2 Pet. ii. 12.

unto. I write not this in difgrace of the fimpleft that way given, but I would gladly they knew the nature of that caufe wherein they think themselves thoroughly instructed, and are not; by means whereof they daily run themfelves, without feeling their own hazard, upon the dint of the Apostle's fentence Jude v. ro. against evil-fpeakers, as touching things wherein they are ignorant. If it be granted a thing unlawful for private Men, not called unto publick confultation, to difpute which is the best state of Civil Policy (with a defire of bringing in fome other kind, than that under which they already live, for of fuch difputes, I take it, his meaning was;) if it be a thing confeft, that of fuch questions they cannot determine without rafhnefs, in as much as a great part of them confifteth in fpecial circumftances, and for one kind as many reafons may be brought as for another; is there any reafon in the world, why they fhould better judge what kind of Regiment Ecclefiaftical is the fittest? For in the Civil State more infight, and in thofe affairs more experience, a great deal, muft needs be granted them, than in this they can poffibly have. When they which write in defence of your Difcipline, and commend it unto the highest, not in the leaft cunning manner, are forced notwithstanding to acknowledge, that with whom the The Author Truth is, they know not, they are not certain; what of the Peticertainty or knowledge can the multitude have there- ed to her of? Weigh what doth move the common fort fo Majesty, p. much to favour this innovation, and it fhall foon appear unto you, that the force of particular reafons, which for your feveral opinions are alledged, is a thing whereof the multitude never did, nor could fo confider as to be therewith wholly carried; but certain general inducements are used to make faleable your caufe in grofs: and when once Men have caft a fancy towards it, any flight declaration

* Calvin. Inftit. lib. iv. cap. 20. §. 8.

of

tion direct

3.

of fpecialities will ferve to lead forward mens inclinable and prepared minds. The method of winning the People's affection unto a general liking of the Caufe (for fo ye term it) hath been this. First, In the hearing of the Multitude, the faults especially of higher callings are ripped up with marvellous exceeding feverity and fharpness of reproof; which being oftentimes done, begetteth a great good opinion of integrity, zeal, and holiness, to fuch conftant reprovers of fin, as by likelihood would never be fo much offended at that which is evil, unless themselves were fingularly good. The next thing hereunto is, to impute all faults and corruptions, wherewith the World aboundeth, unto the kind of Ecclefiaftical Government established. Wherein, as before by reproving faults, they purchased unto themselves, with the Multitude, a name to be virtuous; fo by finding out this kind of caufe, they obtain to be judged wife above others; whereas in truth unto the form even of Jewish Government, which the Lord himself (they all confefs) did efstablish, with like fhew of reason they might impute thofe faults which the Prophets condemn in the Governors of that Common-wealth; as to the English kind of Regiment Ecclefiaftical (whereof alfo God himself, though in another fort, is Author,) the stains and blemishes found in our State; which springing from the root of human frailty and corruption, not only are, but have been always more or lefs, yea, and (for any thing we know to the contrary) will be till the World's end complained of, what Form of Government foever take place. Having gotten thus much fway in the hearts of Men, a third ftep is to propose their own Form of Church-government, as the only fovereign remedy of all evils; and to adorn it with all the glorious titles that may be. And the nature, as of Men that have fick bodies, fo likewise of the People in the crazedness of their minds, poffeft with diflike and discontentment at things pre

fent,

fent, is to imagine, that any thing (the virtue whereof they hear commended) would help them; but that most, which they least have tried. The fourth degree of inducements, is by fashioning the very notions and conceits of Men's minds in fuch fort, that when they read the Scripture, they may think that every thing foundeth towards the advancement of that Difcipline, and to the utter difgrace of the contrary. Pythagoras, by bringing up his Scholars in fpeculative knowledge of Numbers, made their conceits therein fo ftrong, that when they came to the contemplation of things natural, they imagined that in every particular thing, they even beheld, as it were with their eyes, how the elements of Number gave effence and being to the works of Nature. A thing in reafon impoffible, which notwithstanding through their pre-conceit, appeared unto them no lefs certain, than if Nature had written it in the very foreheads of all the Creatures of God. When they of the Family of Love have it once in their heads, that Chrift doth not fignify any one Perfon, but a Quality whereof many are partakers; that to be raifed, is nothing else but to be regenerated, or endued with the faid quality; and that when feparation of them, which have it, from them which have it not, is here made, this is judgment: how plainly do they imagine, that the Scripture every where speaketh in the favour of that fect? And affuredly, the very cause which maketh the fimple and ignorant to think, they even see how the Word of God runneth currently on your fide, is, that their minds are forestalled, and their conceits perverted beforehand, by being taught, that an Elder doth fignify a Layman, admitted only to the office or rule of government in the Church; a Doctor, one which may only teach, and neither preach nor adminifter the Sacraments; a Deacon, one which hath the charge of the almsbox, and of nothing else: that the Sceptre, the Rod, the Throne and Kingdom of Chrift, are a VOL. I.

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form

form of regiment, only by Paftors, Elders, Doctors, and Deacons; that by myftical refemblance, Mount Sion and Jerufalem are the Churches which admit; Samaria and Babylon, the Churches which oppugn the faid form of regiment. And in like fort, they are taught to apply all things fpoken of repairing the walls and decayed parts of the City and Temple of God, by Efdras, Nehemias, and the reft; as if purposely the Holy Ghost had therein meant to forefignify, what the authors of admonitions to the Parliament, of fupplications to the Council, of petitions to her Majefty, and of fuch other-like writs, fhould either do or fuffer in behalf of this their cause. From hence they proceed to a higher point, which is the perfuading of men credulous and overcapable of fuch pleasing errors, that it is the special Illumination of the Holy Ghoft, whereby they difcern those things in the Word, which others reading, 1 John iv. 1. yet difcern them not. Dearly beloved, faith St. John, give not credit unto every fpirit. There are but two ways whereby the Spirit leadeth men into all Truth; the one extraordinary, the other common; the one belonging but unto fome few, the other extending itself unto all that are of God; the one, that which we call by a special divine excellency, Revelation; the other Reason. If the Spirit by fuch Revelation, have discovered unto them the fecrets of that Difcipline out of Scripture, they must profess themselves to be all (even men, women, and children) Prophets : or if Reason be the hand which the Spirit hath led them by; forafmuch as perfuafions grounded upon reason, are either weaker or ftronger, according to the force of thofe reafons, whereupon the fame are grounded, they must every of them, from the greateft to the least, be able for every feveral article, to fhew fome special reafon, as ftrong as their perfuafion therein is earneft: otherwife how can it be, but that fome other finews there are, from which that overplus of strength in perfuafion doth arife? Moft

fure

II.

fure it is, that when men's affections do frame their opinions, they are in defence of error more earnest a great deal, than (for the most part) found believers in the maintenance of Truth, apprehended according to the nature of that evidence which Scripture yieldeth which being in fome things plain, as in the principles of Chriftian Doctrine; in fome things, as in these matters of Difcipline, more dark and doubtful, frameth correspondently that inward affent which God's most gracious Spirit worketh by it, as by his effectual inftrument. It is not therefore the fervent earnestness of their perfuafion, but the foundness of those reasons, whereupon the fame is built, which must declare their opinions in these things, to have been wrought by the Holy Ghoft, and not by the fraud of that evil Spirit which is even in his illufions ftrong. After that the fancy of the common 2 Theff. ii. fort hath once thoroughly apprehended the Spirit to be the author of their perfuafions, concerning Difcipline; then is inftilled into their hearts, that the fame Spirit, leading men into this opinion, doth thereby feal them to be God's Children; and that as the state of the times now ftandeth, the most special token to know them that are God's own from others, is an earnest affection that way. This hath bred high terms of feparation between fuch, and the rest of the world; whereby the one fort are named, the Brethren, the Godly, and fo forth; the other Worldlings, Time-fervers, Pleafers of Men, not of God, with fuch like. From hence they are eafily drawn on to think it exceeding neceffary, for fear of quenching that good Spirit, to ufe all means whereby the fame may be both ftrengthened in themfelves, and made manifeft unto others. This maketh them diligent hearers of fuch as are known that way to incline: this maketh them eager to take and feek all occafions of fecret conference with fuch: this maketh them glad to ufe fuch as Counsellors and Directors in all their dealings, which are of weight, as contracts,

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