XI. DIRECTIONS ABOUT OUR COMMUNION WITH THE HOLY ANGELS (part 2 of 2)

XI. DIRECTIONS ABOUT OUR COMMUNION WITH THE HOLY ANGELS (part 2 of 2)

Answ. 1. It were to be wished that the custom were changed; 1. Because the names have been so grossly abused; 2. And we have no need of them; 3. And as the papists say, Our monuments, temple names, and other relics among you prove ours to be the old religion, and keep possession for us till it be restored; so the heathens say to all the christians, Your very names of your days and months prove our religion to be elder than yours, and keep possession for us till it be restored.

2. It is meet that we wisely do our duty toward the reformation of this abuse.

3. But yet long custom and sound doctrine hath so far taken away the scandal and ill effects, that rather than be an offence to any by seeming singularity, it is as lawful still to use these names, as it was to Luke to use the names of Castor and Pollux, Jupiter and Mercury, historically.

4. In such cases the true solution of the question must be by weighing accidents and foreseen consequents together wisely and impartially; and he that can foresee which way is likely to do most good or hurt, may satisfactorily know his duty.

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

Answ. 1. This is a thing which God hath given us no particular law about; but the general laws must regulate us, "Let all be done decently, in order, and to edification."

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

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

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

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

Object. Is it not called in Eccles. v. 1, 2, "The sacrifice of fools who know not that they do evil?"

Answ. No: I have wondered to hear that text so ordinarily thus perverted. The text is, "Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to offer the sacrifice of fools.----" Which is no more, than that it is the imagination and custom of fools to think to please God by their sacrifices, and bringing somewhat to him, while they refuse or neglect to hear his commands and obey him. Whereas obedience is better than sacrifice; and the sacrifice of the wicked is abomination to the Lord: and he that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, his prayer is abominable: and because they hate instruction--they shall cry and God will not hear them. Therefore be first careful to hear what God saith to thee, and to learn his will and do it, and then bring thy sacrifice to him: leave thy gift at the altar, and go and be reconciled to thy brother: obey first, and then come and offer thy gift. This is all the meaning of the text. See also Psal. l. 8, and compare these cited texts, 1 Sam. xv. 22; Prov. xv. 8; xxi. 17; Matt. v. &c. But whether we should begin with prayer or hearing when we enter into the church, God hath left to prudence to be decided by the general rules.

Quest. CXX. May a preacher kneel down in the pulpit, and use his private prayers when he is in the assembly?

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

Quest. CXXI. May a minister pray publicly in his own name singly, for himself or others? or only in the church's name, as their mouth to God?

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

1. It is certain that all the assembly come thither, not only to hear a prayer, but to pray as well as the minister; and therefore the practice of all churches in the world (as is seen in all the liturgies) is for the minister to speak in the plural number, and usually to pray in the church's name. And so he is both their guide and mouth in prayer. Therefore even when he prayeth for himself, it is usually fittest (or very fit) for him rather to say, We beseech thee, give the speaker thy assistance, &c. than I beseech thee.

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

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

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

2. And I know no word of God that saith, either that the minister is only the mouth of the people, or that he is to speak only in their names, or that he may not pray for himself or them in his ministerial capacity in the first person.[369]

For, 1. He is a minister of Christ for the church, and not the minister of the church properly. And he is subordinate to Christ in his priestly office, as well as in his teaching and ruling office: and the priests did always take it for their office, not only to speak as the people's mouth, but as sub-mediators or intercessors for them to God; and as then they were types of Christ by standing between God and the people, so they were his officers as well as types; and so they are his officers to this day: and as they teach and rule in his name by office, so do they intercede in his name: all men confess that they may do this in private; and where is it forbidden to be done in public?

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

Therefore this is no business for christians that are not possessed with a proud, peevish, self-conceited, quarrelsome humour, to censure or despise a minister for; nor should any introduce that false doctrine of man's invention into the church, that the minister is only to pray in public as the people's mouth. But the power of prejudice is great.

[369] 1 Tim. ii. 1, 2; Isa. lix. 16; Jer. xxvii. 18; vii. 16; xxix. 7; xxxvii. 3; xlii. 2, 4, 20; 1 Sam. vii. 5; xii. 19, 23; 2 Cor. xiii. 7; Phil. i. 9; Col. i. 9, 3; 1 Thess. v. 23; 2 Thess. i. 11; 1 Thess. iii. 10.

Quest. CXXII. May the name, priests, sacrifice, and altars, be lawfully now used instead of, Christ's ministers, worship, and the holy table?

Answ. 1. He that useth them in design to bring in the popish transubstantiation and real sacrifice of the mass, doth heinously sin in such a design and use.

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

3. The New Testament useth all the Greek names which we translate, priests, sacrifice, and altars, therefore we may use the same in Greek; and our translation and English names are not intolerable. If priest come from presbyter I need not prove that; if it do not, yet all ministers are subordinate to Christ in his priestly office as essentially as in the rest. And Rev. i. 6; v. 10; xx. 6, it is said, that we are or shall be made priests of God, and unto God. And 1 Pet. ii. 5, we are "an holy priesthood," and ver. 9, a "royal priesthood:" if this be said of all, then especially of ministers.

And the word sacrifice is used of us and our offered worship, 1 Pet. ii. 5; Heb. xiii. 15, 16; Phil. iv. 18; Eph. v. 2; Rom. xii. 1.

And Heb. xiii. 10, saith, "We have an altar whereof they partake not," &c. And the word is frequently used in the Revelation, chap. vi. 9; viii. 3, 5; xvi. 7, &c. in relation to gospel times. We must not therefore be quarrelsome against the bare names, unless they be abused to some ill use.

4. The ancient fathers and churches did ever use all these words so familiarly without any question or scruple raised about them, either by the orthodox or any heretics, that at present I can remember to have ever read of, that we should be the more wary how we condemn the bare words, lest thence we give advantage to the papists to make them tell their followers, that all antiquity was on their side; which were very easy for them to prove, if the controversy were about the names alone. Extremes and passionate imprudence do give the adversaries great advantages.

5. The names of sacrifice and altar, were used by the ancient churches, not properly, but merely in allusion to the Jewish and heathen sacrifices and altars, together with a tropical use from the christian reasons of the names.

As the Lord's supper is truly the commemoration of Christ's sacrifice; and therefore called by protestants, a commemorative sacrifice; so that our controversy with the papists is not, whether it may be called a sacrifice, but whether it be only the sacrament of a sacrifice, or a sacramental, commemorative sacrifice, or also a real, proper sacrifice of the very body and blood itself of Christ. For we acknowledge, that This is a sacrifice, is no more tropical a speech, than This is my body and blood.

6. Yet it must be noted, that the Scripture useth the word sacrifice about ourselves, and our thanksgivings, and praises, and works of charity, rather than of the Lord's supper; and the word priests, of all men, lay or clergy, that offer these foresaid sacrifices to God. Though the ancient doctors used them familiarly, by way of allusion, of the sacrament and its administrators.

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

Quest. CXXIII. May the communion table be turned altar-wise, and railed in? And is it lawful to come up to the rails to communicate?

Answ. The answer to this is mostly the same with that to the foregoing question. 1. God hath given us no particular command or prohibition about these circumstances; but the general rules, for unity, edification, order, and decency; whether the table shall stand this way or that way, here or there, &c. he hath not particularly determined.

2. They that turn the table altar-wise and rail it in, out of a design to draw men to popery, or in a scandalous way which will encourage men to or in popery, do sin.

3. So do they that rail in the table to signify that the vulgar or lay christians must not come to it, but be kept at a distance; when Christ in his personal presence admitted his disciples to communicate at the table with himself.

4. But where there are no such ends, but only to imitate the ancients that did thus, and to show reverence to the table on the account of the sacrament, by keeping away dogs, keeping boys from sitting on it; and the professed doctrine of the church condemneth transubstantiation, the real corporal presence, &c. (as ours doth;) in this case christians should take these for such as they are, indifferent things, and not censure or condemn each other for them; nor should any force them upon those that think them unlawful.

5. And to communicate is not only lawful in this case, where we cannot prove that the minister sinneth, but even when we suspect an ill design in him, which we cannot prove; yea, or when we can prove that his personal interpretation of the place, name, situation, and rails is unsound; for we assemble there to communicate in and according to the professed doctrine of christianity and the churches, and our own open profession, and not after every private opinion and error of the minister. As I may receive from an anabaptist or separatist notwithstanding his personal errors; so may I from another man, whose error destroyeth not his ministry, nor the ordinance, as long as I consent not to it, yea, and with the church profess my dissent.

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

Quest. CXXIV. Is it lawful to use David's psalms in our assemblies?

Answ. Yes: 1. Christ used them at his last supper, as is most probable; and he ordinarily joined with the Jews that used them; and so did the apostles.

2. It is confessed lawful to read or say them; therefore also to sing them. For saying and singing difference not the main end.

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

4. We are commanded in the New Testament to sing psalms; and we are not commanded to compose new ones; nor can every one make psalms, who is commanded to sing psalms. And if it be lawful to sing psalms of our own or our neighbour's making, much more of God's making by his Spirit in his prophets.[370]

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

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

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

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

But the sectarian objections against singing David's psalms are so frivolous, that I will not tire the reader with any more.[371]

[370] Matt. xxvi. 30; Mark xiv. 26; Luke iv. 16; vi. 6; John vi. 59; xviii. 20; Mark i. 21, 23, 29; iii. 1; vi. 2; 1 Chron. xvi. 7; Psal. xcv. 2; cv. 2; James v. 13; 1 Chron. xvi. 9.

[371] James v. 13; Eph. v. 19; Col. iii. 16.

Quest. CXXV. May psalms be used as prayers, and praises, and thanksgivings, or only as instructive? even the reading as well as the singing of them?

Answ. The sober reader who knoweth not what errors others hold, will marvel that I trouble men with such questions. But I have oft been troubled with those that (having no other shift to deny the lawfulness of written and set forms of prayer) do affirm that psalms are neither to be read or sung at all as prayers, but only as doctrinal scriptures for instruction.[372] But that this is false appeareth,

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

2. And those that we are commanded to sing as psalms, and have Christ's example so to use, (who sung a hymn or psalm of praise at his last supper,) we also may so use: but, &c.

3. And those that are by God's Spirit fitted for use in prayer, praise, and thanksgiving, and never forbidden so to be used, may by us be so used: but such are the psalms, &c. I will weary you with no more.

[372] Psal. lxxii. 20; xc. title; lxxxvi. title; xvii. title; &c.

Quest. CXXVI. Are our church tunes lawful, being of man's invention?

Answ. Yes: they are a lawful invention, allowed us by God, and fitted to the general rules of edification. Scripture is no particular rule for such modes and circumstances.

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

Answ. 1. It is a lawful sensitive pleasure, sanctified to a holy use, not hindering, but greatly helping the soul in spiritual worship.

Either you call it carnal, because it gratifieth the sinful, corrupt inclinations of man; or only because it is sensitive, or a pleasure in the imagination and lower faculties. If the former, 1. There is nothing in it which is a necessary cause of any sinful pleasure, nor any impediment to spiritual pleasure. 2. But a lustful person will turn all sensitive pleasure into sin; our meat, and drink, and clothes, and houses, and friends, and health: the bread and wine in the sacrament may be thus abused.[373]

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

You know not what it is to be a man, if you know not that God hath made all the senses to be the inlets of objects, and so of holy pleasure into the soul. Would he have given us eyes, and ears, and appetites, and made his creatures sweet and beauteous, that all might either be sin or useless to us? No: all things are sanctified, and pure to the pure.[374] The sense is the natural way to the imagination, and that to the understanding; and he that will have no sensible and natural pleasure, shall have no spiritual pleasure: and he that will have none but sensitive pleasure, were better have none at all. It is therefore a foolish pretence of spirituality, to dream of acting without our senses, or avoiding those delights, which may and must be sanctified to us. Harmony and melody are so high a pleasure of the sense, that they are nearest to rational delights, if not participating of them, and exceedingly fitted to elevate the mind and affections unto God.

And as it is the very nature of true holiness, to be so suited to holy things, as that they may be our delight, and he is the genuine saint, and the best of christians, who most delighteth in God and holiness; so that is the best means to make us the best christians, which helpeth us best to these delights; and if any thing on earth be like to heaven, it is to have our delight in God. And therefore if any thing may make us heavenly, it is that which raiseth us to such delights. And therefore a choir of holy persons, melodiously singing the praises of Jehovah, are likest to the angelical society, Psal. cl.

[373] Luke xii. 17-19; xvi. 20-22.

[374] Rom. viii. 18, 32; Tit. i. 15; Rom. xiv. 20; 1 Cor. iii. 21; 2 Cor. iv. 15.

Quest. CXXVII. Is church music by organs or such instruments, lawful?[375]

Answ. I know that in the persecuted and poorer times of the church, none such were used (when they had not temples, nor always a fixed meeting place). And that the author of the Quest. et Resp. in Justin Martyr speaketh against it (which Perkins and others cite to that purpose). And I grant,

1. That as it is in the power of weak, diseased christians, to make many things unlawful to their brethren lest we be hurtful to them, and to deprive us of much, not only of our liberties but our helps; so in abundance of congregations, church music is made unlawful by accident, through their mistake. For it is unlawful (cæteris paribus) by an unnecessary thing to occasion divisions in the churches; but where one part judgeth church music unlawful, for another part to use it, would occasion divisions in the churches, and drive away the other part. Therefore I would wish church music to be no where set up, but where the congregation can accord in the use of it; or at least where they will not divide thereupon.

2. And I think it unlawful to use such strains of music as are light, or as the congregation cannot easily be brought to understand; much more on purpose to commit the whole work of singing to the choristers, and exclude the congregation. I am not willing to join in such a church where I shall be shut out of this noble work of praise.

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

2. It is not an instituted ceremony merely, but a natural help to the mind's alacrity: and it is a duty and not a sin to use the helps of nature and lawful art, though not to institute sacraments, &c. of our own. As it is lawful to use the comfortable helps of spectacles in reading the Bible, so is it of music to exhilarate the soul towards God.[376]

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

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

5. Nothing can be against it, that I know of, but what is said against tunes and melody of voice. For whereas they say that it is a human invention; so are our tunes (and metre, and versions). Yea, it is not a human invention; as the last psalm and many others show, which call us to praise the Lord with instruments of music.

And whereas it is said to be a carnal mind of pleasure, they may say as much of a melodious, harmonious concert of voices, which is more excellent music than any instruments.

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

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

[375] Rev. xiv. 2, 3. "The voice of harpers harping with their harps," is ordinarily expounded of public worship.

[376] 1 Sam. xviii. 6; 1 Chron. xv. 16; 2 Chron. v. 13; vii. 6; xxiii. 13; xxxiv. 22; Psal. xcviii.; xcix.; cxlix.; cl.

Quest. CXXVIII. Is the Lord's day a sabbath, and so to be called and kept, and that of divine institution? And is the seventh-day sabbath abrogated? &c.

Answ. All the cases about the Lord's day (except those practical directions for keeping it, in the Economical part of this book) I have put into a peculiar treatise on that subject by itself; and therefore shall here pass them over, referring the reader to them in that discourse.

Quest. CXXIX. Is it lawful to appoint human holy days, and observe them?

Answ. This also I have spoke to in the foresaid treatise, and my "Disput. of Church Government and Cer." Briefly, 1. It is not lawful to appoint another weekly sabbath, or day wholly separated to the commemoration of our redemption: for that is to mend (pretendedly) the institutions of God; yea, and to contradict him who hath judged one day only in seven to be the fittest weekly proportion.

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

3. The holy doctrine, lives, and sufferings of the martyrs and other holy men, hath been so great a mercy to the church, that (for any thing I know) it is lawful to keep anniversary thanksgivings in remembrance of them, and to encourage the weak, and provoke them to constancy and imitation.

4. But to dedicate days or temples to them in any higher sense, as the heathen and idolaters did to their heroes, is unlawful; or any way to intimate an attribution of divinity to them, by word or worship.

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

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

7. But yet no christians should causelessly refuse that which is lawful, nor to join with the churches in holy exercises on the days of thankful commemoration of the apostles, and martyrs, and excellent instruments in the church; much less petulantly to work and set open shops to the offence of others; but rather to persuade all to imitate the holy lives of those saints to whom they give such honours.

Quest. CXXX. How far are the holy Scriptures a law and perfect rule to us?

Answ. 1. For all thoughts, words, affections, and actions, of divine faith and obedience (supposing still God's law of nature). For it is no believing God to believe what he never revealed; nor any trusting God, to trust that he will certainly give us that which he never either directly or indirectly promised; nor any obeying God, to do that which he never commanded.

2. The contents will best show the extent; whatever is revealed, promised, and commanded in it, for that it is a perfect rule. For certainly it is perfect in its kind and to its proper use.

3. It is a perfect rule for all that is of universal moral necessity; that is, whatever it is necessary that man believe, think, or do, in all ages and places of the world, this is of divine obligation. Whatever the world is universally bound to, (that is, all men in it,) it is certain that God's law in nature, or Scripture, or both, bindeth them to it. For the world hath no universal king or lawgiver but God.

4. God's own laws in nature and Scripture are a perfect rule for all the duties of the understanding, thoughts, affections, passions, immediately to be exercised on God himself; for no one else is a discerner or judge of such matters.[377]

5. It perfectly containeth all the essential and integral parts of the christian religion; so that nothing is of itself, and directly, any part of the christian religion which is not there.

6. It instituteth those sacraments perfectly, which are the seals of God's covenant with man, and the delivery of the benefits, and which are the badges or symbols of the disciples and religion of Christ in the world.

7. It determineth what faith, prayer, and obedience shall be his appointed means and conditions of justification, adoption, and salvation. And so what shall be professed and preached in his name to the world.

8. It is a perfect instrument of donation or conveyance of our right to Christ, and of pardon, and justification, and adoption, and the Holy Spirit's assistances, and of glory. As it is God's covenant, promise, or deed of gift.

9. It instituteth certain ministers as his own church officers, and perfectly describeth their office, as instituted by him.

10. It instituteth the form of his church universal, which is called his body; and also of particular holy societies for his worship; and prescribeth them certain duties, as the common worship there to be performed.

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

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

13. It giveth to magistrates, pastors, parents, and other superiors, all that power by which they are authorized to oblige us, under God, to any undetermined particulars.

14. It is the perfect rule of Christ's judging, rewarding, and punishing at last, according to which he will proceed.

15. It is the only law that is made by primitive power.

16. And the only law that is made by infallible wisdom.

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

18. And the only law which is from absolute power, the rule of all other laws, and from which there is finally no appeal.[378]

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

1. It is no particular revelation or perfect rule of natural sciences, as physics, metaphysics, &c.

2. It is no rule for the arts, for medicine, music, arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, grammar, rhetoric, logic; nor for the mechanics, as navigation, architecture; and all the trades and occupations of men; no, not husbandry by which we have our food.

3. It is no particular rule for all the mutable, subordinate duties of any societies. It will not serve instead of all the statutes of this and all other lands, nor tell us, when the terms shall begin and end, nor what work every parent and master shall set his children and servants in his family, &c.

4. It is no full rule in particular for all those political principles which are the ground of human laws; as whether each republic be monarchical, aristocratical, or democratical; what person or of what family shall reign; who shall be his officers and judges, and how diversified; so of his treasury, munition, coin, &c.

5. It is no rule of propriety in particular, by which every man may know which is his own land, or house, or goods, or cattle.

6. It is no particular rule for our natural actions; what meat we shall eat; what clothes we shall wear; so of our rest, labour, &c.

7. It is no particular law or rule for any of all those actions and circumstances about religion or God's own ordinances, which he hath only commanded in general, and left in specie or particular to be determined by man according to his general laws; but of these next.

[377] 2 Tim. iii. 16; 2 Pet. i. 10; 2 Tim. iii. 15; Rom. xv. 4; xvi. 26; John v. 39; Acts xvii. 2, 11; John xix. 24, 28, 36, 37.

[378] Psal. xii. 6; xix. 7-10; cxix.

Quest. CXXXI. What additions or human inventions in or about religion, not commanded in Scripture, are lawful or unlawful?

Answ. 1. These following are unlawful. 1. To feign any new article of faith or doctrine, any precept, promise, threatening, prophecy, or revelation, falsely to father it upon God, and say, that it is of him, or his special word.[379]

2. To say that either that is written in the Bible which is not, or that any thing is the sense of a text which is not; and so that any thing is a sin or a duty by Scripture which is not. Or to father apocryphal books, or texts, or words upon the Spirit of Christ.

3. To make any law for the church universal, or as obligatory to all christians; which is to usurp the sovereignty of Christ; for which treasonable usurpation it is that protestants call the pope, antichrist.

4. To add new parts to the christian religion.

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

6. To make new laws for men's inward heart duties towards God.

7. To make new sacraments for the sealing of Christ's covenant and collation of his benefits therein contained, and to the public tesseræ, badges or symbols of christians and christianity in the world.

8. To feign new conditions of the covenant of God, and necessary means of our justification, adoption, and salvation.

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

10. To make new spiritual societies or church forms which shall be either supra-ordinate, co-ordinate, or derogatory to the forms of Christ's institution.[380]

11. Any impositions upon the churches (be the thing never so lawful) which is made by a pretended power not derived from God and the Redeemer.[381]

12. Any thing that is contrary to the church's good and edification, to justice, charity, piety, order, unity, or peace.[382]

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

14. And the exercise of any power, pretended to be either primitive and underived, or infallible, or impeccable, or absolute.

15. In general, any thing that is contrary to the authority, matter, form, obligation, honour, or ends of the laws of God, in nature or Scripture.

16. Any thing which setteth up those judaical laws and ceremonies which Christ hath abrogated, in that form and respect in which he abrogated them.

17. Where there is a doubt among sober, conscionable christians, lest in obeying man they should sin against God and disobey his laws, and the matter doubted of is confessed unnecessary by the imposers: so infinite is the distance between God and man, and so wholly dependent on him are the highest, that they should be exceedingly unwilling to vie with the authority of their Maker in men's consciences, or to do any thing unnecessary which tendeth to compel men to tread down God's authority in their consciences, and to prefer man's. Much more unwilling should they be, to silence the sober preachers of Christ's gospel upon such accounts.

[379] Deut. xii. 32; Rev. xxii. 18; Col. ii. 18, 23-26; Matt. xv. 3, 8, 9; Gal. i. 8, 9; Jer. v. 12; xiv. 14; xxiii. 25, 26, 32; Ezek. xiii. 9, 19; xxii. 28; Zech. xiii. 2-6.

[380] Gal. ii. 5.

[381] Acts xv. 23-25.

[382] 2 Cor. x. 8; xiii. 10; 1 Cor. xiv. 5, 12, 26; 2 Cor. xii. 19; Eph. iv. 12, 16; 1 Tim. i. 4.

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

Answ. I must entreat the reader carefully to distinguish here, 1. Between God's law forbidding rulers to do evil; and his law forbidding subjects or private men.

2. Between obedience formally so called; which is, when we therefore obey in conscience, because it is commanded, and the commander's authority is the formal reason and object of our obedience: and obedience material only, which is properly no obedience, but a doing the thing which is commanded upon other reasons, and not at all because it is commanded.

3. Between formal obedience to the office of the ruler in general, and formal obedience to him, as commanding this very matter in particular.

4. Between such authority in the ruler as will warrant his impositions before God for his own justification; and such authority as may make it my duty to obey him. And so I answer,

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

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

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

4. Many such things may be done materially on other reasons, (as for the church's good, the furtherance of the gospel, the winning of men to God, the avoiding of scandal, or of hurt to others or ourselves, &c.) when they are not to be done in formal obedience, out of conscience to the authority imposing (as if it be commanded by one that hath no just power).

5. Our actions may participate of obedience in general, as being actions of subjects, when they are not obedience in the full and perfect formality as to the particular. The last leaf of Richard Hooker's eighth book of Eccles. Polit. will show you the reason of this. He that hath not just power to command me this one particular act, yet may be my ruler in the general, and I am bound to honour him in general as my ruler; and to disobey him in a thing lawful for me to do, though not for him to command, may be dishonouring of him, and an appearance of disobedience and denial of his power.[383] A parent is forbidden by God to command his child to speak an idle word, or to do a vain and useless action (much more a hurtful). Yet if a parent should command a child to speak an idle word, or do a vain action, the duty of obedience would make it at that time not to be vain and idle to him; yea, if he bid him throw away a cup of wine, or a piece of bread, which is evil when causeless, the child may be bound to do it: not only because he knoweth not but the parents may have lawful ends and reasons for their command, (as to try and exercise his obedience,) but also if he were sure that it were not so; because he is a subject, and the honouring of a parent is so great a good, and the dishonouring him by that disobedience may have such ill consequences, as will preponderate the evil of the loss of a cup of wine, &c. Yet in this case, the act of obedience is but mixed: it is an act of subjection or honour to a parent, because in general he is a governor: but it is but materially obedience in respect of that particular matter, which we know he had no authority to command.

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

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

Lest any should gather hence that they are never bound in conscience to obey their parents, their king, their pastors, in any point wherein they exercise more power than God gave them, I thought meet to speak more exactly to that point, which needed this distinguishing. For the ground is sure that There is no power but of God;[384] and that God hath given no man power against himself, his laws and service; but yet there are many cases in which God bindeth children and subjects to obey their superiors, in such matters as they did sinfully command.

7. It greatly concerneth all sober christians therefore to be well studied in the law of God, that we may certainly know what those things are which God hath absolutely forbidden us to do, whoever command them, and to distinguish them from things that depend on mutable accidents; that as the three witnesses and Daniel, Dan. iii. vi. we may be true to God whatever we suffer for it; and yet may obey men in all that is our duty to them.

Thus the apostles knew that no man had power from God to silence them, or persecute them for the gospel. Therefore they would not obey those that forbad them to preach; and yet they would appear before any magistrate that commanded them, and obey their summons; and so we may do even to a usurper, or a private man.

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

For instance, it is not in the ruler's power to determine whether there shall be preaching or none, true doctrine or false, &c. But it is in his power to regulate the circumstances of time, place, &c. (next to be recited). Now if he do these to order, unity, and edification, I will obey him formally and fully for conscience sake. If he so do it as is destructive to the end, (as is aforesaid,) as to say, You shall meet only at twenty miles' distance, or only at midnight, &c. I will obey him no further than necessity and the common good requireth me. If he do it only with a tolerable inconvenience, (as to say, You shall meet no where but in the open fields, &c.) I will obey for conscience sake, as I am in general a subject bound to honour the magistrate; but not as he nameth an unmeet circumstance, in that respect my obedience shall be but material.

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

[383] Eph. v. 24; Col. iii. 20, 22; Rom. xiii. 1-6.

[384] John xix. 11; Rom. xiii. 1.

Quest. CXXXIII. What are the additions or inventions of men which are not forbidden by the word of God (whether by rulers or by private men invented)?

Answ. This is handled under the directions for worship; to which I refer the reader, as also for part of the answer to the former cases. Yet here I shall trouble you with so much repetition, as to say, that,

1. Such inventions and additions are lawful as God hath commanded men (rulers, pastors, parents, or private persons) to make under the regulation of his general laws.

2. All such additions are lawful as are merely subordinate and subservient to God's laws and orders, and not forbidden by him, among the forementioned prohibited additions.

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

2. It is also lawful and needful, that our own invention or our superior's according to God's general laws, do determine of the particular subjects of our office; which Scripture doth not particularly determine of, viz. 1. Scripture telleth not ministers what country, parish, or church they shall bestow their labours in. 2. Nor to how many they shall be a pastor. 3. Nor what text or subject they shall preach on. 4. Nor what singular persons they shall apply comfort, counsel, or terror to, this or that. 5. Nor whom they shall admit to the sacrament (but by the general rule or description). 6. Nor whom they shall openly rebuke or excommunicate. 7. Nor whom they shall absolve. It telleth them not whom the persons be to whom the Scripture character doth belong, in any of these cases. 8. Nor whether the witnesses say truly or falsely who accuse a man. 9. Nor whether the accused be to be taken as guilty of heresy, scandal, or schism, &c.

3. It is also a lawful invention of man, to find, choose, and use, such natural helps, as are useful to further us in the obedience of God's laws, and the practice of his worship, and are not forbidden by him. Yea, in genere they are commanded, and yet never particularly determined of in the Scripture: as, 1. What will clear a preacher's voice, to speak audibly. 2. The advantage of a pulpit to be above the people. 3. The use of spectacles to them that need them to read the Scripture. 4. The translating of the Scriptures into our native language. 5. Which translation of many we shall use in the churches. 6. The printing of the Bible. 7. The dividing it into chapters and verses. 8. The printing of good books, to expound and apply the Scripture; commentaries, sermons, &c. 9. The forms of school exercises, disputations, &c. to prepare students for the ministry; and what books of divinity tutors shall read to their pupils, or every student shall have in his library. 10. The manner and tune of singing psalms in the churches. 11. What version or metre to use, this or that. 12. What form of catechism, (verbal, written, or printed,) to use among many, in the church or family. 13. Whether to pray in the same words often, or in various. 14. Whether to use words of our own composing or invention primarily, or of other men's; and that by direction, persuasion, or command. 15. To use a written or printed form, or neither; to read it on the book, or speak it by memory. 16. To use Scripture forms only, of prayer, praise, psalms and hymns, or those that are of later composure also. 17. To print the Bible and use it with marginal notes, and contents, or without. 18. To baptize in a river, well, pool, or font. 19. To have sponsors or witnesses of the parents' trustiness, and the child's covenant, or not. 20. At how many days old children shall be baptized. 21. Whether they shall be named in baptism, or before, or after. 22. Whether one of the ministers shall be a tutor or teacher to the rest that are younger. 23. How far the rest shall submit their judgments to one that is eldest and ablest, and be ruled by him. 24. Whether there shall be any deaconnesses in the church. 25. Whether a church shall have one minister, two, or more. 26. Who shall be the men. 27. What space of ground shall be the church bounds, for the cohabitation of the members. 28. How many neighbour churches shall make a synod; and which be they. 29. How many members a synod shall consist of. 30. Who shall be president. Or whether any. And who shall gather the votes. 31. Who shall record their acts, as scribe. 32. What messenger shall carry them to the churches. 33. What letters for correspondence and communion shall be written to the churches. 34. When pastors shall remove from one church to another; and to which. 35. Who shall be ordained ministers to preach, baptize, and gather churches. 36. How many the ordainers shall be. 37. Whether there shall be any music by instruments in the church or house, for the praises of God; and what. 38. Who shall lead the psalm. 39. Who shall read. 40. What words the church's profession of faith shall be expressed by. 41. By what signs the church shall signify their consent; whether lifting up the hand, standing up, bowing the head, or by voice, or writing. 42. By what sign or ceremony men shall take an oath; whether lifting up the hand towards heaven, or laying it on a book, or kissing the book, &c. 43. Whether the people at the sacrament sit near the table, or keep farther off. 44. Whether it be put into each person's hand, or they take it themselves. With many more such like.

4. And it is a lawful invention to determine of mere circumstances of time and place which God hath not determined of in Scripture: as, 1. At how many times in the year or week, baptism shall be administered. 2. At what age persons be admitted to the Lord's supper. 3. On what days and hours of the week there shall be lectures, or church assemblies. 4. How oft and when ministers shall catechise and instruct the people privately. 5. On what hour the church shall assemble on the Lord's days, and receive the sacrament. 6. How long prayer, reading, and sermon shall be. 7. At what hour to end the public exercises. 8. At what hours to pray in families or in secret. 9. How often disciplinary meetings shall be held, for the trial of accused members. 10. How often synods shall meet; and how long continue. Of holy days before.

5. The same is to be said for the places of holy exercises. 1. What edifices the church shall have for such uses? 2. In what places they shall be situate? 3. Where the pulpit shall stand? 4. And where the font? 5. And where the table? 6. Where each of the people shall sit? 7. Where synods shall meet? 8. How many temples shall be in a city? &c.

6. The same is to be said of all accidental, subordinate officers; as lecturers, clerks, door-keepers, churchwardens, and many before mentioned.

7. The same is to be said of church utensils; as table, cups, linen, pulpits, fonts, clock, hour-glass, bells, seats, decent habit of clothes, &c.

8. The same may be said of decent gestures, not particularly commanded; as what gesture to preach in, standing or sitting? What gesture to read in? What gesture to hear in? What gesture to sing psalms in? Whether to be covered or bare-headed? In what gesture to receive the Lord's supper? (In which Scripture no more regulateth us, than of the room, the hour of communicating, the number of communicants, the place; in all which Christ's example was not a particular law.)

9. The same may be said of order. 1. Whether the pastor shall begin with prayer, reading, or exhortation? 2. Whether the people shall begin with prayer or ejaculations privately? 3. Whether we shall make but one or two long continued prayers, or many short ones? 4. Whether we shall pray before sermon immediately, and after, in the pulpit or in the reading place? 5. When the psalms shall be said or sung, and how many? 6. How many chapters shall be read? and which and in what order? 7. Whether baptism shall be before, or after, or when? 8. When the catechumens and learners shall be dismissed, and the proper eucharistical church exercises begin? 9. When collections made? &c.

But, O Lord, have compassion on thy scattered flock, who are afflicted and divided by the imperiousness of those pastors, who think it not enough for the exercise of their domination, to promote all thine own holy laws and doctrines, and to make their own canons in all these cases, or such like; but they must needs make more work than all this cometh to, for themselves and for their flocks, even unto those distractions, and dissipations, and fierce persecutions and contentions, which many hundred years have exercised the Greek and Latin churches, and many more throughout the world.

Quest. CXXXIV. What are the mischiefs of unlawful additions in religion?

Answ. Alas! many and great. 1. They tend to dethrone Christ from his sovereignty, and legislative prerogative. 2. And to advance man, blind and sinful man, into his place. 3. And thereby to debase religion, making it but a human or a mixed thing (and it can be no more noble than its author is). 4. And thereby they debase also the church of God, and the government of it, while they make it to be but a human policy, and not divine. 5. They tend to depose God from his authority in men's consciences, and to level or join him there but with man. 6. They tend to men's doubtfulness and uncertainty of their religion; seeing man is fallible, and so may his constitutions be. 7. They tend to drive out all true religion from the world, while man that is so bad is the maker of it; and it may be suspected to be bad, that is made by so bad an author. 8. And it taketh off the fear of God, and his judgment: for it is man that must be feared, so far as man is the maker of the law. And it destroyeth the consolation of believers, which consisteth in the hopes of a reward from God; for he that serveth man, must be rewarded by man; and though they do not exclude God, but join him with themselves, yet this mixture debaseth and destroyeth religion, as the mixture of God and mammon in men's love, and as mixed and debased metals do the sovereign's coin. 9. It hardeneth infidels and hindereth their conversion; for they will reverence no more of our religion than we can prove to be divine: and when they find one part of it to be human, they suspect the rest to be so too, and contemn it all; even as protestants do popery, for the abundance of human trinkets and toys with which we see them exercise and delude their silly followers. 10. It is the great engine of dividing all the churches, and breeding and feeding contentions in the christian world. 11. And because men that will command, will be obeyed, and they that are absolutely subjected to God, will obey none against him, whatever it cost them, (as Dan. iii.; vi.; Heb. xi.; Luke xiv. 26, 33; Matt. v. 10-12,) therefore it hath proved the occasion of bloody persecutions in the churches, by which professed christians draw the guilt of christian blood upon themselves. 12. And hereby it hath dolefully hindered the gospel, while the persecutors have silenced many worthy, conscionable preachers of it. 13. And by this it hath quenched charity in the hearts of both sides, and taught the sufferers and the afflicters to be equally bitter in censuring if not detesting one another. 14. And the infidels seeing these dissensions and bitter passions among christians, deride, and scorn, and hate them all.[385] 15. Yea, such causes as these in the Latin and Greek churches have engaged not only emperors and princes against their own subjects, so that chronicles and books of martyrs perpetuate their dishonour, as Pilate's name is in the creed; but also have set them in bloody wars among themselves. These have been the fruits, and this is the tendency of usurping Christ's prerogative over his religion and worship in his church.

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

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

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

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

5. And it leaveth men utterly unexcusable, that will not take warning by so many hundred years' experiences of most of the churches through the world? Even when we see the yet continued divisions of the eastern and western churches, and all about a human religion (in the parts most contended about); when they read of the rivers of blood that have been shed in Piedmont, France, Germany, Belgia, Poland, Ireland, and the flames in England, and many other nations, and all for the human parts of men's religion? He that will yet go on and take no warning, may go read the eighteenth and nineteenth of the Revelation, and see what joy will be in heaven and earth, when God shall do justice upon such.

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

[385] Rom. xiv. xv.

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

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

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

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

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

5. And hereupon they are usually mutable and unsettled in their religion; this year for one, and the next for another; because there is no certainty in their own inventions and conceits.

6. And hereupon they still fall into manifold parties, because each man maketh a religion to himself, by his misinterpretation of God's word; so that there is no end of their divisions.

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

8. They sin against God by calling good evil, and light darkness, and honouring superstition, which is the work of Satan, with holy names.[386]

9. They sin by adding to the word of God; while they say of abundance of lawful things, This is unlawful, and that is against the word of God, and pretend that their Touch not, taste not, handle not, is in the Scriptures.[387] For while they make it a rule for every circumstance in particular, they must squeeze, and force, and wrest it, to find out all those circumstances in it which were never there; and so by false expositions make the Scriptures another thing.

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

11. It engageth all subjects against their rulers' laws and government, and involveth them in the sin of denying them just obedience; while all the statute book must be found in the Scriptures, or else condemned as unlawful.

12. It maintaineth disobedience in churches, and causeth schisms and confusions unavoidably; for they that will neither obey the pastors, nor join with the churches, till they can show scriptures particularly for every translation, method, metre, tune, and all that is done, must join with no churches in the world.

13. It bringeth rebellion and confusion into families, while children and servants must learn no catechism, hear no minister, give no account, observe no hours of prayer, nay, nor do any work, but what there is a particular scripture for.

14. It sets men on enthusiastical expectations, and irrational, scandalous worshipping of God, while all men must avoid all those methods, phrases, books, helps, which are not expressly or particularly in Scripture, and men must not use their own inventions, or prudence, in the right ordering of the works of religion.

15. It destroyeth christian love and concord, while men are taught to censure all others, that use any thing in God's worship which is not particularly in Scripture, and so to censure all true worshippers in the world.

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

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

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

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

20. Lastly, and rulers will be tempted in church and state, to take such persons for intolerable in all societies, and such whose principles are inconsistent with government. And no thanks to this opinion, if they be not tempted to dislike the Scripture itself, and instead of it to fly to the papists' traditions, and the church's legislative sovereignty, or worse.

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

[386] Isa. v. 20, 21.

[387] Col. ii 21-23.

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

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

1. All that is certainly of universal and perpetual obligation, which is but a transcript of the universal and perpetual law of nature.

2. And all that which hath the express characters of universality and perpetuity upon it; and such are all the substantial parts of the gospel; as, "Except ye repent, ye shall all perish," Luke xiii. 3, 5. "Except a man be born again, he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven," John iii. 3, 5. "He that believeth in him, shall not perish, but have everlasting life," John iii. 16. "He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be damned," Mark xvi. 16. "Without holiness none shall see God," Heb. xii. 14. "Go, preach the gospel to all nations, baptizing them, &c. teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you," Matt, xxviii. 19, 20. Abundance such texts have the express characters of universality and perpetuity (which many call morality).

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

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

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

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

For instance, 1. Christ's preaching sometimes on a mountain, sometimes in a ship, sometimes in a house, and sometimes in the synagogues, doth show that all these are lawful in season on the like occasion: but he purposed not to oblige men to any one of them alone.

2. So Christ's giving the sacrament of his body and blood, in an upper room, in a private house after supper, to none but ministers, and none but his family, and but to twelve, and on the fifth day of the week only, and in the gesture of a recumbent, leaning, sitting; all these are plainly occasional, and not intended as obliging to imitation: for that which he made a law of, he separated in his speeches, and commanded them to do it in remembrance of him till his coming. And Paul expoundeth the distinction, 1 Cor. xi. in his practice.

So the promise of the spirit of revelation and miracles is expounded by the event, as the seal of the gospel and Scripture, proper to those times in the main.

So the primitive christians selling their estates, and distributing to the poor, or laying it down at the apostles' feet, was plainly appropriated to that time, or the like occasions, by the reason of it; which was suddenly to show the world what the belief of heaven through the promises of Christ, could make them all, and how much their love was to Christ and one another, and how little to the world; and also by the cessation of it, when the persecutions abated, and the churches came to any settlement; yea, and at first it was not a thing commanded to all, but only voluntarily done.

So the women's veil, and the custom of kissing each other as a token of love, and men's not wearing long hair, were the customs of the country there ordered and improved by the apostles about sacred things; but not introduced into other countries that had no such custom.

So also anointing was in those countries taken for salubrious, and refreshing to the body, and a ceremony of initiation into places of great honour; whereupon it was used about the sick, and God's giving the gift of healing in those times was frequently conjunct with this means. So that hence the anointing of the sick came up; and the ancient christians turned it into an initiating ceremony, because we are kings and priests to God. Now these occasions extend not to those countries where anointing neither was of such use, or value, or signification.

So also Paul's becoming a Jew to the Jews, and being shaved, and purifying himself, and circumcising Timothy, are evidently temporary compliances in a thing then lawful, for the avoiding of offence, and for the furtherance of the gospel, and no obligatory, perpetual laws to us. And so most divines think the eating of things strangled, and blood, were forbidden for a time to them only that conversed with the Jews, Acts xv. Though Beckman have many reasons for the perpetuity, not contemptible.

So the office of deaconesses (and some think of deacons) seemeth to be fitted to that time, and state, and condition of christians. And where the reasons and case are the same, the obligations will be the same. In a word, the text itself will one way or other show us, when a command or example is universally and durably obligatory, and when not.

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

Answ. This question is the more worthy consideration, that we may withal understand the use of catechisms, confessions, and creeds, (of which after,) and the great and tender mercies of God to the weak, and may be able to answer the cavils of the papists against the Scriptures, as insufficient to be the rule of faith and life, because much of it is hard to be understood.

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

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

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

4. It is not of necessity to salvation to believe every book or verse in Scripture, to be canonical, or written by the Spirit of God. For as the papists' canon is larger than that which the protestants own; so if our canon should prove defective of any one book, it would not follow that we could not be saved for want of a sufficient faith. The churches immediately after the apostles' time, had not each one all their writings, but they were brought together in time, and received by degrees, as they had proof of their being written by authorized, inspired persons. The second of Peter, James, Jude, Hebrews, and Revelation, were received in many churches since the rest. And if some book be lost, (as Enoch's prophecy, or Paul's epistle to the Laodiceans, or any other of his epistles not named in the rest,) or if any hereafter should be lost or doubted of, as the Canticles, or the second or third epistles of John, the epistle of Jude, &c. it would not follow, that all true faith and hope of salvation were lost with it.

It is a controversy whether 1 John v. 7, and some other particular verses, be canonical or not, because some Greek copies have them, and some are without them; but whoever erreth in that only, may be saved.

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

6. The holy Scripture is an entire, comely body, which containeth not only the essential parts of the true religion, but also the integral parts, and the ornaments and many accidents; which must be distinguished, and not all taken to be equal.[388]

7. So much as containeth the essentials of true religion, must be understood and believed of necessity to salvation; and so much as containeth the integrals of religion doth greatly conduce to our salvation, both that we may be the surer and the better christians, as having greater helps to both.

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

[388] Rom. xiv. 17, 18; xiii. 8-10; 1 Cor. xv. 2-6; Mark xvi. 16.

Quest. CXXXVIII. How may we know the fundamentals, essentials, or what parts are necessary to salvation? And is the papists' way allowable that (some of them) deny that distinction, and make the difference to be only in the degrees of men's opportunities of knowledge?

Answ. 1. Those papists' perverseness can mean no better than that Christianity itself is not necessary to salvation, to those that have not opportunity to know it (as Johnson's Rejoinder to me, and Sancta Clara, and many others, plainly intimate); and were that never so true and certain, it were nothing to the question between them and us, which is, What are the essentials of christianity? And what is necessary to salvation, where christianity is necessary? or where the christian religion is made known, and men may come to the knowledge of it, if they will do their best? This is the true state of our controversy with them. And whereas they would make all the parts of christian faith and practice equally necessary, where men have a capacity and ability to know, believe, and practise them, it is a gross deceit, unworthy of men pretending to a mediocrity of knowledge in the nature of religion; and thereby they make all sins and errors as equal as all duties and truths. Whereas, 1. There is no man that hath not some error and some sin.[389] 2. There is no man that doth all that ever he was able to do, to understand all the truth. 3. Therefore there is no man whose errors themselves are not (many of them at least) culpable or sinful. 4. And they that distinguish between mortal and venial sins, and yet will not distinguish between mortal and venial errors, are either blind, or would keep others blind. As it is not so damning a sin for a man to think a vain thought, or to speak a vain word, as not to love God, or holiness; (no, though he was more able to have forborne that idle word, than to have loved God;) so it is not so mortal a sin, (that is, inconsistent with a justified state,) to mistake in a small matter, (as who was the father of Arphaxad, or what year the world was drowned in, &c.) as to blaspheme the Holy Ghost, or deny Jesus Christ to be the Saviour of the world, or to deny that there is a God, or everlasting life, or a difference between good and evil. All sins are not equal in magnitude or danger. Therefore all errors are not equal in magnitude, sinfulness, or danger.

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

3. Either christianity is something and discernible, or nothing and undiscernible. If the latter, then christians are not to be distinguished from heathens and infidels. If the former, then christianity hath its constitutive parts, by which it is what it is. And then it hath essential parts distinguishable from the rest.

4. The word fundamentals being but a metaphor, hath given room to deceivers and contenders to make a controversy, and raise a dust about it. Therefore I purposely use the word essentials, which is not so liable to men's cavils.

5. Those are the essentials of christianity, which are necessary to the baptism of the adult. Know but that, and you answer all the pratings of the papists, that bawl out for a list of fundamentals. And sure it is not this day unknown in the christian world, either what a christian is, or who is to be baptized: do not the priests know it, who baptize all that are christened in the world? And why is baptism called our christening, if it make us not christians? And why hath Christ promised, that "he that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved," Mark xvi. 16, if that so much faith as is necessary to baptism, will not also serve to a man's state of salvation?

6. The baptismal covenant of grace therefore is the essential part of the gospel, and of the christian religion; and all the rest are the integrals, and accidents or adjuncts.

7. This covenant containeth,

I. Objectively, 1. Things true as such; 2. Things good as such; 3. Things practicable or to be done, as such: the credenda, diligenda, (et eligenda,) et agenda; as the objects of man's intellect, will, and practical power.

The credenda, or things to be known and believed, are, 1. God as God, and our God and Father. 2. Christ as the Saviour, and our Saviour. 3. The Holy Ghost as such, and as the Sanctifier, and our Sanctifier (as to the offer of these relations in the covenant).

The diligenda are the same three Persons in these three relations as good in themselves and unto us, which includeth the grand benefits of reconciliation and adoption, justification, and sanctification, and salvation.

The agenda in the time of baptism that make us christians, are, 1. The actual dedition, resignation, or dedication of ourselves, to God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost in these relations. 2. A promise or vow to endeavour faithfully to live according to our undertaken relations (though not in perfection); that is, as creatures to their Creator, and their reconciled God and Father; as christians to their Redeemer, their Teacher, their Ruler, and their Saviour; and as willing receivers of the sanctifying and comforting operations of the Holy Spirit.

II. The objects tell you what the acts must be on our part; 1. With the understanding, to know and believe; 2. With the will to love, choose, desire, and resolve; and, 3. Practically to deliver up ourselves for the present, and to promise for the time to come. These are the essentials of the christian religion.

8. The creed is a larger explication of the credenda, and the Lord's prayer of the diligenda, or things to be willed, desired, and hoped for; and the decalogue of the natural part of the agenda.

9. Suffer not your own ignorance, or the papists' cheats, to confound the question about fundamentals, as to the matter, and as to the expressing words. It is one thing to ask, What is the matter essential to christianity? And another, What words, symbols, or sentences are essential to it? To the first, I have now answered you. To the second I say, 1. Taking the christian religion as it is, an extrinsic doctrine in signis, so the essence of it is, words and signs expressive or significant of the material essence. That they be such in specie is all that is essential. And if they say, But which be those words? I answer, 2. That no particular words in the world are essential to the christian religion. For, (1.) No one language is essential to it. It is not necessary to salvation that you be baptized, or learn the creed or Scriptures, in Hebrew, or Greek, or Latin, or English, so you learn it in any language understood. (2.) It is not necessary to salvation that you use the same words in the same language, as long as it hath more words than one to express the same thing by. (3.) It is not necessary to salvation, that we use the same (or any one single) form, method, or order of words, as they are in the creeds, without alteration. And therefore while the ancients did tenaciously cleave to the same symbol or creed, yet they used various words to express it by. (As may be seen in Irenæus, Tertullian, Origen, and Ruffin, elsewhere cited by me; so that it is plain, that by the same symbol they meant the same matter, though expressed in some variety of words.) Though they avoided such variety as might introduce variety of sense and matter.

10. Words being needful, 1. To make a learner understand; 2. To tell another what he understandeth: it followeth that the great variety of men's capacities maketh a great variation in the necessity of words or forms. An Englishman must have them in English, and a Frenchman in French. An understanding man may receive all the essentials in a few words; but an ignorant man must have many words to make him understand the matter. To him that understandeth them, the words of the baptismal covenant express all the essentials of christianity: but to him that understands them not, the creed is necessary for the explication: and to him that understandeth not that, a catechism, or larger exposition, is necessary. This is the plain explication of this question, which many papists seem loth to understand.

[389] James iii. 2; 1 John i. 10.

Quest. CXXXIX. What is the use and authority of the creed? And is it of the apostles' framing or not? And is it the word of God or not?

Answ. 1. The use of the creed is, to be a plain explication of the faith professed in the baptismal covenant. 1. For the fuller instruction of the duller sort, and those that had not preparatory knowledge, and could not sufficiently understand the meaning of the three articles of the covenant, what it is to believe in God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, without more words. 2. And for the satisfaction of the church, that indeed men understood what they did in baptism, and professed to believe.

2. The creed is the word of God, as to all the doctrine or matter of it, whatever it be as to the order and composition of words.

3. That is oft by the ancients called the apostles', which containeth the matter delivered by the apostles, though not in a form of words compiled by them.

4. It is certain that all the words now in our creed, were not put in by the apostles, 1. Because some of them were not in till long after their days. 2. Because the ancient formulæ agree not in words among themselves.[390]

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

(1.) That Christ composed a creed when he made his covenant, and instituted baptism, Matt, xxviii. 19.

(2.) That in the Jewish church, where men were educated in the knowledge of the Scriptures, and expectation of the Messiah, it was supposed that the people had so much preparatory knowledge, as made them the more capable of baptism, as soon as they did but seriously profess to believe, and consent to the terms of the covenant; and therefore they were presently baptized, Acts ii. 38-40.

(3.) That this could not be rationally supposed among the gentiles, and common, ignorant people of the world. And ignorantis non est consensus. He doth not covenant who understandeth not the covenant, as to what is promised him, and what he promiseth.

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

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

(6.) That their successors in the common ministry, did, as far as any church history leadeth us up, instruct and catechise men in the meaning of the baptismal covenant, (which is the christian faith,) before they baptized them: yea, they kept them long in the state of catechumens usually, before they would baptize them. And after baptized but twice a year, at Easter and Whitsuntide (as our liturgy noteth). And they received an account of their tolerable understanding of religion, before they would receive them into the church.

(7.) No doubt then but the apostles did cause the baptizable to understand the three articles of Christ's own creed and covenant, and to give some account of it before they baptized them, ordinarily among the gentiles.

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

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

(10.) But it is more than probable, that the matter opened by them to all the catechumens was still the same, when the words were not the same. For God's promises and man's conditions are still the same (where the gospel cometh). Though since by the occasion of heresies, some few material clauses are inserted. For all christians had one christianity, and must go one way to heaven.

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

(12.) Lastly, no doubt but this practice of the apostles was exemplary, and imitated by the churches, and that thus the essentials of religion were, by the tradition of the creed and baptism, delivered by themselves, as far as christianity went, long before any book of the New Testament was written: and every christian was an impress, or transcript, or specimen of it.[392] And that the following churches using the same creed, (wholly in sense, and mostly in words,) might so far well call it the apostles' creed; as they did both the Western and the Nicene.

[390] Vid. Usher and Vossium de Symbolis.

[391] Heb. v. 11, 12; vi. 1-3.

[392] 2 Tim. i. 13; 2 Cor. iii. 2, 3, 7; Heb. viii. 10; x. 16.

Quest. CXL. What is the use of catechisms?

Answ. To be a more familiar explication of the essentials of christianity, and the principal integrals, in a larger manner than the creed, Lord's prayer, and decalogue do; that the ignorant may the more easily understand it. Every man cannot gather out of the Scripture the greatest matters in the true method, as distinct from all the rest: and therefore it is part of the work of the church's teachers, to do it to the hands and use of the ignorant.

Quest. CXLI. Could any of us have known by the Scriptures alone the essentials of religion from the rest, if tradition had not given them to us in the creed, as from apostolical collection?

Answ. Yes: for the Scripture itself telleth us what is necessary to salvation; it describeth to us the covenant of grace, both promises and conditions; and it were strange if so large a volume should not as plainly tell us what is necessary to salvation, as fewer words! The Scripture hath not less than the creed, but more.

Quest. CXLII. What is the best method of a true catechism or sum of theology?

Answ. God willing, I shall tell the church my opinion of that at large, in a peculiar Latin treatise, called "Methodus Theologiæ," which here I cannot do. Only I shall say, that among all the great variety of methods used in these times, I think none cometh nearer the order of the matter, (which is the true commendation of a method,) than those which open theology, 1. In the breviate of the baptismal covenant. 2. In the three explicatory sums, the creed, Lord's prayer, and decalogue, with the added gospel precepts. 3. In the largest form, which is the whole Scripture. And that our common English catechism, and Paræus or Ursine, and many such who use that common easy method, are more truly methodical, than most that pretend to greater accurateness (though I much commend the great industry of such as Dudley, Fenner, Gomarus, and especially George Sohnius).

Quest. CXLIII. What is the use of various church confessions or articles of faith?

Answ. I will pass by the very ill use that is made of them in too many countries, where unnecessary opinions or uncertain are put in, and they that can get into favour with the secular power, take advantage under pretence of orthodoxness and uniformity, truth and peace, to set up their opinions and judgments to be the common rule for all to bow to, though wiser than themselves: and to silence all ministers, and scatter and divide the flocks that will not say or swear as they do, that is, that they are wise men, and are in the right.

The true and commendable use of various church professions, or confessions of faith, is, 1. To be an instruction to the more ignorant how to understand the Scriptures in most of the most weighty points. 2. To be an enumeration of those doctrines, against which no minister shall be allowed to preach, and according to which he is to instruct the people. 3. To be a testimony to all neighbour or foreign churches in a heterodox, contentious, and suspicious age, how we understand the Scriptures, for the confuting of scandals and unjust suspicions, and the maintaining communion in faith, and charity, and doctrine.

Quest. CXLIV. May not the subscribing of the whole Scriptures serve turn for all the aforesaid ends without creeds, catechisms, or confessions?

Answ. 1. By subscribing to the Scriptures you mean either, generally and implicitly, that all in them is true and good (though perhaps you know not what is in it). Or else particularly and explicitly, that every point in it is by you both understood and believed to be true.

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

In the second sense, (of an explicit, or particular actual belief,) the belief of the whole Scripture is enough indeed, and more than any man living can attain to. No man understandeth all the Scripture. Therefore that which no man hath, is to be exacted of all men, or any man, in order to ministration or communion. While, 1. No man can subscribe to any one translation of the Bible, that it is not faulty, being the work of defectible man. 2. And few have such acquaintance with the Hebrew, and Chaldee, and Greek, as to be able to say that they understand the original languages perfectly. 3. And no man that understands the words, doth perfectly understand the matter. It followeth that no man is to be forced or urged to subscribe to all things in the Scriptures, as particularly understood by him, with an explicit faith. And an implicit is not half enough.

2. The true mean therefore is the ancient way, 1. To select the essentials for all christians, to be believed particularly and explicitly. 2. To collect certain of the most needful integrals, which teachers shall not preach against. 3. And for all men moreover to profess in general that they implicitly believe all which they can discern to be the holy canonical Scripture, and that all is true which is the word of God; forbearing each other even about the number of canonical books and texts.

And it is the great wisdom and mercy of God, which hath so ordered it, that the Scripture shall have enough to exercise the strongest, and yet that the weakest may be ignorant of the meaning of a thousand sentences, without danger of damnation, so they do but understand the marrow or essentials, and labour faithfully to increase in the knowledge of the rest.[393]

[393] 1 Cor. viii. 1-3; xiii. 1-4; Rom. viii. 28.

Quest. CXLV. May not a man be saved that believeth all the essentials of religion, as coming to him by verbal tradition, and not as contained in the holy Scriptures, which perhaps he never knew?

Answ. 1. He that believeth shall be saved, which way ever he cometh by his belief; so be it it be sound as to the object and act; that is, if it contain all the essentials, and they be predominantly believed, loved, and practised.

2. The Scriptures being the records of Christ's doctrine delivered by himself, his Spirit, and his apostles, it is the office of ministers, and the duty of all instructors, to open these Scriptures to those they teach, and to deliver particulars upon the authority of these inspired, sealed records which contain them.

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

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

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

1. This was the case of all the christians (as to the New Testament) who lived before it was written; and there are several articles of the creed now necessary, which the Old Testament doth not reveal.[394]

2. This may be the case of thousands in ignorant countries, where the Bible being rare, is to most unknown.[395]

3. This may be the case of thousands of children who are taught their creed and catechism, before they understand what the Bible is.

4. This may be the case of thousands among the papists, where some perverse priests do keep not only the reading, but the knowledge of the Scriptures from the people, for fear lest they should be taught to resolve their faith into it; and do teach them only the articles of faith and catechism, as known by the church's tradition alone.

[394] Matt. xvi. 16.

[395] Rom. x. 9, 10, 13-15.

Quest. CXLVI. Is the Scripture fit for all christians to read, being so obscure?

Answ. 1. The essentials and points necessary to salvation are plain.

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

3. It is suited to the necessity and understanding of the meanest, to give light to the simple, and to make the very foolish wise.[396]

4. The ancient fathers and christians were all of this mind.

5. All the christian churches of the world have been used to read it openly to all, even to the simplest; and if they may hear it, they may read the same words which they hear.

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

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

8. That which is written to and for all men, may be read by all that can; but the Scripture was written to and for all,[397]----&c.

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

Answ. 1. And there are many things easy to be understood. 2. We never said that men should not use the help of their teachers, and all that they can to understand it. 3. Were not those teachers once ignorant? And yet they did read it by the help of teachers; and so may others. 4. As the king for concord commandeth all the schoolmasters to teach one grammar; so God maketh it the minister's office to instruct people in the Scriptures. And were it not a question unworthy of a schoolmaster, to dispute, Whether the scholars must learn by their book, or by their master? Yea, to conclude that it must be by their master, and not by their book: or that they must never open their book, but when their master is just at hand to teach them. The doctrine of the papists, who tell us that the Scriptures should not be read by the vulgar, it being the rise of all heresies, is so inhuman and impious, as savouring of gross enmity to Scriptures, and to knowledge, that were there no other, it would make the lovers of religion and men's souls to pray earnestly to Christ to save his flocks from such seducers, who so Jewishly use the key of knowledge.

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

Answ. 1. And many thousands receive saving knowledge and grace by them. The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul. All Scripture is profitable to instruction, &c. to make the man of God perfect. It is the incorruptible seed by which we are born again, and the sincere milk, by which we are nourished.[398]

2. And is it not as true, 1. That the law of the land is abused by every false pretender, lawyer, and corrupt judge? What title so bad, that is not defended in Westminster Hall sometimes, under pretence of law? And what action so bad, that some pretend not law for? What then? Must the law be forbidden the common people for this?

2. Nay, what is so much abused to unrighteousness and sin as reason itself? What heresy or crime do not men plead reason for? Must reason therefore be forbidden the vulgar?

3. Yea, contrarily, this signifieth that law and reason are so far from being things to be forbidden men, that they are indeed those things by which nature and necessity have taught all the world to try and discern right from wrong, good from bad; otherwise good and bad men would not all thus agree in pretending to them, and appealing to their decisions.

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

5. And do not these deceivers see, that their reason pleadeth as strongly that priests and prelates themselves should never read the Scripture (and consequently that it should be banished out of the world)? For who that is awake in the world can be ignorant, that it is priests and prelates, who have been the leaders of almost all heresies and sects; who differ in their expositions and opinions, and lead the vulgar into all the heresies which they fall into? Who then should be forbidden to read the Scripture, but priests and prelates, who wrest them to their own and other men's destruction?

[396] John v. 39; Psal. i. 2; Deut. vi.; xi.; Psal. xix. 7-11; 2 Tim. iii. 15; Psal. cxix. 98, 105, 133, 148; Acts xvii. 11; viii.

[397] 2 Tim. iii. 15; Rom. xv. 4; Matt. xii. 24.

[398] 2 Pet. iii. 16; Psal. xix. 3, 8-10; 3 Tim. iii. 16; 1 Pet. i. 23.

Quest. CXLVII. How far is tradition and men's words and ministry to be used or trusted in, in the exercise of faith?

Answ. 1. The churches and ministers received the gospel in Scripture from the apostles, and the creed as the summary of faith: and they delivered it down to others, and they to us.

2. The ministers by office are the instructors of the people in the meaning of it; and the keepers of the Scriptures, as lawyers are of the laws of the land.[399]

[399] Heb. ii. 3, 4; 2 Pet. i. 17-21; 2 John i. 1-5; iv. 6; 2 Tim. ii. 2; Tit. i. 5.

Quest. CXLVIII. How know we the true canon of Scripture from apocrypha?

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

2. The tradition of infallible church history telleth us, which books they are which were written by men inspired by the Holy Ghost, and who sealed their doctrine with miracles in those times; it being but matter of fact, (which books such men wrote whom God bare witness to,) infallible church history (such as we have to know which are the statutes of the land, and which are counterfeit) is a sufficient notification and proof.

3. The sanctifying Spirit still in all ages and christians, attested the divinity and truth of the doctrine of the main body of the Bible, especially the gospel; and then if we should err about the authority of a particular book, it would not overthrow our faith. It is not necessary to salvation to believe this particular text to be divine, but it is sin and folly to doubt causelessly of the parts, when the Spirit attesteth the doctrine and the body of the book. I pass these things briefly, because I have largelier handled them elsewhere.

Quest. CXLIX. Is the public reading of the Scripture the proper work of a minister? or may a layman ordinarily do it? or another officer?

Answ. In such cases as I before showed that a layman may preach, he may also read the Scriptures. Of which look back.

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

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

4. Whether in a case of necessity a layman may not ordinarily read the Scripture to the congregation, is a case that I am loth to determine, being loth to suppose such a necessity. But if the minister cannot, and there be no deacon, I cannot prove it unlawful for a layman to do it under the direction of the pastor. I lived some time under an old minister of about eighty years of age, (who never preached himself,) whose eye-sight failing him, and having not maintenance to keep an assistant, he did by memory say the Common-prayer himself, and got a tailor one year, and a thresher or poor day-labourer another year, to read all the Scriptures. Whether that were not better than nothing, I leave to consideration.

And I think it is commonly agreed on, that where there is no minister, it is better for the people to meet and hear a layman read the Scriptures and some good books, than to have no public helps and worship.

Quest. CL. Is it lawful to read the apocrypha, or any good books besides the Scriptures, to the church? As homilies, &c.?

Answ. 1. It is not lawful to read them as God's word, or to pretend them to be the holy Scriptures, for that is a falsehood, and an addition to God's word.

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

3. If any one of the apocryphal books, (as Judith, Tobit, Bel and the Dragon, &c.) be as fabulous, false, and bad as our protestant writers (Reignoldus, Amesius, Whitakers, Chamier, and abundance more) affirm them to be, it is not lawful ordinarily to read them, in that honourable way as chapters called lessons are usually read in the assemblies. Nor is it lawful so to read heretical, fabulous, or erroneous books.

But it is lawful to read publicly, apocryphal and human writings, homilies, or edifying sermons, on these conditions following.

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

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

3. So they be not read to exclude or hinder the reading of the Scriptures, or any other necessary church duty.

4. So they be not read to keep up an ignorant, lazy ministry that can or will do no better; nor to exercise the minister's sloth, and hinder him from preaching.

5. And especially if authority command it, and the church's agreement require it, as a signification what doctrine it is which they profess.

6. Or if the church's necessities require it; as if they have no minister, or no one that can do so much to their edification any other way.

7. Therefore the use of catechisms is confessed lawful in the church, by almost all.

Quest. CLI. May church assemblies be held where there is no minister? Or what public worship may be so performed by laymen? (As among infidels, or papists, where persecution hath killed, imprisoned, or expelled the ministers.)

Answ. 1. Such an assembly as hath no pastor, or minister of Christ, is not a church, in a political sense, as the word signifieth a society consisting of pastor and flock; but it may be a church in a larger sense, as the word signifieth only a community or association of private christians for mutual help in holy things.

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

3. In those meetings they may do all that followeth. 1. They may pray together; a layman being the speaker. 2. They may sing psalms. 3. They may read the Scriptures. 4. They may read some holy, edifying writings of divines, or repeat some minister's sermons. 5. Some that are ablest may speak to the instruction and exhortation of the rest, as a master may do in his family, or neighbours to stir up God's graces in each other, as was opened before. 6. And some such may catechise the younger and more ignorant. 7. They may by mutual conference open their cases to each other, and communicate what knowledge or experience they have, to the praise of God and each other's edification. 8. They may make a solemn profession of their faith, covenant, and subjection to God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; and all this is better than nothing at all.

But, 1. None of them may do any of this as a pastor, ruler, priest, or office teacher of the church. 2. Nor may they baptize. 3. Nor administer the Lord's supper. 4. Nor excommunicate by sentence (but only executively agree to avoid the notoriously impenitent). 5. Nor absolve ministerially, or as by authority; nor exercise any of the power of the keys, that is, of government. 6. And they must do their best to get a pastor as soon as they are able.

Quest. CLII. Is it lawful to subscribe or profess full assent and consent to any religious books besides the Scripture, seeing all are fallible?

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

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

3. It is lawful to profess or subscribe our assent and consent to any human writing which we judge to be true and good, according to the measure of its truth and goodness; as if church confessions that are sound be offered us for our consent, we may say or subscribe, I hold all the doctrine in this book to be true and good. And by so doing I do not assert the infallibility of the authors, but only the verity of the writing. I do not say that he cannot err, or that he never erreth; but that he erreth not in this, as far as I am able to discern.

Quest. CLIII. May we lawfully swear obedience in all things lawful and honest, either to usurpers, or to our lawful pastors?

Answ. 1. If the question were of imposing such oaths, I would say, that it was many a hundred years before the churches of Christ (either under persecution, or in their prosperity and glory) did ever know of any such practice, as the people or the presbyters swearing obedience to the bishops. And when it came up, the magistracy, princes, and emperors fell under the feet of the pope; and the clergy grew to what we see it in the Roman kingdom, called a church. And far should I be from desiring such oaths to be imposed.

2. But the question being only of the taking such oaths, and not the imposing of them, I say, that, (1.) It is not lawful to swear obedience to a usurper, civil or ecclesiastical, in licitis et honestis; because it is a subjecting ourselves to him, and an acknowledging that authority which he hath not; for we can swear no further to obey the king himself but in things lawful and honest; and to do so by a usurper is an injury to the king, and unto Christ.

(2.) But if the king himself shall command us to swear obedience to a subordinate civil usurper, he thereby ceaseth to be a usurper, and receiveth authority, and it becometh our duty. And if he that was an ecclesiastical usurper, quoad personam, that had no true call to a lawful office, shall after have a call, or if any thing fall out, which shall make it our duty to consent and call him, then the impediment from his usurpation is removed.

(3.) It is not lawful, though the civil magistrate command us to swear obedience even in licitis et honestis, to such a usurper, whose office itself is unlawful, or forbidden by Christ, as he is such an officer. No protestant thinketh it lawful to swear obedience to the pope as pope; nor do any that take lay-elders to be an unlawful office, think it lawful to swear obedience to them as such.

(4.) If one that is in an unlawful ecclesiastical office, be also at once in another that is lawful, we may swear obedience to him in respect of the lawful office. So it is lawful to swear obedience to the pope in Italy, as a temporal prince in his own dominions; and to a cardinal, (as Richelieu, Mazarine, Ximenes, &c.) as the king's ministers, exercising a power derived from him: so it is lawful for a tenant, where law and custom requireth it, to swear fidelity to a lay-elder, as his landlord or temporal lord and master. And so the old nonconformists, who thought the English prelacy an unlawful office, yet maintained that it is lawful to take the oath of canonical obedience, because they thought it was imposed by the king and laws, and that we swear to them not as officers claiming a divine right in the spiritual government, but as ordinaries, or officers made by the king to exercise so much of ecclesiastical jurisdiction under him, as he can delegate; according to the oath of supremacy, in which we all acknowledge the king to be supreme in all ecclesiastical causes; that is, not the supreme pastor, bishop, or spiritual key-bearer or ruler, but the supreme civil ruler of the church, who hath the power of the sword, and of determining all things extrinsic to the pastoral office; and so of the coercive government of all pastors and churches, as well as of other subjects. And if prelacy were proved never so unlawful, no doubt but by the king's command we may swear or perform formal obedience to a prelate, as he is the king's officer. Of the nonconformists' judgment in this, read Bradshaw against Canne, &c.

(5.) But in such a case no oath to inferiors is lawful without the consent of the sovereign power, or at least against his will.

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

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

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

1. Because it savoureth of pride in such presbyters.

2. Because it is a new custom in the church, and contrary to the ancient practice.

3. It is not only without any authority given them by Christ, that they exact such oaths, but also contrary to the great humility, lowliness, and condescension, in which he describeth his ministers, who must be great, by being the servants of all.[4001]

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

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

(7.) But yet if it be not only their own ambition which imposeth it, but either the king and laws command it, or necessity require it for the avoidance of a greater evil, it may be lawful and a duty to take an oath of obedience to a lawful presbyter or bishop; because, 1. It is a duty to obey them. 2. And it is not forbidden us by Christ to promise or swear to do our duty (even when they may sin in demanding such an oath).

(8.) If an office be lawful in the essential parts, and yet have unlawful integrals, or adjuncts, or be abused in exercise, it will not by such additions or abuses be made unlawful to swear obedience to the officer as such.

(9.) If one presbyter or bishop would make another presbyter or bishop to swear obedience to him without authority, the case is the same as of the usurpers before mentioned.

[400] Matt. xxii. 4, 10; Luke xxii. 27, &c.; Mark ix. 35; 1 Pet. v. 2, 3; 1 Cor. ix. 19; iv. 1; 2 Cor. iv. 5.

Quest. CLIV. Must all our preaching be upon a text of Scripture?

Answ. 1. In many cases it may be lawful to preach without a text;[401] to make sacred orations like Gregory Nazianzen's, and homilies like Macarius's, Ephrem Syrus's, and many other ancients, and like our own church homilies.

2. But ordinarily it is the fittest way to preach upon a text of Scripture.[402] 1. Because it is our very office to teach the people the Scripture. The prophets brought a new word or message from God; but the priests did but keep, interpret, and preach the law already received: and we are not successors of the inspired prophets, but as the priests were, teachers of God's received word. And this practice will help the people to understand our office. 2. And it will preserve the due esteem and reverence of the holy Scriptures, which the contrary practice may diminish.

[401] Acts ii.; iii.; Luke iv. 18.

[402] Mal. ii. 7.

Quest. CLV. Is not the law of Moses abrogated, and the whole Old Testament out of date, and therefore not to be read publicly and preached on?

Answ. 1. The covenant of innocency is ceased cessante subditorum capacitate, as a covenant or promise. And so are the positive laws proper to Adam, in that state, and to many particular persons since.

2. The covenant mixed of grace and works, proper to the Jews, with all the Jewish law as such, was never made to us, or to the rest of the world; and to the Jews it is ceased by the coming and perfecter laws and covenant of Christ.

3. The prophecies and types of Christ, and the promises made to Adam, Abraham, and others, of his coming in the flesh, are all fulfilled, and therefore not useful to all the ends of their first making: and the many prophecies of particular things and persons past and gone are accomplished.

4. But the law of nature is still Christ's law; and that law is much expounded to us in the Old Testament: and if God once, for another use, did say, This is the law of nature, the truth of these words as a divine doctrine and exposition of the law of nature is still the same.

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

6. There are many prophecies of Christ and the christian church in the Old Testament yet to be fulfilled, and therefore are still God's word for us.

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

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

9. Even the fulfilled promises, types, and prophecies, are still God's words, that is, his word given to their several proper uses: and though much of their use be changed or ceased, so is not all: they are yet useful to us, to confirm our faith, while we see their accomplishment, and see how much God still led his church to happiness in one and the same way.

10. On all these accounts therefore we may still read the Old Testament, and preach upon it in the public churches.[403]

[403] 2 Tim. iii. 15; Rom. xv. 4; xvi. 26; Matt. xxii. 29; Luke xxiv. 27, 32, 45; John v. 39; Acts xvii. 2, 11; xviii. 24, 25; John xx. 9; vii. 38, 42; x. 35; xiii. 18; xix. 24, 28; Luke iv. 18, 21; 2 Tim. iii. 16; 2 Pet. i. 19, 20; Acts viii. 32, 33, 35; Rom. i. 2.

Quest. CLVI. Must we believe that Moses's law did ever bind other nations; or that any other parts of the Scripture bound them, or belong to them? or that the Jews were all God's visible church on earth?

Answ. I conjoin these three questions for despatch.

I. 1. Some of the matter of Moses's law did bind all nations; that is, the law of nature as such.

2. Those that had the knowledge of the Jewish law, were bound collaterally to believe and obey all the expositions of the law of nature in it, and all the laws which were given upon reasons common to all the world; (as about degrees of marriage, particular rules of justice, &c.) As if I heard God from heaven tell another that standeth by me, Thou shalt not marry thy father's widow; for it is abominable, I ought to apply that to me, being his subject, which is spoken to another on a common reason.[404]

3. All those gentiles that would be proselytes, and join with the Jews in their policy, and dwelt among them, were bound to be observers of their laws. But, 1. The law of nature as mosaical, did not formally and directly bind other nations. 2. Nor were they bound to the laws of their peculiar policy, civil or ecclesiastical, which were positives. The reason is, (1.) Because they were all one body of political laws, given peculiarly to one political body. Even the decalogue itself was to them a political law. (2.) Because Moses was not authorized or sent to be the mediator or deliverer of that law to any nation but the Jews. And being never in the enacting or promulgation sent or directed to the rest of the world, it could not bind them.

II. As to the second question, Though the Scripture as a writing bound not all the world, yet, 1. The law of nature as such which is recorded in Scripture did bind all. 2. The covenant of grace was made with all mankind in Adam and Noah; and they were bound to promulgate it by tradition to all their offspring. And no doubt so they did; whether by word, (as all did,) or by writing also, (as it is like some did, as Enoch's prophecies were it is like delivered, or else they had not in terms been preserved till Jude's time). 3. And God himself as aforesaid by actual providences, pardoning, and benefits given to them that deserved hell, did in part promulgate it himself. 4. The neighbour nations might learn much by God's doctrine and dealing with the Jews.[405]

III. To the third question, I answer, 1. The Jews were a people chosen by God out of all the nations of the earth, to be a holy nation, and his peculiar treasure, having a peculiar divine law and covenant, and many great privileges, to which the rest of the world were strangers; so that they were advanced above all other kingdoms of the world, though not in wealth, nor worldly power, nor largeness of dominion, yet in a special dearness unto God.[406]

2. But they were not the only people to whom God made a covenant of grace in Adam and Noah, as distinct from the law or covenant of innocency.

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

We must therefore take heed of concluding, (as the proud Jews were at last apt to do of themselves,) that because they were a chosen nation privileged above all others, that therefore the Redeemer under the law of grace made to Adam, had no other churches in the world, and that there were none saved but the Jews and proselytes.[407]

[404] Rom. ii.; i. 20, 21; Exod. xii. 19, 43, 48, 49; xx. 10; Lev. xvii. 12, 15; xviii. 26; xxiv. 16, 22; Numb. ix. 14; xv. 14-16, 29, 30; xix. 10; Deut. i. 16.

[405] Psal. cxlv. 9; ciii. 19; c. 1; Rom. xiv. 11; Judg. xiv. 15.

[406] Deut. xiv. 2, 3; vii. 2, 6, 7; Exod. xix. 5; vi. 7, 8; Lev. xx. 24, 26; Deut. iv. 20, 33; xxix. 13; xxxiii. 29; Rom. iii. 1-3.

[407] It is this Jewish pride of their own prerogatives which Paul so much laboureth in all his epistles to pull down.

Quest. CLVII. Must we think accordingly of the christian churches now, that they are only advanced above the rest of the world as the Jews were, but not the only people that are saved?

Answ. This question being fitter for another place, what hope there is of the salvation of the people that are not christians, I have purposely handled in another treatise, (in my "Method. Theologiæ,") and shall only say now, 1. That those that receive not Christ and the gospel revealed and offered to them cannot be saved.[408] 2. That all those shall be saved (if such there be) who never had sufficient means to know Christ incarnate, and yet do faithfully perform the common conditions of the covenant of grace as it was made with Adam and Noah; and particularly all that are truly sanctified, who truly hate all known sin, and love God as God above all, as their merciful, reconciled, pardoning Father, and lay up all their hopes in heaven, in the everlasting fruition of him in glory, and set their hearts there, and for those hopes deny the interest of the flesh, and all things of this world.[409]

3. But how many or who doth this abroad in all the kingdoms of the world, who have not the distinct knowledge of the articles of the christian faith, it is not possible for us to know.

4. But (as Aquinas and the schoolmen ordinarily conclude this question) we are sure that the church hath this prerogative above all others, that salvation is incomparably more common to christians, than to any others, as their light, and helps, and means are more. The opinions of Justin, and Clem. Alexandr. Origen, and many other ancients, of the heathens' salvation, I suppose is known. In short:

1. It seems plain to me, that all the world that are no christians, and have not the gospel, are not by Christ's incarnation put into a worse condition than they were in before; but may be saved on the same terms that they might have been saved on before.[410]

2. That Christ's apostles were in a state of salvation before they believed the articles of Christ's dying for sin, his resurrection, ascension, the giving of the Holy Ghost, and Christ's coming to judgment, as they are now to be believed.[411]

3. That all the faithful before Christ's coming were saved by a more general faith than the apostles had, as not being terminated in this person, Jesus, as the Messiah, but only expected the Messiah to come.[412]

4. That as more articles are necessary to those that have the gospel, than to those that have it not, and to those since Christ's incarnation that hear of him, than to the Jews before, so before, there were more things necessary even to those Jews, (that had a shorter creed than that which the apostles believed before the resurrection,) than was to the rest of the world that had not promises, prophecies, types, and laws, so particular, distinct, and full as they had.[413]

5. That the promises, covenant, or law of grace, was made to all lapsed mankind in Adam and Noah.[414]

6. That this law or covenant is still of the same tenor, and not repealed.[415]

7. That this covenant giveth pardoning mercy, and salvation, and promiseth victory over Satan, to and by the holy seed.[416]

8. That the condition on man's part, is repentance, and faith in God as a merciful God, thus pardoning sin, and saving the penitent believer. But just how particular or distinct their belief of the incarnation of Christ was to be, is hard to determine.[417]

9. But after Christ's incarnation, even they that know it not, yet are not by the first covenant bound to believe that the Messiah is yet to be incarnate, or the word made flesh; for they are not bound to believe an untruth, and that as the condition of salvation.[418]

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

11. The whole course of God's actual providence since the fall, hath so filled the world with mercies contrary to man's demerit, that it is an actual universal proclamation of the pardoning law of grace; which is thereby now become even a law of nature, that is, of lapsed, pardoned nature, as the first was the natural law of innocence.[419]

12. Christ giveth a great deal of mercy to them that never heard of him or know him: and he giveth far more mercy to believers, than they have a particular knowledge and belief of.[420]

13. There is no salvation but by Christ the Saviour of the world; though there be more mercy from Christ, than there is faith in Christ.[421]

14. No man could ever be saved without believing in God as a merciful, pardoning, saving God, though many have been saved who knew not the person of Christ, determinately. For he that cometh to God must believe that God is, and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him; who is no respecter of persons, but in every nation, he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted of him.[422]

15. All nations on earth that have not the gospel, are obliged by God to the use of certain means, and improvement of certain mercies, in order or tendency to their salvation. And it is their sin if they use them not.[423]

16. God hath appointed no means in vain, which men must either not use, or use despairingly. But his command to use any means for any end, containeth (though not an explicit promise, yet) great and comfortable encouragement to use that means in hope.[424]

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

18. Those over-doing divines who pretend to be certain that all the world are damned that are not christians, do add to God's word, and are great agents for Satan to tempt men to infidelity, and to atheism itself, and to dissuade mankind from discerning the infinite goodness of God; and occasion many to deny the immortality of the soul, rather than they will believe, that five parts in six of the world now, and almost all before Christ's incarnation, have immortal souls purposely created in them, to be damned, without any propounded means and possibility natural of remedy; and as I know they will pour out their bitter censure on these lines, (which I could avoid if I regarded it more than truth,) so with what measure they mete, it shall be measured to them; and others will damn them as confidently as they damn almost all the world; and I will be bold to censure that they are undoers of the church by over-doing. See more in my "Vindication of God's Goodness."

[408] Mark xvi. 16; John iii. 16-20; i. 11, 12.

[409] Psal. xix. 1-5; Acts x. 2, 3, 35; Rom. ii.

[410] 1 Tim. ii. 4; iv. 10; Tit. ii. 11; John i. 29; iii. 17; iv. 42; Rom. i. 21.

[411] John v. 1, &c.; ix. 12, &c.; Matt. xvi. 22; John xii. 26; Luke xviii. 34.

[412] Mal. iii. 1, 2; John iv. 25.

[413] Rom. ii. 12, 14, 26; Luke xii. 47, 48; xvi. 10.

[414] Gen. iii. 15; ix. 1-4.

[415] Psal. cxxxvi.; ciii. 27; c. 5.

[416] Gen. iii. 15; Jonah iii. 9, 10; iv. 2.

[417] Jonah ibid.; Rom. ii. 4; Luke xiii. 3, 5; Acts l. 35; John iii. 19-21.

[418] 1 John iv. 2, 3; 1 Tim. iii. 16.

[419] Rom. i. 20, 21; Acts xiv. 17; Rom. ii. 15, 16; Psal. xix. 1-3; Prov. i. 20-24; Exod. xxxiv. 6; Jer. iii. 12; John iv. 2; Luke vi. 36; xviii. 13.

[420] Psal. cxlv. 9; 1 Tim. iv. 10; Rom. x. 20

[421] Acts iv. 12; John xiv. 6, 7.

[422] Heb. xi. 6; Acts x. 35; 2 Thess. i. 11, 12; Jer. x. 25; Rom. x. 12-15.

[423] Acts xiv. 47; xvii. 27-30; Rom. i. 19-22; ii. 4, 7, 10, 14-16, 27; Isa. lv. 6, 7.

[424] Jonah iv. 2; iii. 10; Acts x. 35; Mal. iii. 14; Isa. xlv. 19; Deut. xxxii. 47; Mal. i. 10; Prov. i. 22-24; Gen. iv. 7; Rom. ii.; iii.

Quest. CLVIII. Should not christians take up with Scripture wisdom only, without studying philosophy and other heathens' human learning?

Answ. I have already proved the usefulness of common knowledge called human learning, by twenty reasons in my book called "The Unreasonableness of Infidelity," part ii. sect. 23. p. 163, to which I refer the reader; and only say now, 1. Grace presupposeth nature; we are men in order of nature at least before we are saints, and reason is before supernatural revelation. 2. Common knowledge therefore is subservient unto faith: we must know the Creator and his works; and the Redeemer restoreth us to the due knowledge of the Creator: human learning in the sense in question is also divine, God is the author of the light of nature, as well as of grace. We have more than heathens, but must not therefore have less, and cast away the good that is common to them and us; else we must not have souls, bodies, reason, health, time, meat, drink, clothes, &c. because heathens have them. God's works are honourable, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein; and physical philosophy is nothing but the knowledge of God's works. 3. And the knowledge of languages is necessary both for human converse, and for the understanding the Scriptures themselves. The Scriptures contain not a Greek and Hebrew grammar to understand the languages in which they are written, but suppose us otherwise taught those tongues that we may interpret them. 4. The use of the gospel is not to teach us all things needful to be known; but to teach us, on supposition of our common knowledge, how to advance higher to supernatural saving knowledge, faith, love, and practice. Scripture telleth us not how to build a house, to plough, sow, weave, or make our works of art. Every one that learneth his country tongue of his parents hath human learning of the same sort with the learning of Greek and Hebrew; he that learneth not to read, cannot read the Bible. And he that understandeth it not in the original tongues, must trust other men's words that have human learning, or else remain a stranger to it.[425]

But though none but proud fools will deny the need of that human learning which improveth nature, and is subservient to our knowledge of supernatural revelations, yet well doth Paul admonish us, to take heed that none deceive us by vain philosophy; and saith that the wisdom of the world is foolishness with God, and that the knowledge of Christ crucified is the true christian philosophy or wisdom. For indeed the dark philosophers groping after the knowledge of God, did frequently stumble, and did introduce abundance of logical and physical vanities, uncertainties, and falsities, under the name of philosophy, by mere niceties and high pretendings, seeking for the glory of wisdom to themselves; whenas it is one thing to know God's works and God in them, and another thing to compose a system of physics and metaphysics containing abundance of errors and confusion, and jumbling a few certainties with a great many uncertainties and untruths, and every sect pulling down what others asserted, and all of them disproving the methods and assertions of others, and none proving their own. And the truth is, after all latter discoveries, there is yet so much error, darkness, uncertainty, and confusion in the philosophy of every pretending sect, (the Peripatetics, the Stoics, the Pythagoreans and Platonists, much more the Epicureans, the Lullianists, and Cartesians, Telesius, Campanella, Patricius, Gassendus, &c.) that it is a wonder that any that ever thoroughly tried them, can be so weak as to glory much of the certainties and methods of any, which hitherto are so palpably uncertain, and full of certain errors. We may therefore make use of all true human learning, real and organical (and he is the happy scholar who fasteneth upon the certain and the useful parts well distinguished from the rest, and truly useth them to their great and proper ends): but niceties and fooleries which some spend their lives in for mere ostentation, and also uncertain presumptions, should be much neglected; and the great, certain, necessary, saving verities of morality and the gospel must be dearly loved, and thankfully embraced, and studiously learned, and faithfully practised, by all that would prove wise men at last.[426]

[425] Prov. ii.-vi; Psal. xcii. 5, 6; civ. 24, 25; cxiii. 5, 6; cvii. 8, 15, 21; lxvi. 3, 4; cxi. 2-6; cxlv. 7-11, 17-19; Acts ii. 6-9; xxi. 40; xxiv. 2; 1 Cor. xiv. 2, 4, 9, 13, 14, 19, 26, 27; Rev. ix. 11; xiv. 16; v. 9; Psal. xix. 1-3; xciv. 10; cxxxix. 6; Prov. ii. 1-4, 8-10, 12; 1 Cor. xv. 34; Prov. xix. 2; Job xxxii. 8; xxxviii. 36. Yet I refer the reader to my "Treatise of Knowledge," which showeth the vanity of pretended learning.

[426] Col. ii. 8, 9, 23; 1 Cor. ii. 1, 4-6, 13; iii. 19; 2 Cor. i. 12; Job xxviii. 28; Prov. i 7; ix. 10; John xvii. 3; Gal. iv. 9; Eph. iii. 10; 1 John ii. 13, 14; Col. i. 9, 27, 28; Eph. vi. 19; 1 Cor. ii. 11; Col. iii. 16; Acts xvii. 18, 19, &c. Eph. iv. 18, 19; Hos. iv. 8; vi. 6; Psal. cxix. 99; 2 Pet. iii. 18; i. 3, 5, 8; Col. ii. 3; iii. 10; Phil. iii. 8; Eph. iii. 19; i. 17; Rom. i. 20-22; Eccl. i. 16-18; 1 Cor. viii. 1, 11; xiii. 2, 3, 8, 9; Rom. ii. 20; James iii. 13, 14, 17; Jer. iv. 22; 1 Cor. viii. 2.

Quest. CLIX. If we think that Scripture and the law of nature do in any point contradict each other, which may be the standard by which the other must be tried?

Answ. 1. It is certain that they never do contradict each other. 2. The law of nature is either that which is very clear by natural evidence, or that which is dark, (as degrees of consanguinity unfit for marriage,[427] the evil of officious lies, &c.) 3. The Scriptures also have their plain and their obscurer parts. 4. A dark scripture is not to be expounded contrary to a plain, natural verity. 5. A dark and doubtful point in nature is not to be expounded contrary to a plain and certain scripture. 6. To suppose that there be an apparent contradiction in cases of equal clearness or doubtfulness, is a case not to be supposed; but he that should have such a dream, must do as he would do if he thought two texts to be contradictory, that is, he must better study both till he see his error; still remembering that natural evidence hath this advantage, that it is, 1. First in order; 2. And most common and received by all; but supernatural evidence hath this advantage, that it is for the most part the more clear and satisfactory.[428]

[427] 1 Cor. v. 1, 2.

[428] 1 John i. 1-3; Heb. ii. 3, 4.

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

Answ. You must distinguish between, 1. New laws or covenants to mankind, and new predictions or informations of a particular person. 2. Between what may possibly be, and what we may expect as certain or probable. And so I conclude,

1. That it is certain that God will make no other covenant, testament, or universal law, for the government of mankind or the church, as a rule of duty and of judgment. Because he hath oft told us, that this covenant and law is perfect, and shall be in force as our rule till the end of the world.[429]

Object. So it was said of the law of Moses, that it was to stand for ever, yea, of many ceremonies in it.

Answ. 1. It is in the original only, for ages and ages; or to generations and generations, which we translate for ever, when it signifieth but to many generations. 2. It is no where said, of Moses's law as such, that it should continue either till the end of the world, or till the day of judgment, as it is said of the gospel. And, 3. It is not said that he will add no more to the former testament, but contrarily, that he will make a new covenant with them, &c. But here in the gospel he peremptorily resolveth against all innovations and additions.[430]

2. It is certain that God will make no new scripture or inspired word as an infallible, universal rule for the exposition of the word already written. For, 1. This were an addition which he hath disclaimed; and, 2. It would imply such an insufficiency in the gospel to its ends (as being not intelligible) as is contrary to its asserted perfection; and, 3. It would be contrary to that established way for the understanding of the Scripture, which God hath already settled and appointed for us till the end.[431]

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

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

5. Though such revelation and prophecy be possible, there is no certainty of it in general, nor any probability of it to any one individual person, much less a promise. And therefore to expect it, or pray for it, is but a presumptuous tempting of God.[432]

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

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

[429] Gal. i. 7-9; Matt. xxviii. 20; 2 Thess. i. 10,11; Mark xvi. 15, 16.

[430] Rev. xiv. 6; xxii. 18, 19; Heb. vii. 28, 29; 1 Tim. i. 16; Rom. vi. 22; John v. 22, 24; vi. 27, 40, 47; xii. 50; Heb. i. 7-9.

[431] Eph. i. 18, 19.

[432] Micah ii. 11; 1 Kings xxii. 21, 22; 1 John iv. 1, 2; 2 Thess. ii. 2.

Quest. CLXI. Is not a third rule of the Holy Ghost, or perfecter kingdom of love, to be expected, as different from the reign of the Creator and Redeemer?

Answ. 1. The works ad extra and the reign of the Father, Word, and Spirit are undivided. But yet some things are more eminently attributed to one person in the Trinity, and some to another.[433]

2. By the law and covenant of innocency, the Creator eminently ruled omnipotently. And the Son ruled eminently sapientially, initially under the covenant of promise or grace from Adam till his incarnation and the descent of the Holy Ghost, and more fully and perfectly afterward by the Holy Ghost. And the Holy Ghost ever since doth rule in the saints as the Paraclete, Advocate, or Agent of Christ, and Christ by him, eminently by holy love; which is yet but initially: but the same Holy Ghost by perfect love shall perfectly rule in glory for ever; even as the Spirit of the Father and the Son. We have already the initial kingdom of love by the Spirit, and shall have the perfect kingdom in heaven; and besides the initial and the perfect there is no other. Nor is the perfect kingdom to be expected before the day of judgment, or our removal unto heaven; for our kingdom is not of this world. And they that sell all and follow Christ, do make the exchange for a reward in heaven; and they that suffer persecution for his sake, must rejoice because their reward in heaven is great: and they that relieve a prophet or righteous man for the sake of Christ, and that lose any thing for him, shall have indeed a hundredfold (in value) in this life, but in the world to come eternal life. We shall be taken up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord: and those are the words with which we must comfort one another, and not Jewishly with the hopes of an earthly kingdom. And yet "we look for a new heaven and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness, according to his promise." But who shall be the inhabitants, and how that heaven and earth shall differ, and what we shall then have to do with earth, whether to be overseers of that righteous earth (and so to judge or rule the world) as the angels are now over us in this world, are things which yet I understand not.[434]

[433] John v. 21, 25; Prov. i. 20, 21.

[434] Matt. v. 11, 12; Luke xviii. 22, 23; Matt. x. 41, 42; Luke vi. 23; xvi. 20; 1 Cor. xii. 2, 3; v. 1, 3, 8; Matt. xviii. 10; 1 Thess. iv. 17, 18; Mark xii. 25; 2 Pet. iii. 11-13; 1 Pet. i. 4; Heb. x. 34; xii. 13; Col. i. 5; Phil. iii. 20, 21.

Quest. CLXII. May we not look for miracles hereafter?

Answ. 1. The answer to quest. clx. may serve to this. 1. God may work miracles if he please, and hath not told us that he never will.[435]

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

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

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

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

Answ. 1. The promise to be believed goeth before the faith that believeth it, and not that faith before the promise.

2. The promise of the Holy Ghost was for perpetuity, to sanctify all believers: but the promise of that special gift of miracles, was for a time, because it was for a special use; that is, to be a standing seal to the truth of the gospel, which all after-ages may be convinced of in point of fact, and so may still have the use and benefit of.[436] And Providence (ceasing miracles) thus expoundeth the promise. And if miracles must be common to all persons and ages, they would be as no miracles. And we have seen those that most confidently believed they should work them, all fail.

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

[435] Luke xxiii. 8.

[436] 1 Cor. xii. 28, 29; Heb. ii. 3, 4; John x. 41.

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

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

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

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

3. Therefore the holy Scriptures which were the infallible dictates of the Spirit in the apostles, are more perfect than any of our apprehensions which come by the same Spirit (which we have not in so great a measure).[437]

4. Therefore we must not try the Scriptures by our most spiritual apprehensions, but our apprehensions by the Scriptures: that is, we must prefer the Spirit's inspiring the apostles to indite the Scriptures, before the Spirit's illuminating of us to understand them, or before any present inspirations, the former being the more perfect; because Christ gave the apostles the Spirit to deliver us infallibly his own commands, and to indite a rule for following ages; but he giveth us the Spirit but to understand and use that rule aright.[438]

5. This trying the Spirit by the Scriptures, is not a setting of the Scripture above the Spirit itself; but is only a trying the Spirit by the Spirit: that is, the Spirit's operations in ourselves and his revelations to any pretenders now, by the Spirit's operations in the apostles, and by their revelations recorded for our use. For they, and not we, are called foundations of the church.[439]

[437] John iv. 1, 2, 6; John xviii. 37; viii. 47.

[438] Acts xvii. 11, 12; Matt. v. 18; Rom. xvi. 26; Matt. xxviii. 20; Luke x. 16.

[439] Rev. ii. 2; Jude 17; 2 Pet. iii. 2; Eph. iv. 11, 12; 1 Cor. xii. 28, 29; Eph. ii. 20.

Quest. CLXIV. How is a pretended prophet, or revelation, to be tried?

Answ. 1. If it be contrary to the Scripture it is to be rejected as a deceit.[440]

2. If it be the same thing which is in the Scripture, we have it more certainly revealed already; therefore the revelation can be nothing but an assistance of the person's faith, or a call to obedience, or a reproof of some sin; which every man is to believe according as there is true evidence that indeed it is a divine revelation or vision; which if it be not, the same thing is still sure to us in the Scripture.

3. If it be something that is only besides the Scripture, (as about events and facts, or prophecies of what will befall particular places or persons,) we must first see whether the evidence of a divine revelation be clear in it or not; and that is known, 1. To the person himself, by the self-attesting and convincing power of a divine revelation, which no man knoweth but he that hath it (and we must be very cautelous lest we take false conceptions to be such). 2. But to himself and others it is known, (1.) At present by clear, uncontrolled miracles, which are God's attestation; which if men show, we are bound (in this case) to believe them. (2.) For the future, by the event, when things so plainly come to pass, as prove the prediction to be of God. He therefore that giveth you not by certain miracles uncontrolled, a just proof that he is sent of God, is to be heard with a suspended belief; you must stay till the event show whether he say true or not: and not act any thing in the mean time upon an unproved presumption either of the truth or falsehood of his words.[441]

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

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

[440] Acts xvii. 11; 1 Cor. xv. 3, 4; John x. 35; xix. 24, 28, 36, 37.

[441] John iii. 2; xiii. 19; xiv. 20; Luke xxi. 7, 9, 28, 31, 36; Matt. v. 18; xxiv. 34; xxi. 4.

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

Answ. The chief part of the answer to this must be fetched from what is said before about fundamentals. 1. No man can be saved who believeth not that God is no liar, and that all his word is true; because indeed he believeth not that there is a God.[442]

2. No man can be saved who believeth not the points that are essential to true godliness; nor any man that heareth the word, who believeth not all essential to christianity, or the christian covenant and religion.

3. A man may be saved who believeth not some books of Scripture (as Jude, 2 Peter, 2 John, 3 John, Revelation) to be canonical, or the word of God; so he heartily believe the rest, or the essentials.

4. He that thinketh that the prophets, sacred historians, evangelists, and apostles, were guided to an infallible delivery and recording of all the great, substantial, necessary points of the gospel, but not to an infallibility in every by-expression, phrase, citation, or circumstance, doth disadvantage his own faith as to all the rest; but yet may be saved, if he believe the substance with a sound and practical belief.[443]

[442] Rev. vi. 10; xix. 9, 11; xxi. 5; xxii. 6; 1 John ii. 8; v. 20; 2 Cor. i. 18; 1 Cor. xv. 1-3, &c.

[443] Mark xvi. 16; Rom. x. 12, 13; John iii. 16, 18; 1 John iv. 2, 3.

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

Answ. I. It is not easy to enumerate all the errors on either extreme; but only to give some instances of each. 1. They give too little to the Scripture who deny it to be indited by inspiration of the infallible Spirit of God, and to be wholly true. 2. And they that detract from some parts or books of it while they believe the rest. 3. And they that think it is not given as a law of God, and as a rule of faith and life. 4. And they that think it is not a universal law and rule for all the world, but for some parts only (supposing the predication of it). 5. And they that think it an imperfect law and rule, which must be made up with the supplement of traditions or revelations. 6. And they that think it was adapted only to the time it was written in, and not to ours, as not foreseeing what would be. 7. And they that think it is culpably defective in method. 8. And they that think it culpably defective in phrase, aptness, or elegancy of style. 9. And they that think that it containeth not all that was necessary or fit for universal determination, of that kind of things which it doth at all universally determine of; as e. g. that it made two sacraments, but not all of that kind that are fit to be made, but hath left men to invent and make more of the same nature and use. 10. And those that think that it is fitted only to the learned, or only to the unlearned, only to princes, or only to subjects, &c. 11. And those that think that it is but for a time, and then by alteration to be perfected, as Moses's law was. 12. And those that think that the pope, princes, or prelates, or any men, may change or alter it.[444]

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

2. And they that feign it to be instead of all grammars, logic, philosophy, and all other arts and sciences, and to be a perfect, particular rule for every ruler, lawyer, physician, mariner, architect, husbandman, and tradesman, to do his work by.

3. And they that feign it to be fully sufficient to all men to prove its own authority and truth, without the subsidiary use of that church history and tradition which telleth us the supposed matters of fact, and must help us to know what books are canonical and what not; and without historical evidence, that these are the true books which the prophets and apostles wrote, and the miracles and providences which have attested them.[445]

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

5. And those that think it sufficient to sanctify men, without the concourse of the Spirit's illumination, vivification, and inward operation to that end.[446]

6. And they that say that no man can be saved by the knowledge, belief, love, and practice of all the substantial parts of christianity brought to him by tradition, parents, or preachers, who tell him nothing of the Scriptures, but deliver him the doctrines as attested by miracles and the Spirit without any notice of the book.[447]

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

8. And they that say, no other books of divinity but Scripture are useful, yea or lawful to be read of christians, or at least in the church.

9. And they that say that the Scriptures are so divine, not only in matter, but in method and style, as that there is nothing of human (inculpable) imperfection or weakness in them.

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

11. And they that say that all passages in Scripture, historically related, are moral truths; and so make the devil's words to Eve, of Job, to Christ, &c. to be all true.

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

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

14. And those that think men may not translate the Scripture, turn the Psalms into metre, tune them, divide the Scripture into chapters and verses, &c. as being derogatory alterations of the perfect word.

15. And those that think it so perfect a particular rule of all the circumstances, modes, adjuncts, and external expressions of and in God's worship, as that no such may be invented or added by man, that is not there prescribed; as time, place, vesture, gesture, utensils, methods, words, and many other things mentioned before.[448]

16. And those that Jewishly feign a multitude of unproved mysteries to lie in the letters, order, numbers, and proper names in Scripture (though I deny not that there is much mystery which we little observe).

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

18. And they that say that all in the Scripture is so necessary to salvation, (even the darkest prophecies,) that they cannot be saved that understand them not all; or at least endeavour not studiously and particularly to understand them.[449]

19. And they that say that every book and text must of necessity to salvation be believed to be canonical and true.

20. And those that say that God hath so preserved the Scripture, as that there are no various readings and doubtful texts thereupon,[450] and that no written or printed copies have been corrupted (when Dr. Heylin tells us, that the king's printer printed the seventh commandment, Thou shalt commit adultery). All these err in over-doing.

III. The dangers of the former detracting from the Scripture are these: 1. It injureth the Spirit who is the author of the Scriptures. 2. It striketh at the foundation of our faith, by weakening the records which are left us to believe; and imboldeneth men to sin, by diminishing the authority of God's law; and weakeneth our hopes, by weakening the promises. 3. It shaketh the universal government of Christ, by shaking the authority or perfection of the laws by which he governeth. 4. It maketh way for human usurpations, and traditions, as supplements to the holy Scriptures; and leaveth men to contrive to amend God's word and worship, and make co-ordinate laws and doctrines of their own. 5. It hindereth the conviction and conversion of sinners, and hardeneth them in unbelief, by questioning or weakening the means that should convince and turn them. 6. It is a tempting men to the cursed adding to God's word.

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

[444] James iv. 12; Isa. xxxiii. 22; Rev. xxii. 18, 19; Matt. xxviii. 20; Isa. viii. 16, 20; Psal. xix. 7, 8; cxix. 130; Prov. xiv. 20, 22; viii. 5; Deut. xii. 32.

[445] 1 John i. 1-3; 3 John 12; Heb. ii. 3, 4; John ii. 24; Eph. iv. 8-16.

[446] John vi. 63; Rom. viii. 9; 1 John iii. 24; John iii. 5, 6.

[447] Many Romish priests and others do so.

[448] 1 Cor. xiv. 26, 32, 40.

[449] Heb. v. 10-12.

[450] Of which see Lud. Capellus Crit. Sacr.

Quest. CLXVII. How far do good men now preach and pray by the Spirit?

Answ. 1. Not by such inspiration of new matter from God as the prophets and apostles had which indited the Scriptures.

2. Not so as to exclude the exercise of reason, memory, or diligence: which must be as much and more than about any common things.

3. Not so as to exclude the use and need of Scripture, ministry, sermons, books, conference, examples, use, or other means and helps.

But, 1. The Spirit indited that doctrine and Scripture which is our rule for prayer and for preaching.

2. The Spirit's miracles and works in and by the apostles seal that doctrine to us, and confirm our faith in it.[451]

3. The Spirit in our faithful pastors and teachers teacheth us by them to pray and preach.[452]

4. The Spirit by illumination, quickening, and sanctification, giveth us an habitual acquaintance with our sins, our wants, with the word of precept and promise, with God, with Christ, with grace, with heaven. And it giveth us a habit of holy love to God, and goodness and thankfulness for mercy and faith in Christ, and the life to come, and desires of perfection, and hatred of sin; and he that hath all these, hath a constant habit of prayer in him; for prayer is nothing but the expression with the tongue of these graces in the heart; so that the Spirit of sanctification is thereby a Spirit of adoption and of supplication. And he that hath freedom of utterance can speak that which God's Spirit hath put into his very heart, and made him esteem his greatest and nearest concernment, and the most necessary and excellent thing in all the world. This is the Spirit's principal help.[453]

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

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

7. The same Spirit concurreth with means, habits, reason, and our own endeavours, to help us in the very act of praying and preaching. 1. By illuminating our minds to know what to desire and say. 2. By actuating our wills to love, and holy desire, and other affections. 3. By quickening and exciting us to a liveliness and fervency in all. And so bringing our former habits into acts, the grace of prayer is the heart and soul of gifts; and thus the Spirit teacheth us to pray.[454]

Yea, the same Spirit thus by common helps assisteth even bad men in praying and preaching, giving them common habits and acts that are short of special saving grace. Whereas men left to themselves without God's Spirit, have none of all these forementioned helps. And so the Spirit is said to intercede for us by exciting our unexpressible groans; and to help our infirmities when we know not what to ask as we ought.[455]

[451] Heb. ii. 3, 4; 1 Pet. i. 2, 22.

[452] 2 Thess. i. 13.

[453] John iii. 5, 6; Rom. viii. 8, 9, 15, 16, 26, 27; 2 Tim. i. 7; Neh. ix. 20; Isa. xi. 2; Ezek. xxxvi. 26; xxxvii. 14; Gal. iv. 6; Zech. xii. 10; Ezek. xviii. 31; xi. 19.

[454] Rom. vii. 6; John iv. 23, 24; vii. 38, 39; 1 Cor. ii. 10, 11; vi. 11, 17; 2 Cor. iv. 13; Gal. v. 5, 16-18, 25; Eph. iii. 16; v. 9, 18; vi. 18; 1 Thess. v. 19.

[455] Rom. viii. 26.

Quest. CLXVIII. Are not our own reasons, studies, memory, strivings, books, forms, methods, and ministry, needless, yea, a hurtful quenching or preventing of the Spirit, and setting up our own, instead of the Spirit's operation?

Answ. 1. Yes; if we do it in a conceit of the sufficiency of ourselves,[456] our reason, memory, studies, books, forms, &c. without the Spirit; or if we ascribe any thing to any of these which is proper to Christ or to his Spirit. For such proud, self-sufficient despisers of the Spirit, cannot reasonably expect his help. I doubt among men counted learned and rational there are too many such,[457] that know not man's insufficiency or corruption, nor the necessity and use of that Holy Ghost into whose name they were baptized, and in whom they take on them to believe. But think that all that pretend to the Spirit are but fanatics and enthusiasts, and self-conceited people; when yet the Spirit himself saith, Rom. viii. 9, "If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, the same is none of his." And Gal. iv. 6, "Because we are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, whereby we cry, Abba, Father."

2. But if we give to reason, memory, study, books, methods, forms, &c. but their proper place in subordination to Christ and to his Spirit, they are so far from being quenchers of the Spirit, that they are necessary in their places, and such means as we must use, if ever we will expect the Spirit's help. For the Spirit is not given to a brute to make him a man, or rational; nor to a proud despiser, or idle neglecter of God's appointed means, to be instead of means; nor to be a patron to the vice of pride or idleness, which he cometh chiefly to destroy; but to bless men in their laborious use of the means which God appointed him: read but Prov. i. 20, &c. ii. iii. v. vi. viii., and you will see that knowledge must be laboured for, and instruction heard; and he that will lie idle till the Spirit move him, and will not stir up himself to seek God, or strive to enter in at the strait gate, nor give all diligence to make his calling and election sure,[458] may find that the Spirit of sloth hath destroyed him, when he thought the Spirit of Christ had been saving him. He that hath but two articles in his creed, must make this the second: "For he that cometh to God must believe that God is, and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him," Heb. xi. 6.

[456] John xv. 1, 3-5, 7.

[457] Even among them that in their ordination heard "Receive ye the Holy Ghost," and "Over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers."

[458] Isa. lxxxiv. 7; Matt. vii. 13, 14; 2 Pet. i. 10.

Quest. CLXIX. How doth the Holy Ghost set bishops over the churches?

Answ. 1. By making the office itself, so far as the apostles had any hand in it, Christ himself having made their office.[459]

2. The Holy Ghost in the electors and ordainers directeth them to discern the fitness of the persons elected and ordained, and so to call such as God approveth of, and calleth by the Holy Ghost in them. Which was done, 1. By the extraordinary gift of discerning in the apostles. 2. By the ordinary help of God's Spirit in the wise and faithful electors and ordainers ever since.[460]

3. The Holy Ghost doth qualify them for the work, by due life, light, and love, knowledge, willingness, and active ability, and so both inclining them to it, and marking out the persons by his gifts, whom he would have elected and ordained to it: which was done, 1. At first by extraordinary gifts. 2. And ever since by ordinary. (1.) Special and saving in some. (2.) Common, and only fitted to the church's instruction, in others. So that whoever is not competently qualified, is not called by the Holy Ghost: when Christ ascended, he gave "gifts to men, some apostles, prophets, and evangelists, some pastors and teachers, for the edifying of his body," &c. Eph. iv. 7-10.[461]

[459] Acts xx. 28.

[460] Acts i. 24; xiii. 2; xv. 28, &c.; xiv. 23.

[461] 1 Cor. xii. 12, 23, 28, 29.

Quest. CLXX. Are temples, fonts, utensils, church lands, much more the ministers, holy? And what reverence is due to them as holy?

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

I. The word holy signifieth in God, essential, transcendent perfection; and so it cometh not into our question. In creatures it signifieth, 1. A divine nature in the rational creature, (angels and men,) by which it is made like God, and disposed to him and his service, by knowledge, love, and holy vivacity; which is commonly called real saving holiness as distinct from mere relative. 2. It is taken for the relation of any thing to God as his own peculiar appropriated to him: so infinite is the distance between God and us, that whatever is his in a special sense, or separated to his use, is called holy; and that is, 1. Persons. 2. Things. 1. Persons are either, (1.) In general devoted to his love and service. (2.) Or specially devoted to him in some special office; which is, (1.) Ecclesiastical. (2.) Economical. (3.) Political. Those devoted to this general service are, (1.) Either heartily and sincerely so devoted, (who are ever sanctified in the first real sense also). (2.) Or only by word or outward profession. 2. Things devoted to God are, 1. Some by his own immediate choice, designation, and command. 2. Or by general directions to man to do it. And these are, 1. Some things more nearly. 2. Some things more remotely separated to him. None of these must be confounded; and so we must conclude,

1. All that shall be saved are really holy by a divine inclination and nature, and actual exercise thereof; and relatively holy in a special sense, as thus devoted and separated to God.

2. All the baptized and professors (not apostate) are relatively holy, as verbally devoted and separated to God.

3. All that are ordained to the sacred ministry are relatively holy, as devoted and separated to that office. And the well qualified are also really holy, as their qualifications are either special or common.

4. All that are duly called of God to the place of kings, and judges, and rulers of families, are relatively sacred, as their offices and they are of God and for him, and devoted to him.

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

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

7. Ministers are more holy than temples, lands, or utensils, as being nearlier related to holy things. And things separated by God himself are more holy than those justly separated by man. And so of days.

8. Things remotely devoted to God, are holy in their distant place and measure; as the meat, drink, house, lands, labours of every godly man, who with himself devoteth all to God; but this being more distant, is yet a remoter degree of holiness.[462]

[Sidenote: Uncovered in church and reverent gestures.]

II. Every thing should be reverenced according to the measure of its holiness; and this expressed by such signs, gestures, actions, as are fittest to honour God, to whom they are related; and so to be uncovered in church, and use reverent carriage and gestures there, doth tend to preserve due reverence to God and to his worship, 1 Cor. xvi. 20.

[462] Mark vi. 20; Col. i. 22; Tit. i. 8; 1 Pet. i. 15, 16; iii. 5; 2 Pet. iii. 11; Exod. xxii. 31; 1 Cor. i. 1-3; vi. 9-11; Heb. xii. 14; Tit. iii. 3, 5, 6; ii. 13, 14; 1 Pet. ii. 5, 9; Exod. xix. 6; Rom. i. 1, 2; 1 Cor. iii. 17; vii. 14; Zech. ii. 12; Hag. ii. 12; Luke i. 71, 72; Ezra viii. 28; ix. 2; Numb. xxxi. 6; vi. 8, 20; Lev. xvi. 4, 33; Exod. xxix. 6, 33; Psal. lxxxix. 20; Numb. xxxv. 25; 2 Tim. iii. 15; Isa. lviii. 13; Psal. xlii. 4; 2 Pet. i. 18, 21; Psal. lxxxvii. 1; Numb. v. 17; Exod. iii. 5; 1 Sam. xxi. 5; Neh. viii. 9-11.

Quest. CLXXI. What is sacrilege, and what not?

Answ. I. Sacrilege is robbing God by the unjust alienation of holy things. And it is measured according as things are diversified in holiness; as,

1. The greatest sacrilege is a profane, unholy alienating a person to the flesh and the world, from God, and his love, and his service, who by baptism was devoted to him. And so all wicked christians are grossly sacrilegious.

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

3. The next is the unjust alienating of temples, utensils, lands, days, which were separated by God himself.[463]

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

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

2. Nor to alienate temples, lands, goods, or utensils, when Providence maketh it needful to the church's good: so the fire in London hath caused a diminution of the number of churches: so some bishops of old, sold the church plate to relieve the poor: and some princes have sold some church lands to save the church and state in the necessities of a lawful war.[464]

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

[463] Rom. ii. 22; 2 Pet. ii. 20-22; Heb. vi. 6, 7; x. 26-29; 1 Thess. ii. 15, 16; Lev. xix. 8; Heb. xii. 16; Acts v. 5, &c.; Ezek. xxii. 26; xlii. 20; xliv. 23.

[464] Matt. xii. 5.

Quest. CLXXII. Are all religious and private meetings, forbidden by rulers, unlawful conventicles? Or are any such necessary?

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

For aught I know, we are agreed,

I. 1. That it is more to the honour of the church, and of religion, and of God, and more to our safety and edification, to have God's worship performed solemnly, publicly, and in great assemblies, than in a corner, secretly, and with few.[465]

2. That it is a great mercy therefore where the rulers allow the church such public worship.

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

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

II. But we are also agreed, 1. That it is not the place but the presence of the true pastors and people that make the church.[466]

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

3. That the ancient churches and christians in times of persecutions, ordinarily met in secret against the ruler's will, and their meetings were called conventicles (and slandered, which occasioned Pliny's examination, and the right he did them).

4. That no minister must forsake and give over his work while there is need, and he can do it.[467]

5. That where there are many thousands of ignorant and ungodly persons, and the public ministers, either through their paucity, (proportioned to the people,) or their disability, unwillingness, or negligence, or all, are insufficient for all that public and private ministerial work, which God hath appointed for the instruction, persuasion, and salvation of such necessitous souls, there is need of more ministerial help.[468]

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

7. That they that are forbidden to worship God publicly, unless they will commit some certain sin, are so prohibited as that they ought not to do it on such terms.[469]

8. That the private meetings which are held on these forementioned terms, in such cases of necessity, are not to be forsaken, though prohibited; though still the honour of the magistrate is to be preserved, and obedience given him in all lawful things. And such meetings are not sinful nor dishonourable (to the assemblies); for as Tertullian (and Dr. Heylin after him) saith, Cum pii, cum boni coeunt, non factio dicenda est, sed curia: When pious and good people meet, (especially as aforesaid,) it is not to be called a faction, but a court. Thus far I think we all agree.

And that the church of England is really of this mind is certain; 1. In that they did congregate in private themselves, in the time of Cromwell's usurpation, towards the end when he began to restrain the use of the Common-prayer. 2. In that they wrote for it: see Dr. Hide "Of the Church," in the beginning. 3. Because both in the reign of former princes, since the reformation, and to this day, many laborious conforming ministers have still used to repeat their sermons in their houses, where many of the people came to hear them. 4. Because the liturgy alloweth private baptism, and restraineth not any number from being present, nor the minister from instructing them in the use of baptism (which is the sum of christianity). 5. Because the liturgy commandeth the visitation of the sick, and alloweth the minister there to pray and instruct the person according to his own ability, about repentance, faith in Christ, and preparation for death and the life to come, and forbiddeth not the friends and neighbours of the sick to be present. 6. Because the liturgy and canons allow private communion with the sick, lame, or aged that cannot come to the assembly; where the nature of that holy work is to be opened, and the eucharistical work to be performed; and some must be present, and the number not limited. 7. And as these are express testimonies, that all private meetings are not disallowed by the church of England, so there are other instances of such natural necessity as they are not to be supposed to be against. As, (1.) For a captain to pray, and read Scripture or good books, and sing psalms with his soldiers, and with mariners at sea, when they have no minister. (2.) There are many thousands and hundred thousands in England, that some live so far from the church, and some are so weak that they can seldom go, and some churches have not room for a quarter of the parish; and none of the thousands now meant can read, and so neither can help themselves, nor have a minister that will do it; and thousands that when they have heard a sermon cannot remember it, but lose it presently. If these that cannot read or remember, nor teach their own families, nor go to church, do take their families, many of them, to some one neighbour's house where the sermon is repeated, or the Bible or liturgy read, methinks the church should not be against it.

But it must be still remembered, that, 1. Rulers that are infidels, papists, heretics, or persecutors, that restrain church meetings to the injury of men's souls, must be distinguished from pious princes that only restrain heretics and real schismatics for the church's good. 2. And that times of heresy and schism may make private meetings more dangerous than quiet times. And so even the Scottish church forbad private meeting in the separatists' days of late. And when they do more hurt than good, and are justly forbidden, no doubt, in that case, it is a duty to obey and to forbear them, as is aforesaid.

[465] Psal. i. 2, 4, 5; xxii. 25; xxxv. 18; xl. 2, 10; Acts xxviii. 30, 31; Heb. x. 20; Acts xx. 7; i. 15; ii. 44; 1 Cor. xliv. 23.

[466] 1 Cor. xvi. 12; Rom. xvi. 5; Acts xii. 12; Col. iv. 15.

[467] Matt. xviii. 20; 1 Cor. ix. 16; 1 Thess. ii. 15, 16; Acts iv. 19. See Dr. Hammond in loc.

[468] 1 Tim. ii. 8; Acts viii. 4; 1 John iii. 17; 2 Tim. iv. 1-3; Heb. x. 25.

[469] See much of this case handled before, quest. 109, 113.

Quest. CLXXIII. What particular directions for order of studies, and books, should be observed by young students?

Because disorder is so great a disadvantage to young students, and because many have importuned me to name them some few of the best books, because they have no time to read, nor money to buy many, I shall here answer these two demands.

1. The order of their studies is such as respecteth their whole lives, or such as respecteth every day. It is the first which I now intend.

Direct. I. The knowledge of so much of theology as is necessary to your own duty and salvation, is the first thing which you are to learn (when you have learnt to speak). Children have souls to save; and their reason is given them to use for their Creator's service and their salvation. 1. They can never begin to learn that too soon which they were made and redeemed to learn, and which their whole lives must be employed in practising. 2. And that which absolute necessity requireth, and without which there is no salvation. 3. And that which must tell a man the only ultimate end which he must intend, in all the moral actions of his life. For the right intention of our end is antecedent to all right use of means; and till this be done, a man hath not well begun to live, nor to use his reason; nor hath he any other work for his reason, till this be first done. He liveth but in a continual sin, that doth not make God and the public good, and his salvation, his end. Therefore they that would not have children begin with divinity, would have them serve the devil and the flesh. God must be our first and last, and all.

Not that any exact or full body or method of divinity is to be learnt so early. But, 1. The baptismal covenant must be well opened betimes, and frequently urged upon their hearts. 2. Therefore the creed, the Lord's prayer, and decalogue, must be opened to such betimes; that is, they must be wisely catechised. 3. They must be taught the Scripture history, especially Genesis and the gospel of Christ. 4. They must, with the other scriptures, read the most plain and suitable books of practical divines (after named). 5. They must be kept in the company of suitable, wise, and exemplary christians, whose whole conversation will help them to the sense and love of holiness; and must be kept strictly from perverting, wicked company. 6. They must be frequently, lovingly, familiarly, yet seriously, treated with about the state of their own souls, and made to know their need of Christ and of his Holy Spirit, of justification and renovation. 7. They must be trained up in the practice of godliness, in prayer, pious speeches, and obedience to God and man. 8. They must be kept under the most powerful and profitable ministers of Christ that can be had. 9. They must be much urged to the study of their own hearts; to know themselves; what it is to be a man, to have reason, free-will, and an immortal soul: what it is to be a child of lapsed Adam, and an unregenerate, unpardoned sinner: what it is to be a redeemed, and a sanctified, justified person, and an adopted heir of life eternal. And by close examination to know which of these conditions is their own; to know what is their daily duty; and what their danger, and what their temptations and impediments, and how to escape.

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

Direct. II. Let young men's time (till about eighteen, nineteen, or twenty) be spent in the improvement of their memories, rather than in studies that require much judgment. Therefore let them take that time to get organical knowledge; such as are the Latin and Greek tongues first and chiefly, and then the Hebrew, Chaldee, Syriac, and Arabic; with the exactest acquaintance with the true precepts of logic: and let them learn some epitome of logic without book. In this time also let them be much conversant in history, both civil, scholastical, (of philosophers, orators, poets, &c.) and ecclesiastical. And then take in as much of the mathematics as their more necessary studies will allow them time for (still valuing knowledge according to the various degrees of usefulness).

Direct. III. When you come to seek after more abstruse and real wisdom, join together the study of physics and theology; and take not your physics as separated from or independent on theology, but as the study of God in his works, and of his works as leading to himself. Otherwise you will be but like a scrivener or printer, who maketh his letters well, but knoweth not what they signify.

Direct. IV. Unite all ὀντολογία, or knowledge of real entities, into one science; both spirits and bodies; God being taken in as the first and last, the original, director, and end of all: and study not the doctrine of bodies alone, as separated from spirits; for it is but an imaginary separation, and a delusion to men's minds. Or if you will call them by the name of several sciences, be sure you so link those severals together that the due dependence of bodies on spirits, and of the passive natures on the active, may still be kept discernible; and then they will be one while you call them divers.

Direct. V. When you study only to know what is true, you must begin at the primum cognoscibile, and so rise in ordine cognoscendi; but when you would come to see things in their proper order, by a more perfect, satisfying knowledge, you must draw up a synthetical scheme, juxta ordinem essendi, where God must be the first and last; the first efficient Governor and End of all.

Direct. VI. Your first study of philosophy therefore should be, of yourselves; to know a man. And the knowledge of man's soul is a part so necessary, so near, so useful, that it should take up both the first and largest room in all your physics, or knowledge of God's works: labour therefore to be accurate in this.

Direct. VII. With the knowledge of yourselves join the knowledge of the rest of the works of God; but according to the usefulness of each part to your moral duty; and as all are related to God and you.

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

Direct. IX. Metaphysics as now taken is a mixture of organical and real knowledge; and part of it belongeth to logic, (the organical part,) and the rest is theology, pneumatology, and the highest parts of ontology, or real science.

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

Direct. XI. So certain are the numerous errors of philosophers, so uncertain a multitude of their assertions, so various their sects, and so easy it is for any to pull down much which the rest have built, and so hard to set up any comely structure that others in like manner may not cast down; that I cannot persuade you to fall in with any one sort or sect, who yet have published their sentiments to the world. The Platonists made very noble attempts in their inquiries after spiritual being; but they run into many unproved fanaticisms, and into divers errors, and want the desirable helps of true method. The wit of Aristotle was wonderful for subtilty and solidity; his knowledge vast; his method (oft) accurate; but many precarious, yea erroneous conceptions and assertions, are so placed by him, as to have a troubling and corrupting influence into all the rest. The Epicureans or Democratists were still and justly the contempt of all the sober sects; and our late Somatists that follow them, yea, and Gassendus, and many that call themselves Cartesians, yea, Cartesius himself, much more Berigardus, Regius, and Hobbes, do give so much more to mere matter and motion, than is truly due, and know or say so much too little of spirits, active natures, vital powers, which are the true principles of motion, that they differ as much from true philosophers, as a carcass or a clock from a living man. The stoics had noble ethical principles, and they (and the Platonists with the cynics) were of the best lives; but their writings are most lost, and little of their physics fully known to us, and that also hath its errors. Patricius is but a Platonist so taken with the nature of light, as insisting on that in fanatical terms, to leave out a great deal more that must he conjoined. Telesius doth the like by heat and cold, heaven and earth, and among many observable things, hath much that is unsound and of ill consequence. Campanella hath improved him, and hath many hints of better principles (especially in his primalities) than all the rest; but he fanatically runs them up into so many unproved and vain, yea, and mistaken superstructures, as that no true body of physics can be gathered out of all his works. The attempt that pious Commenius hath made in his small manual hath much that is of worth; but far short of accurateness. The Hermetical philosophers have no true method of philosophy among them; and to make their three or five principles to be so many elements, or simple bodies, constituting all compounds, and form up a system of philosophy on their suppositions, will be but a trifle, and not to satisfy judicious minds; especially considering how defective their philosophy is made by their omissions. Lullius and his followers fit not their method to the true order of the matter. Scaliger, Scheggius, Wendeline, and Sennertus (especially in his Hypomnemata) were great men, and have many excellent things; but too much of Aristotle's goeth for current with them. My worthy, learned, and truly pious friend Mr. Sam. Gott, in his new book on Gen. i. hath many excellent notions, and much that is scarce elsewhere to be met with; but the tedious paragraphs, the defect of method, and several unproveable particulars, make it, like all human works, imperfect.

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

I have made some attempt to draw out so much, especially de mundo et de homine, in my "Methodus Theologiæ," though I expect it should no more satisfy others, than any of theirs have satisfied me.

Direct. XII. When you have well stated your ontology or real science, then review your logic and organical part of metaphysics; and see that verba rebus aptentur; fetch then your words and organical notions from the nature of the things. Abundance are confounded by taking up logical notions first which are unsuitable to true physical beings.

Direct. XIII. Somewhat of ethics may be well learned of philosophers, but it is nothing to the Scripture's christian ethics.

Direct. XIV. Somewhat of artificial rhetoric and oratory should be known; but the oratory which is most natural, from the evidence of things, well managed by a good understanding and elocution, which hath least of appearing art or affectation, is ever the most effectual, and of best esteem.

Direct. XV. The doctrine of politics, especially of the nature of government and laws in general, is of great use to all that will ever understand the nature of God's government and laws, that is, of religion. Though there be no necessity of knowing the government and laws of the land or of other countries, any further than is necessary to our obedience or outward concernments, yet so much of government and laws as nature and Scripture make common to all particular forms and countries, must be known by him that will understand morality or divinity, or will ever study the laws of the land. And it is a preposterous course, and the way of ignorance and error, for a divine to study God's laws, and a lawyer man's laws, before either of them know in general what a law or what government is, as nature notifieth it to us.

Direct. XVI. When you come to divinity, I am not for their way that would have you begin with the fathers, and thence form a body of divinity to yourselves: if every young student must be put on such a task, we may have many religions quickly, but shall certainly have much ignorance and error. We must not be so blind or unthankful to God as to deny that later times have brought forth abundance of theological writings, incomparably more methodical, judicious, full, clear, and excellently fitted also by application, to the good of souls, than any that are known to us since the writing of the sacred Scriptures. Reverence of antiquity hath its proper place and use, but is not to make men fools, non-proficients, or contemners of God's greater mercies.

My advice therefore is, that you begin with a conjunction of English catechisms, and the confessions of all the churches, and the practical holy writings of our English divines; and that you never separate these asunder.[470] These practical books do commonly themselves contain the principles, and do press them in so warm a working manner as is likest to bring them to the heart; and till they are there, they are not received according to their use, but kept as in the porch. Get then six or seven of the most judicious catechisms, and compare them well together, and compare all the confessions of the churches (where you may be sure that they put those which they account the weightiest and surest truths). And with them read daily the most spiritual heart-moving treatises, of regeneration, and our covenant with God in Christ, of repentance, faith, love, obedience, hope, and of a heavenly mind and life; as also of prayer and other particular duties, and of temptations and particular sins.

And when you have gone through the catechisms, read over three or four of the soundest systems of divinity. And after that proceed to some larger theses, and then to the study of the clearest and exactest methodists; and think not that you well understand divinity, till, 1. You know it as methodized and jointed in a due scheme, and the several parts of it in their several schemes, seeing you know not the beauty or the true sense of things, if you know them not in their proper places, where they stand in their several respects to other points: and, 2. Till it be wrought into your very hearts, and digested into a holy nature; for when all is done, it is only a holy and heavenly life, that will prove you wise, and make you happy, and give you solid peace and comfort.

Direct. XVII. When you have gone so far, set yourselves to read the ancients: 1. And take them in order as they lived. 2. Observe most the historical parts, what doctrines and practices de facto did then obtain. 3. Some must be read wholly, and some but in part. 4. Councils and church history here have a chief place.

Direct. XVIII. With them read the best commentators on the Scriptures, old and new.

Direct. XIX. And then set yourselves to the study of church controversies (though those that the times make necessary must be sooner looked into). Look first and most into those which your own consciences and practice require your acquaintance with: and above all here, read well those writings that confute atheists and infidels, and most solidly prove the truth of the christian religion; and then those that defend the greatest points. And think not much to bestow some time and labour in reading some of the old school divines.

Direct. XX. When you come to form up your belief of certainties in religion, take in nothing as sure and necessary, which the ancient churches did not receive. Many other things may be taken for truths; and in perspicuity and method the late times much excel them; but christian religion is still the same thing, and therefore we must have no other religion in the great and necessary parts than they had.

Direct. XXI. Still remember, that men's various capacities do occasion a great variety of duties. Some men have clear and strong understandings by nature; these should study things as much as books; for possibly they may excel and correct their authors. Some are naturally of duller or less judicious heads, that with no study of things can reach half so high, as they may do by studying the writings of those who are wiser than ever they are like to be. These must take more on trust from their authors, and confess their weakness.

Direct. XXII. After or with all controversies, be well versed in the writings of those reconcilers who pretend to narrow or end the differences. For usually they are such as know more than the contenders.

I proceed now to give you some names of books.

[470] I mention not your reading the Scripture, as supposing it must be your constant work.

Quest. CLXXIV. What books, especially of theology, should one choose, who for want of money or time can read but few?

Answ. General. The truth is, 1. It is not the reading of many books which is necessary to make a man wise or good; but the well reading of a few, could he be sure to have the best. 2. And it is not possible to read over very many on the same subjects, without a great deal of loss of precious time; 3. And yet the reading of as many as is possible tendeth much to the increase of knowledge, and were the best way, if greater matters were not that way unavoidably to be omitted: life therefore being short, and work great, and knowledge being for love and practice, and no man having leisure to learn all things, a wise man must be sure to lay hold on that which is most useful and necessary. 4. But some considerable acquaintance with many books is now become by accident necessary to a divine. 1. Because unhappily a young student knoweth not which are the best, till he hath tried them; and when he should take another man's word, he knoweth not whose word it is that he should take: for among grave men, accounted great scholars, it is few that are truly judicious and wise, and he that is not wise himself cannot know who else are so indeed: and every man will commend the authors that are of his own opinion. And if I commend you to some authors above others, what do I but commend my own judgment to you, even as if I commended my own books, and persuaded you to read them; when another man of a different judgment will commend to you books of a different sort? And how knoweth a raw student which of us is in the right? 2. Because no man is so full and perfect as to say all that is said by all others; but though one man excel in one or many respects, another may excel him in some particulars, and say that which he omitteth, or mistaketh in. 3. But especially because many errors and adversaries have made many books necessary to some, for to know what they say, and to know how to confute them, especially the papists, whose way is upon pretence of antiquity and universality, to carry every controversy into a wood of church history, and ancient writers, that there you may first be lost, and then they may have the finding of you: and if you cannot answer every corrupted or abused citation of theirs out of councils and fathers, they triumph as if they had justified their church tyranny. 4. And the very subjects that are to be understood are numerous, and few men write of all. 5. And on the same subject men have several modes of writing; as one excelleth in accurate method, and another in clear, convincing argumentation, and another in an affectionate, taking style: and the same book that doth one, cannot well do the other, because the same style will not do it.

Object. But the ancient fathers used not so many books as we do, no, not one for our hundreds: and yet we honour them above the Neoterics: they lived before these libraries had a being. Yea, they exhort divines to be learned in the holy Scriptures, and the fourth council of Carthage forbad the reading of the heathens' books: and many heretics are accused by the fathers and historians, as being studied in logic, and curious in common sciences; and Paul saith, that the Scriptures are able to make us wise unto salvation.

Answ. 1. And yet the New Testament was written (or most of it) after the Scriptures which Paul is commonly supposed to mean, and some of it, after he said so, which showeth that he meant not to exclude more writing.

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

3. If other books were not needful, teachers were not needful; for writing is but the most advantageous way of teaching by fixed characters, which fly not from our memory as transient words do. And who is it that understandeth the Scriptures that never had a teacher? And why said the eunuch, "How should I (understand what I read) unless some man guide me?" Acts viii. 31. And why did Christ set teachers in his church to the end, till it be perfected? Eph. iv. 11-13, if they must not teach the church unto the end. Therefore they may write unto the end.

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

5. Knowledge hath abundantly increased since printing was invented; therefore books have been a means to it.

6. The fathers then wrote voluminously; therefore they were not against more writing.

7. Most of the bishops and councils that cried down common learning, had little of it themselves, and therefore knew not how to judge of it; no more than good men now that want it.

8. They lived among heathens that gloried so in their own learning, as to oppose it to the word of God (as may be seen in Julian, and Porphyry, and Celsus): therefore christians opposed it, and contemned it; and were afraid while it was set in competition with the Scriptures, lest it should draw men to infidelity, if overvalued.

9. And finally, the truth is, that the sacred Scriptures are now too much undervalued, and philosophy much overvalued by many both as to evidence and usefulness: and a few plain, certain truths which all our catechisms contain, well pressed and practised, would make a better church and christians, than is now to be found among us all. And I am one that after all that I have written, do heartily wish that this were the ordinary state of our churches. But yet by accident much more is needful, as is proved: 1. For the fuller understanding of these principles. 2. For the defending of them (especially by those that are called to that work). 3. To keep a minister from that contempt which may else frustrate his labours. 4. And to be ornamental and subservient to the substantial truths.

And now I will answer the question more particularly in this order.

I. I will name you the poorest or smallest library that is tolerable.

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

III. The poor man's library, which yet addeth somewhat to the former, but cometh short of a rich and sumptuous library.

I. The poorest library is, 1. The Sacred Bible. 2. A Concordance (Downame's the least, or Newman's the best). 3. A sound Commentary or Annotations, either Diodates, the English Annotations, or the Dutch. 4. Some English catechisms, (the Assemblies' two, Mr. Gouge's, Mr. Crook's Guide,) Amesius's Medulla Theologiæ, et Casus Conscientiæ, (which are both in Latin and English,) and his Bellarminus Enervatus. 5. Some of the soundest English books which open the doctrine of grace, justification, and free-will and duty; as Mr. Truman's Great Propitiation, Mr. Bradshaw of Justification, Mr. Gibbon's Sermon of Justification, in the morning exercises at St. Giles in the Fields, Mr. Hotchkis of Forgiveness of Sin. 6. As many affectionate practical English writers as you can get; especially Mr. Richard Allen's Works, Mr. Gurnall's, Dr. Preston, Dr. Sibbs, Mr. Robert Bolton, Mr. Whateley, Mr. Reyner, Mr. Scudder, Mr. T. Ford, Mr. Howe of Blessedness, Mr. Swinnock, Mr. Gouge's, The Practice of Piety, The Whole Duty of Man, Dr. Hammond's Practical Catechism, Dr. Pearson on the Creed, Dr. Downame on the Lord's Prayer, Mr. Dod on the Commandments, Bishop Andrews on the Commandments, Mr. Joseph Brinsley's True Watch, Mr. Greenham's Works, Mr. Hildersham's Works, Mr. Anthony Burgess's Works, Mr. Perkin's Works, Dr. Harris's Works, Mr. Burrough's, Mr. Thomas Hooker, Mr. Pinke's Sermons, J. Downame's Christian Warfare, Richard Rogers, John Rogers of Faith and Love, Dr. Stoughton, Dr. Thomas Tailor, Mr. Elton, Mr. Daniel Dike, Jeremy Dike, Mr. J. Ball of Faith, of the Covenant, &c., Culverwell of Faith, Mr. Ranew, Mr. Teate, Mr. Shaw, Mr. Rawlet, Mr. Janeway, Mr. Vincent, Mr. Doelittle, Mr. Samuel Ward's Sermons, Mr. W. Fenner, Mr. Rutherford's Letters, Mr. Jos. Allein's Life and Letters, and Treatise of Conversion, Mr. Samuel Clarke's Lives, and his Martyrology, The Morning Exercises at St. Giles Cripplegate, and at St. Giles in the Fields, Mr. Benjamin Baxter's Sermons, Mr. George Hopkin's Salvation from Sin, Dr. Edward Reynolds, Mr. Meade's Works, Mr. Vine's Sermons, Henry Smith, Samuel Smith, Thomas Smith, Mr. Strong, J. Simmonds; as many of them as you can get. 7. And for all other learning, Alstedius's Encyclopædia alone: supposing that you are past the grammar school, and have necessary Lexicons, specially Martinius and Leigh's Critica Sacra: if you can have more, get Bellarm. de Scriptor. Eccles., Cook's Censura Patrum, Sculteti Medulla Patrum, Clem. Rom., Justin, Tertullian, and Cyprian; Helvici Chronolog., Hammond's and Beza's Annotations, with Junius and Tremellius, Calvin on the New Testament, Thaddæi Conciliationes, Alstedii Definit. et Distinct., Castanei Distinct., Ursini Catechis., Wendelini Theolog., Snecani Method. Descriptio, Davenant's Works, and Camero's, Le Blanc's Theses, Grotius de Satisfact., Caranza's Epitom. Concil., Usher's Annals, and Answer to the Jesuit, and de Success. Eccles. Stat., Drelincourt's and Poole's Manual, Corpus Confessionum.

II. When you can get more, the next rank must have all the former with these additions following.

I. For lexicons: 1. For Latin, besides Goldman, or Holyoke, or rather Hutton's Morellius, or Cowper, get Martinii Onomasticon: 2. For Greek, Scapula, Pasor, Leigh, Simpson and Henricpetri Lexicon. 3. For Hebrew, Buxtorf, Schindler, Leigh.

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

III. For physics: 1. Magirus, Combachius, Burgersdicius, Wendeline, and Sennertus. 2. Commenius. 3. Mr. Gott. 4. Lord Bacon and Mr. Boyle.

IV. More particularly, De Anima: Tolet, Melancthon, with Vives and Amerbachius, (they are printed together in one book,) Sennerti Hypomnemata, Scaliger's Exercitationes.

V. De Corpore Humano: Galen, Fernelius, Bartholine, Harvy de Generatione Animalium.

VI. De Motu: Mousnerius, Dr Wallis.

VII. Of astronomy: Gassendus, Riolanus.

VIII. Of geography: Cluverius, or Abbot, Ortelius, Mercator, Heylin, the globe or map Geog. Nubiens.

IX. Of mathematics in general: Euclid, Barrow, Rami Schol. cum Prolegom., Snellii, Bettinus, Herigone.

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

XI. Geometry: Ramus cum comment. Snellii, and Schoneri, Metii, Dr. Wallis, &c.

XII. Music: Thos. Morley, Simpson.

XIII. Of chronology and general history: Helvici Chronol., Usher's Annals, Idea Histor. Univers., Bucholtzer, Calvisius, Functius, Jacob. Capellus, Raleigh.

XIV. Particular history is endless: among so many I scarce know what to say more, than read as many as you can; especially,

1. The Roman historians (which are joined together).

2. The Greek historians.

3. Diog. Laertius and Eunapius de vitis Philosoph.

4. Plutarch's Lives.

5. Of England, Matth. Paris, Hoveden, Camden, Speed, Rushworth's Collections.

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

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

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

9. Of Italy, Guicciardine.

10. Knowles's Turkish History, and Leunclavius.

11. Of Abassia, Godignus, and Damianus a Goes.

12. Of Judea, George Sandys's Travels, and Brocardus.

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

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

15. Of China, Siam, Japan, &c. Varenius, Maffæi Histor. Indica cum Epist. Jesuit., Alvarez and Martinius.

16. Of Indostan, Terry.

17. Of Muscovy, Sigismundus.

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

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

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

XV. Of church history: Josephus, Eusebius, Ruffinus Tripartite, above all Socrates and Sozomen, Orosius, Sulpitius Severus, Theodoret, Victor Uticensis, Beda, Jacobus a Vitriaco, Nicephorus Callist., Platina and Massonius de vitis Pontif., Abbas Urspergensis, Sleidan, Micrælius, Gentii Hist. Jud., Molani Martyrolog., Clarke's Martyrolog., Hottinger, Illyrici Catalogus Testium Veritatis, or Morney's Mystery of Iniquity, Perin and Morland's History of Piedmont and the Waldenses, Histor. Persecut. Bohem., Sculteti Annales, et Curriculum Vitæ suæ, Knox's and Spotswood's Hist. Scot., Regenvolscius Hist. Eccl. Sclavon., Usher's Primordia Eccles. Brit., Parker's Antiquitates Eccles. Brit., Melchior Adami Vitæ Theolog. Medicorum, Juris-consult. et Philosoph. German., Fuller's Church History, Clark's Lives, many particular lives, as Jewell's by Dr. Humphry, Mr. Joseph Allein's, &c., Bolton's, &c. Also read the epistles of Melancthon, Calvin, Beza, Saravia.

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

XVII. Of politics, and civil law, and ethics, read Besoldus, Willius, Danæus, Fragoso de Reg. Rep., Mr. Lawson's Theological Works, Angelius, Dr. Zouch, Grotius de Jure Belli, Mynsynger's Institut. Wesembecius, Calvin's Lexicon, Eustachius's Ethics and Pemble's.

XVIII. For methods of divinity, read Paræus's edition of Ursine, Trelcatius, Amesii Medulla, Musculi Loci Communes, Dr. Tully, Georg. Sohnius, Tzegedine's Tables, Calvin's Institutions, or Colonius's abbreviation of him, Lawson's Theopolitica, Wollebius, Cluto's Idea Theolog.

XIX. Theological disputations and treatises which I take to be extraordinary clear and sound, escaping the extremes which many err in, and opening the reconciling truth: Strangius, Le Blanc's Theses, Mr. Truman's three books, Grotius de Satisfactione, Bradshaw of Justification, Gibbon's Sermon of Justification, Hotchkis of Forgiveness of Sin, all Davenant's Works, Camera's Works, Testardus de Natura et Gratia, all Josue Placæus's Works, Theses Salmurienses, Amyraldus, Johan. Bergius, Conrad. Bergius, Ludovic. Crocii Syntag. Theolog. Synod. Dort, especially the British and Breme Divines in suffrag., Jansenii Augustinus, all Augustine, Prosper and Fulgentius, Musculi Loci Communes, Dalleus de Redemp., Wotton de Reconcil., Gataker, Woodbridge of Justification, Stillingfleet, Usher's Answer to the Jesuit's Challenge, and his Notes de Redempt. Univers., W. Fenner, Rob. Baronius de Peccato Mort. et Ven., Bishop Preston, Whateley, Vossii Theses, Bullinger's Decades, Rob. Abbot.

XX. Commentators, (besides the forenamed Annotations,) Beza, and Piscator, Junii et Tremellii Annot., Dr. Hammond, Grotius in Evang., Calvin, especially in Nov. Test., or Marlorate's Collection on Gen. Psal. Isa. and N. Test., which containeth Calvin, with others, Mr. Pool's Critics, Ainsworth, Mollerus, Willet, Paræus, Musculus, Lyra, Estius, Jansenius, Chemnitius Harm., Mr. Cradock's Harm., Maldonate, Lorinus, Dixon, Hutchinson, Drusius, Picherelli Opuscula.

XXI. Such as open some hard texts only, and reconcile seeming contradictions, Thaddæus, Spanhemii Dubia Evangelica, Magrii Conciliat., Sharpii Symphonia, Bertram, Brugensis, Alba, Walther, Lydius, Gatakeri Cinnus et alia, Richardson, Camero's Myrothec., with Lud. Capellus, Croyus, Broughton, Heinsius, Nic. Fuller's Miscellan., Gregory, Doughty's Analecta, Dieterici Antiq. Biblicæ, Caninii Disq., Suicerus, Boies, Mede's Works, Weemse, Bootii, Sculteti Exercitationes.

XXII. Helps to understand the Scriptures: Broughton's Consent of Scripture, Usher of the Septuagint, &c., Illirici Clavis Scripturæ, the foresaid Treatises of Customs, all Bochartus, (Geograph. et de Animalibus,) Brierwood's Inquiries, Buxtorf de Synag. Jud., Cunæus, Sigonius and Steph. Menochius de Repub. Hebr., Sixt. Amama, Euseb. Nirembergius de Antiq. Scripturæ, the Polyglot Bibles various versions, Ravanellus.

XXIII. For defence of the christian faith against atheists and infidels: Hier. Savonarola, Vander Meulin, Stillingfleet's Orig. Sacræ., Grotius de Verit. Relig. Christ., Morney, Camero de Verbo Dei, Micrelii Ethnophron. Lod. Vives, Ficinus cum notis Lud. Crocii, Dr. Jackson's Truth of Scripture, Campanella's Atheismus Triumphatus, Lessius, Waddesworth of the Immortality of the Soul, Sir Charles Wolseley against Atheism, Aut Deus aut Nihil, besides abundance of the fathers, John Goodwin of Scriptures.

XXIV. Cases of conscience, besides Amesius, Perkins, Dixon, Greg. Sayrus's Clavis Regia, Azorius, Dr. Jer. Taylor's Ductor Dubitantium.

XXV. Councils: Lydius Caranza, Crab, Binnius, Spelman, Justellus, Synod. Dordr.

XXVI. Canonists and helps to understand councils: The Decretals, or Corpus Juris Canon., Zabarell, Panormitane, Navarrus, Albaspinæus, Justellus, Blondel de Decret., Balsamon, Zonaras and Photius, Miræi Notitia Episcopatuum, (but not trusty,) Chenu de Episcopatibus Gallicis, Filesacus. Histor. Concil. Trident.

XXVII. Fathers: Clem. Rom., Usher's and Iz. Vossii Ignatius, Justin Martyr, Irenæus, Clem. Alexand., Tertullian, Cyprian, Origen, Athenagoras, Tatianus, Arnobius cum Minutio Fœlice, Lactantius, Athanasius. These are not very voluminous: Optatus, Eusebii Præparatio et Demonstratio Evangelica, as much of Hierom, Augustine, and Chrysostom as you can; Hilarius Pictaviensis, Prosper, Fulgentius, Vincent. Lirinensis, and (before them) Basil, Greg. Nazianzen, and Greg. Nyssen., Epiphanius, Ambrose, Paulinus Nolanus, Cassianus, Salvianus, Gennadius Massil., Gildas, Claudius Turonensis, Rabanus Maurus, Bernard.

XXVIII. Helps to know and understand the fathers: Sculteti Medulla Patrum, Cocu's Censura Patrum, Rivet's Critica Sacra, Dr. James, all Bishop Usher's Works; (but above all, a manuscript of his now in the hands of the archbishop of Canterbury;) Sixti Senensis Bibliotheca, Possevinus, many of Erasmus's Prefaces and Notes, Dallæus de usu Patrum, et de Pseudepigraphis Apostol. et de Cultu Latinorum, et in Dionys. et in Ignatium, et pleraque illius, et D. Blondelli Opera, Bellarminus de Scriptoribus Ecclesiast., Casaubonis Exercit., Vedelius de Sapient. Veterum, Polydore Virgil de Invent. Rer. Albaspine, Vossii Histor. Pelag. et de Symbolis, Pauli Erinarchi Trias Patrum, Photii Biblioth., Rouse's Mella Patrum, De la Cerda, and many others' Notes.

XXIX. Later writers and schoolmen: Damasus, Anselmus Cantuar., Gulielmus Parisiensis, Guil. de Sancto Amore, Gerhardus Zutphaniensis, (in Bibl. Patr.,) Thaulerus, Thomas a Kempis, Lombard, Aquinas, Durandus, Scotus, Ockham, Greg. Ariminensis, Rada, Alvarez, Ruiz, Suarez, Lud. a Dola, Ripalda, Buridane's Ethics, Meurisse Metaphys., Ferrii Scholast. Orthod. et Defens. Posewitz Theolog. Scholast. Dr. Twisse, Strangius, Rob. Baronii Metaphys., Schiebleri Metaphys., Calovii Metaphys. Divin., Dr. Barlow's Metaphys. Exercitat., Dr. More's Metaphysics.

XXX. Controversies (besides the forementioned against heathens and infidels).

1. Protestants and papists: Bellarmine, Stapleton, Costerus, Becanus, Holden, Brierley's Protest. Plea, Richworth's and White's Dialogues.

Against them: Amesii Bellarm. Enervatus, Dr. Challoner's Credo Eccles. Cathol., Chamier, Sadeel, Chillingworth, Usher's Answer to the Jesuit's Challenge, and de Success. Eccles., Illyrici Catalog. Testium Veritatis, Du Plessis (Morney) de Eccles. and Mystery of Iniquity, Dr. Field of the Church, Whitaker, Dr. John White's Way to the True Church, and the Defence, Blondel de Ecclesia (Gallicé); all Dallæus's Works; Albertinus de Transubst. cum Clodii Defens. Davenant de Justitia et Determinationes, Rivet's Cathol. Orthod., Pet. Molinæi de Novitate Papismi, (Englished,) Pet. Molinæus Junior's Answer to Phalanax Anglicus, Chemnitii Exam. Concil. Trident., Rainold's Conference with Hart, and de lib. Apocry. Pet. Cousins, Bishop of Durham, of the Canon of Scripture, Drelincourt's Manual, Poole's Nullity and Dial., Bishop Downame de Antichristo, Stillingfleet, Tillotson, Voetius de Desper. Causa Papatus. Especially for the right of kings against them; Will. Barclay, Grotius de Imperio Summar. Potest., Bishop Bilson of Obedience, Bishop Carlton de Jurisdictione, Bishop Robert Abbots, Goldastus de Monarchia, (a multitude of old writers collected,) and Constitut. Imperial., M. Ant. de Dominus Spalatensis de Republ. Eccl.; all Ludovicus Molinæus's Works.

2. About predestination, grace, free-will, the Jesuits, Lutherans, and Arminians against the Dominicans, Jansenists, and Calvinists. On one side, Molinæus, Fonseca, Pennottus propugnac. Libert. Petr. a Sancto Joseph, Arminius, Episcopius, Covinus, Grevinchovius, Tilenus, Tilenus junior.

On the other side; Alvarez, Jumel, Jansenius, Twisse, Synod. Dord., Molinæi Anatom. Armini., Amesius, Zanchius, &c. But the conciliators are soundest.

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

Against them: Jos. Placæus, Stegman, Botsaccus, Grotius de Satisfact., Zarnovecius, and Joh. Junius de Satisfact., Lawson on the Hebrews, Beckman's Exercitations, Truman's Great Propitiation, Stillingfleet of Satisfaction, Q. V. Crellius Refutatus, Essenius, Hoornbeck.

4. Of justification, enow are named before, XVIII. specially Le Blanc, also Pemble, Bishop Downame, Warren.

5. The antinomian and libertine controversies: pro, Dr. Crisp, Maccovius in quibusdam, Saltmarsh, Crandon, Paul Hobson, Den, Town, Eaton.

Contr. Gataker, Ball of the Covenant, Anth. Burgess; all the writers of justification before praised, XVIII.; Weld's History of Antinomians.

6. About infant baptism: cont. Tombes, Blackwood, Fisher.

Pro, Church, Marshall, Whiston, Blake.

7. Of the Lord's day, or christian sabbath: cont. Ironside, Heylin, Pocklington, Franc. White, Brierwood, Broad.

Pro, Dr. Young, Eaton, Cawdrey, and Palmar, Dr. Twisse, Hughes, Sprint, Dr. Owen, Mr. George Abbot, Shephard.

8. Of diocesan prelacy: cont. Cartwright, Calderwood's Altare Damascenum, Rob. Parker de Polit. Eccles., Beza, Gerson Bucer's Dissert. de Gubern. Eccles., Baines Diocesan's Trial, Blondel de Episc. et Presbyt., Salmasius, Smectymnuus.

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

9. Of the rest of English conformity, liturgy, and ceremonies: pro, Dr. John Burgess, Whitgift, Hooker, Sprint's Necessity of Conformity in Case of Deprivation, Paybody of Kneeling, Fulwood, Stileman, Durel, The Friendly Debate, The Ecclesiastical Polity.

Contr. Cartwright, Parker of the Cross, Bradshaw's Twelve Arguments, &c., Amesius against Morton, and his Fresh Suit against Burgess, Nicols, the Savoy Prop.

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

10. Of Erastianism: pro, Erastus, Coleman, Hussey, Lud. Molinæus, (in appearance,) Selden de Synedriis.

Cont. Beza, Gillespie's Aaron's Rod, and Nihil Respondes, Hammond of the Keys.

11. Of separation: pro, Johnson, Canne, Ainsworth; and for semi-separation, (from liturgy and sacraments, but not from sermons,) Robinson.

Cont. John Paget, Bradshaw, Gifford, Hildersham, Ball, Gataker, Bernard, Rob. Abbot, (not the bishop,) William Allen's Retract. of Separation.

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

Cont. J. Ball, Rutherford, the Assembly's Reply, the London Ministers' Jus Divinum Presbyterii, Cawdrey against Dr. Owen, &c. Ben. Camfield against Dr. Owen's Catechism.

XXXI. Conciliators. 1. Between discordant christians in general: Jacobi Acontii Stratagemata Satanæ, Usher in Eph. iv. 3, old Vincentius Lirinensis, Ruperti Meldenii Parænensis; a Socinian Veritas Pacifica (and many such of theirs proposing ill terms.)

2. Between protestants and papists: Thuanus, Picherellus, Erasmus, Wicelius, Cassander, Baldwin, Grotius, Davenport, alias Franc. a Sancta Clara, M. A. de Dom. Spalatensis de Rep. Eccles., Guil. Forbes Episcop. Edinburgens., Dr. Hammond, specially on Thess. and Rev.; but Le Blanc judiciously only by right stating and narrowing controversies. See Pet. Heylin of the Life of Archbishop Laud, Bishop Bramhall.

3. Between all protestants, especially Lutherans, Arminians, and the reformed churches: Duræus, Calixtus, Hall's Peacemaker, and Pax Terris, Bishop Morton, Davenant, and Hall together, their Pacific.; Amyraldus, Junius de Prædeterminatione and Irenic., Hottonus de Tolerantia, Paræi Irenic., Scultetus in Tit., all the judicious Treatises commended XVIII. And of papists about the like controversies; Sarnanus, Suarez, Arriba, Jansenius, Gibieuf. Guil. Camerarius, Scotus a Dola.

4. Of church government: Usher's Reduction, John Forbez Irenic., Stillingfleet's Irenic., Hall's Peacemaker and Modest Offer, Burroughs's Cure of Heart Divisions, Matt. Newcomen's Reconcil. of Presb. and Indep., The New England Synod's Prop, and the Defence, Lloyd.

III. I have gone so far in this second rank, that I must add but a few more for the third, lest I go above a poor man's library.

I. Add when you come to your lexicons, Morellius or Cowper, Beckman de Orig. Verb., Phavorinus and Hesychius, and Dr. Castle's Oriental Lexicon.

II. To logicians, Downame, Dietericus, Lublin, Smigletius, with Aristotle, Claubergius.

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

IV. De corpore humano: Crook's Anatomy, or Vesalius, Lower de Motu Cordis, Harvey and Wallæus de Circulat. Sang., Willis's Works, Needham de Form. Fœtus, Steno de Musculis, Sylvius, Horne, Bates and Glisson, Anatom. Hepat. and de Rachitide, Wharton de Glandulis.

V. De anima: Claud. Mammertus, Nemesius, (in Bibl. Pat.,) Plato, Plotinus, Fromondus, Cicero Tusc. Qu., H. More.

VI. Of metaphysics: Scheilbler, Suarez, Timpler, Burgersdicius, Senguerdius, Jacchæus, Gorlæus, Ritschel, Camponella, Meurisse.

VII. Of chronology: Petavius, Usher's Chronol. and de Anno Maced., Isaacson's Chronol., Simpson's Chron., Beroaldus, Carion, Scaliger de Emend. Tempor. on Euseb. &c., Dr. Drake; see Bellarmin. Index in Script. Eccles.

VIII. History. The Roman and Greek are known. Of the church; Evagrius, Gregor. Turonicus, Paulus Diaconus, Luitprandus, Frodoardus, Cedrenus, Curopalates, Ingulphus, Otho Frisengens., Crantzius, Trithemius, Camerarius, Spondani Epit. Baronii, Luc. Osiander's Epit. Magdeburg, Fox's Martyrology, Ebinger's History of England, Ingulphus, Will. Malmsbury, Matt. Westminster, Balæus, Hollingshed, Lord Herbert's Life of Hen. VII., The Lives of Edw. VI., Q. Eliz. by Camden, K. James by Wilson, K. Charles, Cromwell's Life, Pryn's History of Bishops' Treasons, and of Canterbury's (Laud's) Doom, Heylin's Life of Laud, The Troubles at Frankfort, The Cabala Letters. Of Ireland; Sir John Temple, Dr. Jones of the Rebellion, the Earl of Orrery's Answ. to a Petition. Of Scotland and other churches; Petræus's History. Also, Mart. Crusii Turcogræcia; Kircher of the Coptics, Hornius, Archotologia Gothofredi edit. 1649, Rovillii promptuarium Iconum, Verheiden's Icones Theolog. Reformat. fol., Vossius de Historicis, Bezæ Icones, Hospinian's Histor. Sacrament. et de Orig. Templorum, Vossii Hist. Pelag., Gutherleth's Hist., Paræus, Lætus, Pezelius: but there is no end.

IX. Medicine. Herbals; Matthiolus, Johnson, Gerrard, Parkinson, Langham, Monardus. Dispensatories; London Physicians', Schroderus. Anatomists beforenamed, and Knoblochius. Practitioners; Hippocrates, Galen, Celsus, Fernelius, Montani Consilia, Crato in Scholtzii, ep. et Consil., Platerus, Forestus, Skenkii Observ., Hollerius, Sennertus, Rondeletius, Horstius, Frambassarius, Scoltzii Aphoris., Solenander, Epiphan. Ferdinandus, Dodonæi Praxis, Morellius, Schonbornii Manual, Dorncrellius, Conringius de Ferment., Fienus, Gordonius; especially Riverius, Prevotius, et si vacat, Zacutus Lusitan., Hartman, Quercetane, Crollius, Valentine, Helmont. For surgery; Fabricius Hildanus, Trigaltius, Forestus, Paræus.

But the chief treatises of medicine are those that treat of particular diseases or kinds; as Carolus Piso de Morbis Serosis, Eugalenus, Martinius, Sennertus, &c. de Scorbuto, Dr. Sidenham de Febribus, Dr. Glisson de Rachitide, Willis de Fermentatione et de Febribus, Cattierus de Rheumatismo, Marcuccius, &c. de Melancholia, Schmuzen, &c. de Calculo, Capellutus de Bubon., Guarencier's de Tabe Anglica. It is too long to name all.

So Rudius de Pulsibus, Forestus de Insert. Urin. judic. Sanctorius et Opicius de Med. Statica, Deodatus de Diætetic., Bacon de Vita Longa, Venner, Brunfelsis.

X. To politics add, Tholosanus, Althusius, Arnisæus, Bodin de Rep. White.

To ethics, Buridane, More, Wendeline, Danæus, Gataker's Antonine, Seneca, Plutarch's Morals.

XI. Systems of theology: Synopsis Leidensium, Lud. Crosius, Polanus, Bucanus, Dudley Fenner, Wendeline, Pet. Martyr's Loci Com., Theses Sedanenses, Ant. Fayus, Melancthon, Gomarus, Pezelius, Catechismus Romanus, Corpus Confessionum, Altingius, Spanhemii Disput. Snecanus.

XII. Choice treatises: Parker de Descensu ad Inferos, Garbut of the Resurrection of Christ, Bullinger de Orig. Errorum, Martinius de Symbol. et alia., Olevian de Fœdere, Sanderson de Juram., Pemble's Works, all Mede's Works, Rivet's Select Disputations, Zanchii Opera, Dr. Field, all Dallæus, and Blondel, Turretine de Satisfactione.

XIII. Commentators: Davenant in Colos., Martyr in Rom. and Cor., Pelargus in Matt., Fayus, Scultetus, Crocius in Eph., Luther in Galat., Sclater in Thess., Cartwright and Fulke on the Rhemists' Notes, Arth. Jackson's Annot., Erasmus's Paraphrase, Illyricus, Lightfoot, Tessanus, Melancthon, Rollocke, Manton on James and Jude, Amesius on Pet., Lud. de Dieu on the Revel., Mede, Stephens, Napier, K. James, Brightman; all these on the New Testament or part. And papists; Tolet, (on Rom. &c.,) Ferus, Brugensis, Montanus, Pererius, Corn. Mussus, Espencæus. On the Old Testament; Cajetan, Bonfrerius, Pererius, Paul. Fagius, Mercennus, Rivet, Masius Serrarius, Sanctius, Mercer, Amesius, in Psal., Amyraldus in Psal., Ford in Psal., Pemble, Broughton, and Parker on Dan., Attersol on Numb. &c., King on Jonah. If you would have more, see Bishop Wilkins's Eccles., and Voetii Bibliot.

XIV. Subordinate helps for understanding and preaching. Concordances: Heb. Buxtorf, Græc. Stephani, Tossani Index: Clark's Holy Oil, Wilkins's Ecclesiastes and Gift of Prayer, Chappel and Zepper's Method of Preaching, Oliv. Bowles, Alstedii Definit. et Distinct., Castanei Dist. cum Reeb., Drusii Prov. and Adag. Heb., Delrius and Schottus, Glassii Philol. Zehner, Capelli Critica Sacra, Gruteri vel Langii Polyanth., Schotanus in Creat., Mountague's Apparat. et de Orig. Eccl., Franzius de Sacrif., Wittichius de Stylo.

XV. Of christian religion; its defence, latitude, and the infidels and heathens compared: Raymundus de Sabundis Theolog. Natur., Pacardus, Aquinas cont. Gent. Pansa, Varenius de Relig. Indor., Brierwood's Inquiries, Thom. a Sancto Jesu, and Acosta de Convers., Breganius de Theol. Gentil., Vossius de Idolol., Vossius de Theol. Natura, Collius de Animabus Paganorum, Eugubinus, Fotherby, Mersennus in Genesin.

XVI. Cases of conscience more: Filliucius, Tolet de Sacerdot., Reginald, Cajetan, Navarrus. See Montaltus against the Jesuits' casuists, and the Jesuits' morals, Downame's and Whateley's Tables on the Commandments, Sanderson de Juramento, and Fragoso aforenamed.

XVII. Of councils more, and canonists, and liturgies: Jus Orientale Græcorum per Leunclavium, Bochelli Decreta Gallic. Sirmondi Concil. Gall. Longus.

Actus Conventus Thorunensis, Formula Concordiæ Germ. The Westminster Assembly's Acts, English Canons, Fasti Siculi, Morini exercit. Eccles.

Zepper. Polit. Eccles., Hammond, Lestrange of Liturgies, Antiquitates Liturgicæ, Cassander's Works, Claud. Sainctes, Gavantes de Ritibus, Vicecomes.

XVIII. More of the fathers I need not name; if you can get and read them, you may find their names, e. g. in Bellarmin. de Script. Eccles. Get the Bibliothec. Patrum of de la Bigne, and Macarius Hom., Ephrem Syrus, (plain honest things,) Theodoret, Cyril Hieros., Cyril Alexand., Isidore Pelusiota, Theophylact and Oecumenius, Sedulius and Primasius, Remigius, Beda, &c. But many of them are very weak and dry. The chief use of the fathers is to know historically what doctrine was then taught.

XIX. Schoolmen more; Bonaventure, Alensis, Cajetan, Bannez, Biel, Cameracensis, Franc. Mayro, Capreolus, R. Armachanus, Bradwardine, Faber Faventinus, Hervæus, John and Fr. Pici Mirandula, Fr. Victoria, Suarez, Vasquez, Albertinus in Thom. Aquila Scottellus: Ripalda nameth more if you would have more.

XX. Antipapists; Pappus of their contradictions, Gentiletus, Morton's Apology and Grand Imposture, Buckeridge Roffensis for Kings, Crakenthorpe, Paræus cont. Bellarm., Junius on Bellarm., Birkbeck's Protestant's Evidence, Hunnii Eccles. Rom. non est Christ., Hottoman, Brutum fulmen, &c., Eusebius Captivus, Joh. Crocius de Schismate, Jewel, all Whitaker, Andrews Tortura Torti, Wotton, Dr. Jer. Taylor's Dissuasive. But they are almost numberless.[471]

Note 1. That these may seem too many, though they are few to a full and rich library.

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

3. That a minister must neither study the matter without the help of other men's studies by reading much; nor yet read much without studying the thing itself.

4. That though a man must not speak or write before he knoweth what and how, yet thus exercising the knowledge that we have doth greatly increase it. And no minister must be studying, when he should be preaching, praying, catechising, or visiting, or instructing his flock.

5. It is but few men that are born with an acumen fit for writings and controversies; those few must read the more to be fit for it; the rest may take up with such preparations as they have use for, and exercise them, viz. in the pastoral oversight of the flocks, and propagating plain and necessary truths. And therefore though I am one that have been thought to burden men's understandings with methods, distinctions, directions, and controversies, it is but few that I persuade to use them; and am as much as any for most men's adhering to plain fundamentals, and truths of daily use, and love and honour those that go no further, and are faithful in this work; so be it they have not the pride to think that they know more than they do, and to wrangle against that which they understand not, and set not the church on fire as ancient ignorance did, by accusing those of heresy that knew more than themselves, when they got but the throne or the major vote.

6. That though I chiefly commend systems of theology, I know not one whose method satisfieth me, as well agreeing with Scripture, and the matter (else I had not troubled myself so much to seek a right method, and propose what I found). And I think no common method more genuine, than theirs that expound the creed, Lord's prayer, and decalogue, and the sacraments, as the sum of all.

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

8. Though none should have so great fitness for the holy education of children and government of families as ministers, yet so great is the work of overseeing the flock, requiring more time and parts than all that we have, and so great are the matters of our studies and labours, requiring our total and most serious thoughts, that I earnestly advise all that can possibly, to live single and without a family, lest they mar their work by a divided mind: For nunquam bene fit, quod fit præoccupato animo, saith Hierom truly.

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

[471] He that would have more books may see Voetius Bibliothec. and many other catalogues.

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