(2.) Of the magistrates, I mean of this honourable assem- bly, to turn themselves every lawful way, for the help of poor INIacedonians. The truth is, in this I could speak more than I intend; for perhaps my zeal and some men's judg- ments would scarce make good harmony. This only I shall
I
UNCHANGEABLE, FREE MERCY. 49
say, that if Jesus Christ might be preached, though with some defects in some circumstances, I should rejoice therein.
0 that you would labour to let all the parts of the kingdom taste of the sweetness of your successes, in carrying to them the gospel of the Lord Jesus ; that the doctrine of the gospel might make way for the discipline of the gospel, without which it will be a very skeleton. When manna fell in the wilderness from the hand of the Lord, every one had an equal share ; I would there were not now too great an inequality in the scattering of manna, when secondarily in the hand of men; whereby some have all, and others none; some sheep daily picking the choice flowers of every pasture, others wandering upon the barren mountains, without guide or food.
1 make no doubt but the best ways for the furtherance of this are known full well unto you, and therefore have as little need to be petitioned in this, as other things. What then remains? but that for this, and all other necessary blessings, we all set our hearts and hands to petition the throne of grace.
VOL. XV.
COUNTRY ES8AY
PRACTICE OF CHURCH-GOVERNMENT THERE.
Reader, This, be it what it will, thou hast no cause to thank or blame"" me for. Had I been mine own, it had not been thine. My submission unto others' judgments being the only cause of submitting this unto thy cen- sure. The substance of it is concerning things now doing, in some whereof I heretofore thought it my wisdom modestly hcesitare (or at least not with the most peremptorily to dictate to others my apprehen- sions), as wiser '' men have done in weightier things; and yet this not so much for want of persuasion in my own mind, as out of opinion that we have already had too many needless and fruitless discourses about these matters. Would we could agree to spare perishing paper ;" and for my own part, had not the opportunity of a few lines in the close of this sermon, and the im- portunity of not a few friends urged, I could have slighted all occasions, and accusations, provoking to publish those thoughts which I shall now impart. The truth is, in things concerning the church (I mean things purely external, of form, order, and the like), so many
> Laudatur ab his, cuipatur ab illis.
b See August. Ep. 7. 28. 157. de orig. anim.
•^ Deferri in vicuin vendentem thus et odores,
Et piper, et quicquid chartis amicitur ineptis.
Occidit miseros crarabc repctita niagistros.
Semper ego auditor taiitum ?
PREFACE. li
ways have I been spoken, that I often resolved to speak myself, desiring rather to appear (though conscious to myself of innumerable failings) what indeed I am, than what others incuriously suppose. But yet the many, I ever thought unworthy of an apology, and some of sa- tisfaction ; especially those, who would make their own judgments a rule for themselves and others, impatient that any should know what they do not, or conceive otherwise than they, of what they do ; in the mean- time, placing almost all religion in that, which may be perhaps a hinderance of it ; and being so valued, or ra- ther overvalued, is certainly the greatest. Nay, would they would make their judgments, only so far as they are convinced, and are able to make out their concep- tions to others, and not also their impotent desires, to be the rule ; that so they might condemn only that, which complies not with their minds, and not all that also, which they find to thwart their aims and designs. But so it must be. Once more conformity is grown the touchstone (and that not in practice, but opinion) amongst the greatest part of men, however otherwise of different persuasions. Dissent is the only crime,*^ and where that is all that is culpable, it shall be made all that is so. From such as these, who almost hath not suffered? but towards such the best defence is si- lence. Besides, my judgment commands me, to make no known quarrel my own ; but rather if it be possible, and as much as in me lieth, live peaceably with all men : lepdv ttoXe/uov I proclaim to none, but men whose bowels are full of gall : in this spring of humours, le- nitives for our own spirits may perhaps be as necessary, as purges for others' brains. Farther, I desire to pro-
■* Imraortale odium et nunquam sanabile belluin, Ardet adhuc, Ombos et Tentyra, summas utrinque, Inde furor vulgo, quod nuinina vicinorum, Odit uterque locus. Juven. GriBce scire, aut polite loqui, apiid illos haeresiscst. Erns. de Scholiast.
E 2
Hi PREFACE.
voke' none ; more stings than combs are got at a nest of wasps : even cold stones, smitten together, sparkle out fire : ' the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood.' Neither do I conceive it wisdom, in these quarrelsome days, to intrust more of a man's self with others, than is very necessary. The heart of man is deceitful ; some that have smooth tongues, have sharp teeth : such can give titles on the one side, and wounds on the other. Any of these considerations would easily have prevailed with me 'stultitia hac caruisse,' had not mine ears been filled, presently after the preaching of the precedent sermon, with sad complaints of some, and false reports of others, neither of the lowest rank of men, as though I had helped to open a gate for that which is now called a Trojan horse ; though heretofore counted an engine likelier to batter the walls of Babylon, than to betray the towers of Sion. This urged some to be urgent with me for a word or two about church- government, ac- cording to the former suggestions, undermined, and a toleration of different persuasions, as they said asserted. Now truly to put the accusers to prove the crimination, for so it was, and held forth a grievous crime in their apprehensions (what is really so God will judge), had been suflScient.*^ But I could not so evade ; and, there- fore, after my sermon was printed to the last sheet, I was forced to set apart a few hours,^ to give an account of what hath passed from me in both these things, which have been so variously reported ; hoping that the reading may not be unuseful to some, as the writing was very necessary to me. And here at the entrance, I shall desire at the hands of men that shall cast an eye