on
               the
               contrary
               ,
               a
               false
               Religion
               ,
               while
               apprehended
               true
               ,
               has
               the
               force
               and
               efficacy
               of
               truth
               .
               Now
               there
               is
               nothing
               more
               apt
               to
               induce
               men
               to
               a
               suspition
               of
               any
               Religion
               ,
               than
               frequent
               innovation
               and
               change
               :
               For
               since
               the
               object
               of
               Religion
               ,
               God
               ,
               the
               subject
               of
               it
               ,
               the
               soul
               of
               man
               ,
               and
               the
               businesse
               of
               it
               ,
               Truth
               ,
               is
               alwayes
               one
               and
               the
               same
               :
               Variety
               and
               Novelty
               is
               a
               just
               presumption
               of
               Falsity
               :
               It
               argues
               sickness
               and
               distemper
               in
               the
               minde
               ,
               as
               well
               as
               in
               the
               body
               ,
               when
               a
               man
               is
               continually
               turning
               and
               tossing
               from
               one
               side
               to
               the
               other
               .
               The
               wise
               Romans
               ever
               dreaded
               the
               least
               Innovation
               in
               Religion
               :
               Hence
               we
               find
               the
               advice
               of
               Mecanas
               to
               
                 Augustus
                 Caesar
              
               in
               
                 Dion
                 Cassius
              
               in
               the
               52
               Book
               .
               where
               hee
               counsels
               him
               to
               detest
               ,
               and
               persecute
               all
               Innovators
               of
               divine
               Worship
               ,
               not
               onely
               as
               contemners
               of
               the
               Gods
               ,
               but
               as
               the
               most
               pernicious
               disturbers
               of
               the
               State
               :
               For
               when
               men
               venture
               to
               make
               changes
               in
               things
               sacred
               ,
               it
               argues
               great
               boldness
               with
               God
               ,
               and
               this
               naturally
               imports
               little
               belief
               of
               him
               :
               which
               if
               the
               people
               once
               perceive
               ,
               they
               will
               take
               their
               Creed
               also
               ,
               not
               from
               the
               Magistrates
               Law
               ,
               but
               his
               example
               .
               Hence
               in
               England
               ,
               where
               Religion
               has
               been
               still
               Purifying
               ,
               and
               hereupon
               almost
               alwaies
               in
               the
               Fire
               and
               Furnace
               ;
               Atheists
               ,
               and
               Irreligious
               persons
               have
               took
               no
               small
               advantage
               from
               our
               changes
               .
               For
               in
               King
               Edward
               the
               sixts
               time
               ,
               the
               Divine
               Worship
               was
               twice
               altered
               in
               two
               new
               Liturgies
               .
               In
               the
               first
               of
               Queen
               Mary
               ,
               the
               Protestant
               
               Religion
               was
               persecuted
               with
               Fire
               and
               Faggot
               ,
               by
               Law
               and
               publick
               counsel
               ,
               of
               the
               same
               persons
               ,
               who
               had
               so
               lately
               established
               it
               .
               Upon
               the
               coming
               in
               of
               Queen
               Elizabeth
               ,
               Religion
               was
               changed
               again
               ,
               and
               within
               a
               few
               daies
               the
               publick
               Council
               of
               the
               Nation
               made
               it
               death
               for
               a
               Priest
               to
               convert
               any
               man
               to
               that
               Religion
               ,
               which
               before
               with
               so
               much
               eagerness
               of
               Zeal
               had
               been
               restored
               .
               So
               that
               it
               is
               observed
               by
               an
               Author
               ,
               that
               in
               the
               space
               of
               twelve
               years
               there
               were
               four
               changes
               about
               Religion
               made
               in
               England
               ,
               &
               that
               by
               the
               publick
               Councill
               ,
               and
               Authority
               of
               the
               Realm
               ,
               which
               were
               more
               than
               were
               made
               by
               any
               Christian
               state
               throughout
               the
               world
               in
               fifteen
               hundred
               years
               before
               .
               Hence
               it
               is
               that
               the
               Enemies
               of
               God
               take
               occasion
               to
               blaspheme
               ,
               and
               call
               our
               Religion
               Statisme
               :
               and
               now
               adding
               to
               the
               former
               ,
               those
               many
               changes
               that
               have
               hapned
               since
               ,
               J
               am
               afraid
               we
               shall
               never
               be
               able
               to
               claw
               off
               that
               name
               .
               Nor
               ,
               though
               we
               may
               satisfie
               our
               own
               consciences
               in
               what
               we
               professe
               ,
               to
               repell
               and
               cleare
               off
               the
               objections
               of
               the
               rational
               world
               about
               us
               ,
               which
               not
               being
               interested
               in
               our
               Changes
               as
               we
               are
               ,
               will
               not
               judge
               of
               them
               as
               we
               judge
               :
               but
               debate
               them
               by
               impartiall
               Reason
               ,
               by
               the
               Nature
               of
               the
               thing
               ,
               the
               generall
               Practise
               of
               the
               Church
               ;
               against
               which
               
                 New
                 Lights
                 ,
                 suddain
                 Impulses
                 of
                 the
                 Spirit
                 ,
                 Extraordinary
                 Calls
                 ,
              
               will
               be
               but
               weak
               arguments
               to
               prove
               any
               thing
               but
               the
               madnesse
               of
               those
               that
               use
               them
               ,
               and
               that
               the
               Church
               must
               needs
               wither
               ,
               being
               blasted
               with
               Inspiration
               .
               We
               see
               therefore
               how
               fatall
               and
               ridiculous
               Innovations
               in
               the
               Church
               are
               :
               And
               indeed
               when
               Changes
               are
               so
               frequent
               ,
               it
               is
               not
               properly
               Religion
               ,
               but
               Fashion
               .
               This
               J
               think
               we
               may
               build
               upon
               as
               a
               sure
               ground
               ,
               that
               where
               there
               is
               continuall
               Change
               ,
               there
               is
               Uncertainty
               ,
               and
               Uncertainty
               in
               Religion
               ,
               is
               a
               sufficient
               reason
               ,
               if
               not
               to
               deny
               ,
               yet
               to
               doubt
               of
               its
               Truth
               .
            
             
               Thus
               much
               for
               the
               first
               Doctrine
               ,
               J
               proceed
               now
               to
               the
               second
               ,
               
                 viz.
                 That
                 the
                 next
                 ,
                 and
                 most
                 effectuall
                 way
                 to
                 destroy
                 Religion
                 ,
                 is
                 to
                 Embase
                 the
                 Teachers
                 and
                 Dispencers
                 of
                 it
                 .
              
               In
               the
               handling
               of
               this
               J
               shall
               shew
               ,
               
                 
                   1.
                   
                   How
                   the
                   Dispensers
                   of
                   Religion
                   ,
                   the
                   Ministers
                   of
                   the
                   Word
                   are
                   embased
                   or
                   rendred
                   vile
                   .
                
                 
                   2.
                   
                   How
                   the
                   Embasing
                   or
                   Vilifying
                   them
                   is
                   a
                   means
                   to
                   destroy
                   Religion
                   .
                
              
            
             
               1.
               
               For
               the
               first
               of
               these
               ,
               the
               Ministers
               and
               Dispencers
               of
               the
               Word
               are
               rendred
               base
               or
               vile
               two
               waies
               .
            
             
             
               1.
               
               By
               devesting
               them
               of
               all
               Temporall
               Priviledges
               ,
               and
               Advantages
               ,
               as
               inconsistent
               with
               their
               Calling
               .
               It
               is
               strange
               since
               the
               Priests
               Office
               heretofore
               was
               alwaies
               Splendid
               ,
               and
               almost
               Regall
               ,
               that
               it
               is
               now
               looked
               upon
               as
               a
               piece
               of
               Religion
               ,
               to
               make
               it
               low
               and
               sordid
               .
               So
               that
               the
               use
               of
               the
               word
               Minister
               is
               brought
               down
               to
               the
               signification
               of
               it
               ,
               
                 a
                 Servant
              
               :
               for
               now
               to
               serve
               and
               to
               
                 minister
                 ,
                 servile
              
               and
               ministeriall
               ,
               are
               termes
               equivalent
               .
               But
               in
               the
               Old
               Testament
               the
               same
               word
               signifies
               a
               Priest
               ,
               and
               a
               Prince
               ,
               or
               
                 cheif
                 Ruler
              
               :
               hence
               ,
               though
               wee
               translanslate
               it
               
                 Priest
                 of
                 On
              
               ,
               41
               Gen.
               45.
               and
               
                 Priest
                 of
                 Midian
              
               ,
               3
               Exod.
               1.
               and
               ,
               
                 as
                 it
                 is
                 with
                 the
                 People
                 so
                 with
                 the
                 Priest
                 ,
              
               24
               Isa.
               2.
               
               Iunius
               and
               Tremellius
               render
               all
               these
               places
               not
               by
               Sacerdos
               ,
               Priest
               ,
               but
               by
               Praeses
               ,
               that
               is
               ,
               a
               Prince
               ,
               or
               at
               least
               a
               chief
               Counsellour
               ,
               or
               Minister
               of
               State.
               And
               it
               is
               strange
               ,
               that
               the
               Name
               should
               be
               the
               same
               ,
               when
               the
               Nature
               of
               the
               thing
               is
               so
               exceeding
               different
               .
               The
               like
               also
               may
               be
               observed
               in
               other
               Languages
               ,
               that
               the
               most
               Illustrious
               Titles
               are
               derived
               from
               things
               Sacred
               ,
               and
               belonging
               to
               the
               Worship
               of
               God.
               
                 〈◊〉
                 〈◊〉
                 〈◊〉
                 〈◊〉
                 〈◊〉
              
               it
               was
               the
               Title
               of
               the
               Christian
               Caesars
               ,
               correspondent
               to
               the
               Latine
               Augustus
               ,
               and
               it
               is
               derived
               from
               the
               same
               word
               that
               
                 〈◊〉
                 〈◊〉
                 〈◊〉
                 〈◊〉
                 〈◊〉
              
               ,
               
                 cultus
                 ,
                 ●es
                 sacra
              
               ,
               or
               sacrificium
               .
               And
               it
               is
               usuall
               in
               our
               Language
               to
               make
               Sacred
               ,
               an
               Epithete
               to
               Ma●esty
               :
               there
               was
               a
               certaine
               Royalty
               in
               things
               Sacred
               .
               Hence
               the
               Apostles
               ,
               who
               I
               thinke
               was
               no
               Enemy
               to
               the
               simplicity
               of
               the
               Gospel
               ,
               speaks
               of
               a
               
                 Royall
                 Priesthood
              
               ,
               1
               Pet.
               2.9
               which
               shews
               at
               least
               ,
               that
               there
               is
               no
               contradiction
               or
               impiety
               in
               those
               tearmes
               .
               In
               Old
               time
               ,
               before
               the
               placing
               this
               office
               onely
               in
               the
               Line
               of
               Aaron
               ,
               the
               Head
               of
               the
               Family
               ,
               and
               the
               First-borne
               offered
               Sacrifice
               for
               the
               rest
               ,
               that
               is
               ,
               was
               their
               Priest.
               And
               we
               know
               that
               such
               Rule
               and
               Dignity
               belonged
               at
               first
               to
               the
               Masters
               of
               Families
               ,
               that
               that
               they
               had
               
                 Ius
                 vitae
                 &
                 necis
              
               ,
               jurisdiction
               and
               power
               of
               Life
               and
               Death
               in
               their
               own
               Family
               ,
               and
               from
               hence
               was
               derived
               the
               Beginning
               of
               Kingly
               Government
               ;
               a
               King
               being
               onely
               a
               Civill
               Head
               ,
               or
               Master
               of
               a
               Politick
               Family
               ,
               the
               whole
               People
               ;
               so
               that
               we
               see
               the
               same
               was
               the
               Foundation
               of
               the
               Royall
               and
               Sacerdotall
               Dignity
               .
               As
               for
               the
               Dignity
               of
               this
               Office
               among
               the
               Jews
               ,
               it
               is
               so
               pregnantly
               set
               forth
               in
               Holy
               Writ
               ,
               that
               it
               is
               Unquestionable
               .
               Kings
               and
               Priests
               are
               still
               mentioned
               together
               ,
               in
               the
               2
               Lamen
               .
               6.
               
               
                 The
                 Lord
                 hath
                 dispised
                 in
                 the
                 indignation
                 of
                 his
                 Anger
                 ,
                 the
                 King
                 and
                 the
                 Priest
                 ,
              
               5
               Hosea
               2
               ,
               
                 Hear
                 O
                 Priests
                 ,
                 and
                 give
                 ear
                 O
                 house
                 of
                 the
                 King.
              
               17
               Deut.
               12.
               
               
                 And
                 the
                 man
                 that
                 does
                 presumptuously
                 ,
                 and
                 will
                 not
                 
                 hearken
                 unto
                 the
                 Priest
                 that
                 standeth
                 there
                 to
                 minister
                 before
                 the
                 Lord
                 thy
                 God
                 ,
                 or
                 unto
                 the
                 Iudge
                 ,
                 even
                 that
                 man
                 shall
                 dye
                 .
              
               Hence
               Paul
               ,
               together
               with
               a
               blow
               ,
               received
               this
               Reprehension
               ,
               Act.
               5.4
               .
               
                 Revilest
                 thou
                 Gods
                 High
                 Priest
              
               ?
               And
               Paul
               in
               the
               next
               verse
               does
               not
               defend
               himselfe
               ,
               by
               pleading
               an
               extraordinary
               Motion
               of
               the
               Spirit
               ,
               or
               that
               hee
               was
               sent
               to
               Reforme
               the
               Church
               ,
               and
               might
               therefore
               lawfully
               vilifie
               the
               Priesthood
               ,
               and
               all
               Sacred
               Orders
               ;
               but
               in
               the
               5.
               v.
               he
               makes
               an
               excuse
               ,
               and
               that
               from
               Ignorance
               ,
               the
               onely
               thing
               that
               could
               take
               away
               the
               fault
               ;
               namely
               ,
               
                 that
                 he
                 knew
                 not
                 that
                 he
                 was
                 the
                 High
                 Priest
                 ,
              
               and
               subjoines
               a
               reason
               which
               further
               advances
               the
               Truth
               here
               defended
               :
               
                 For
                 it
                 is
                 written
                 thou
                 shalt
                 not
                 speak
                 evil
                 of
                 the
                 Ruler
                 of
                 thy
                 people
                 .
              
               To
               Holy
               Writ
               we
               might
               adde
               the
               Testimony
               of
               Iosephus
               of
               next
               Authority
               to
               it
               in
               things
               concerning
               the
               Jews
               ,
               who
               in
               sundry
               places
               of
               his
               History
               ,
               sets
               forth
               the
               Dignity
               of
               the
               Priests
               ,
               and
               in
               his
               second
               Book
               against
               Appion
               the
               Grammarian
               ,
               he
               has
               these
               words
               ,
               
                 〈◊〉
                 〈◊〉
                 〈◊〉
                 〈◊〉
                 〈◊〉
              
               ,
               the
               Priests
               were
               constituted
               Judges
               of
               all
               doubtfull
               causes
               .
               Hence
               Iustire
               also
               in
               his
               36
               Booke
               has
               this
               ,
               
                 Semper
                 apud
                 Iudaeos
                 mos
                 fuit
                 ,
                 ut
                 Eosdem
                 Reges
                 &
                 Sacerdotes
                 ,
                 haberent
              
               :
               though
               this
               is
               false
               ,
               that
               they
               were
               alwaies
               so
               ,
               yet
               it
               argues
               that
               they
               were
               so
               frequently
               ,
               and
               that
               the
               distance
               between
               them
               w●s
               not
               gre●t
               .
               To
               the
               Jews
               we
               may
               joyne
               the
               Egyptians
               ,
               the
               first
               Masters
               of
               Learning
               and
               Philosophy
               .
               Synesius
               in
               his
               57
               Epist.
               having
               shewen
               the
               generall
               Practise
               of
               Antiquity
               ,
               
                 〈◊〉
                 〈◊〉
                 〈◊〉
                 〈◊〉
                 〈◊〉
              
               ,
               gives
               an
               instance
               in
               the
               Jews
               and
               Egyptians
               ,
               who
               for
               a
               many
               Ages
               ,
               
                 〈◊〉
                 〈◊〉
                 〈◊〉
                 〈◊〉
                 〈◊〉
              
               ,
               had
               no
               other
               Kings
               but
               Priests
               .
               Next
               we
               may
               take
               a
               view
               of
               the
               Practise
               of
               the
               Romans
               :
               
                 Numa
                 Pompilius
              
               ,
               that
               civilized
               the
               fierce
               Romans
               ,
               is
               reported
               in
               the
               1.
               
               Book
               of
               Livy
               ,
               sometimes
               to
               have
               performed
               the
               Priests
               Office
               himself
               .
               
                 Tum
                 Sacerdotibus
                 creandis
                 animum
                 adjecit
                 ,
                 quamquàm
                 ipse
                 plurima
                 sacra
                 obibat
                 ,
              
               but
               when
               he
               made
               Priests
               ,
               hee
               gave
               them
               a
               dignity
               almost
               the
               same
               with
               himself
               .
               And
               this
               honour
               continued
               together
               with
               the
               Valour
               and
               Prudence
               of
               that
               Nation
               .
               For
               the
               Success
               of
               the
               Romans
               did
               not
               extirpate
               their
               Religion
               .
               The
               Colledge
               of
               the
               Priests
               being
               in
               many
               things
               exempted
               even
               from
               the
               Jurisdiction
               of
               the
               Senate
               ,
               afterwards
               the
               Supream
               Power
               .
               Hence
               Iuvenal
               in
               his
               2.
               
               Sat.
               mentions
               the
               Priesthood
               of
               Mars
               ,
               as
               one
               of
               the
               most
               Honourable
               places
               in
               Rome
               .
               And
               
                 Iul.
                 Caesar
              
               who
               was
               chose
               Priest
               in
               his
               minority
               ,
               thought
               it
               not
               below
               him
               to
               continue
               the
               same
               Office
               when
               
               he
               was
               Created
               absolute
               Governour
               of
               Rome
               under
               the
               name
               of
               Perpetuall
               Dictator
               .
               Adde
               to
               these
               the
               Practise
               of
               the
               Gaules
               mentioned
               by
               Caesar
               in
               his
               6.
               
               Book
               
                 de
                 Bello
                 Gallico
              
               ,
               where
               he
               saies
               of
               the
               Druides
               ,
               who
               were
               their
               Priests
               ,
               that
               they
               did
               judge
               
                 de
                 omnibus
                 ferè
                 controversiis
                 publicis
                 privatisque
                 .
              
               See
               also
               Homer
               in
               the
               1.
               
               Book
               of
               his
               Iliads
               representing
               Chryses
               the
               Priest
               of
               Apollo
               with
               his
               Golden
               Scepter
               ,
               as
               well
               as
               his
               Golden
               Censer
               .
               But
               why
               have
               I
               produced
               all
               these
               examples
               of
               the
               Heathens
               ?
               Is
               it
               to
               make
               these
               a
               ground
               of
               our
               Imitation
               ?
               No
               ,
               but
               to
               shew
               ,
               that
               the
               giving
               honour
               to
               the
               Priesthood
               ,
               was
               a
               custome
               Universall
               amongst
               all
               civilized
               Nations
               :
               And
               whatsoever
               is
               Universall
               ,
               is
               also
               Naturall
               ,
               as
               not
               being
               founded
               upon
               compact
               ,
               or
               the
               particular
               humours
               of
               men
               ,
               but
               flowing
               from
               the
               Native
               results
               of
               Reason
               :
               and
               that
               which
               is
               Natural
               ,
               neither
               does
               nor
               can
               oppose
               Religion
               .
               But
               you
               will
               say
               ,
               this
               concernes
               not
               us
               ,
               who
               have
               an
               expresse
               Rule
               and
               Word
               revealed
               .
               Christ
               was
               himself
               poor
               and
               despised
               ,
               and
               withall
               has
               instituted
               such
               a
               Ministery
               .
               To
               the
               first
               part
               of
               this
               Plea
               I
               answer
               ;
               That
               Christ
               came
               to
               suffer
               ,
               yet
               the
               sufferings
               and
               miseries
               of
               Christ
               ,
               does
               not
               oblige
               all
               Christians
               to
               undertake
               the
               like
               .
               For
               the
               second
               ,
               That
               the
               Ministery
               of
               Christ
               was
               low
               ,
               and
               despised
               by
               his
               Institution
               ,
               I
               utterly
               deny
               .
               It
               was
               so
               indeed
               by
               the
               malice
               and
               persecution
               of
               the
               Heathen
               Princes
               ,
               but
               what
               does
               this
               argue
               or
               inferre
               for
               a
               low
               ,
               dejected
               Ministery
               in
               a
               flourishing
               State
               ,
               which
               professes
               to
               encourage
               Christianity
               ?
               But
               to
               dash
               this
               cavill
               ,
               read
               but
               the
               practise
               of
               Christian
               Emperours
               and
               Kings
               all
               along
               down
               from
               the
               time
               of
               Constantine
               ,
               in
               what
               respect
               ,
               what
               honour
               and
               splendour
               they
               treated
               the
               Ministers
               ,
               and
               then
               let
               our
               adversaries
               produce
               their
               puny
               ,
               pittifull
               Arguments
               for
               the
               contrary
               ,
               against
               the
               generall
               ,
               clear
               ,
               undoubted
               vogue
               and
               current
               of
               all
               Antiquity
               .
               As
               for
               two
               or
               three
               little
               Countries
               about
               us
               ,
               the
               Learned
               and
               impartiall
               will
               not
               value
               their
               practice
               ;
               in
               one
               of
               which
               places
               the
               Minister
               has
               been
               seen
               ,
               for
               meer
               want
               to
               mend
               shooes
               on
               the
               Saturday
               ,
               and
               been
               heard
               to
               preach
               on
               the
               Sunday
               .
               In
               the
               other
               place
               ,
               stating
               the
               severall
               orders
               of
               the
               Citizens
               ,
               they
               place
               their
               Ministers
               after
               their
               Apothecaries
               :
               that
               is
               ,
               the
               Physician
               of
               the
               Soul
               after
               the
               Drugster
               of
               the
               Body
               :
               a
               fit
               practice
               for
               those
               ,
               who
               if
               they
               were
               to
               ranck
               Things
               as
               well
               as
               Persons
               ,
               would
               place
               their
               Religion
               after
               their
               Trade
               .
            
             
             
               And
               thus
               much
               concerning
               the
               first
               way
               of
               Debasing
               the
               Ministers
               and
               Ministery
               .
            
             
               2.
               
               The
               second
               way
               is
               by
               admitting
               Ignorant
               ,
               Sordid
               ,
               Illiterate
               persons
               to
               this
               Function
               .
               This
               is
               to
               give
               the
               Royall
               stamp
               to
               a
               piece
               of
               Lead
               .
               I
               confesse
               ,
               God
               has
               no
               need
               of
               any
               mans
               Parts
               ,
               or
               Learning
               ;
               but
               certainly
               then
               ,
               he
               has
               much
               lesse
               need
               of
               his
               Ignorance
               ,
               and
               ill
               Behaviour
               .
               It
               is
               a
               sad
               thing
               when
               all
               other
               Employments
               shall
               empty
               themselves
               into
               the
               Ministery
               :
               When
               men
               shall
               repair
               to
               it
               ,
               not
               for
               Preferment
               ,
               but
               Refuge
               ;
               like
               Malefactors
               ,
               flying
               to
               the
               Altar
               onely
               to
               save
               their
               lives
               ;
               or
               like
               those
               of
               Ely's
               Race
               ,
               1
               Sam.
               2.36
               .
               that
               should
               come
               crouching
               ,
               and
               seek
               to
               be
               put
               into
               the
               Priests
               Office
               ,
               that
               they
               might
               eat
               a
               piece
               of
               Bread.
               Heretofore
               there
               was
               required
               splendour
               of
               Parentage
               to
               recommend
               any
               one
               to
               the
               Priesthood
               ,
               as
               Iosephus
               witnesses
               in
               a
               Treatise
               that
               he
               wrote
               of
               his
               owne
               Life
               ;
               where
               he
               sayes
               ,
               to
               have
               right
               to
               deale
               in
               things
               Sacred
               ,
               was
               amongst
               them
               accounted
               an
               argument
               of
               a
               Noble
               and
               Illustrious
               Descent
               .
               God
               would
               not
               accept
               the
               Offals
               of
               other
               Professions
               .
               Doubtlesse
               many
               rejected
               Christ
               ,
               upon
               this
               thought
               ,
               that
               he
               was
               the
               Carpenters
               Sonne
               ,
               who
               would
               have
               embraced
               him
               ,
               had
               they
               known
               him
               to
               have
               been
               the
               Sonne
               of
               David
               .
               The
               preferring
               undeserving
               persons
               to
               this
               great
               se●vice
               ,
               was
               eminently
               Ieroboams
               Sin
               ;
               and
               how
               Ieroboams
               practise
               and
               offence
               has
               been
               continued
               amongst
               us
               in
               another
               guise
               ,
               is
               not
               unknown
               :
               For
               has
               not
               Learning
               unqualified
               men
               for
               Approbation
               to
               the
               Ministery
               ?
               Has
               not
               Parts
               and
               Abilities
               been
               reputed
               Enemies
               to
               Grace
               ,
               and
               Qualities
               no
               wayes
               Ministeriall
               ?
               Whiles
               Friends
               ,
               Faction
               ,
               Well-meaning
               ,
               and
               little
               Understanding
               ,
               have
               been
               Accomplishments
               beyond
               Study
               and
               the
               University
               ;
               and
               to
               falsifie
               a
               story
               of
               Conversion
               ,
               beyond
               pertinent
               Answers
               and
               clear
               Resolutions
               to
               the
               hardest
               and
               most
               concerning
               Questions
               .
               So
               that
               matters
               have
               been
               brought
               to
               this
               passe
               ,
               that
               if
               a
               man
               amongst
               his
               Sonnes
               had
               any
               blind
               ,
               or
               disfigured
               ,
               he
               laid
               him
               aside
               for
               the
               Ministery
               ,
               and
               such
               an
               one
               was
               presently
               approved
               ,
               as
               having
               a
               
                 mortified
                 Countenance
              
               .
               In
               short
               ,
               it
               was
               a
               fierie
               Furnace
               ,
               that
               often
               approved
               Drosse
               ,
               and
               rejected
               Gold.
               But
               thanks
               be
               to
               God
               ,
               those
               
                 Spirituall
                 Wickednesses
              
               are
               now
               discharged
               from
               
                 their
                 high
                 places
              
               .
               Hence
               it
               was
               ,
               that
               many
               rushed
               into
               the
               Ministery
               ,
               as
               being
               the
               onely
               Calling
               that
               they
               could
               profess
               ,
               without
               serving
               an
               Apprentiship
               .
               Hence
               also
               we
               have
               had
               those
               that
               could
               Preach
               Sermons
               ,
               but
               not
               Defend
               
               them
               .
               The
               reason
               of
               which
               is
               clear
               ,
               because
               the
               Works
               and
               Writings
               of
               Learned
               men
               might
               be
               borrowed
               ,
               but
               not
               their
               Abilities
               .
               Had
               indeed
               the
               Old
               Leviticall
               Hierarchy
               still
               continued
               ,
               in
               which
               it
               was
               part
               of
               the
               Ministerial
               Office
               to
               slay
               the
               Sacrifices
               ,
               to
               cleanse
               the
               Vessels
               ,
               to
               scoure
               the
               Flesh-forks
               ,
               to
               sweep
               the
               Temple
               ,
               and
               carry
               the
               filth
               and
               rubbish
               to
               the
               Brook
               Kidron
               .
               no
               persons
               living
               had
               been
               sitter
               for
               the
               Ministery
               ,
               and
               to
               serve
               in
               this
               nature
               at
               the
               Altar
               .
               But
               since
               it
               is
               made
               a
               labour
               of
               the
               mind
               ;
               as
               to
               inform
               mens
               judgements
               ,
               and
               move
               their
               affections
               ,
               to
               resolve
               difficult
               places
               of
               Scripture
               ,
               to
               decide
               and
               clear
               off
               Controversies
               ,
               I
               cannot
               see
               how
               to
               be
               a
               Butcher
               ,
               Scavinger
               ,
               or
               any
               other
               such
               Trade
               ,
               does
               at
               all
               qualifie
               ,
               or
               prepare
               men
               for
               this
               work
               .
               But
               as
               unfit
               as
               they
               were
               ,
               yet
               to
               clear
               a
               way
               for
               such
               into
               the
               Ministery
               ,
               wee
               have
               had
               almost
               all
               Sermons
               full
               of
               gibes
               and
               scoffs
               at
               Humane
               Learning
               .
               Away
               with
               
                 vain
                 Philosophy
                 ,
                 with
                 the
                 disputer
                 of
                 this
                 world
                 ,
                 and
                 the
                 enticing
                 words
                 of
                 mans
                 wisdome
                 ,
              
               and
               set
               up
               the
               
                 foolishnesse
                 of
                 Preaching
                 ,
                 the
                 simplicity
                 of
                 the
                 Gospel
              
               :
               Thus
               Divinity
               has
               been
               brought
               in
               upon
               the
               ruines
               of
               Humanity
               ;
               by
               forcing
               the
               Words
               of
               the
               Scripture
               from
               the
               sense
               ,
               and
               then
               haling
               them
               to
               the
               worst
               of
               Drudgeries
               ,
               to
               set
               a
               
                 Ius
                 Divinum
              
               upon
               Ignorance
               and
               Imperfection
               ,
               and
               recommend
               Naturall
               Weakness
               for
               Supernaturall
               Grace
               .
               Hereupon
               the
               Ignorant
               have
               took
               heart
               to
               venture
               upon
               this
               great
               Calling
               ,
               and
               instead
               of
               cutting
               their
               way
               to
               it
               ,
               according
               to
               the
               usuall
               course
               ,
               through
               the
               Knowledge
               of
               the
               Tongues
               ,
               the
               Study
               of
               Philosophy
               ,
               School-divinity
               ,
               the
               Fathers
               and
               Councils
               ,
               they
               have
               taken
               another
               ,
               and
               a
               shorter
               Cut
               ,
               and
               having
               read
               perhaps
               a
               Treatise
               or
               two
               
                 upon
                 the
                 heart
                 ,
                 the
                 bruised
                 Reed
                 ,
                 the
                 Crums
                 of
                 Comfort
                 ,
                 Wollebius
                 in
                 English
                 ,
              
               and
               some
               such
               other
               little
               Authors
               ,
               the
               usuall
               Furniture
               of
               Old
               Womens
               Closets
               ,
               they
               have
               set
               forth
               as
               accomplished
               Divines
               ,
               and
               forthwith
               they
               present
               themselves
               to
               the
               Service
               ;
               and
               there
               has
               not
               been
               wanting
               Ieroboams
               ,
               as
               willing
               to
               consecrate
               ,
               and
               receive
               them
               ,
               as
               they
               to
               offer
               themselves
               .
               And
               this
               has
               been
               one
               of
               the
               most
               fatall
               ,
               and
               almost
               irrecoverable
               blows
               that
               has
               been
               given
               to
               the
               Ministery
               .
            
             
               And
               this
               may
               susfice
               concerning
               the
               second
               way
               of
               Embasing
               Gods
               Ministers
               ;
               namely
               ,
               by
               entrusting
               the
               Ministery
               with
               raw
               ,
               unlearned
               ,
               ill-bred
               Persons
               ,
               so
               that
               what
               Solomon
               speaks
               of
               a
               Proverb
               in
               the
               mouth
               of
               a
               Fool
               ,
               the
               same
               may
               be
               said
               of
               the
               Ministery
               vested
               in
               them
               ,
               that
               it
               is
               like
               a
               
                 Pearle
                 in
                 a
                 swines
                 snout
              
               .
            
             
             
               I
               proceed
               now
               to
               the
               second
               thing
               proposed
               in
               the
               Discussion
               of
               this
               Doctrine
               ,
               which
               is
               to
               shew
               ,
               how
               the
               Embasing
               of
               the
               Ministers
               tends
               to
               the
               destruction
               of
               Religion
               .
            
             
               This
               it
               does
               two
               wayes
               .
            
             
               1.
               
               Because
               it
               brings
               them
               under
               exceeding
               scorn
               and
               contempt
               ;
               and
               then
               let
               none
               think
               Religion
               it self
               secure
               :
               For
               the
               Vulgar
               have
               not
               such
               Logicall
               heads
               as
               to
               be
               able
               to
               Abstract
               ;
               such
               subtile
               conceptions
               ,
               as
               to
               separate
               the
               Man
               from
               the
               Minister
               ,
               or
               to
               consider
               the
               same
               person
               under
               a
               double
               capacity
               ,
               and
               so
               honour
               him
               as
               a
               Divine
               ,
               while
               they
               despise
               him
               as
               a
               Poor
               But
               suppose
               they
               could
               ,
               yet
               Actions
               cannot
               distinguish
               as
               Conceptions
               doe
               ,
               and
               therefore
               every
               Act
               of
               Contempt
               it
               strikes
               both
               ,
               and
               unavoydably
               wounds
               the
               Ministery
               through
               the
               sides
               of
               the
               Minister
               .
               And
               wee
               must
               know
               ,
               that
               the
               least
               degree
               of
               Contempt
               weakens
               Religion
               ,
               because
               it
               is
               absolutely
               contrary
               to
               the
               nature
               of
               it
               ,
               Religion
               properly
               consisting
               in
               a
               Reverentiall
               Esteem
               of
               things
               Sacred
               .
               Now
               that
               which
               in
               any
               measure
               weakens
               Religion
               will
               at
               length
               destroy
               it
               :
               For
               the
               weakning
               of
               a
               thing
               is
               onely
               a
               partiall
               destruction
               of
               it
               .
               Poverty
               and
               meanesse
               of
               condition
               is
               exposes
               the
               Wisest
               to
               scorn
               ;
               it
               being
               naturall
               for
               men
               to
               place
               their
               esteem
               ,
               rather
               upon
               things
               Great
               than
               Good
               ;
               and
               the
               Poet
               observes
               that
               this
               
                 Infelix
                 &
                 Paupertas
              
               has
               nothing
               in
               it
               more
               intolerable
               than
               this
               ,
               that
               it
               renders
               men
               Ridiculous
               .
               And
               then
               how
               easie
               and
               naturall
               it
               is
               for
               Contempt
               to
               passe
               from
               the
               Person
               to
               the
               Office
               ,
               from
               him
               that
               speaks
               ,
               to
               the
               thing
               that
               he
               speaks
               of
               ,
               Experience
               proves
               .
               Counsell
               being
               seldome
               valued
               so
               much
               for
               the
               Truth
               of
               the
               thing
               ,
               as
               the
               Credit
               of
               him
               that
               gives
               it
               .
               Observe
               an
               excellent
               passage
               to
               this
               purpose
               in
               the
               9
               Eccl.
               14.15
               .
               Wee
               have
               an
               account
               of
               a
               little
               City
               with
               few
               men
               in
               it
               ,
               besieged
               by
               a
               Great
               and
               Potent
               King
               ,
               and
               in
               the
               15.
               v.
               we
               read
               ,
               that
               
                 there
                 was
                 found
                 in
                 it
                 a
                 poor
                 Wise
                 man
                 ,
                 and
                 he
                 by
                 his
                 Wisdome
                 delivered
                 the
                 City
                 .
              
               A
               worthy
               service
               indeed
               ,
               and
               certainly
               we
               may
               expect
               that
               some
               honourable
               Recompence
               should
               follow
               it
               ;
               a
               Deliverer
               of
               his
               Country
               ,
               and
               that
               in
               such
               distresse
               ,
               could
               not
               but
               be
               advanced
               :
               but
               we
               finde
               a
               contrary
               event
               in
               the
               next
               words
               of
               the
               same
               verse
               ,
               
                 Yet
                 none
                 remembred
                 that
                 same
                 poor
                 man
              
               ?
               Why
               ?
               what
               should
               be
               the
               reason
               ?
               Was
               he
               not
               a
               man
               of
               parts
               and
               Wisdome
               ?
               and
               is
               not
               Wisdome
               honourable
               ?
               Yes
               ,
               but
               
                 he
                 was
                 poor
              
               :
               But
               was
               he
               not
               also
               succesfull
               as
               well
               as
               wise
               ?
               True
               ;
               but
               still
               
                 he
                 was
                 poor
              
               :
               And
               once
               grant
               this
               ,
               and
               you
               cannot
               keep
               off
               that
               
               un●voydable
               sequel
               in
               the
               next
               verse
               ,
               
                 The
                 poor
                 mans
                 wisdome
                 is
                 despised
                 ,
                 and
                 his
                 wo●d●
                 are
                 not
                 heard
                 .
              
               Wee
               may
               believe
               it
               upon
               Solomons
               word
               ,
               who
               was
               Rich
               ,
               as
               well
               as
               Wise
               ,
               and
               therefore
               knew
               the
               force
               of
               both
               :
               and
               probably
               had
               it
               not
               been
               for
               his
               Riches
               ,
               the
               Queen
               of
               Sheba
               would
               never
               have
               came
               so
               farre
               onely
               to
               have
               heard
               his
               Wisdome
               .
               Observe
               her
               behaviour
               when
               she
               came
               .
               Though
               upon
               the
               hearing
               of
               Solomons
               Wisdome
               ,
               and
               the
               resolution
               of
               her
               hard
               Questions
               she
               expressed
               a
               just
               admiration
               ,
               yet
               when
               Solomon
               afterward
               shew
               her
               his
               Palace
               ,
               his
               Treasures
               ,
               and
               the
               Temple
               which
               hee
               had
               built
               ,
               1
               King.
               10.
               c.
               5.
               v.
               it
               is
               said
               ,
               
                 there
                 was
                 no
                 more
                 spirit
                 in
                 her
                 .
              
               What
               was
               the
               cause
               of
               this
               ?
               certainly
               the
               magnificence
               ,
               the
               pomp
               and
               splendour
               of
               such
               a
               Structure
               :
               it
               struck
               her
               into
               an
               Extasy
               beyond
               his
               wise
               Answers
               .
               She
               esteemed
               this
               as
               much
               above
               his
               Wisdome
               ,
               as
               Astonishment
               is
               beyond
               bare
               Admiration
               .
               She
               admired
               his
               Wisdom
               ,
               but
               she
               adored
               his
               Magnificence
               .
               So
               apt
               is
               the
               mind
               ,
               even
               of
               Wise
               persons
               ,
               to
               be
               surprised
               with
               the
               superficies
               ,
               or
               circumstance
               of
               things
               ,
               and
               value
               ,
               or
               undervalue
               Spirituals
               ,
               according
               to
               the
               manner
               of
               their
               Externall
               Appearance
               .
               When
               Circumstances
               faile
               ,
               the
               substance
               seldome
               long
               survives
               ;
               Cloathes
               are
               no
               part
               of
               the
               Body
               ,
               yet
               take
               away
               cloathes
               ,
               and
               the
               Body
               will
               dye
               .
               Livy
               observes
               of
               Romulus
               ,
               that
               being
               to
               give
               Laws
               to
               his
               new
               Romans
               ,
               he
               found
               no
               better
               way
               to
               procure
               an
               esteem
               and
               reverence
               to
               them
               ,
               but
               by
               first
               procuring
               it
               to
               himselfe
               ,
               by
               splendour
               of
               Habit
               and
               Retinue
               ,
               and
               other
               signes
               of
               Royalty
               .
               And
               the
               wise
               Numa
               ,
               his
               successor
               took
               the
               same
               course
               to
               enforce
               his
               Religious
               Laws
               ,
               namely
               ,
               by
               giving
               the
               same
               Pomp
               to
               the
               Priest
               who
               was
               to
               dispense
               them
               .
               
                 Sacerdo●em
                 creavit
                 ,
                 insignique
                 eum
                 Veste
                 ,
                 &
                 Curuli
                 Regiâ
                 sollâ
                 adornavit
                 .
              
               That
               is
               ,
               he
               adorned
               him
               with
               a
               rich
               Robe
               ,
               and
               a
               royall
               Chair
               of
               State.
               And
               in
               our
               Judicatures
               take
               away
               the
               Trumpet
               ,
               the
               Scarlet
               ,
               the
               Attendance
               ,
               and
               the
               Lordship
               ,
               which
               would
               be
               to
               make
               Justice
               Naked
               ,
               as
               well
               as
               Blind
               ,
               the
               Law
               would
               lose
               much
               of
               its
               Terror
               ,
               and
               consequently
               of
               its
               Authority
               .
               Let
               the
               Minister
               be
               abject
               and
               low
               ,
               his
               interest
               inconsiderable
               ,
               the
               Word
               will
               suffer
               for
               his
               sake
               :
               The
               Message
               will
               still
               find
               reception
               according
               to
               the
               Dignity
               of
               the
               Messenger
               .
               Imagine
               an
               Ambassadour
               presenting
               himselfe
               in
               a
               poor
               freeze
               Jerkin
               ,
               and
               tattered
               cloathes
               ,
               certainly
               he
               would
               have
               but
               small
               Audience
               ,
               his
               Embasy
               would
               speed
               rather
               according
               to
               the
               Meaness
               of
               him
               that
               brought
               ,
               than
               the
               Majesty
               of
               him
               that
               sent
               it
               .
               
               It
               will
               fare
               alike
               with
               the
               Ambassadours
               of
               Christ
               ,
               the
               People
               will
               give
               them
               Audience
               according
               to
               their
               Presence
               .
               A
               notable
               example
               of
               which
               we
               have
               in
               the
               Behaviour
               of
               some
               to
               Paul
               himselfe
               ,
               1
               Cor.
               10.
               c.
               10.
               v.
               Hence
               in
               the
               Jewish
               Church
               it
               was
               cautiously
               provided
               in
               the
               Law
               ,
               that
               none
               that
               was
               blind
               or
               lame
               ,
               or
               had
               any
               remarkable
               defect
               in
               his
               body
               ,
               was
               capable
               of
               the
               Priestly
               Office
               :
               because
               these
               things
               naturally
               make
               a
               person
               contemned
               ,
               and
               this
               presently
               reflects
               upon
               the
               Function
               .
               This
               therefore
               is
               the
               first
               way
               by
               which
               the
               low
               ,
               despised
               condition
               of
               the
               Ministers
               ,
               tends
               to
               the
               destruction
               of
               the
               Ministery
               and
               Religion
               :
               namely
               ,
               because
               it
               subjects
               their
               persons
               to
               scorn
               ,
               and
               consequently
               their
               Calling
               :
               and
               it
               is
               not
               imaginable
               that
               men
               will
               be
               brought
               to
               Obey
               what
               they
               cannot
               Esteem
               .
            
             
               2.
               
               The
               second
               way
               by
               which
               it
               tends
               to
               the
               ruine
               of
               the
               Ministery
               is
               ,
               because
               it
               discourages
               men
               of
               fit
               and
               raised
               Abilities
               from
               undertaking
               it
               .
               And
               certaine
               it
               is
               ,
               that
               as
               the
               Calling
               dignifies
               the
               man
               ,
               so
               the
               man
               much
               more
               advances
               his
               Calling
               .
               As
               a
               Garment
               ,
               though
               it
               warmes
               the
               Body
               ,
               it
               has
               a
               returne
               with
               an
               advantage
               ,
               being
               much
               more
               warmed
               by
               it
               .
               And
               how
               often
               a
               good
               cause
               may
               miscarry
               without
               a
               wise
               mannager
               ;
               and
               the
               Faith
               for
               want
               of
               a
               Defender
               ,
               is
               ,
               or
               at
               least
               may
               be
               known
               .
               'T
               is
               not
               the
               Truth
               of
               an
               Assertion
               ,
               but
               the
               Skill
               of
               the
               Disputant
               that
               keeps
               off
               a
               baffle
               ;
               not
               the
               Justnesse
               of
               a
               Cause
               ,
               but
               the
               Valour
               of
               the
               Souldiers
               that
               must
               winne
               the
               Field
               .
               When
               a
               Learned
               Paul
               was
               converted
               ,
               and
               undertook
               the
               Ministery
               ,
               it
               stopp'd
               the
               mouthes
               of
               those
               that
               said
               ,
               None
               but
               poor
               ,
               weak
               Fisher-men
               Preached
               Christianity
               ,
               and
               so
               his
               Learning
               silenced
               the
               scandall
               ,
               as
               well
               as
               strengthned
               the
               Church
               .
               Religion
               placed
               in
               a
               soule
               of
               exquisite
               Knowledge
               and
               Abilities
               ,
               as
               in
               a
               Castle
               ,
               it
               finds
               not
               only
               Habitation
               but
               Defence
               .
               And
               what
               a
               Learned
               Forrein
               Divine
               said
               of
               the
               English
               preaching
               ,
               may
               be
               said
               of
               all
               ,
               
                 Plus
                 est
                 in
                 Artifice
                 quàm
                 in
                 Arte.
              
               So
               much
               of
               moment
               is
               there
               in
               the
               Professors
               of
               any
               thing
               ,
               to
               depresse
               ,
               or
               raise
               the
               Profession
               .
               What
               is
               it
               that
               kept
               the
               Church
               of
               Rome
               strong
               ,
               athletick
               ,
               &
               flourishing
               for
               so
               many
               Centuries
               ,
               but
               the
               happy
               succession
               of
               the
               choicest
               Wits
               engaged
               to
               her
               service
               by
               suitable
               preferments
               ?
               And
               what
               strength
               doe
               we
               think
               would
               that
               give
               to
               the
               True
               Religion
               ,
               that
               is
               able
               thus
               to
               establish
               a
               False
               ?
               Religion
               in
               a
               great
               measure
               stands
               or
               falls
               according
               to
               the
               abilities
               of
               those
               that
               assert
               it
               :
               And
               if
               ,
               as
               some
               observe
               ,
               mens
               Desires
               are
               usually
               as
               large
               as
               their
               Abilities
               ,
               what
               course
               have
               we
               took
               to
               allure
               
               the
               sormer
               ,
               that
               we
               might
               engage
               the
               latter
               to
               our
               assistance
               .
               But
               we
               have
               tooke
               all
               wayes
               to
               affright
               and
               discourage
               Schollars
               from
               looking
               towards
               this
               sacred
               calling
               :
               For
               will
               men
               lay
               out
               their
               Wit
               and
               Judgment
               ,
               upon
               that
               employment
               ,
               for
               the
               undertaking
               of
               which
               ,
               both
               will
               be
               questioned
               ?
               Would
               men
               not
               long
               since
               have
               spent
               toylsome
               dayes
               and
               watchfull
               nights
               in
               the
               laborious
               quest
               of
               knowledge
               preparative
               to
               this
               work
               ,
               at
               length
               to
               come
               and
               dance
               attendance
               for
               approbation
               from
               a
               Iuncto
               of
               Petty
               Tyrants
               ,
               acted
               by
               Party
               and
               Prejudice
               ,
               who
               denyed
               Fitness
               from
               Learning
               ,
               and
               Grace
               from
               Morality
               ?
               Will
               a
               man
               exhaust
               his
               livelyhood
               upon
               Bookes
               ,
               and
               his
               Health
               ,
               the
               best
               part
               of
               his
               life
               upon
               Study
               ,
               to
               be
               at
               length
               thrust
               into
               a
               poor
               Village
               ,
               where
               he
               shall
               have
               his
               due
               precariously
               ,
               and
               entreat
               for
               his
               own
               ,
               and
               when
               he
               has
               it
               ,
               live
               poorly
               &
               contemptibly
               upon
               it
               ,
               while
               the
               same
               or
               lesse
               labour
               bestowed
               upon
               any
               other
               calling
               ,
               would
               bring
               not
               only
               Comfort
               ,
               but
               Splendor
               ,
               not
               only
               Maintenance
               but
               Abundance
               ?
               'T
               is
               I
               confess
               the
               duty
               of
               Ministers
               to
               endure
               this
               condition
               :
               but
               neither
               Religion
               nor
               Reason
               does
               oblige
               either
               them
               to
               approve
               ,
               or
               others
               to
               Choose
               it
               .
               Doubtlesse
               Parents
               will
               not
               throw
               away
               the
               towardness
               of
               a
               child
               ,
               and
               the
               expence
               of
               Education
               upon
               a
               Profession
               whose
               labour
               is
               encreased
               ,
               and
               whose
               rewards
               vanished
               .
               To
               condemne
               promising
               lively
               parts
               to
               contempt
               ,
               and
               penury
               in
               a
               despised
               calling
               .
               What
               is
               it
               elss
               but
               the
               casting
               of
               a
               Moses
               into
               the
               mud
               ,
               or
               to
               offer
               a
               Son
               upon
               the
               Altar
               :
               and
               instead
               of
               a
               Preist
               to
               make
               him
               a
               Sacrifice
               .
               Neither
               let
               any
               here
               reply
               ,
               that
               it
               becomes
               not
               a
               Ministeriall
               spirit
               to
               undertake
               such
               a
               calling
               for
               reward
               ?
               for
               they
               must
               know
               ,
               that
               it
               is
               one
               thing
               to
               undertake
               it
               for
               a
               reward
               ,
               and
               not
               to
               be
               willing
               to
               undertake
               it
               ,
               without
               one
               :
               it
               is
               one
               thing
               to
               performe
               good
               workes
               only
               that
               we
               may
               receive
               the
               recompence
               of
               them
               in
               Heaven
               ,
               &
               another
               thing
               not
               to
               be
               willing
               to
               follow
               Christ
               and
               forsake
               the
               world
               if
               there
               were
               no
               such
               recompence
               .
               But
               besides
               ,
               suppose
               it
               were
               the
               duty
               of
               Scholars
               to
               chuse
               this
               calling
               in
               the
               mid'st
               of
               all
               its
               discouragements
               .
               Yet
               a
               prudent
               governour
               ,
               who
               knowes
               it
               to
               be
               his
               wisdom
               as
               well
               as
               his
               duty
               ,
               to
               take
               the
               best
               course
               to
               advance
               Religion
               ,
               will
               not
               consider
               mens
               duty
               ,
               but
               their
               practice
               :
               not
               what
               they
               ought
               to
               doe
               ,
               but
               what
               they
               use
               to
               doe
               :
               and
               therefore
               draw
               over
               the
               best
               qualified
               to
               this
               service
               ,
               by
               such
               wayes
               ,
               as
               are
               most
               apt
               to
               perswade
               and
               induce
               men
               .
               Solomon
               built
               his
               Temple
               with
               the
               Tallest
               Cedars
               :
               and
               surely
               when
               God
               refused
               the
               defective
               ,
               and
               the
               maimed
               for
               sacrifice
               ,
               we
               cannot
               thinke
               that
               he
               requires
               them
               for
               the
               Priesthood
               .
               When
               Learning
               ,
               Abilities
               ,
               and
               what
               
               is
               excellent
               in
               the
               world
               forsake
               the
               Church
               ,
               we
               may
               easily
               foretell
               its
               ruine
               without
               the
               gift
               of
               Prophesy
               .
               And
               when
               ignorance
               succeeds
               in
               the
               place
               of
               Learning
               ,
               weakness
               in
               the
               roome
               of
               Judgment
               ,
               we
               may
               be
               sure
               ,
               Heresye
               and
               confusion
               will
               quickly
               come
               in
               the
               roome
               of
               Religion
               .
               For
               undoubtedly
               there
               is
               no
               way
               so
               effectuall
               to
               betray
               the
               Truth
               ,
               as
               to
               procure
               it
               a
               weak
               Defender
               .
            
             
               Well
               :
               now
               instead
               of
               raising
               any
               particular
               Uses
               from
               the
               Point
               ,
               that
               has
               been
               delivered
               ,
               let
               us
               make
               a
               breif
               Recapitulation
               of
               the
               whole
               .
               Government
               ,
               we
               see
               depends
               upon
               Religion
               ,
               and
               Religion
               upon
               the
               Encouragement
               of
               those
               that
               are
               to
               dispence
               ,
               and
               assert
               it
               .
               For
               the
               further
               evidence
               of
               which
               truths
               we
               need
               not
               travell
               beyond
               our
               own
               Borders
               ▪
               but
               leave
               it
               to
               every
               one
               impartially
               to
               Judge
               ,
               whether
               from
               the
               very
               first
               day
               that
               our
               Religion
               was
               unsettled
               ,
               and
               Church
               Government
               flung
               out
               of
               Doores
               ,
               the
               Civill
               Government
               has
               ever
               been
               able
               to
               fix
               upon
               a
               sure
               foundation
               .
               We
               have
               been
               changing
               even
               to
               a
               Proverb
               .
               The
               indignation
               of
               Heaven
               has
               been
               rolling
               and
               turning
               us
               from
               one
               form
               to
               another
               ,
               till
               at
               length
               such
               a
               Giddiness
               seazed
               upon
               Government
               ,
               that
               it
               fell
               into
               the
               very
               dreggs
               of
               Sectaryes
               ,
               that
               threatned
               an
               equall
               ruin
               both
               to
               the
               Minister
               and
               Magistrate
               .
               And
               how
               the
               State
               has
               Symphathized
               with
               the
               Church
               ,
               is
               apparent
               .
               For
               have
               not
               our
               Princes
               ,
               as
               well
               as
               our
               Preists
               bin
               of
               the
               lowest
               of
               the
               People
               ?
               Have
               not
               Coblers
               ,
               Draymen
               ,
               Mechanicks
               Governed
               ,
               as
               well
               as
               reached
               ?
               Nay
               have
               not
               they
               by
               Preaching
               come
               to
               Govern
               ?
               Was
               ever
               that
               of
               Solomon
               more
               verified
               ,
               that
               Servants
               have
               Rid
               ,
               while
               Princes
               ,
               and
               Nobles
               have
               gone
               on
               Foot
               ?
               But
               God
               has
               bin
               pleased
               by
               a
               miracle
               of
               mercy
               to
               dissipate
               this
               confusion
               and
               Chaos
               ,
               and
               to
               give
               us
               some
               openings
               ,
               some
               dawnings
               of
               Liberty
               and
               Settlement
               .
               But
               now
               let
               not
               those
               that
               are
               to
               rebuild
               our
               Jerusalem
               ,
               thinke
               that
               the
               Temple
               must
               be
               built
               last
               .
               For
               if
               there
               be
               such
               a
               thing
               as
               a
               God
               ,
               and
               as
               Religion
               ,
               as
               ,
               whether
               men
               beleive
               it
               or
               no
               ,
               they
               will
               one
               day
               find
               and
               feele
               ,
               assuredly
               he
               will
               stop
               our
               Liberty
               ,
               till
               we
               restore
               him
               his
               Worship
               .
               Besides
               ,
               it
               is
               a
               senceless
               thing
               in
               reason
               ,
               to
               think
               that
               one
               of
               these
               Interests
               can
               stand
               without
               the
               other
               ,
               when
               in
               the
               very
               order
               of
               Naturall
               Causes
               ,
               Government
               is
               preserved
               by
               Religion
               .
               But
               to
               return
               to
               Ieroboam
               with
               whom
               we
               first
               began
               .
               He
               laid
               the
               foundation
               of
               his
               Government
               in
               destroying
               ,
               though
               doubtless
               he
               coloured
               it
               with
               the
               Name
               of
               Reforming
               Gods
               worship
               :
               but
               see
               the
               issue
               .
               Consider
               him
               Cursed
               by
               God
               ;
               maintaining
               his
               usurped
               title
               ,
               by
               continuall
               vexatious
               
               Warres
               against
               the
               Kings
               of
               Judah
               ;
               smote
               in
               his
               posterity
               ,
               which
               was
               made
               like
               the
               dung
               upon
               the
               face
               of
               the
               Earth
               ,
               as
               low
               and
               vile
               as
               those
               Preists
               whom
               he
               had
               imployed
               .
               Consider
               him
               branded
               ,
               and
               made
               odious
               to
               all
               after
               ages
               .
               And
               now
               when
               his
               Kingdome
               ,
               and
               glory
               was
               at
               an
               End
               ;
               and
               he
               and
               his
               Posterity
               rotting
               under
               ground
               ,
               and
               his
               Name
               stinking
               above
               it
               .
               Judge
               what
               a
               worthy
               prize
               he
               made
               in
               getting
               of
               a
               Kingdome
               ,
               by
               destroying
               the
               Church
               .
               Wherefore
               the
               summ
               of
               all
               is
               this
               ;
               to
               advise
               and
               desire
               those
               whom
               it
               may
               concern
               ,
               to
               consider
               Ieroboams
               punishment
               ,
               and
               then
               they
               will
               have
               little
               heart
               to
               Ieroboams
               sinne
               .
            
             
               FINIS
               .